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Old Chapter 1

(continuation of the scrapped prologue from an old story I was writing years ago. Again, please excuse the grammatical and spelling errors you may come across)

The wind got stronger and colder making the two shiver and stumble. Beatrice stopped and sniffed the air; crisp and misty. "It's going to rain soon. Come on, let's look for shelter", Beatrice reported. They strolled a little further until the rain started to pour. As the two girls passed rubbish and dead landscapes, Sally spotted an old hut in the corner of her eye. She gasped lightly before stopping Beatrice in her tracks. Beatrice turned around to see Sally pointing towards the forest. " is there a monst- ". " Look, it's a hut! ", Sally interrupted a little harshly. Beatrice squinted at the forest before spotting a worn down hut around a patch of thick berry/thorn bushes and trees with long pointy limbs that looked like claws.

without hesitation, Sally ran towards the shelter; trying not to slip on the muddy ground. Beatrice slowly followed behind. The brush sat like a barricade around the hut. Beatrice stood beside Sally as she scanned the area. " Sally, follow me ",Beatrice whispered. The two crouched low and crawled to a small gap in between a thorn bush. It looked wide enough for the four and five year old to crawl through, Except; sharp twigs stuck through the end. The oldest poked her head in slightly, checking for any extra twigs. " We can fit, but you'll have to break those twigs at the end ",Beatrice explained. Sally nodded before squeezing through. Some sticks scratched at her dress and skin, making her hiss slightly. At the end, the thorn covered twigs stopped her. She snapped them off quickly and broke through. Sally crawled out of the way and sat next to the gap. She looked up from her hands and at the hut with second thoughts. " Hey Beatrice--are you sure this is a good idea? ",Sally asked quietly, Her voice wavering from fear.

" It should be fine. It looks like no one's been here in along time? "

Beatrice said unsure of her own thoughts. Beatrice stood and helped pull Sally up from the ground. They took a long look at the shelter; the rain starting to pour with more force. " well would you rather get hyperthermia? ",Beatrice asked while glancing at the shivering form of Sally. Before the other could respond, Beatrice grabbed Sally's hand and headed off towards the huts entrance. The home loomed over the two as if it was growing taller from each step. Sally grabbed hold of the doorknob and tried turning it. It wouldn't budge. She shook the knob back and forth with gritted teeth. The door finally flug open, causing Sally to fall through with a scream and a bang. " Sally, are you okay?!

". Beatrice squated next to Sally and then scanned slowly around the area. Everything was dusty and untouched. The hut held warm and musky air. Some floorboards were missing and a fireplace was sitting alone in the main dining area.

Then Beatrice quickly closed the door before any warm air got out. " I hope no one heard you scream... ",Beatrice mentioned nervously. " yeah. Sorry about that ". Sally shuffled around, making the floorboards creak and wobble. Beatrice scavenged the hut for extra

wood for the fire while Sally looked through baskets and cabinets. Wheat and grapes. They still looked fresh but not newly picked she could tell. The next basket shown beverages, Mainly alcohol but wine. Sally made a disappointed look and closed the top back down. Some rats here and there scurried across the floor. And drips of water fell from the wooden ceiling. Sally watched the water drip and listened carefully to the outside. Beatrice was crouched in front of the fireplace holding wood. " you found wood? ",Sally quired. Beatrice placed all five of the dry wood into the fireplace and turned to look over her shoulder at Sally. " yeah! Now all we need is something to light it. ", Beatrice retorted. Sally walked out into the rain again without a word and came back with two sticks. She dried them roughly with her gown and walked back to Beatrice.

" my dad taught me how to make fire. ", was all Sally said. She set the sticks over the large blocks of wood and started rubbing them together quickly. Once friction started between the twigs, a flame sparked. Sally dropped the sticks and the flame grew larger slowly. " ta-da ",Sally smiled at her survival skill. Beatrice smiled brightly at the beautiful colors of the fire. They both let the warm heat souke in. It felt nice after being in the cold for so long. Sally crawled over towards a window and looked at the sky. The sun was falling drastically, and stars started to show up. She sighed quietly and closed the wooden shutters of the window. She quietly closed the other shutters too to keep the cold out. " I saw some blankets in bedroom. I'll go get them ",Beatrice mentioned and left. Sally sat in front of the fire waiting for the blankets. Beatrice came back with thin raggedy blankets. Four to be exact. Beatrice gave sally two and she kept two for herself. They covered themselves tightly with the blankets and stared at the fire.

" night ",Beatrice said dully and fell asleep. Sally watched as her new best friend turned over and fell into a deep sleep. " night, Beatrice.. "

• • •

Crickets sang in the crisp silence of the night. The rain storm got worse making the hut rattle. Or was it the rain? A low growl was heard from outside, making Sally's eyes spring open. She laid still in her position for awhile while having her eyes dart around in the darkness of the room. The fireplace was out and the thin blanket's she slept with didn't hold much warmth for long. Sally slowed her breathing to listen more carefully outside. The only sound that came was the pitter patter of the roaring storm outside. After staying still and listening for awhile, Sally slowly closed her eyes again. Then the growl came again but more closely and loader. Sally shot up and looked over at Beatrice next to her. Her breathing was slow signalling that she was still asleep. Sally's arms became weak with dread as the growl came again for a third time. " Beatrice.. ",Sally whispered as she prodded her side. " Beatrice.. ",Sally whispered more frantically. Then the door rattled. Sally jumped up quickly and quietly and shook Beatrice with more force, causing her to finally awake. Beatrice was still groggy from sleep. She went to say something but Sally hushed her with a finger. Sally dragged Beatrice to a pile of rubbish that sat next to a window. " what's going on? ",Beatrice asked, still droopy. " someone or something is trying to get in. now shhh! ",Sally said quickly. Beatrice's eyes flug open and they both covered their mouths.

The door finally gave up and broke open. The wood of the door scattered around the entrance. Beatrice and Sally flinched. A silhouette stood at the doors entrance silently. It stood there, scanning the area for a couple seconds before fully walking in. It's steps were heavy, making the floorboards shake. Beatrice's eyes widen with horror when the thing walked a couple feet closer to their hiding spot. " I sm--ell blo-o-o-d... ",The creature finally spoke in a deformed cracking voice. It them moved rapidly on all fours around the room, tearing everything apart around it. " WHE--RE A-ARE YOU! ", The thing screamed. Sally stuttered a gasp making the thing freeze in place. Beatrice shot a dead glace at Sally. Sally gave a glace back. The thing slowly turned its head with the sound of bones snapping and cracking. Its eye's were pinned towards the rubbish Sally and Beatrice were hiding. It slithered its long neck down low and it crouched with its four twisted arms. It then slowly crawled over toward the rubbish. The two could still hear the creaking of the floor boards. Once it reached their hideout, it dug its paw through the pile. Its twisted and long fingers searched right next to Beatrice's shoulder. She didn't

dare move or breath. But then its hand grabbed her shoulder. It stayed that way, making Beatrice muffled cries. " found y-y-youuu.... ",It mocked. Then it violently yanked Beatrice out of the pile by her shoulder. " NO! ",Sally bursted out of the pile after. She instinctively bit the creators arm and Beatrice was set free. " run! ", was all beatrice could say. They spirited off the right that lead to a bedroom. Beatrice blocked the door with everything that she could find. Then she backed away from the door and fell next to sally on the bedside. They gasped for air like fishes on the shore as they stared intently at the door. Then something touched Sally's shoulder. " oh..my...god! ",Sally startled and then shuffled away from what touched her. A man's arm slumped limply on the edge of the bed. Sally stood up and saw a middle aged man dead on the bed. His head was missing and his body was deformed from a violent and vicious attack it seemed. Blood was soaked in the bedding. He looked like he had been dead for awhile from the rotting smell and decaying showing through his skin. Sally wrinkled her face and Beatrice ran off to the corner and threw up.

The door thumped non-stop. " we need to get out or we will end up like him ",Sally said as she pointed lifelessly at the deceased man. She frantically looked for a way out. A window about the size of Beatrice and sally was spotted above the bed. Sally nugged Beatrice from her corner and pointed towards the exit. " help me look for something to

put on the bed ",Sally quickly adjured. Beatrice grabbed a chair and placed it on the rummaged pillows. Sally quickly but carefully climbed the chair, not wanting it to tip over. After Sally fully got out, Beatrice dropped down shortly after. The bedroom door finally bashed open and the monster gave a piercing scream as they ran off.They continued to run away from the scene; taking glances behind them once in awhile to make sure the thing wasn't following them.