It sounded like teeth scraping at the wooden logs of the lodge. It was loud enough I could hear it over Rosey’s white noise she plays at night. I had tossed and turned some in my sleep, leaving a sharp pain in my side as I shifted. Reaching around for what was there, I pulled out the sound recorder Sage had given me. It must have fallen out of my pocket in my sleep, its hard edges jabbing me in my side. Now half sitting up I glanced at the window. Outside was pure darkness. It was midnight and the moon was no longer as full. The edge of the woods was just a veil of shadow, anything lurking beneath it.
My finger was resting on the play button of the sound recorder. Sage might not be reasonable. Her supposed clarity never made sense. But at this moment I was willing to listen. So I pressed play.
Her voice stern as usual and clear through the speaker just quiet enough that Rosey wouldn’t hear it, “It was the last day on our trip hiking in the Blair View mountains. We planned a long trip in the bus back that cut through the woods to take us home. The other travelers who were with me left before sun down. Me and two others who liked to play it riskier decided to climb up the mountain again to another bus station further up the trail. It was a challenge to get through the snow the darker it became. Sight was scarce. With only a small lantern each we made our way up the steep trails.
As my legs grew tired I assured them to continue without me as I took a break to rest. They trusted me and left me by a broken light post. To save the fuel of my lantern I had turned it off while I sat. It was as if my eyes were closed no matter how much I blinked. A suffocating darkness. But something in the dark where I could not see was watching. Half an hour passes. When I felt to have strength enough to walk again I got up. Troubled by the feeling of eyes on me, I lit my lantern again.
They were both sitting with their legs hugged to their chest. Yet they still loomed over me. Shoved in between the trees like books on a shelf, they looked down at me. Their heads ducked just shy of the tree tops like that of a child hiding in tall grass. They had no fur, no claws, no scales, no feathers… only skin. Thin and pale skin that barely wrapped their lanky limbs that curled into stretched smiles. Their mouths agape as if welcoming any poor lost creatures to fly in to seek shelter and never be seen again. Just their elongated fingers alone each matched the width of a tree trunk.The more my eyes adjusted to the dark, the more of them I could seek behind the others further back into the woods. Now making me feel like a mere insect they found enjoyment in watching.
But when I saw it I didn’t understand them. I didn’t know what they were, why they were here, or what was going to happen next. The thing is, I didn’t have to know. So I left. I was scared for sure but I knew the more distance I put between me and what I feared they could have been, the safer I was.
I met up with my friends at the bus stop. Neither of them saw anything like it and were only concerned that I had seen things. But it was real. One man on the bus told me I must have seen a bare tree with long limbs and freaked myself out. Another told me what I saw was big foot waking up in the Winter from starvation seeking a light snack to tide himself over. Whatever it was I would never return for I knew what kept me safe and that was being smart enough to walk away without seeking answers. Answers that could get you killed.
But that's all the information I can tell you. For more answers you can purchase a fate fortune for just fifty dollars. Come by the rent if you’re interested.
Yes I know, it must be rubbish if you have to pay that much for information. Goes to show the most accurate information is always from the source anyways.”
Sage’s tape ended and I sneered at it in rage. After a long enough silence I turned the tape off and turned to look at the window again. The gnawing was gone but I knew whatever it was out there wasn’t.
So I must apologise for misspeaking earlier. I was only going to hear what Sage had to say. I wasn’t going to listen.
Looking back at the woods only made me more determined and spiteful. Suddenly I got up and quickly got out of bed. I stood on the tips of my toes to reach up on the top of the wardrobe to grab the blade of the kitchen knife. Then I headed to the window and quietly lifted the unlocked window open. I stepped out into the backyard unnoticed.
The blade in my hand was awkward to hold without a proper handle but I was sure to keep a tight grip on it. With a slow and steady pace I stepped closer to the tree line. I was vigilant and ready to strike if anything remotely tried anything. I was prepared for any lies this person was here to sell me.
I wasn’t like Sage. I wasn’t irrational and I sure as hell wasn’t going to chicken out when an answer is right in front of my own two eyes.
The cloaked figure stepped out of the trees. Its porcelain arm reached out of its fabric veil as it walked out towards me. My heart began racing. My eyes narrowed in what I perceived to be rage. Changing my fear into something more useful. Yet I locked up.
The feeling of fear consumed me so fast that I couldn’t handle turning it all into rage anymore. My mind was uncertain of which it was as I froze into place. There still was the same outward glare but inside I was stopped up and confused on why I was doing this over safety.
I could only trick my mind so much before it could see past my lies. I was scared.