Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24996913-20150626203910

It's been so long since I've written. Even though I feel pretty good about this story, I still wanted to see if my writing was up to par since its been so long. Anyways, enjoy.

I have several pet peeves. I loathe those who eat meat and hunt animals. I heavily dislike witnessing trees fall in order to build a new complex or shopping mall. It absolutely infuriates me to see human injustices and barbaric behavior based off of a team losing a game or a difference of appearance. There is, however, one thing that repels me exponentially due to its simplicity.

It takes a certain type of person to litter. Most of these imbeciles are products of an unkept home, a dysfunctional lifestyle, and a lack of rooted respect. The others are self proclaimed rulers of the world that feel they are above staying within the law due to mommy and daddy's influence should they run into trouble.

It infuriates me to think people would do this to their own planet. Do they think about future generations and the impact the garbage they throw from their windows will do should someone not clean up after them? Do they think of the animals that die off because they wanted to disregard the plastic holding together a collection of canned soda? The thoughtlessness in the act itself is mind numbing to say the least, especially when the majority of these people, that I have personally witnessed, turn into a housing edition seconds after tossing their garbage from an open window. Instead of waiting until they arrived home to appropriately dispose of their trash, they senselessly chuck it on the side of the road.

Just as expected, someone else is expected to clean up after them. That someone is me.

I just watched a black Mustang pull off after leaving a garbage bag in the middle of the street. The light was red, but they sped off anyways, leaving behind a trail of dust as they proceeded. Though I could have easily followed suit, taking down their license plate to pursue an act of justice, the garbage bag called for my attention. It was only a few feet ahead of my vehicle, and I couldn't just leave it there.

So I climbed out of my truck, walked slowly to the bag as I looked to see whether or not any oncoming traffic was approaching, as I shivered due to a chilly gust of wind hitting my exposed arms. Though it was pretty late, the bats replacing the birds in the sky, I didn't want anyone to run over this bag and end up with a flat tire. The street was relatively dark, only a few street lights dispersed between a mile radius, and considering that the road was also completely barren, unless they had a spare, whoever was unfortunate enough to make contact with the partially full bag would have been stranded for hours in the cold.

Not even I loathe humans that much.

Before picking up the bag, I carefully put on a pair of disposable gloves. Being that I've been in this situation more than a few times, I keep gloves on hand. Luckily, this bag was sealed tight and not one drop of unidentifiable fluid leaked onto my attire. Even though I was rather upset with the litterer, I could at least appreciate the fact that he went through the trouble of properly tying off his bag. That in itself made my job a lot easier to do.

With the bag in hand, I walked back to my vehicle and tossed it in the bed of my truck before gliding into the drivers seat. I pulled off smoothly, and continued about my drive home. As I drove, I could hear the bag sliding back and forth in the bed of the truck. The sound of it was satisfying accompanied by the chilly wind and faint whistling as the air squeezed through the small crack in my window. Unfortunately, the sound disappeared soon after. About five miles into my descent, the melodic sound completely stopped. At first, I thought maybe it had settled into a corner of the bed, but after encountering various bumps and holes, I began to panic. I couldn't help but think perhaps it had fallen out.

So I stopped my car abruptly, and stepped down onto the dirt road. With the light from my cellphone, I proceeded to the bed of the truck. The sound of the various insects chirping was eerily beautiful as I peeked over the side of my truck's bed. The absence of any light besides the small amount from my phone made it hard to navigate the corners of the bed, but once I realized the bag wasn't in any of the four corners, my heart began to beat rapidly.

I hurried to the back of the truck, aiming the light anywhere the bag could have possibly fallen. Regardless of my efforts, I couldn't seem to find the bag anywhere. I checked ditches, I checked down the road, hell I even checked the tree lines for any animals that could have possibly scavenged the bag, but I found nothing. So I started to walk back to my truck. The thought of the animal who had found the bag suffering because of my stupidity weighed down on me. I felt so foolish, so inept.

However, all thoughts vanished from my psyche as I walked. Once within eyesight of my car, the sound of rustling leaves alarmed me. I stopped in my tracks, dimmed the light on my phone, and gave the brush my undivided attention as the snapping of twigs progressed to obnoxious bouts of running. Even through the slight hum of the wind, I could hear this animal actively haunting me. Though I was standing completely still and had begun to elongate my body in order to scare what I believed to be a bear off, I wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Just as I contemplated the idea of running the last 200 meters to my car, something fell from above, hitting me so hard I fell to the ground. In a panic, I shined the dim light of my phone towards the ground, gradually and reluctantly passing the light over the dirt. As I did so, I found what appeared to be liquid covering select rocks and gravel. I followed its trail carefully, my heart pounding within my chest like a drum. At the trails end, what I expected to be a dead bird, was something entirely different. Something that made my hair stand on end.

A scream escaped my lips immediately, and I projected myself far away from the bloodied limb, dropping my phone along the way. As I squirmed, staring back at the arm illuminated by the light of my cell, the rustling picked up substantially. Whatever this thing was, I knew it fast. Twigs snapped and leaves fell over me like fresh snow in December as it seemed to effortlessly travel from ground to air.

My body was in shock, too afraid to make a run for it as the thing appeared to get closer and closer which each movement. I just sat there, crying hysterically as I allowed it to close the gap between us. At one point, I wanted so badly to pass out. I wanted to make it easier on it and on me. I couldn't help but think this all happened because I picked up a bag...

Fortunately for me, silence filled the night's air once more. Though there was no chirping of insects or whistling of the wind, the silence gave me just enough courage to stand. My knees were weak, my t-shirt stained with salty tears, and my heart wanted so badly to escape me as I stared at the stretch of road ahead. The run wouldn't seem so long if not for the unknown threat in the trees. I could still feel its presence. It wanted to watch me. I couldn't help but feel this was a test of some sort, and I knew if I didn't run, it'd pounce on me like a lion would a gazelle.

So I ran. I ran like a bat out of hell towards what I felt would keep me safe from the beast yet to reveal itself. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I could feel every muscle in my legs scream as my foot connected with the ground. My arms swung back and forth much like a pendulum closing in on its victim, with every horrifying stride. I was so close to making it to my truck when it made its presence known. I stopped in my tracks, the friction of my abrupt stillness causing me to fall backwards onto the ground.

I didn't try to run once I laid eyes on it. I simply watched on as it eloquently flowed downward towards me, much like a spider trickling down from its web. Its sophistication wasn't the only thing that struck me immediately, causing me to tremble fearfully at its feet. No, its face was much more horrifying. It resembled that of complete and utter darkness, with just enough illumination of light to bring forth its cavernous features.

It seemed to relish in my discomposure. This thing bore a scowl unlike anything I had ever seen, and though I couldn't see its eyes, I knew it was staring intently upon me. I felt as if it were waiting for a response, waiting for me to attempt to run away. Fortunately, I stayed put, keeping my eyes locked on it, even though I wanted nothing more than to hop into my vehicle and drive until my truck absorbed every teaspoon of gasoline.

For a second, I thought perhaps it wouldn't let me go. I was so sure of the fact that I wouldn't make it home. I was certain that a picture of me graduating college would be plastered all over the six o'clock news, my parents pleading for anyone to come forth with information. But this thing didn't seem to want me dead. It simply watched me for what seemed like eternity, its head tilting back and forth repetitively over a course of minutes. Finally, with one very controlled and powerful voice, it spoke to me.

"Every night, around midnight, deliver me a package. Should I not receive it, you will be its replacement."

With the words delivered, it simply shot up into the trees and then beyond, leaving behind a gap in the dense forestry. I didn't dare move. I simply stood there, my eyes locked on the massive hole it had created in the branches, as leaves fell over me. 