Night Walkers - Halloween 2023

Chapter 9

We were about halfway to the end of the trail when Carson suddenly halted his step. The rest of the group was still ahead of us.

"Guys!" his voice was loud and gruff. A sound I hadn't heard come from him before.

Everyone halted and turned around.

"What is it." Roland called from the front.

Carson gently pulled me with him as he sped up our pace and joined up with the group.

"This doesn't happen during the day." Carson mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked.

"Listen."

All of us listened quietly for whatever Carson was hearing but there was nothing. Literally nothing. The birds and cicadas who had been singing their usual tunes when we began our hike, were now silent.

"I don't hear anything." I stated. I looked over at Emily who had a look of terror on her face.

"Stay calm, Em." Carson reminded.

Emily took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself but it didn't seem to be working. She clung to Carson's other arm.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We need to run. Stay calm and run. Now." Merek stated.

The eight of us took off running towards the exit. We still had about twenty minutes left of our hike in either direction.

Roland and his group of friends took the lead, sprinting along the path. Carson and I followed behind everyone. As we ran, there was rustling in the brush on either side of us; we were being hunted by something and there were more than one.

Emily slowed down, clearly tiring.

"Em, keep running." Carson encouraged.

"I'm trying." Emily panted.

A cackling laugh came from the brush on our right, which scared all of us to run faster.

"What's chasing us?" I asked in between breaths.

"The Nelemec." Merek responded.

"It's daylight, why are they chasing us?" Emily shouted.

"I don't know." Carson panted.

Just as the exit was in sight, one of the creatures emerged from the brush in front of us and blocked our path. The hideous thing cackled as we halted. Emily screamed.

"Stay calm!" Carson shouted.

"Stay calm." The creature echoed with Carson's voice.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up and goosebumps spread all over my skin. The creature's eyes were void of any color; completely black. Its skin stretched and contorted against its lanky bones as it moved and swayed where it stood.

Carson grabbed my wrist, snapping me out of my frozen daze. He pulled me towards him as we turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Emily was ahead of us now, desperate to get out of this hell of a forest.

"We were so close." I mumbled loud enough for Carson to hear.

"I know." he replied.

Out of nowhere, another creature darted out from the trees from our left, snatching Emily up into its abnormally long arm and dragging her into the forest on the other side of the path.

Emily screamed. "Carson!"

"Emily!" Carson shouted.

Everyone stopped in their tracks.