Snow Monster

This nightmare always starts the same way;

A blizzard

But no cold,

only the sense of dread.

I have to keep moving.

Trudging through the snow,

I feel slow,

Desperate.

In a blizzard there is no concept of space or time.

The entire world is white

It could be day or night

the snow and clouds capture all light

Eerily quiet

All noise is deadened

The only sound heard;

crunching footsteps in snow,

Quick, panicked breaths

And my pounding heartbeat, threatening to give me away.

I cannot see what I am running from

That does not mean it can’t see me.

My family starts off with me,

But each night a family member disappears.

First father

Then mother.

It’s just me and my siblings now

As the eldest I am responsible for protecting them,

to keep them safe.

Safe from what?

The creature that continues to hunt down my family remains unseen.

Only the hair prickling up the back of my neck as it draws near

gives the beast away.

Another night

Sister gets taken next.

I failed as the eldest,

but I still have my brother.

We make shelter out of the snow

We hide.

Too scared to cry over our loss

We just hold each other

And shiver.

...

The dream stops

Thank god.

I am safe from that nightmare.

Hopefully I’ll never dream of it again.

...

I wake again

Snowflakes heavy on my lashes

Another snowstorm.

It’s been years, but instantly I know

I’m back.

Where’s my brother?!

I search frantically

but this time I stand alone.

Fear and grief take hold

Strength leaves

Falling to my knees in the cold wet snow,

I sob.

I scream!

I cry until my cries turn into shallow hiccups.

Hiccups deepen into heaving gasps.

Gasps settle into full breaths.

Full breaths surrender to silence.

Slowly

I rise.

A calm resolve washes over me.

No more running.

Time to meet the monster.

Icy wind burns exposed skin

Each step heavy and strained

I struggle through thick snow banks

No clue where to go

All looks the same in this storm

Just

Keep

Moving

I see something…

Tracks!

Huge

Not human

Tracks

Instinct screams to turn back!

Don’t follow!

Instinct did nothing to protect me before.

I continue forward.

Ahead

A cave

The first discernible feature in this winter wasteland.

Creep forward

Hold breath

Peek inside

A huge form lurks in the shadows

Deep rumblings echo off stone

It sleeps

Crouch down

Pick up some rocks

No real weapons or tools at my disposal

But I must try.

Hands shake

More from fear than cold

I stand back up

Inhale

Steady…

THROW!

The rock hits its target

Out comes a howling

ROAR

I turn and run

Rocks forgotten

Snow slows my efforts

Not my pursuer.

Weary

Nowhere to run

I stop

Turn

And face my fear.

Amber eyes of fiery rage

The beast stares back.

Nothing to lose

I leap at the monster

Tackling it to the ground

Under me, a rumbling

low guttural laugh emerges from the creature’s chest

Too human

Hairy arms surround

Trap me

The beast sits up

A furry clawed hand releases me

Reaches up,

And takes off its head…

...

Father emerges from fur

Eyes teary with laughter

“You got Scooby-Doo’d!”

Classic dad prank.