The creature in the woods

The Warning

The days following the encounter in the woods were agonizing for Ethan. The mark had bound him to the creature in a way he couldn’t fully understand, but he felt its presence everywhere he went. In school, during dinner, even in the safety of his room, he sensed it lurking at the edges of his thoughts, waiting for night to fall again.

James hadn’t spoken much since that evening. He’d seen the creature too, and though he tried to hide it, Ethan knew his friend was terrified. It wasn’t like the usual fear that came with telling ghost stories. This was different. It was real.

Ethan spent most of his time in the library, combing through the old journal he had found and any other documents that might hint at the creature’s origin. There had to be something, some way to break the connection between him and the beast. Mrs. Bennett, the librarian, had started to notice his frequent visits and the intensity with which he researched, but she hadn’t pried. That is, until one afternoon when she found Ethan poring over a particularly old and crumbling text.

“You’ve been here every day this week,” she said softly, her voice carrying the warmth of concern. “What exactly are you looking for, dear?”

Ethan hesitated, unsure of how much to say. He didn’t want her thinking he was losing it. “Just… local legends. The woods and stuff.”

Mrs. Bennett raised an eyebrow. “The woods? Most of the stories about those woods aren’t the sort of thing a boy your age should be chasing after.”

“I’m not chasing them,” Ethan said quickly. “I think they’re chasing me.”

Mrs. Bennett’s face softened, and she sat down across from him, lowering her voice. “You wouldn’t be the first. These woods are old, older than this town. There are stories that go back centuries, stories of things that never quite made it into the history books.”

Ethan leaned in. “You know about the creature?”

Mrs. Bennett sighed and folded her hands. “I know of it. My grandmother used to tell me stories when I was little, about the guardian of the woods. That’s what she called it. She said it was put there long ago to protect something—something dangerous. But the guardian wasn’t always so… vicious. The older the woods grew, the darker it became. She said the creature doesn’t hunt just anyone—it chooses.”

Ethan swallowed hard. “What does it choose them for?”

“That, no one knows for sure,” Mrs. Bennett said, her eyes narrowing. “But those it chooses never escape completely. It marks them, and after that, they belong to the woods.”

Ethan’s chest tightened. The mark. That word again, confirming what he had feared. “Is there a way to stop it?” he asked, his voice low, almost pleading.

Mrs. Bennett shook her head slowly. “I wish I could tell you yes. But in all the stories, no one has ever broken the mark. Once the creature has you, it won’t stop. It waits, watches, and when the time is right, it takes you back to the forest.”

A chill ran down Ethan’s spine. “So I’m supposed to just wait for it to—”

“No,” Mrs. Bennett interrupted, her voice firm. “You’re not powerless, Ethan. My grandmother used to say that the forest holds more secrets than the creature. It’s old magic, older than most people can understand, but sometimes, if you’re smart enough and brave enough, you can outwit it. The creature follows the rules of the forest, and if you learn those rules, you might find a way to stay ahead.”

Ethan nodded, though her words didn’t provide much comfort. Learning the rules of the forest? How was he supposed to do that when he could barely make it through without being hunted?

Mrs. Bennett stood up and glanced around the quiet library. “I don’t have much more to offer, but I do know this: whatever you do, don’t go back into those woods alone.”

Ethan stared after her, feeling the weight of her words settle in his mind. But deep down, he knew he had to go back. If he didn’t, the creature would eventually come for him, and he had no intention of waiting around for that day.

---

That evening, Ethan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. Mrs. Bennett had confirmed his worst fears—the mark was real, and the creature wasn’t going to stop. But what she said about the old magic, about the forest’s secrets, stuck with him. If there was a way to outsmart the creature, he had to find it. He couldn’t just sit and wait to be taken.

As he tossed and turned, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was James.

James: "We need to talk."

Ethan felt a surge of unease. James hadn’t contacted him since their run through the woods. He quickly typed a response.

Ethan: "What’s up?"

James: "Meet me at the park. Now."

Ethan’s heart thudded in his chest. Something wasn’t right. It was already dark out, and the park was close to the edge of the woods. He wasn’t eager to be out after nightfall, but if James was reaching out, it had to be important.

He threw on a hoodie and sneakers, grabbed his flashlight, and snuck out of the house. The cool night air bit at his skin as he pedaled his bike down the quiet streets. The town was almost eerily still, the only sounds being the wind rustling through the trees and the occasional distant bark of a dog.

When he arrived at the park, James was already there, sitting on the swings with his head down. His silhouette was tense, his foot tapping nervously against the ground. Ethan approached cautiously.

“What’s going on?” Ethan asked, coming to a stop.

James looked up, his face pale. “I—I’ve been seeing things, man. Since that night in the woods.”

Ethan’s stomach dropped. “What kind of things?”

James glanced toward the trees that bordered the park. “It’s like… shadows moving where they shouldn’t be. I see it when I’m walking home, or even in my room sometimes. I hear growls, like the ones we heard that night.”

Ethan’s blood ran cold. “Do you think it’s after you too?”

“I don’t know,” James muttered, running a hand through his hair. “But I can feel it. It’s like it’s… watching me. I think maybe, because I was there with you, it marked me too.”

Ethan’s throat tightened. If the creature had marked James as well, they were both in danger.

“What do we do?” James asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan didn’t have an answer. He wished he did. “We have to figure out the rules,” he said finally. “Mrs. Bennett told me the creature follows the laws of the forest. If we can figure out what they are, maybe we can outsmart it.”

James looked skeptical but nodded. “You think that’ll work?”

“I don’t know,” Ethan admitted. “But it’s better than sitting around waiting for it to come for us.”

They both stared at the dark line of trees that loomed at the edge of the park, the shadows stretching out like claws reaching into the night. Ethan could almost feel the creature’s presence, lurking just beyond the treeline, biding its time.

One thing was certain: the next time they entered the woods, it wouldn’t let them leave so easily.