Short story 34

Roughly a year ago I found myself finishing a job sooner than I expected. Due to that, I was stranded in an unfamiliar city without any place to rest in the middle of the night. Thankfully, I was able to find a motel that was open 24 hours. It was a bit run down and I feared how clean the rooms were, but it was better than the street for the night. I walked into the small empty office to check in. I imagine the clerk was taking a nap not expecting anyone to show up on the middle of the night. It took him a few minutes to arrive and in those few minutes I started to snoop through the magazines on the counter. Old things about to be thrown away. I wasn’t tired yet and disliked most TV shows so I often read in my spare time. I had finished my small stash of paperback book so was in need of some reading material that night. In that pile of faded magazines was a notebook. A thin one meant for school work. Interested I started to flip through it just as the clerk came by to greet me. After getting my room arranged, I asked about the journal.

A guest had left it behind a few days before my arrival. The clerk didn’t know who was in the room only that they left the journal behind, room door wide open and the bed pushed against the far wall. They had kept the journal thinking maybe the person was just going out and was coming back to it. No one showed up so the clerk was going to have it tossed out. I saved him a trip to the recycling bin out back and took the pile of magazines with the journal on top.

After I was settled in my room, I started to look through the small journal again. It was a plain one you could purchase anywhere for a dollar or less. The front few pages had been torn out. The rest of the pages was filled with neat hand writing detailing a story that most would find to be fiction. But I had seen stranger things in this world and was not as fast to dismiss such stories.

I have since given the journal to an acquaintance of mine that collects such things. I only remembered that journal now because I had heard about a person that appeared in the journal. Since I have the time, it’s best I write down this first. Mind you, it has been a fill year since reading this tale so I may not get all the wording the way it had been written. But the events are all the same.

“This happened when I was still in school. It’s an event my town hasn’t forgotten about. No one but myself knows the truth of what happened. Well, I’m the only human who knows the truth.

I was in my last year of school ready to be free and enter adulthood. I counted down the days I could escape this town and go off to college and what I thought at the time, my real life to start. I wasn’t the only one. My two friends also wanted to get out of the slow and boring town. We all had different plans but swore we would keep in touch after grad.

To celebrate we planned to go camping over one of the last long weekends of our teen hood. Everything had been planned out months in advance. Funds put aside and booze hidden away for when the time came. The first bump in the road was when Josh started to date Rebecca. She was loud and the type that could not let any conversations die down or have any pauses. I did find her annoying but I liked how Josh was happy with her. I did think she was really a bad person or hated her. I just could only spend so much time around her at a time. I never told him but I think Josh knew. Somehow, she found out about our trip and invited herself along. It was a setback but I wasn’t going to let her ruin our plans. I would just have to find a way to like her.

Then, our lovable Tristin sprained his arm. He was a big goof ball and must have had bones of steel for never breaking one before. His mother was the over protective sort and nearly didn’t let him go into the woods with a sprained arm. I really wish he had listened to her. We were young and thought we were immortal.

Finally, the day arrived and I was going over my bags ready to get going when the phone rang. My parents answered it and in the next few minutes they were in a frenzy. I had a sick aunt that lived out of state. She had been in for treatments and I guess wasn’t doing well. My father and mother needed to go and see her and I had offered to come with. They told me my aunt would want me to go on my trip after looking forward to so badly. They didn’t think I needed to go with them but the problem was what to do with my younger brother.

He was thirteen. And unlike Tristin, did not have bones of steel. He was accident prone combined with the worst luck of any person on the planet. Even though he could have been on his own for a night or two, it wasn’t worth the risk. If he did hurt himself someone needed to be there to get him to the hospital. It was such short notice that none of the people who normally could watch him was available.

The only thing was to bring him with me. Bringing your little brother really was lame but there was nothing I could do about it. It just meant I couldn’t get wasted as planned. This was back in the days of those clunky flip phones. My dad gave me his so in case my brother broken an ankle or got mauled by a bear I could try and call for help. I shoved it into my jacket pocket.

Because my parents took the car we had to walk. It wasn't that far. An hour at most. But it was an hour if you were in high school. My brother slowed us down and only arrived at the meeting spot when the sun had started to set.

Tristin met me outside the woods and at the start of the trail. He gave me grief for bringing Jessie along but I think he preferred my brother over Rebecca. Because I was late, they had already set up their tents. Me and jessie scrambled in the dim light to set ours up.

When I arrived, I found it pretty peaceful. Rebecca sat on a log by a fire Josh started. She looked a bit pale and I never knew her to stop talking so I was worried.

“Hey look at these weird flyers we found.” Josh said before I could ask about Rebecca.

He handed me a few sheets of paper. I had noticed a piece of paper or two stuck to the trees while me and Tristin walked through the woods but I didn’t stop to read them. Apparently, they had found a bunch but used them to start the fire.

LOST IN THE WOODS? CALL THIS NUMBER!

NEED HELP? CALL IT!

SEEING STRANGE THINGS? YOU GUESSED IT. CALL THIS NUMBER!

Each paper had the same phone number written at the bottom. Josh took the flyers back and tossed them in the fire before I memorized the number. Back then not everyone had cell phones. I already had forgotten I had my dad’s phone in my pocket. If I did, I think we would have messed around trying to call it. But all of us was unaware of the phone and just burned the papers.

“Hey Jessie, what don’t you go and find some more and some wood for us?” Josh suggested when he saw my brother already was getting bored.

That child took off holding a flashlight glad to be trusted by an older person to do an important job. I got stressed over not being able to see Jessie or him going off into the woods but he was smart enough to stay in sight of us.

“Are you feeling alright Rebeca?” I asked finally.

As Jessie was going back and forth between the edge of the woods and dumping twigs, the three of us talked about school but Rebeca stayed staring at the fire. She nodded at times but didn’t contribute to the conversation. It was so out of character for her.

“Alright...” She said not looking at me.

“She doesn’t have a fever. Just tired I guess.” Josh told us and wrapped an arm around her.

“Just tired.” She said with a nod but still looked out of it.

“Maybe we should take her back.” I suggested and started to stand up. It was already dark but I could find my way out of the woods if I followed the path with a flashlight. I didn’t want them to think I wanted her gone. But I was worried for her.

“No.” Her head shot up and she gave me such a dark glare it made me freeze. Something was not right with her. She must have realized how odd she was acting so she forced her face into a strained smile.

“Just tired.” She said again sounding a bit more natural and like herself.

Tristin didn’t like the tension and to break the mood he brought out the marshmallows. Jessie magically appeared when the treats came out. Soon Rebeca's odd mood was forgotten.

The next few hours were a good time. We made smore's, roasted marshmallows and dared each other to eat them when they were still on fire. Our plan was to drink but we only had a beer each. Jessie tried a sip and gagged on the taste. I hoped that experience turned him off drinking until he was old enough. Even with our slight plan hiccups we had a good time. Hours of chatting and sharing dumb stories. Talking about future plans. When Rebeca decided to turn in, I thought it would be best if we had an early night.

I put Jessie into our tent and stayed outside to help Josh chop some firewood. Tristin still had a sore arm so he went to his small single tent next to mine leaving us the work. We knew if we didn’t do it that night, we would be too tired and lazy in the morning. Josh brought a small hand ax to make it easier. It didn’t take very long to make a decent sized pile. Jessie did a good job of finding small branches but we needed bigger pieces to keep the fire going.

I don’t remember what my last word had been to Josh. Most nights I sit awake trying to think what I said to him when he went into his tent or if I said anything to him at all.

As last hours with your friends go, I had a good few.

Inside the tent was a little bit crammed with me and Jessie. Somehow In was able to sleep for an hour but because of the small space Jessie woke me up when he sat up. He crawled on me trying to find the flashlight. I was a little annoyed being woken up.

“What are you doing?” I whispered in case everyone else was sleeping.

“I need to pee.” Jessie whispered back.

I groaned. I didn’t need to go but I couldn’t let Jessie go out on his own and get eaten but some wild animal. For some reason a mental image of a monster sized owl swooping down and just taking my brother away made me snort laugh. Knowing his luck, that would happen to Jessie.

“I’ll come with you.” I got up and grabbed my jacket.

Getting out and stretching I waited for Jessie to start walking. Our fire was still going weakly. Jessie turned on the flashlight and swept the beam of light into the woods testing it out. I saw a flicker of white in the light and thought it was another one of those weird flyers stuck to a tree. I stared at the white shape trying to make it out right and was distracted when I heard Josh’s tent open.

Staring at the white shape in the darkness I saw it move. I was so sure it was just paper fluttering in the wind. But then another white shape came from behind a different tree. Then another.

Next to me, Jessie screamed.

On reflexe I wrapped an arm around him and shot my head over towards Josh’s tent to see what had scared my brother so much.

Rebeca stood barefoot looking at us.

“Just... tired...” She said in a strained voice that did not belong to Rebeca.

Her front was covered in so much blood it dripped into the dirt below her. She still had her face but her body looked too skinny and too pale. Long twisted fingers reached out towards us and she took a stumbling step closer.

“No. Just... Ti...red”

Everything happened at once. Tristin came shooting out of his tent to see what the scream was about. He stared in shock at Rebeca and couldn’t do anything when a blur of white came shooting out of the dark woods and in top of him. I darted forward to grab the ax beside the fire pit but let go of Jessie when I did.

My dumb little brother ran. He ran screaming in to the woods still holding the flashlight.

I had an awful decision to make. One I still regret to this day. A creature was on top of Tristin my dear friend screaming struggling to get it off of him. It was deathly thin and pale. Its mouth filled with countless teeth snapping trying to get a bite out of his face. Rebeca still hadn’t moved. I saw more faces of the pale creatures slowly coming out from behind trees. Ax in hand I grabbed the thing off Tristin and pulled it off of him. I swung the ax into its neck causing it to squeal horribly. Tristin looked up at me with a shocked thankful look but...

I left him. I don’t think I killed the thing that had attacked him. I just turned and ran after one swing. I could still hear and see Jessie so I couldn’t stay and help Tristin. I don’t know what happened to him after I left him behind. I wasn’t even aware enough to realize I was still holding the ax leaving him defenseless.

I could only hope he got up and ran.

I caught up to my screaming and crying brother. I grabbed his hand and we ran together flying past more and more paper stuck to trees not stopping to read them. Each paper a pale white making us think those creatures were still coming after us. We saw some figures but they were moving towards our camp for that moment.

We ran in a panic. When I finally made us slow down, I realized in horror we didn’t know where we were. We had gotten lost in such a short amount of time. Jessie was sobbing but had run so much he couldn’t get enough air in to cry loud enough.

My head darted around looking for more creatures. Keeping a grip on Jessie’s hand I made us walk trying to find the trail. By sheer luck was not only didn’t come across any more creatures but found ourselves in a clearing, The full moon giving us enough light to see by so I made Jessie turn the flashlight off to save batteries and to not let the creatures see us. I let him cry as quiet as he could. I didn’t blame him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw white and raised the ax. On a tree beside us was a piece of paper that had not been there before. Paper I mistaken for a monster. As I stared at it, writing appeared.

LOST IN THE WOODS? BEING CHASED BY MONSTERS? LITTLE BROTHER WITH YOU? YOUR NAME IS CAL? IF THAT’S YOU CALL JAKE!

(NO. REALLY. CALL ME.)

Under the words was the same phone number as before. It was just too weird. Being chased by monster was scary but this was just weird.

I was wearing my jacket and had the phone in the pocket. I didn’t think we had anything to lose by calling the number. Our situation couldn’t get much worse, right? Of course, I first tried to dial 911 but static only came through.

With shaking fingers, I dialed the number. A single ring next to me made us both jump.

“You kiddos need some help?”

I pulled Jessie into a protective grip when I heard the voice. Beside us was a person that had not been there before, flip phone to their ear. Even in the situation we were in, I didn’t trust the stranger.

They were wearing a black coat so large it wasn’t practical. The sleeves hung close to the ground and the collar covered half their face. By their voice and what was visible of their face, I couldn’t tell what gender they were. But if this was Jake as mentioned on the paper, then I guessed they were a guy.

Jake was tall and only took two steps to get in front of us staring down over the collar of the coat. Red hair covered half Jake’s face and their right eye. The left eye was a deep glowing red that made me realize I was not dealing with someone human.

“Can you help us?” Jessie whimpered and I held onto him tighter.

“Well sure I can.” Jake purred looking pleased by our fearful state.

I saw more creature faces off in the distance through the trees. They look weary of the new comer but I knew would come towards us soon. My distrust was forgotten when I saw the faces of the pale creature start to surround us.

“Please. Save us from those... Those Wendigos!” I begged. I didn’t actually know what those creatures were so the first monster name that came to mind spilled out.

“They're not wendigos.” Jake stated point blank.

“Does it matter?” I spat out my anxiety spiking when a pale face came even closer through the trees.

“I does. If you say, oh please Jake save us from some Wendigo's! I’m bound to only save you from Wendigo’s. These things could eat you and I could do nothing. Wording is important you know.”

I was half listening to Jake but I still got the point. Jessie was clinging onto me as he started to freak out over just how close the creatures had gotten. A brave one had gotten only a tree away. It stared at us with dead eyes mouth wide and drool dripping to the forest floor.

“Please save us from these things trying to eat us!” I said quickly my voice pitching in panic.

“What would you two give me in exchange for saving you?” Jake asked a red eye gleefully looking down at us.

“Anything!” I shrieked as a creature finally jumped towards us.

It’s twisted long fingers reaching out ready to tear us apart. I was desperate and so overcome with fear I didn’t think of what I had promised to give. I only wanted us to get out of those woods.

I was convinced the pale creature was going to reach us. It was so close to my face I could feel it’s rancid breath but then it suddenly was gone. Jake had moved so fast I didn’t even see what had happened. One moment I was a second away from having my face bitten off, then the next the creature had its head crushed into a tree and the pale body limp on the ground.

“Hold my coat.”

The coat was tossed at us but I let it drop being in shock of what had just happened. I stared at the dead creature then looked around to see the rest retreating further back after one of their members had been killed. They still started at us through the darkness but almost looked scared jittering through the trees.

“You're a girl?” I asked Jake letting the first question that came to my mind slip out. There was a lot more pressing matter at hand but for some reason that was what my brain wanted to say.

Jake had a scar over the right side of her mouth that exposed teeth and twisted her top lip making her have forever smirk. She was only wearing black shorts and a sports bra. And she was skinny. Skinny enough for me to see all of her ribs but oddly enough her arms looked muscled.

“Wrap the coat around yourself. It’ll cover up your smell and protect you from those things trying to bite you. I need to attract them to me and put them into a frenzy to take them all out at once. ”

Jake reached out and took my jacket sleeve and pulled so quickly it easily torn off. I was a bit annoyed but let her. She then roughly took my hand and I cursed when she cut a deep gash into the palm. Letting the jacket sleeve soak up the blood she offered no apology. Jessie looked worried but also was too traumatized to react. When the sleeve was wet enough Jake tied it around her forearm and walked away from us into the middle of the clearing we had stumbled into.

I quickly wrapped me and Jessie under the large coat. I poked my head out the top so I could still see what was going on. The creature had started to make hissing noises when my hand was cut. They could smell the fresh blood and they no longer was scared of Jake. They only wanted to find the source of the smell to finally eat. With Jessie safely under the coat and my arms wrapped around him holding as tight and close as possible I watched what on Earth Jake was going to do.

Standing in the middle of the clearing she waited for the creatures to come closer. The moon was full so I could see what was happening perfectly. A blur of white darted out towards her, only to be slammed down into the ground. Without giving it time to recover Jake twisted its head clean off. That gave me some hope of living through the night. She was strong. Strong enough to swat away the monsters that had killed my friends.

Motivated by the smell of blood two more creatures came at her. They screamed a horrible sound that made my stomach turn to ice. One had cut Jake’s shoulder before it went down. She didn’t seem to notice in the slightest. In fact, she was smiling.

In a short time, I could no longer count the number of pale forms in the woods around the clearing. And I soon realized what our downfall could be. Jake was strong but could not deal with the sheer number of monsters coming for her. If more than three came at her at once she would get cut or harmed before she could kill her attackers. I watched my fear returning as two more took a fallen one’s place. Jake took a brutal cut across her stomach from the creatures claws but for some reason, she started to laugh.

Every cut she received she started to laugh harder. Tossing dead and torn apart creatures her laughter grew to a crazed shriek. Jessie started to shake under the coat not seeing what I was, but the laughter was scaring him. He had no idea what was going on and though a new monster had appeared.

I held him forcing myself to not worry. Jake was on our side. We would live through the night. That was all that mattered. What I saw next made me completely doubt that fact.

Something else came from the forest. It made the remaining creatures scatter and try to get away only to be caught and scooped up by the new monster’s many arms. It had somewhat of a human shape. Countless human arms lined each side of its body. Human legs twisting together to make a pair supporting its massive weight. Its head was made up skulls and half decayed faces. When it snatched up a creature, alive or dead the bundle of heads parted to show a ring of sharp teeth. It tossed whole bodies down into the deep endless looking mouth.

I had no idea how Jake was going to fight this thing as injured as she was. A flicker of doubt on her face seeing the new monster made my stomach drop. I considered turning to run but my legs wouldn’t move. My body was shutting down unable to do anything but watch as the monstrous thing launched itself across the clearing straight at Jake.

I couldn’t do anything as it bore it’s weight down on her forcing her to the ground. With great strain she kept it above her, her small arms looking like they were at their breaking point lifting such a great mass. Arms of the monster grabbed at her. Pinning her flailing legs down. Trying to pull at her arms. Clawed hands started to dig into her stomach tearing apart skin easily as she screamed. I felt bile rise to my throat as I stared in utter horror. Jake’s organs were being torn from her while she was unable to do anything but scream.

I thought we had lost. That was the end. The monster parted its head to drop one of Jake’s legs it had ripped from her into its horrible mouth when her screaming stopped. In my utter confusion I saw she was smiling again. The smirk that made it seem like everything was going according to her plan.

“Gotcha.”

I heard faintly before her hair started to glow like embers. Then, a blast of flame shot up from her directly into the amalgamations open mouth.

And I mean a blast. A tunnel of flame shooting upwards, the monster’s head was burned to nothing in seconds. The light was so bright I could barely see and the flames burned away leaves on trees at the start of the clearing. I had to duck under the coat trying to protect my face and eyes from the heat.

I don’t know how long I stayed under the coat, holding my little brother, telling him everything was going to be alright. I really wanted to just stop right then. The monsters were gone. We could rest. But I couldn’t. I had to see what happened to Jake and if there was anything left of her. She was owed that much. Reassuring Jessie some more I got out from under the coat leaving him hidden.

The air smelled awful. A mixture of burnt flesh and decaying meat made me gag. I composed myself to look around. Some small spots were flickering with flame. Bushes and leaves I hoped would go out before they turned into a real fire. I could still feel the heat in the air.

The body of the monster was still. Tossed aside and head melted off. Jake was next to it, half her body missing but strangely one eye looking at me as if waiting for me to come closer. But should couldn’t still be alive, right?

“A little help here scout.”

Her hoarse voice made me jump and run over to her. I was going to lose my dinner if I looked at gore her stomach had turned into so I focused on her face.

“Need you to do something for me.”

“How are you...?” I started to ask but she cut me off.

“You need to cut off my head. Attach it to one of those creatures' bodies. One without broken arms or one you think looks most attractive.” She let out a laugh but it was so hoarse it sounded like a cough.

“I don’t think... I don’t think I can.” I stuttered feeling still on the verge of being sick.

“You said you would do anything if I saved you right?” With a final laugh and a smile still on her face Jake stopped breathing.

The remaining heat and the small fires flickered out at the same time as her. She was right. I did agree to do anything for her. Wording was important as she said. I had to do this.

I left the ax with Jessie. When I went to grab it, I checked on him making sure he didn’t see any of the dead around us. The first one that Jake had killed was close so I picked it up under its arms and dragged it into the clearing. She had smashed its head so I didn’t need to cut it off. But cutting hers off proved to be an ordeal. I had to stop fairly often to dry heave and shake. I’ll never forget the feeling in my hands of the ax cutting into bone. When she died her smile was still on her face. I didn’t know if it was because of her scar or because her muscles hadn’t loosened yet but she was still smiling. It was a very surreal experienced holding a smiling head in my hands. I put it on the creatures' neck as fast as I could while rubbing my palms on my jeans trying to remove the feeling. I wondered if I had to attach the head somehow. With thread or tape. But that question was answered seconds after Jake’s head as connected to the dead body.

The parts of her old body fell into piles of ash. The creatures body her head was loosely attached to burst into flames and blackened. The creatures body peeled away and Jake’s appeared underneath. Her wounds where healed and she was very much alive as she sat up rubbing her neck. To my horror she sat without anything covering her. Even the clothing she had been wearing faded when her old body had.

Even after I saw what Jake looked like under her coat, I doubted her gender. She was built like a male. Meaning, she had a completely flat chest. But seeing her exposed made me fully realize she was in fact a girl. I bolted grabbing her coat and tossing it on top of her in record speed. I did not want my brother to see a weird naked woman in top of everything else he saw that night.

She didn’t look embarrassed, instead she cackled at my flushed face.

“Can we leave now please?” I asked trying to cut through her laughter.

“Alright fine. Don’t be grumpy. I doubt anything is going to attack you two after all of this but I’ll still walk you out of the woods. If you’re still frightened you can hold my hand little ones.”

“No thanks.” We both shot at the same time.

Oddly Jake’s smile fell a little and she looked a little offended by our rejection.

“His legs are too short. Carry him.” Jake ordered me talking about my brother. Jessie had been so shaken up I doubted he could walk and it would take us forever to get out of the woods. I helped Jessie on my back, my cut hand still stinging. I kept the ax in my other hand for the walk back.

“Just in case.” Reaching out Jake placed a hand on Jessie’s head. He slumped forward becoming dead weight on my back. I was about to lay into her when she waved me off.

“I just put the little one to sleep. He has seen enough this night. I can carry him if you wish. In fact, if you are not so attached, I can take him off your hands entirely. I am aware of how bratty little brothers can be.”

I was exhausted from everything that happened. Even so I refused to be teased by this woman. At least I hoped at the time she was teasing me.

“Don’t touch him!” I snapped and nearly took a step back when her smile fell. Jake was by far more terrifying than anything in the forest at that moment.

“Oh? And how are you going to stop me? You both promised me anything if I saved you. I can collect that at any time. I could take him right now. Or parts of him. He has such lovely blue eyes and I am looking for a new one to replace my own.” Reaching out while she spoke, I was sure she would do something horrible if I didn’t stop her. I couldn’t think so I acted on instinct. When her hand came closer, I turned my head to bit down on it as hard as I could.

I felt hot blood come into my mouth. So hot I thought my tongue would burn off but I didn’t let go. It tasted awful and hurt but I held fast.

Another laughed from her and she easily pulled her hand away. The bite mark healing before my eyes.

“We don’t owe you anything.” I spat trying to get the taste from my mouth. “ I saved you. You were dead. You already got something from us.”

That horrible sneer came back. An expression that made my heart nearly stop.

“You think I could die from something like that? I would be just fine. I switched bodies for your sake. I would have healed but a new body got you out of theses woods faster. Besides, do you think I could ask just one thing of you? You agreed to anything. Wording is important. I can ask anything of you until you both die. Even if you somehow do save my life that does not mean we are equal. That is the deal we made. Anything for your life.”

She looked so proud of herself. Cackling away as I finally let my mistake fully sink in.

“That’s not fair!” I said hating how my voice trembled.

“Fair? Fair?” Her voice had gotten louder and excited. “Fair is a human concept! What do you think you made a deal with? Not human and fair is NOT what I do!”

I had to do something. I had to think my way out of this. I did not let my friends die only to have Jessie under Jake’s thumb for the rest of his life. I at least needed to save him. That’s what older siblings are for.

“I’ll take Jessie’s debt to you. I’ll do anything for you. Anything. You don’t get him.” I said so suddenly it shocked myself.

“Oh? Now how is that fair for me? You were just talking about that word. Why would I take an offer I loose on?”

“Because fair is a human concept. You’re not human. You shouldn’t care about how fair the offer is.”

I could feel myself sweat as I waited for her reaction. She started to smile again but this time it was a softer expression. She was laughing but one that a proud parent would make.

“Fine. I’ll take that unfair deal. You belong to me but your little brother shall be spared. Let's get the hell out of these woods. Your human smell is making me hungry.”

I relaxed for the first time and watched as Jake started to walk away leaving me behind. Adjusting Jessie on my back I followed after her to finally leave everything that happened behind.

The walk out of the woods was uneventful. Jake got us back to the trail and walked in front but I knew no other monsters would come for us. I was tired from carrying my sleeping brother but refused to stop or rest. When we got out, I stood in the parking lot staring at Josh’s car trying to think of what to do next. Jake didn’t leave and watched my silent breakdown.

“Give me the ax.” She said holding her hand out for it.

“Huh?” I didn’t even know I was still holding it. I gave it to her glad to be free of it.

“Now let me borrow your brother for a few seconds.”

That made me back away from her defensively. She let out a sigh.

“Three people died. You humans are going to make a big deal out of it. I have a human that is a loose end for myself. I can make him confess to chopping up your friends with this ax. The police are happy to have a closed case and I get rid of that human. I don’t do things for free and you cannot offer me anything more. This way I can do a cleanup and have it benefit myself.” She explained.

“Those flyers... You knew we were in danger. Why didn’t you save us sooner?” I asked remembering the four of us at the camp looking at the odd papers.

“You didn’t call me. I cannot do things for free. I cannot come until asked. In fact, helping humans is not my job. I just do this for fun.”

“If my fault.” Tears came to my eyes. I had a cell phone. If I just called Jake sooner, we may all still be here.

“No. It’s not anyone’s fault. Like I said, creature don’t do fair. It’s not fair one of your group was replaced and it killed your friends. You are not aware of the dark side of this world so why would you bother calling for help if you didn’t know of the danger?”

I didn’t know if she meant to try and cheer me up. It wasn’t in her character but it made me feel a small bit better. My friends were still gone but at least I knew there wasn’t much we could do about it.

“I can alter your brother’s memory. You and him left to piss in the woods, got lost and when you came back a crazy man killed your friends. That is going to be the truth of what happened. Not a good truth but one he can handle. And I find children are bad actors. I can’t have him rambling about monsters.”

That made sense. I didn’t want to trust her with my brother but I did think in the long run it would be better for him to remember something a bit more down to Earth. A therapist could deal with ax murder trauma. He would have more issues trying to get people to believe him about pale forest creatures. A few waves of Jake’s hand over Jessie’s forehead was all it took to alter his memory for when he woke up.

“Why don’t you change mine too? I don’t think you want me to know about strange creatures of the night.” I asked but got a sharp kick to the shin.

“I don’t do things for free. Jessie was so traumatized by what happened his memory changed on its own? Got it?”

I got the hint. Apparently helping Jessie was a freebie. One we couldn’t talk about and had to pretend Jake did nothing.

“And I can’t change yours. You made a deal with me. Let's say I made a deal that I would save you for a nice dinner. Then you gave me that dinner and I just changed your memory of either not giving me what I was owed, or to you saying you owe me something else. I hate the rules but they keep some sort of order. If you make a deal with a creature, your memory cannot be altered. But some don’t give a slightest care for the rules. Believe it or not, you got a good deal with me.”

I didn’t want to consider the fact that Jake was really better than some monsters out there. She was a monster in her own right but at least we made it out alive.

“Why did you save us?” I asked. She mentioned that saving humans was not her job. She had gotten hurt and I doubted having her organs torn out was fun in the moment.

She looked back and forth and huffed as if she was debating if she was going to answer me.

“I have a soft spot for kids.” She admitted finally looking almost embarrassed.

Before departing Jake told me to keep her number. She gave me a grim prediction that once a person encounters a supernatural creature that are almost always killed by one even if they live through the first encounter.

Everything played out the way she had said. A man confessed to killing Josh, Rebeca and Tristin. They found their blood but no bodies. I fear my friend had been added to the amalgamation Jake killed. Or turned into a pale creature that may still hunt in the forest.

I stayed in my small sleepy town. You would think after what happened I would never go to the woods but I now am a volunteer ranger. I’m the one who goes trying to find lost people. Sometimes I find them. Sometimes I don’t. Jessie turned out as fine as he could. He's going to therapy still but he’s starting to date which makes me happy. All I wanted was him to live a normal life.

I could have easily thought the whole thing was a bad dream. Something my mind made up. I wanted to force myself to believe that. I had never seen anything strange since even in the woods. I’ve heard stories but nothing like what I had gone through.

I almost was able to settle down into a normal day to day life. Until she showed up to collect my debt.

She told me to meet her in a motel room at eight pm. I don't know what she wants with me I didn’t ask. I don't think I’ll be seen again. I don’t know why I'm bothering to write any of this down. Anyone would think this was fiction or that I lost it. I still arrived hours early to write this story in my old school notebook. Even if one person finds it, I want to warn them about making deals.

If it was just me that night, I would have let myself get eaten. But Jessie made it out. I don’t know what cost it is going to be for me. But it’s almost too great. I now know there are things far worse than death. If you ever find yourself in a situation that you can make a deal with a monster and if you can take a second, please think. You do not want to be in debt to these things. And if you do become indebted keep in mind, they are not fair creatures and wording is very important. “

Sadly, that was all that was written in the journal. I was to leave the next morning so I could not research the story further. Even now I am running out of time to write down what I read a year ago. My job does keep me busy...