Run

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. At least that is the story the old-timers tell everyone.

Within its rotten, derelict walls that once housed loving families and rebellious teenagers, sparked a solitary glimmer of life. Nobody paid attention to the isolated location for decades. Except for me. My home, formerly my parents', was built on the outskirts of the same woods. The dark, ominous centerpiece of warnings to local children is my backyard. In fact, there is a shortcut to the city square that passes by the building. Provided one is daring enough to take it.

Like a fool, I accepted the challenge.

On a cool, yet humid summer night, it happened. I was relaxing on the front porch, sitting in a rickety wooden rocking chair, taking in the beauty that nature offered. The ambiance was quiet and still; with the exception of wildlife. In the distance, birds were singing a lonely tune, breaking the eerie silence that I have come to love. Cicadas were clicking and chirping on the surrounding trees; relishing their final hours of life. Fireflies danced around carelessly, illuminating the darkness. The air was saturated with the scent of cedarwood, grass, and flowers. Millions of stars were visible in the clear, unpolluted skies. Everything was peaceful.

Until...

A blood-curdling shriek echoed through the silence. It was shrill and unnerving; distressed like a victim that met its demise. Could it be a lost hiker? Or perhaps a wounded creature? Either way, I needed to investigate. With my heart pounding like a drum and blood running as cold as ice, I grabbed my trusty shotgun and flashlight from inside the house and sped off into the night; searching for its origins. Hoping that this act would not end my life.

Unfortunately, the sound faded quickly; only the thudding of my footsteps and my deafening pulse could be heard. Deeper and deeper into the thick, unforgiving woods I ran. Branches thwacked my arms abruptly, leaving bruises and cuts behind. Leaves swept across my shoulder and neck, causing my skin to break out in a sheet of gooseflesh as I pushed through the brush; twigs snapping under my weight. It felt like an eternity was spent running through the abysmal darkness before coming to a stop in a large, flat, deathly quiet clearing.

I stood there for a long time, trying to catch my breath while taking in the sights. The moon above was full and gloriously bright; lighting up the otherwise pitch-black night with its silvery glow. A gush of air bristled through the space, making the trees sway back and forth. Out of the corner of my vision, was something odd. Several trees had been cut down into jumbled messes of branches and vines, forming a perfect circle. Cautiously, I approached the scene. Upon closer inspection, the trees were not cut down, they were slashed. Judging by the sizeable, jagged claw marks covering the bark, it was some kind of predator. Amongst the disarray was a trail of something. I grazed my fingers across the curious substance, finding that it was thick and viscous in nature. The moonlight sheened across it briefly, revealing a deep crimson hue. It was blood.

Fear pooled in my stomach at the revelation. Where did it come from? Is it from a human or animal? Before I could ponder the answer, groaning and gurgling interrupted my thoughts. Frantically, I searched for its source. Underneath the heap of trees and vines was an old man wearing a shredded gray flannel shirt, saturated in blood, and black trousers with one pant leg missing. His breathing was labored and shallow; weak rasping noises coming from his thin, translucent lips. One of his legs was bruised, swollen, and covered in scratches.

"What happened?" I asked, carefully shifting the pile.

The old man tried saying something, but it got lost within a wheeze. I lowered my ear to his lips to hear him better.

"Run..." He whispered; his voice barely audible.

I cocked my head to the side and said, "What?"

Suddenly, he grasped the collar of my shirt and yanked me closer.

"I said run!!!"

Snarling erupted from behind, causing me to jump. Before I could register what was happening, a wall of fur and teeth slammed into my body, tossing me into a tree stump. Sore and disoriented, I looked upon my aggressor. Thick mangled fur; caked in dirt and blood, black soulless eyes, and sharp gnarled fangs stared at me. I discard my weapon, scrambled then sprinted away as fast as I could.

With no other options, I dash into the only shelter nearby: the abandoned cabin. It is pitch black inside, the stench of mold and mildew filled my nostrils. The adrenaline that carried my weary body subsided and I collapsed onto the rotten floor below. A clicking nose breaks the silence. Warm, soothing light envelopes the room. I gingerly stand up, using a chair leg to brace myself. Sitting on the windowsill was a lit candle that was melting at an alarming rate.

“I told you to run. Now you’re next.”A voice hissed deeply into my ear.

I turned around. Standing before me was the old man missing half of his face, one of his arms and his stomach was split open; intestines dragging across the floor. In his remaining hand was a used match.

“Why?” I whimpered, backing away from the pallid corpse.

He chuckled darkly and whispered, “The beast still hungers.”