Hunger #Wattys2017

Witness

 Judith met with Sherri at her house in the loft. Sherri came up carrying two pillows in one of her arms. She tossed Judith one when she made it to the top and closed the door.

Silence loomed between the two for a couple of hours. Lying flat on their backs, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"Hey Sherri?" Judith asked, finally breaking the disturbing, monotone quietness between them.

"Yeah?" Sherri responded in a near mumble and a fake smile. She turned towards her, Judith could see the sadness and anger in her eyes, even though she tried her best to hide it.

"Do you think maybe Connor...wasn't joking about being a wendigo?"

"Whatchu mean Judi?" Sherri asked, a more genuine smile appearing on her face.

"I mean, I really think he was being serious." Judith continued. "We're his best friends and for us to react like we did was kind of...heartless."

"Judi look, remember that story I told a few months back? I made it up! No one's had any sightings or reports of a wendigo before." Sherri assured herself. "And I'm pretty sure it's nothing like the creatures in Lateralvilla. It just doesn't exist."

"Actually, you're not entirely correct." Judith said. "I did some research when I snuck back home and turns out there was one sighting."

She took her phone out of her jacket pocket and sat up next to Sherri. They began to read it aloud.

"A local man spots a monstrously tall deer-like creature roaming in the woods as he was taking his usual late night walk. He says that the creature resembles the mythical beast called a wendigo."

"This was posted three years ago." Sherri mumbled with disbelief in her voice. "Not seein' your point. Who saw this thing?"

"It says a man named Hiro Kita." Judith said.

"Wait wait wait...Connor's uncle?" Sherri asked.

"Yeah. I wonder what he's doing?" Judith asked.

"Let's visit him and ask him about this creature." Sherri said.

-

A middle aged man sits in his garage, taking in the serene weather of a cool, windy day. The air sent goosebumps along his skin and a draft was felt on his head as it teased his thinning hair.

Ever since his sister died, he hasn't felt the same. He wished he knew who the killer was and who planted the bomb in her house. He wanted revenge. But that would do no good now.

He spotted two girls walking towards him.

"Sherri! Judith! Hello!" the man said with a sad smile. "How are you doing? It's been forever since I've seen you two."

"Not good." Judith replied. "We're sorry about Jane."

"We got a question for you Mr. Hiro sir." Sherri said. "What do you know about the deer-like creature you saw three years ago?"

"Sherri! Don't be rude!" Judith exclaimed. "At least ask how he's doing first!"

"No, no, Judith, I'm fine." Hiro said, the sad smile still on his face. But both girls could see that he wasn't, for when Sherri brought up the topic, they could see his face almost become pale.

But he answered the question anyway.

"All I know is that it was a horrible sight." he began. "Those piercing red eyes, the sharp teeth and clawed hands, the damned thing looked like a juggernaut with its large hooves stomping anything that got in its path! It looked about seven to nine feet tall."

"I believe we were attacked by the creature you described a few months ago!" Judith exclaimed.

"But we can't exactly guarantee that!" Sherri blurted.

"The scariest thing is, I know who the creature was." Hiro continued.

"Who?" the girls both asked out of curiosity and confusion.

"Yes, who." Hiro said. "The horrid beast is my nephew."

Sherri went pale. She fell to her knees. Dizziness overtook her as she grabbed clumps of her hair and stared hard at the ground.

"Sherri, what's wrong?" Judith asked with shock.

"It can't be, it can't be, I made it up, I made it up..." Sherri mumbled to herself.

"How do you know this?" Judith asked to Hiro. "This has to be some kind of twisted coincidence, because Sherri told a similar story about your situation."

"No it's not." Hiro said, blinking back tears. "I'll never forget on his thirteenth birthday, where he ate my daughter's face."

"OH MY GOD!" Sherri screamed to the top of her lungs.

"Sherri! Calm down!" Judith exclaimed, worry intense in her voice.

Sherri looked at Judith, her eyes filled with tears, her hands still with fists full of hair.

"I-I'm sorry." she uttered. She took a few deep breaths and let go of her hair, her hands shaking.

"Do you have any other questions?" Hiro asked while also being worried for Sherri.

"Just one." she replied when she calmed down. "Do you have any pictures?"

-

Connor wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. But not because he was cold.

These past few months have been hell for him. He couldn't remember the last time he was with his friends, the last time he was genuinely happy, the last time he wasn't traumatized...

"Good news pet!"

He jumped at the sound of Henry's voice.

"Sorry to startle you, I'm just so excited!" he said with a squeal while clapping fast and jumping up and down. "We're moving!"

Connor froze. He could feel his eyes widen, his heart beating against his chest, drops of sweat rolling down his face, the scene before him spinning. His hands had a tight grip on the bars behind him.

"Relax, we're not doing it right away." Henry scoffed. "We'll be moving at the end of this school year."

It was currently February. Three months. Three months before he would never see his friends again, three months before the last bits of his sanity were left behind when him, Henry, and his parents moved to the new location, three months before he had NO control over himself and his life, if he was still alive that is.