A Long Dark Road

Chapter 1: Lucky Lad

The walk was long, the road was dark and Liam had a leg cramp that could bring down a bear. He had to get home, he was already late and he knew his father would want to have a few words with him before he could slip off into dream land and Liam was really looking forward to some sleep. Even though he knew what could also await him.

Some nights Liam would sleep walk. This was no normal sleep walking you see, Liam would completely leave the safety of his home and end up on this exact same long, dark road. Every night this happened, he would eventually awaken unaware of where he was, what he was doing. Confusion would sweep over him like the bad breath of the dead moaning in your face. Oh no, wait that's what this road always smelled like.

At 5'6" and 125lbs Liam was not exactly intimidating. His short, dangly body always covered in a t-shirt, an old patched up hoodie, some blue jeans, and a beat up pair of old tennis shoes. All of it just a little too oversized for his body. One thing about this boy is that he was always wearing a smile, not much got him down, except this road.

Lenny's curve has been a part of the small town "HappyShire" since the town was founded in 1901. It's been known around the world as the "Curve of Death", no not because of the smell, but because there is 1-3 deaths a year on this curve. Every death has to deal with a one car accident, usually going over the edge, and never gets solved. That's right, these accidents have no answers. Many theories revolve around this mystery and none of them making sense, but in Liam's case, he would like to know why he keeps waking up on this curve and having to make the long walk home through the overhung trees with the moon creeping in just enough light to make out what was in front of him.

"The party sure was great though", Liam thought to himself as he was trying to keep his mind off of the spookiness. "Miranda sure was looking good, one of these days I'm going to get the courage to.........." What was that, Liam stopped mid thought for the loud bang he just heard in the woods to his left. Stopping in mid stride and taking a look into the pitch black of the woods next to him, Liam's only thought was that he really should have taken that ride home.

Liam's walk has quickened, his breath is heavy with fear and tiredness from the quicker pace. The worst part is, the banging in the woods, now on the opposite side of the road to him, has not stopped. The sound almost seems like it is following him, but he still can't see anything. His pace is almost a running speed now. While he jogs he continues to look behind him in hopes that nothing is at the other end of his line of site. He faces forward again, he can almost see the first street light just up ahead. "Oh thank goodness", he thought as he turned to look behind him one last time.

In the couple of seconds it took Liam to turn forward and then backward again, he had lost his footing and tripped over a pothole, his head just hitting the side of a pine tree as he went tumbling to ground. It took him a moment to collect his thoughts and realize where and what he was doing again.

"Whew, almost home." He said to himself as his eyes were focusing and the first thing he see's is the street light.

"BANG!!" Right next to his head, against the tree and then at his feet, a large rock. That rock looked like it was intended for Liam's head, and they missed. The only problem is, who is they?

As soon as Liam looks behind him and to the direction from which the rock was thrown, there it was, a large figure standing in the shadows, breathing with a low growl gliding through the night air.

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