The smell of incense wafted through the afternoon air, bringing a satisfied smile to my face. It had always made me feel protected.
Golden hour was upon me, amber tinged light filtered through my windows as an autumnal wind blew my curtains to and fro.
I walked over to the window, to raise it a bit for more circulation. The faintest scent of something sour wafted in, then was quickly carried away in the breeze.
Reminding myself that the garbage needed to go out tonight, I moved the incense holder closer to the window.
Suddenly, a faint groaning echoed off the tree-line, barely audible behind the swishing of the leaves.
I squinted my eyes out into the dying daylight that illuminated the trees.Nothing. Then came a low growl.
Ignoring my sanity, unwilling to investigate or acknowledge, I swiftly shut my window.
What I heard and saw next made my blood run cold.
Crashing through the foliage, blood soaked and bellowing, a woman came into view.
Again ignoring the voices in my head screaming about the possible dangers that be, I ran to my door and into the unknown.
As soon as she caught sight of me, she nearly collapsed as she stumbled over to me, eyes full of terror and despair.
I ran over to her, and shouldered her weight as she began to sob. Walking her over to my door, I tried to ask questions, but this only made her more hysterical.
No sooner than we hit the threshold of my door, a dark, deep angry growl echoed loudly in the woods from which she had just emerged. She looked up at me, then through me, as if she were deciding something in her mind.
She pushed me away and into the house, pressing something into my hand as she spun on her heels, shutting the door behind her. In panic and confusion, I began to yank on the door.
Looking at me though the glass of my screen door, she firmly held it closed, her bloody hands gripping the knob. Through the glass I could see her face clearer. She looked at me, a mix of resignation and sternness in her face.
"Let go and come in here! I'm trying to help you dammit!" She slowly shook her head, us both flinching as another roar clapped the air like thunder.
"What is that? Please. Please. Come in here I don't know what's going on but please. I'm begging you . Let me help you!"
A thought knotted her brow, and her hands began to relax on the knob. I breathed a sigh of relief, which then became a fight to regain my breath.
A huge, hulking figure appeared behind her and I froze.
A quick glance could mistake it for human, but I could trust by my own eyes that wasn't true.
It had the form of a man, with bear-like fur covering it's body. It had no visible eyes, just empty, dark sockets teeming with malevolence. Razor sharp teeth jutted from its maw at odd angles, as it's oversized black tongue heaved in and out as it panted.
With the speed of a lightning strike, it whipped her hair around it's wrist and threw her to the floor of my porch.
A rattling scream sounded as she struggled to regain the air in her lungs.
Remembering the cell phone in my pocket, my shaking hands managed to dial emergency services.
I looked back out of the glass door and screamed in absolute horror. This...this thing was eviscerating her.
Her hands flailed weakly as it tore away at her, then lifted it's gore covered hands to its mouth.
Hearing a faint voice speaking, I looked at my phone, realizing I'd been connected.
"H-Hello?" I whisper-wailed, grimacing with each audible bone snap and crunch.
"Yes ma'am what is the address of your emergency?"
" It's 24 Moonlit Circle. Please hurry, I'm sure it's killed her, I-"
"Ma'am we have started the deputies en route. Can you tell me what happened?"
"She came out of the woods...I tried to get her inside. But she wouldn't let me help her, and then it came... hurry up it's eating her!"
At this point, blood and viscera splattered the door and both she and it were out of my line of vision.
My chest heaved with breathlessness as sobs continued to fill the air.
Were those sounds coming from me? I felt so disconnected, in such a state of disbelief-that it barely registered that the glass of my front door was now shattered in front of me.
And that the creature behind it crossed the threshold into my home, covered in gore.
