Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24130682-20150326162314

I don't know where or how to begin this story. I guess I could begin when it first started. I can't remember it too well. It's not because it was long ago, but because I don't want to remember it. I was told by my friends that talking about what happened would help me get better. Okay, here goes. I will try to remember as much as possible.



It was late fall. The snow had just fallen, it was already melting by the time that I left for school. It was still rather dark today, I didn't think anything of it because it usually is at this point. The only things that had made me nervous was the -20 degree weather. It wasn't usually this cold in Canada. At least not this early. I moved faster and faster, trying to keep warm and still getting to school on time. After a few minutes, I decided to cut through the woods near my house in order to get there early. After 5 minutes of running through the woods I heard a branch snap from off the path. I slowed down to a walk before stopping completely. I turned towards the bushes where the sound had come from.



I saw something hunched over preoccupied with something. It turned to me with a look of rage for disrupting what it had been doing. It's eyes were a thick-deep crimson. That is the only thing I remember, except for one simple thing. Whatever it was, it was humanoid. It ran off after letting out a screech, like the sound of rusty nails scraping down a chalkboard. I decided that I no longer wanted to stay in the forest anymore so I ran as fast as I could out of the forest and away from that spot. I arrived at school 15 minutes after the bell rang but I didn't care. I never wanted to see that thing away.



While I was at school, I kept away from everyone. My friends all laughed at how scared I looked. They had no idea. I got up and left, no way I was going to sit through this ridicule for what I saw. I went to the spot I liked going when I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. The football field behind the school. It was not a very isolated area, but it was usually very quiet and calm. My only problem with this place was that it was right next to the woods. The same woods I had been terrified of. I decided that if I just walked through it, maybe I wouldn't be scared anymore. Igot up and wandered back to school when Kyle called from the steps leading to the school. “Hey Bruce,” he said, “why'd you head out here. You know me and Tyler were just joking around.” I chuckled and told him that I was sorry for running out and that I just had a very rough day. Then I remembered what had happened. I smiled and asked him to get Tyler and Jack. “I just want to tell you guys something.” I watched him run off and reached for my backpack. I looked up just in time to see a dark shape run past.



After school, we all met up at the football field. I told them exactly what had happened, why I was so distant from them, and why I seemed nervous and jumpy. They all listened intently and when I reached the part about the creature. Tyler burst out laughing. “Really?” he said, still chuckling, “you were scared by a wolf? Come on.” I was so annoyed that they didn't believe me that I wanted to just get up leave and never speak to them. That was when Jack spoke up. “Tyler come on. My family has lived here for years. There have never been any wolf sightings. I think we should just check this out.” We all decided to go after it tomorrow. Since it was Saturday, we wouldn't get in trouble for skipping school. Before we left I said one last thing. “Each of you had better bring a gun, or some kind of protection. Even if it is just a wolf, they can still be dangerous.”



We gathered at 5 AM the next day and decided that sticking together would be the best option. After a few minutes of wandering through the woods, I tripped over a root and fell down a hill. I had ended up falling into an old quarry. “GUYS!” I called out up the hill. None of them had heard me. I tried to climb out when I felt a chill. It was like I was being watched from further into the quarry. I turned around and heard something very large being dragged over the stones. I looked around for a place to hide and ended up behind a small pile of rocks. I felt a stinging pain in my shin and I noticed I was bleeding. I cursed and looked out from my hiding spot. What I had seen was the very being who had haunted my mind. It stood about 7 feet tall with its body covered in thick, black fur with some patches covered with blood. Its face was had a distorted mouth filled with long, sharp fangs with a dog-like nose above it. Its crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dim sunlight. The upper body was broad and its arms were thick with claws at the edge of the fingers. The legs were just like its arms with only one difference, as bullet wound in its calf. The creature looked around before continuing to drag a large brown leather sack through the quarry. The bag began to move and the beast stopped. It opened the bag slightly and Tyler's head stuck out from the sack. He began to scream for help when the creature turned, it let out a screeching howl and grabbed him by the back of the neck. In a quick fluid motion, the monstrous being twisted Tyler's head with a loud echoing snap. His body went limp and the creature carried the sack to a pit. It threw the bag down and left in a slow walk.



When I was sure it was gone I ran to the wall and tried to climb up. I had gotten back up just as the beast lumbered back into the quarry carrying another motionless, brown, leather sack. I began to back away when one of the stones I was standing on, slipped and tumbled down into the quarry. I ran as fast as I could into the bush, cutting myself on one of the branches. I ran until I reached the tallest tree I could find. I climbed as high as possible with the little breath I had left. I had made quite a bit of distance from the creature, but I could still hear a low growl as it lumbered towards me. I couldn't breathe, I didn't want to breathe or swallow. Anything that would make a noise. I knew that the beast had found my scent. I looked down in fear as the creature looked around. My heart beat so softly I could barely feel it. The silence was deafening. After what seemed like hours, I heard the creature run off on all fours still searching for more prey. I slowly climbed down and began to run back home, my heart beating fast, my breath fast and short. I reached home around noon. My parents asked me what had happened. I didn't tell them what happened, Kyle and Jack never showed up at school afterwards. That thing is still out there, it got my friends and it almost got me. I told nobody about this until now. Who would believe me, when I don't even believe what happened. The only thing I know, is I will always remember the screeches.  