An Evening Walk

I wander on and although I try to convince myself the stories are nonsense, I am careful not to stray from my usual path. I hear a twig snap behind me. I freeze then slowly turn, afraid of what I might see, my flashlight pointing directly in front of me. I scan the area and again see nothing. I walk ahead a few feet and hear the crackle of leaves behind me. I turn in a hurry shining my light all over. I curse myself once again for letting my imagination run wild. There is nothing there. I take a couple deep breaths enjoying the smell of the forest then continue on. I see a ground squirrel up ahead and watch as it scurries from the light. A rabbit hops across the path not paying much attention to me. It stops, its ears perked. Then it darts off.

I hear another noise behind me and whirl around once again. I flash the light back and forth trying to catch movement. I see nothing but hear a low growl not too far from me. My heart beats faster, my mind wanders and I take off in a run. I shine the light in front of me to light the path. I can hear it behind me getting closer. The growl becoming stronger, I run faster. The growl is coming from right behind me now. I trip over a tree branch sticking up in the path and land in a pile of leaves on the ground. Damn it! I think to myself. I cower, expecting it to pounce on me. I lay still for a moment, listening. I turn over cautiously and scan the area behind me. Nothing. I let out a sigh of relief and decide it’s time to go back to the house. This walk is doing nothing to relax me.

I slowly get to my feet and wipe my hands together to clean them of debris. They are covered with something wet and sticky. Tree sap? I wonder. I shine the light on them and my hands are covered in a red substance. I bring it to my face and smell. It smells like blood. I look toward the ground when I fell and there is a pool of it sitting on the leaves. I look around, wondering. Something wet falls on my face. I reach up and wipe it from my cheek then I back away and shine the light up. I immediately notice my predecessor impaled by a broken limb, hanging there lifelessly just inches from me. The blood is slowly oozing from the torn flesh on his body and pooling on the ground. Some of his limbs are missing, a leg which he is impaled with and an arm. His clothes are ripped in shreds and his face is frozen in terror with his eyes wide open. There appears to be claw marks down his cheek splitting it open, exposing his teeth. I open my mouth to scream.

I hear the twigs again snapping behind me. I whirl around almost tripping over the same protruded tree root. I quickly catch my balance and shine my light in that direction. I see a figure moving through the trees. I shout out to it. It stops and quickly steps from the woods. My eyes grow wide and my heart pounds in my chest as it becomes exposed by my light. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

“Oh my God, you scared the hell out of me.” I call out to my neighbor, my lover. He doesn’t say a word, just looks at me with dark eyes. “Are you ok?” I ask. “What are you doing out here?” I whisper.

He still makes no attempt to respond.

“Couldn’t sleep? Geez, did you see this man up here? It’s awful, really awful. We need to call the sheriff.”

I turn my back to him and stand staring at the dead man in the tree. I hear the snort of an animal and quickly turn to come face to face with my lover, inches from my face.

“Did you hear that?” I ask him, holding him close for comfort and still whispering.

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