Heidi

The trees were dense and dark. The sounds of nature could be heard all around. Crickets chirping were prominent but something was still off. It was like nature was yelling at me to get out. But I couldn't. My dog, Heidi, was missing and I had to find her. This wasn't the first time, and I'm sure it wouldn't be the last, but it all just felt really off. Birds were screaming, and my body wanted to react.

I just continued thinking it was probably me they were screaming at. I was in their home when they were supposed to be sleeping. I was throwing them off. “Heidi!” I yelled again, hoping she would hear me and come running. “C'mere girl! It's time to go home!”

There was a slight panic in my voice. Yes, Heidi always ran off, but she was always back before sunset. That didn't happen today. The birds and crickets yelling didn't help my panic. Heidi was my best friend. The saying 'A dog is a man's best friend' didn't do our relationship justice. She had been with me through so much.

I stopped walking to see if I could hear her walking around the woods possibly. She usually wasn't the most quiet dog. There was some crunching of leaves over to my left so I went that way. “Heidi, come out and we'll go get a treat!” I yelled semi-desperately.

There was a part of me that wanted to give up because the darkness descending seemed so unreal. The birds and crickets had calmed and honestly, now, it seemed too quiet. “Heidi,” I whispered softly, almost in tears. “Please.” I stopped and listened one more time. Just standing in place for a minute or so.

A soft bark came from somewhere around me. “Heidi!” I yelled cupping my hands around my mouth. “Heeeiiidi!”

I stopped and listened again. Absolute silence. That should have worried me but at this point I didn't care. I wanted my dog. I needed my best friend to come back. I walked a little further into the woods, towards where I thought the bark came from. After every step I would pause and listen so that my rustling in the leaves wouldn't hinder my hearing.

As I was about to give up, lose hope, and just throw myself down on the ground like a child, I heard another soft bark. Then a low growl. It sounded like Heidi. Another soft bark, and then a low, rumbling moan that sounded almost inhuman. A small whimper, followed by a growl. It had to be Heidi, I thought.

I rushed towards the sound. Hoping that my Heidi wasn't hurt. Praying and lifting my eyes towards the sky. I couldn't lose my best friend. I just couldn't. I got to a clearing and saw Heidi in a defensive stance. She was staring into the darkness just past the trees. A low growl came from Heidi, something like I had never heard before.

“Heidi...” I spoke carefully “Baby.” Having never seen her like this before I wasn't sure what to expect. My Heidi was normally such a nice, peaceful dog. When I say she wouldn't hurt a fly, I meant it. We had squirrels that would come into the yard and she would play with them. It was the cutest thing to watch them run around the yard.

Heidi didn't even pay me any mind when I spoke to her. She was way too focused on whatever was in the trees. A rumbling moan escaped the trees that sent shivers straight through my body. Heidi looked back at me and I felt like she was telling me to run. But I couldn't. I couldn't leave her alone. There was obvious fear in her eyes.

“Heidi, come here!” I commanded. She didn't move. “Heidi...” I put more authority in my voice but it wavered as another moan emanated from the trees. It sounded closer but I hadn't paid any attention, I was too worried about Heidi. The moaning sounded like it was coming from behind me.

I swirled around when Heidi let out an angry bark and growled ferociously. There had been a creature that I was sure had never before been seen. It was tall and lanky. Eyes that were way too large for it's face, dark as the night. And now that I noticed, the sun had set and it had left an unreal darkness itself. All that I could see around me was Heidi and this terrible, fearful creature.

Heidi had thrown herself between me and this...thing. What the fuck was it? It looked past Heidi and her growling and stared at me. An interest in its dark eyes, half closed and staring at me. It started to move towards me, its legs nearly the length of my entire body. Heidi barked a warning. It still ignored her.

The creature moved to step over Heidi and she lunged at it. Grabbing at whatever she could with her mouth. My best friend was trying to protect me from whatever this creature had in store for me. They always said that animals had a sixth sense and knew when danger was coming. Maybe that's why Heidi had run off and hadn't come back. She was trying to save me. It's possible that this creature had been after me, and since it was, Heidi wanted to take it down.

The creature looked down as Heidi as if she were just a nuisance, a small problem stopping it from reaching its destination. A horrible, terrible smile crossed its face. It seemed to look through my soul before it picked Heidi up in its too large hands, and opened its large jaws, and bit down through half of my best friend.

My stomach turned as I heard the sound of its teeth tearing though Heidi's flesh, the sound seemed to be amplified in the darkness this creature had created. It smacked its lips a little too loudly before devouring the rest of Heidi and licking her blood off its fingers.

I couldn't handle it anymore, I feel down to my knees and threw up the entirety of my stomach. Every once in a while I could take a breath and glance at the creature. It seemed to be watching me suffer with glee in its eyes. It felt like forever before the contents of my stomach were gone and I was dry heaving with teary, red eyes. I looked up at the creature and screamed.

“Why?!” I yelled it over and over. It just stood and stared like it was waiting for me to give up. It wanted me to surrender to it. It took what I loved most and was ready for me to come willingly to it. It's large eyes stared down at me and its mouth opened. I froze prepared for it to do to me what it had done to Heidi.

“Worthless human,” a voice so crackly and deep came from within the creature. “You think you loved this creature I just devoured while you stood there doing nothing to help her.”

I just stared, not knowing what to say. I wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand and stood up. Whether I was going to stay or run, I did not know yet. What I did know is that I had no fight in me. I could run, but what good could it do me.

“What are you called, creature?” I asked. Maybe I could distract it for a minute, while I possibly tried to figure out an escape plan.

“I have many names,” the creature responded. “But if you wish to call me something before you become one with me, then you shall call me the Soul Eater. And,” it paused and its face came closer to me. “If you wish to try and fight and run, then that is your choice, just know, I'll get you.”

I sighed. Knowing that I shouldn't give up because Heidi fought for me. I turned to run but before I could move away, the creature grabbed me. “What fight you have in you,” the Soul Eater laughed. “Too bad it's not enough. Your dog creature had more courage than you.”

And the last thing I saw before everything went dark was the inside of Soul Eater. And I will tell you the inside was more frightening than the outside. If you picture Hell that was it. Soul Eater was Hell...