Encounters with Monsters | A Reader x Monster anthology series

Jersey Devil

[Monster mockup created using the [BAYDEWS' avatar maker!!] V2 picrew]

. . .

What the hell is that sound?

It's like...rustling?  Like somebody's trying to open a bag of chips.

...Oh my god. Those freaking raccoons.

I open my eyes to total darkness, and sit up, trying to hear the noise better. Yep. It sounds like somebody trying to open a bag of chips. Definitely. I lean over and feel around for the switch of my electric lantern. The light comes on once I find the switch, illuminating the interior of my tent. I take the lantern by the handle, and stand up. Then, I slowly unzip the tent and step outside.

"Go on, get out of here!" I shout at the creatures. "That's my food, you furry little--"

And then, I freeze up and fall silent. The creature rooting through my food bags is way, way bigger than any raccoon I've ever seen. He's got a long, hairless tail with a pointed tip, that swishes this way and that as he stands there, with his back to me. The tail reminds me of those Dollar Store devil Halloween costumes. He's got wings too. They're folded against his body, but even then, they're still freaking huge. And they're featherless and leathery, like a bat's. 

"...You're...you're not a raccoon..." It's all I can think to say. I grip the lantern's handle tightly. I really don't want to be left in the dark with this thing. 

The creature turns slowly to face me. He's got...horns, like a goat's. Eyes like one, too. They're bright yellow, like a car's headlights. He's got a dog's nose, too, and a horse's mane. What kind of chimera-looking...I'm half expecting this thing to start calling me "Edward"!

And then he smiles. He's got teeth like a dog, too.

"What was your first clue?"

I'm still frozen, but this makes me freeze up even more, if that's possible. I can't believe it! The thing TALKS. 

His voice is low, rumbling. It sounds kind of like a horse snorting or a dog growling. I can't really decide which. But it's still human enough that I can understand what he's saying.

And he laughs. Now he sounds kinda like a dog barking. "You people make the same face every time. It's adorable." The creature says. He comes closer, trotting over to me on goat hooves.

"...You're...you're not going to hurt me, right?" I manage to whimper out, slowly setting the lantern on the ground and putting my hands up, so he'll hopefully see me as less of a threat. This thing definitely isn't a bear or a mountain lion, but no one in Scouts ever taught me how to de-escalate a cryptid encounter.

The creature does that weird barking laugh at me again. "Not unless you do something stupid," He replies, "like shooting at me. What is it with you humans and shooting the first weird thing you see?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm...I don't even have a gun with me." I reply. Maybe that's not the best thing to say. Now this thing knows I'm unarmed. But I'm starting to think a bullet wouldn't do much to this thing, anyway. He doesn't seem...natural.

"Good, good." He purrs. "You're smarter than you look." He gets closer, sniffing at my clothes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I reply, honestly a little offended that this thing thinks I don't look that smart.

He just smirks at me. "What, are you not scared of me anymore?" He snickers. "You know, if I wanted to, I could rip you to pieces."

"Well..." Crap. I try to think of something to say back to hide my worry. "That doesn't make you very special. 'Cause...'cause lots of things could do that, if they wanted to."