It Lurks

Emma has her head resting on Madison’s chest as they lie on their sleeping bags. She bolts upright as she hears Kyle’s scream.

“Maddie, that was genuine.”

“He’s so full of crap,” Madison replies refusing to believe it might have been a real scream.

Emma crawls toward the front of the tent.

“Em, don’t go,” Madison whimpers. But Emma ignores her, unzipping the tent and crawling out.

Outside, Emma gets to her feet and looks around. “Help!” She hears Kyle scream.

The Creature drags Kyle feet first into the forest. Emma catches just a glimpse of his shoes as he’s dragged in. “Kyle!” Emma yells. She sprints after him and disappears into the trees.

Emma feels like she’s been searching through the trees for hours even though it’s only been minutes. The forest is so dense, and there is definitely no path. “Kyle?” Emma calls out again. Out of the corner of her eye she sees something dart through the trees. “Kyle, is that you?” She yells louder.

Tussle, tussle. Kyle bolts out of the trees, limping as his right leg has a deep gash in it. He beelines straight for Emma. “We gotta get out of here!”

Before he can reach her, long arms reach down from the trees overhead and pluck Emma off the ground, pulling her into the abyss of leaves above. Kyle jumps up trying to reach her legs, but she’s taken too quickly. “Kyle!” Emma screams.

Madison sits on the ground, just outside of her tent, waiting for her girlfriend and her ex to return. She sees the trees move. It looks like a struggle is taking place, but Madison can’t tell for sure. She hears a crash as Kyle runs full speed out of the forest. His arms shine with red skid marks. Screams from Emma echo through the clearing causing Madison to spring to her feet. She practically crashes into Kyle as he hurdles toward her.

Amongst the trees, Emma drops to the ground. She lands on something soft. “Ow.” She rolls off what she is lying on and peers down at it. She lets out another scream and begins to shake as she stares at Shane’s body.

Crunch, crunch. She turns her head to see what is coming straight for her. The Creature is back. He lunges at her and jaws open, ready to take a bite.

Madison grabs Kyle’s arm more forcefully than she meant to. “Ow,” Kyle whimpers.

“Oh my god,” Madison replies, seeing his injuries. “What happened? Where’s Emma?” Too many questions too fast.

Whoosh. Something flies out of the forest and lands at their feet. Emma. Madison lets out a blood-curdling scream. Kyle slides himself backward quickly. He look at the body, then looks away and vomits. Madison peers over Kyle to get a better look. A chunk of Emma’s side is missing. “She’s alive!” Madison can see that Emma’s still breathing.

Kyle tries to regain what is left of his composure. “How?”

“I don’t know but we need to get her to the hospital.” Madison looks at Kyle’s leg. “And you.”

Kyle glances down at himself, then at the girl on the ground. He knows what he has to do, regardless of what it does to himself. “I’ll carry her.” He doesn’t give Madison the chance to respond. He scoops Emma up. Madison tries to assist the best she can, knowing Kyle needs the physical support even if he won’t admit it.

They take a few steps forward. Kyle stops and glances back at the woods. “What about Shane?”

Emma moans, causing both Kyle and Madison to look at her. “It… at him… Shane…” Emma manages to get the words out, though it takes almost all of her might. Kyle and Madison glance at each other. They proceed forward, picking up their pace. Kyle feels as though he might be sick hearing about his best friend.

“It did what?”

Madison puts her hand on Kyle’s shoulder. He’s shaking, but he nudges her off. He doesn’t want that right now, afraid he’ll drop the petite woman. He uses his effort to keep himself composed, but it’s hard. “Why didn’t it eat you?” he asks Emma as his voice quivers.

“I didn’t like me…”

“Why not?”

“Anemic?” With that, Emma passes out. Her strength is gone.

Kyle and Madison see Kyle’s pickup truck. Kyle nods, implying they make a dash for it. Madison has known Kyle long enough to know exactly what he means. Kyle readjusts Emma in his arms as they make a break for the vehicle.

Smoosh. Crunch. Creak. The Creatures darts through the trees, out of sight of the young adults.

Madison reaches the truck first. She opens the door for Kyle, and he places Emma gently in the backseat as Madison goes around to the passenger side. They both get in, wanting to breathe sides of relief but unable to.

Smoosh. Crunch. Creak. The Creature is louder and closer, it’s glowing eyes peering out from the forest ahead.

Inside the truck, Madison takes a moment to finally breathe, not seeing the Creature just out of sight. She glances at the backseat at Emma. A few moans escape from her girlfriend’s lips. Madison gulps and turns to Kyle who is breathing hard, on the verge of a panic attack. “What the hell is that thing?” Madison asks.

“I dunno,” he pauses. “It looks like…” This is so stupid. He can’t believe he’s even going to say this. “It looks like a wendigo.”

If the situation wasn’t so tense Madison would’ve laughed. “A wendigo? That is the stupid thing…” She stops herself though. She has no better idea of what it could be. It doesn’t act like any animal she’s ever seen. “How do you kill it?”

Kyle struggles to focus. Are they really having this conversation? “Uh. I don’t know. This stuff isn’t supposed to be real.” Madison just stares at him, waiting for a real answer. Kyle tries to remember all the stuff from the website Shane showed him. Shane…

“Silver,” he finally remembers, pushing thoughts of his now dead friend from his mind. He isn’t able to keep his eyes from welling up with tears though.

Rustle, rustle. They both hear it this time.

“Kyle?”

Kyle regains himself as much as he can. “Silver. The internet said silver can kill it.”

The Creature lurks in the shadows, the forest acting as a cover. It lets out a long, almost wolf-like howl.

Madison scans the interior of the truck. She checks the glove compartment, pulling items out. Nothing is useful. Nothing is silver. Kyle watches her, confused. Madison glances at him. An idea makes her let out a huff in relief. She reaches across and yanks the silver chain off of Kyle’s neck.

“Hey, what are you doing!”

“I can’t believe you still wear this.” She stares at the necklace in her hands for a moment. “The necklace, it’s silver Kyle,” she explains. She forgot he could be so dense.

“Oh.” He reaches for her arm to get the necklace back. Madison tires to pull away but he’s stronger than she is. “I’ll go… kill it.”

“I don’t need a guy to protect me.”

“I know, but I gotta do it. That piece of shit monster ate my best friend.” He holds his hand out and waits. Madison reluctantly gives him the chain.

Kyle opens the truck door and hops out. He takes a few steps toward the forest and then turns back to Madison. “Start the truck. I’ll be right back.”

Madison turns the keys, starting the engine as Kyle takes a few more steps toward the trees.

“Hey! Hey! Over here! Come and get me you sick, hairy freak!” Kyle yells.

Madison watches from the truck. She hears Emma winter in the back seat. The other woman’s breathing is labored. She looks far worse than before. “Kyle hurry,” Madison whispers to herself.

Crunch, crunch. The Creature paces forward, much slower than it has been moving. It’s stalking Kyle. The shadows and forest still mask its appearance.

“You heard me you piece piece of shit! Come get me, I’m a tasty SOB.”

In the cover of the darkness, the Creature lunges at Kyle. But Kyle is fast and manages to leap out of the way. “Shit. This thing is fast,” Kyle says breathlessly.

Moans and howls and tree branches breaking seem to surround the eighteen year old. “Kyle, it’s just me.” Shane’s voice calls out from the darkness. Kyle glances around. He knows it’s not Shane. He takes a step forward and trips over Shane’s body. Taking several deep breath, Kyle forces the tears welling up to stay back down.

“Dude, I’m sorry.” He kneels down and does something he never expected he would. He kisses Shane’s forehead. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” he tell his friend. After a moment, Kyle gets up ad brushes himself off. He spots a branch on the ground, one end of which is slightly pointed. He grabs it and wraps his necklace around the pointy end.

Kyle yells out, “Where are you?”

The call is met with silence that envelops the forest. Kyle looks around, breathing deep. A growl lurches throughout the vastness causing the hairs on the back of Kyle’s neck to stand up. The Creature opens its mouth, ready to attack. Kyle and the Creature stare into each other’s eyes, neither breaking contact. Kyle leans back, his grip tight on the stick. He thrusts it forward as fast and hard as he can. It jabs the Creature right in its open mouth.

Cough, sputter, choking noises.

Kyle races out of the trees, stumbling as he makes it out of the shadows. Madison spots him, her heartbeat increasing. She didn’t think Kyle was going to make it. She sits in the driver’s seat, actually prepared to leave. Kyle runs to the passenger side of the truck and hops in, slamming the door shut. Madison slams her foot on the gas. Screech! She backs all the way onto the street and stops.

“Are you okay?”

Kyle takes a few breaths, “Yeah, I’m good.”

Whoosh. Rustle. The trees begin to move. They’re not out of the clear. Kyle leans forward, scanning the forest for any sign of the Creature. He sees nothing, and neither does Madison. They hear though, another rustle.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Kyle squawks.

“You read my mind,” Madison replies, stepping on the gas.

The truck picks up speed and zooms down the highway, out of sight.

A long, wildly howl echoes through the forest.