Winchester Sister

1.2 - Wendigo Part 1

Blackwater Ridge
Lost Creek, Colorado

There were two tan tents set up in the woods near a campfire, keeping the people within the tents warm in the otherwise cold wilderness. Unbeknownst to the tent's inhabitants, something else was in the woods that night. 

It circled the tents, growling and rustling through the brush as it watched them, observing them, learning what they were doing and who they were. 

In one tent, two boys were playing on handheld gaming systems. 

"Dude you're cheating." 

"No. You just suck." 

In the other tent...

"Hey Hailey! Day 6 - we're still out near Blackwater Ridge. We're fine, keeping safe, so don't worry. Talk to you tomorrow." A shadow passed by behind the boy as he recorded his video log, but he was oblivious to it. 

A boy in the first tent stood with a sigh, feeling defeated now that he's lost the game against his friend. He unzipped the tent and stepped out, catching the second boy's attention. 

"Hey, hey, where are you going? It's my moment of victory."

"Nature calls." He shrugs, zipping the tent back up and turning to find a nearby tree to relieve himself. 

But something didn't feel right to him. 

He tried to shrug it off, minding his own business as he unzipped his pants, ready to use the restroom when-

Snap.

Some twigs, or maybe a branch, broke nearby, and he gasped, startled. Nothing was there. He rolled his eyes and shook his head at himself, not understanding why he was so on edge. He was just going to take a piss and then return to the tent. It would be fine. Right? 

But the rustling came from a different direction this time. 

His gaze snapped to it, and he followed the noise as it circled him, coming to a stop right above him before-

"AAH!"

The other two boys sat up in their tents at their friends scream. 

"Brad?" The second boy from the first tent put his game down, eyebrows furrowing. 

The boy in the second tent tensed up, but neither of them wanted to step out and see what was happening. 

"Gary, what's going on?" He called across to the other tent. 

Without answering, the boy from the first tent - Gary - unzipped his tent and peeked his head out, looking around for Brad, who was only supposed to be stepping out to pee. 

Instead, he was met with a menacing growl as something stood outside of the tent, leaning over him. 

Gary's screams faded into the night as the creature grabbed onto him, ripping him out of the tent and pulling him up into the trees. 

Hoping he could convince the creature he wasn't there, the last boy remained in his tent, keeping as quiet as possible. He was quick to turn off his light, only leaving the nearby campfire to illuminate the area. It didn't work. 

A large shadow circled his tent, and the boy did his best to keep track of it, backing into a corner so he didn't have to circle around too much to watch it. His breathing grew heavier and heaver, his head spinning as he tried to keep his eyes on the shadow of the creature until-