An Offer Too Good to Refuse

It all started with that stupid dare. Sitting around the campfire, telling scary stories, all this seemed like good fun at the time. Had we only known…

Okay, let me start from the beginning. We were sitting around the fire telling stories, like you should on a warm summer night, when it happened. Joe noticed I kept glancing at the woods and said with a smirk, “Hey Mack, you scared something is gonna get you?” “Nah,” I said, “just a little paranoid is all.” “Well if you aren’t scared, I guess you wouldn’t mind doing a little dare?” he said confidently. “What kind of dare are we talking about?” I asked warily. “All you have to do is walk up to the woods, turn around so your back is facing it, and say ‘If there’s anything out there, come get me.’’ he said. “I…I’m afraid of the dark.” I stammered. With a sigh, he set off toward the woods. “If I do this, you have to do it next.” he said. “Fine.” I said in defeat.

When he got to the edge of the woods, a sense of dread gripped my heart. I was paralyzed with fear, over his shoulder I saw a pair of red eyes looming in the dark forest. I tried to warn him but all that came out is a croak, why did I have to be such a coward? Just as the finals words escaped his lips, the thing grabbed him. It took him back into the woods with Joe struggling and grunting with effort until the sounds faded into the distance. Everyone just stood there staring in shock as our brains registered what just happened. We grabbed flashlights and headed out to look for him, but after the futile effort we decided it would be best to look for him in the morning. As soon as the sun came up over the horizon, we headed out to look. We reached the place where it took him only to see that there were no drag marks, foot prints, and no sign of a struggle at all. We scoured the area for any sign of him being there only to come up empty handed.

To this very day, those eyes haunt my dreams. Sometimes I see them prowling the edge of the woods at night, waiting for the next victim. Whatever you do, please never tempt the creatures of the night; they just might take up your offer.