I’ve been searching for my flashlight for over ten minutes. Frantically, I grabbed it from under my pillow and turned the switch. Suddenly, shockingly, the beam cut through the darkness, reaching as far as the closest trees. Quickly, the light stretched into oblivion, into the deep, tangled forest. But the only things I could see were the dim images of leaves, dead branches, and dancing shadows. Of course Rebekka wouldn’t look. She was always afraid of what she might see. That’s why we were out here, so she could get a feeling of what life was. It didn’t seem to be working too well on her psyche. She was so freakin’ stubborn. Only doing what she wanted. I guess she figured that because I was the man that I would protect her from anything going wrong. I hate the look of disappointment that I know I will see in her eyes tomorrow.
I was surprised when she gave into my plans in less than a week. Though, being her best friend gave me that advantage over most people. I’ve known her on and off since second grade. Losing contact through middle school then becoming best friends in High school and College. Sure we had our differences, but that never stopped us from doing what we wanted to. We somehow always had a way of fixing things before they got bad.
The beam, cutting thickly through the darkness, didn’t seem to bother what was making that noise. A growl and short snuff came from my right. I flipped the light quickly over in my hand and shone it in that direction. It was a low, quiet growl now, seeming to come from the other side of the ravine. I stood up slowly. I know there has to be at least three of them.
I don’t know where I should shine the light. Twisting around, I was hoping I could at least get a grasp of what we were up against. Everywhere I turned it there was nothing. No glowing eyes or quick movement in the shadows, nothing to give anything about anything away.
The growls, never ending snarls that would come from large animals kept in a cage too long, never ceased. I envisioned something big. Something with lots of teeth and a bad attitude as it crouched in the bushes feeling intruded upon—
There it was again. More insistent this time, edged with anger. A snuff and yelp. They were moving. All of them. Then of all the things he could have heard, a strange hissing kind of whistle, kind of like a teapot at a whistle, but bigger, louder, warbling a little. It sounded like it was far up the other side of the ravine. It could have still been moving…
Another whistle answered the first one. This one much closer, somewhere, again, to my right. But through the pounding of my heart I barely heard when Rebekka screamed. I reflexively jerked to the sound. She was lying on the ground and her position registered that she was in pain. I ran as fast as I could to get to her. Before I could get there I saw why she was lying that way. Leaning protectively over her was the largest creature I ever saw. Without my permission I jerked backwards, shrieking in fear. It was just standing there, not hurting her, but it seemed to be afraid for her. Before I could wonder why it was doing this, it shocked me further. Before, when it was snarling, it was the worst thing I could ever imagine. But instead of snarling, this thing, this beast was whimpering. It was whimpering. Amazing. The only logical reason for its behavior was that maybe it thought she was dead. And that meant that Rebekka couldn’t move. Move. Don’t MOVE!
“Rebekka…” I tried. My voice was too shaky I could hardly make out what I said. “Rebekka, if you can hear me, don’t move…Bekka, it thinks you’re dead.” Now my voice was more edged towards hysteria, even though I was trying to sound as reassuring as possible.
She should trust my judgment. I had been researching rare species; I was an animal Endocrinologist. I have studied hundreds of different kinds of animals. I knew what I was talking about didn’t I? Did I? Yes. Yes, of course I did. I always did…
The monster never moved an inch. I couldn’t do a thing to help Rebekka unless it moved. All my thoughts were scrambled. Not knowing what could happen next is the only thing I could think of. And that isn’t helpful at all.
Then I heard something coming my way, leaving heavy, munching, footfalls in the dead needles and twigs. Bekka looked at me then. And I know as long as I live I will never forget the look in her eyes. Her eyes were wide and frantic. Her lower lip was trembling and her hands were shaking in the mud. Whatever that monster coming at me was I didn’t know what to do. Quickly, I ran over the alternatives in my head. 1. I could run, leave Rebekka here and go get help. No, no. I couldn’t leave her, and what makes me think I would even make it that far? I would rather die then leave her here by herself. 2. I could attack the monster leaning vastly over her. I could flail my arms, make loud grunting sounds. Maybe I could even manage to get Rebekka and start running on the trail before they started after us. No. That wouldn’t work. And 3, Well, I couldn’t really see a third alternative. Crap.
I panicked. Nothing else left to do. Without thinking I threw my flashlight at the monster coming at me. It halted and yelped. But the one leaning over Rebekka’s head snapped up and it charged. Its lips pulled back over its teeth and it snarled.
So fast I could barely blink I was lying on my back staring up at penetrating wise red, glowing eyes. It was like fire was seeping into my skull. Its teeth, barely inches from my face were shaking with tremendous quivers from its horrifying, growling. I was frozen. No screams, no whimpering. I could not even begin to think. In all the things happening around me, his fiery red eyes were the only things I could see. The beast was still snarling a hideous sound. It was so loud that I was inadvertently quailing back into the mud and leaves beneath me.
This trip was designed to make life easier. I had originally brought Rebekka here for help. Some time away from the world. Away from computers, away from television, and away from the world. She was always crammed up in her crummy little apartment. She was always watching her older sisters’ twins. Sara was the worst mom imaginable. And Rebekka was her only help. So she helped. She had an open mind. She wrote poems and short-stories for a magazine. But she hated the outdoors. Even when she was a child she was afraid of being left alone in the woods. By taking her on this trip I was trying to cure that.
Before this it was going good.
We had laid out all our supplies, with only the packs on our backs and our sleeping bags for carry-on. So there really wasn’t that much to keep track of. This started out as a pleasant outing; even as we were setting up camp the mood was light and cheerful.
God, it had to be at least 4 o’clock in the morning. The beast, or monster or whatever it was, was still snarling inches from my face. The other ones were still hidden in the darkness. I couldn’t even see their eyes. I was petrified. Even my bones were shaking. Whatever it was, this beast, this thing, wanted blood and it wasn’t going to back down. Everything about this creature made me think it was going to rip my head off at any moment. It’s so dark. I wish I hadn’t thrown the flashlight now.
It stopped hissing and growling. I blinked my eyes hoping to get a clearer view of everything around me. Its wide head was shifting from side to side. It started whimpering. It was getting nervous. I could no longer hear the shifting of heavy paws in the trees or the quiet hissing and growls coming from above me. The beast didn’t look as if was going to back down but it was shifting into the defensive. It was going to defend itself. But…From what?
Before I knew it the beast standing over me was thrown across the small ravine and into a tree. The roar of explosion was so loud that my ears were ringing. Standing over me, in the beast’s place, was a figure vastly smaller in mass and so drastically different and unexpected I couldn’t believe my own eyes.
How could it be? It was too impossible. A man? We were so deep in the forest, so far from the nearest trail…
“Bekka.” I barely whispered. I couldn’t bare the thought of whatever that man- thing was to turn on us. I would feel better once she was near me. “Rebekka come here.”
There was a slight shuffling and a few branches snapping under the weight before she was lying next to me on the forest floor. Somehow she had managed to grab the flashlight that I threw.
“Micah! Micah I’m so scared…” Her voice was quivering and hoarse.
“I know! Don’t you think I know that!” It was so hard to keep a whisper when I so badly wanted to scream.
Surprisingly, the beast was trying to get away. It was yelping and whimpering loudly, as if to signify to the others that something was wrong. Down past where the man-thing was standing, leaves were crunching and small trees were breaking. The mans shoulders were slouched in a defensive position that Apes would go into when they were defending their food. Then, faster than lightning, the creature swept past the man as he tried to grab at it and snatched Rebekka off the ground. It dashed into the trees without a second of hesitation.
I slowly stood up. Everything just a blur as I found the discarded flashlight that Bekka had dropped and turned it on. I didn’t need to shine it on the man, his skin seeming to glow pale white even in the blackness. But I needed to be sure I wasn’t imagining it. I shone it onto him and was surprised at what I saw. It was no ordinary human. It was facing me and his eyes were glowing coal black in the glare of the light. There was no color. Nothing. Only deep, shocking blackness. His expression was confused. Like he didn’t know what I was doing. Not bothering to ask questions, I turned full force into the trees behind me.
I dashed across the stream, frantic, seeing only the thick tangled forest.
“NO no no!” I thought, ignoring the tears on my cheeks as I ran faster.
Then I saw it in the distance. It’s blackness and size far greater than I had even ever imagined. As fast as I ran I knew I would be too late. I should have waited until morning. The shadow moved so fast I lost it. I kept searching, waving my light about. But the blackness was too much. The light caught one fleeing image of her body being swept around like a toy, arms limp, long brown hair flying.
The shadows enfolded her like a blanket. There were loud, heavy footfalls up the bank and then…
Nothing.
I kept searching. I couldn’t stop.
When I broke into a meadow where the stars were visible and the bright moon was fully risen, I collapsed to the ground with a quiet whimper. Tired and totally spent, my head was hanging and thoughts were totally scrambled.
She’s gone.
I must have fallen asleep on the thick grass beneath the stars. The wide meadow was casting whispers of unseen things. Things that were watching me. Things that made me quiver to think about.
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