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White Eyes

A Horror Short Story

By Neil JonesPublished 2 years ago 7 min read
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White Eyes
Photo by Tom Morel on Unsplash

The old man's cold face reflected in the cabin window; glazed eyes stared off into the woods as elated chatter filled the night sky. He rose from his chair, hobbling with a grunt towards the distant glow of a fire.

I walked amongst the trees enjoying the symphony of birds. The smell of the Washington woods put my mind at rest. After spending all week in a cubicle, this was the escape I needed. The thick foliage above my head created a dark blanket covering my surroundings. Beams of sunlight broke through the canopy and danced along the shaded floor. As I was nearing my five-mile goal, a yellow tent in the distance caught my eye.

I usually wouldn't give a campsite much attention, but the half-torn tent flap rippling in the breeze piqued my curiosity. I approached the tent, calling out to not surprise anyone, which proved in vain as I found the area deserted and the tent empty. Aside from various cans strewn about the remains of a campfire, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Still, the wicket gash creating a new window in the tent did not paint a pretty picture. Soft wind poured through the cut; its once pleasant whistle now had a sinister tone. Thinking only a bear or redneck with a machete could've made that cut. I decided to investigate in case the worst had happened. Kneeling, I was relieved by the lack of blood. However, looking up through the cut, I made my first discovery, pieces of fluff caught on a bush behind the tent, leading deeper into the woods.

I wanted to leave and head back to my car, but the little voice in the back of my head started nagging me. While there was still no proof violence had occurred, I just had to be sure someone wasn't lost or hurt, so I decided to check the surrounding area to clear my conscience. In silence, I walked further into the shaded woods. After fifteen minutes of meandering, my search had yet to yield anything significant. However, a growing feeling of unease overtook the bravado, so I decided it was time to make my way back. Upon turning, I came face-to-face with my second discovery stuck to a tree. Its black and red pattern was instantly recognizable; the crudely torn severed sleeve of a flannel stared me in the face. I made my way towards the piece of fabric, but a rustling made me freeze in place.

My eyes darted to the tree line, fight or flight in full gear. However, the sight of two mossy antlers poking out of a bush sent a wave of relief over me. While I always enjoy a deer's company, I became acutely aware of my solitude. I turned to grab the flannel, but in mid-motion, my stomach dropped as I realized something was off about its color. Dried blood coated the sleeve at its tear. Every horrific scene that could have happened at that campsite played simultaneously in my head. Instinctively, I reached for my phone to call the police, only for my empty pocket to remind me that my phone sat alone in the car several miles away. Knowing I needed the evidence, I shoved the crusty sleeve into my pocket with a shiver. Filled with determination, I took a step in the direction I came.

Before I could get far, sickening snaps erupted from the bush. Reluctantly, I turned my head. At that moment, it occurred to me that those antlers did not belong to any deer. The creature loomed nine feet in the air, antlers piercing the canopy. I couldn't make out any of its features; the only thing I could focus on were two piercing, white eyes. A hoofed foot took a massive step forward, and the sprinter I didn't know was in me took over. The pounding of hooves and leaves resounded behind me. It was gaining on me. The thing let out a terrible screech that wasn't human or animalistic, like a cacophony of suffering spewing out all at once.

Hurtling every stump and fallen branch with Olympic precision, I ran faster than I thought possible. The creature let out another scream that sounded closer than the last. A mixture of sweat and tears began to blur my vision, blinding me from a protruding root. I tumbled head-over-heels along the ground and felt my ankle twist unnaturally. However, the pain was the least of my worries. Lying, I turned to meet the beast's gaze as it towered over me. The only thing humanoid about it was its shape. Bloody, matted fur covered its entire body, except for the head: where a skinless deer skull and those cruel antlers protruded. The creature bent down mere inches from my face and opened its long mouth agape, white eyes burning in empty sockets, fixating on its next meal.

It let out another roar that nearly deafened me; the smell of rotting carcasses brought me to the brink of passing out. I accepted my fate; this out-of-worldly creature was about to take me to the next. With gritted teach and closed eyes, I waited for the end to come. Instead of gnashing teeth, the sound of rustling filled the air. I opened my eyes to see an enormous grizzly tumbling out of the bush. The creature immediately stood up to meet the bear; both beasts roared in preparation for the coming fight. This was it; fate had smiled upon me. I scrambled to my feet. Without thinking, I tried running, only for my ankle to give out beneath me, hurling me face-first into a rock. Everything went black.

I awoke to the smell of roasting meat; the aroma had a comforting feeling. I shot up, finding myself in a bed. My head spun from the sudden incline, but I could tell a man was near a black stove. He turned his head, noticing me stir, and began to speak.

"Yu're in pretty bad shape there, son. I'm glad I found ya when I did."

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"The names Willow, son, I'm just some ol'-timer who loves the woods. I don't want much business with the world nowadays, so I've been livin' off the land a few years now. And thank ur lucky stars fur it, I found ya sprawled out under a big oak out walkin' yesterday, who knows what coulda happened to ya if I didn't"

On edge, I thanked the man for rescuing me. Refocusing, I began looking around the cabin.

"Listen, when you found me yesterday, was their anyth-"

My words trailed off as something fuzzy brushed my leg. My eyes widened as I stared directly at my leg through a large gash in the sleeping bag I lay under.

"What were you goin' on about, son? Oh! Sorry about the sleeping bag, I never expect any company, so I had to give ya my old ruined one."

"Say," I squeaked, "Have you ever seen anything weird in these woods. I think something chased me yesterday."

"Chased ya? Like, some kinda animal?"

"Not exactly. It… was a deer, but shaped like a man, I guess. Its face was hollow and skinless too. Oh, except for these terrible, burning eyes. It was like nothing I've ever seen before."

"Hahahaha! Son, you expect me to believe ya got chased by some fairytale creature? Nonsense! Now, there are a lot of bears in these parts, big ones too. That's probably what chased ya. Speakin' of which, I hunted one down after finding ya yesterday. I'm cookin' 'er up right now. If ya give me a minute, I'll get some food in ya. I'm sure yur starved by now."

I shifted to face my host, only for a wave of fear to hit me. Feeling my pocket, I was sure the torn sleeve I found matched what the man's flannel missed. I began getting up but winced in pain after putting weight on my ankle.

"Woah their son, no need to get up. Supper's almost ready. I'll bring it over."

"Oh, no, that's not necessary, I don't want to take advantage, so I'll just be going."

"With a busted ankle like that? No way, sit back down, son."

"No, really, I'm a great hiker. I'll just take my time. Now I have friends waiting for me, and I'm sure they're all worried by now."

"I'm sure everything will be fine if ya just explain yurself," he said while preparing a plate. "Yu're injured and need rest. I won't have ya goin' out there just to git hurt again, so yur gonna stay here a while and get better."

With a grunt, he shambled to my side, placing a plate full of seared meat on my lap.

"Go on now, eat up, son."

"Sir, please, I don't think you understa-"

"I said eat, son."

He stooped down to my level and flashed a grin. That's when I noticed a white glint in his eyes.

supernatural
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