The Vault of Terror (Haunted)

The Most Dangerous Creature in the World

This tale was the first that was actually written FOR the Vault. After the first two had been published, and met minor success (though nothing compared to these one direction fanfics) when I decided I wanted to start a collection. Since i needed more than two originals, I brainstormed. This was the result.

Dedicated to IceMaiden786, my master. Probably the Queen of all Death and Despair, though she's yet to admit cause she's so modest.

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This is stupid, I thought to myself.

But no matter how many times I mocked the situation, how many times I told myself I was being a wuss, it did nothing to make me feel better. Truth was, I was outright terrified.

How could I have been such an idiot? Mother had warned me time and time again to be back home before dark arose, when the things came out.

They were nasty, vile creatures, armed with weapons we could only dream of. And no matter how hard we pleaded, they were completely ruthless. They killed us without any thought of remorse. Sometimes it was to feed. Sometimes it was to steal from us. And at times, it was for sport. For fun.

Sometimes I wondered if we had done anything to them. I asked Mother about it once, if years ago we had done something wrong that had made them want us all dead. Why else would they hate us?

But she said we had done nothing. Perhaps we looked strange to them. Perhaps we were in the way. Either way, they showed no mercy.

When I say that the scene resembled one of a horror movie, I wouldn't be lying. The tall, solitary trees, the rickety fence creaking in the night, the wet, green grass that tickled my feet all seemed to be trying to horrify me. I had to get back. I knew none if this could hurt me, but if the Creatures came out, I was a goner.

I turned back to the woods, where the village was. Problem was, in the blackness of the night, could I even make it back? The woods were filled with all kinds of things. None were as deadly as the Creatures, but that did little to comfort me. Besides, I was at least a few miles away from the meadow we called home.

My village was a secluded one...miles away from the bustling cities. I preferred it that way. It was safer for all of us. We would never fit in. Village life was the only way.

Well, I thought, it's not gonna do me any good to stand here thinking about the hopelessness. I set off down the trail, which looked like a earthen tongue extending from the maw of a black monster in the distance. It was getting windier, and my thin coat did little to keep away the chill. I wished I had the attributes the Creatures had. In a time like this, their outer shell kept them warm and toasty.

Then I heard it. The roar of the Creatures.

It shattered the silence of the night, a long and audible sound that left me wincing. Some of the Creatures had frightening ones, like this one. Others only had quiet roars. I couldn't tell which was deadlier: the ones that were obviously bigger and stronger, or the ones you didn't realize were there until they were but a few feet from you.

I knew it was very nearby. The bellow had been so loud it had vibrated the leaves and sent some of the dirt of the trail lapping into the air. I had no choice. I took off running.

I had made it about ten steps before another roar was heard, and I could hear its feet pound the ground. I could hear earth being kicked up as it came towards me. I could not tell where what it was, just that it was following me.

Well, until I saw its eyes.

Their eyes, in my opinion, are the worst thing about them; huge yellow circles that give off the most intense light. Many of my people have been killed because they were blinded by the light from the Creatures' pupils.