A Short Collection of Short Stories

Follow Me

Millie walked stealthily through the woods. Night was coming and she knew the creatures would be out hunting. She walked faster as the sun sank, praying not to get caught. Millie began to worry as it got darker, knowing her home was still far away. Suddenly Millie froze. It was eerily quiet; still and she had the hair raising feeling she was being watched. "Lost, little girl?" a voice said. Millie turned around and saw it. The thing stood behind her, tall, powerful, with a mocking smile and devilish eyes. Its arms hung by its sides, and it crouched, ready to pounce. Millie didn't respond, frozen in fear and enchanted by its eyes. A deep brown that seemed to see right through her. "Come little one. Come follow me. I can give you anything and everything you want. You'll be safe, happy and provided for. I can keep you safe. Follow me." It began to creep forward repeating the phrase. "Follow me. Come on. You can be happy and safe. Follow me. Follow me." Millie tried to run, to move, but its eyes held her in place. "Follow me. Follow me. Follow me . . ." Millie was trapped by its gaze desperate to move. "Follow me. Follow me. Follow me . . ." it reached for her. "Follow me." Suddenly a squirrel fell out of a nearby tree. The thing flinched and looked away. In a second Millie found herself sprinting away, its spell broken. "Is anyone there?! Help! Someone, please!" Millie screamed. "Come back little thing! Come follow me!" the thing screamed from behind her. Millie ran faster and faster, turning and doubling back, trying to lose it. "Help! Help!" Millie yelled louder. "Follow me! Follow me!" the creature yelled, softer, as if it was farther away. Millie ran until she saw it. A small house, at the edge of the woods. She ran inside and leapt into her father's arms sobbing. "What's going on? Are you hurt?" he said frantically. "It's chasing me! It's coming!" Her father didn't have to ask to know what she meant. "Downstairs, now." he said, getting up to bolt and barricade the door. Millie ran and opened the secret trap door concealed in the floorboards. She ran down into the small dirt room and pushed herself as far into the corner as she could. Her father jumped into the room and pulled the trapdoor shut and latched it. Then he came and sat next to Millie, pulling her against his chest in a calming embrace. They heard the door fall in, and the creature rummaging through the house. Millie grabbed tightly to her father as the creature ripped through the floor above them. Finally after what seemed like hours the creature cursed and left. They waited a while to be sure it was gone then her father carefully went up and checked. "It's okay Millie. It's gone. Millie walked up and saw that the entire inside of the house was wrecked. Broken dishes and furniture covered the floor. "How could they do this?" she asked, tearfully. Her father gave her a hug. "Because they are horrible creatures." Millie looked into her father's magenta eyes and felt his clawed hand gently stroke the spines that ran down her back. His other hand held her claws. "But don't worry," her father said. "Humans can't touch us here."