Ashes in the Wind

Chapter Two: The Boy in the Woods

“So, Kevin, what have we got here?” Dean leaned over the boy as he sat down in front of his computer.

“Three people have gone missing in the last month. We think it’s a Wendigo. All of the victims were alone in or near the woods, nobody saw them disappear, and there are no traces of where they went.”

”The most recent disappearance was yesterday, someone by the name of Pamela Barnes. She’s a local fortune teller and psychic.” Jo joined in.

Kevin nodded. “I’ve tracked the Wendigo’s hunting patterns and I think I know where it is located.”

“How the hell did you manage to do that?” Dean looked confused. “Don’t they climb the trees? They’re almost impossible to track.”

“Easy,” Kevin grinned, “Look, Wendigo like keeping their food fresh, right? I read that they usually tie their victims up and store them for later. They also like cool, dark spaces, and they never hunt too far away from where they’ve stored their food. So I just mapped out the places that all of the victims were last seen and looked for any place within a certain distance that a Wendigo could possibly stay in, and I found it.”

“Kevin, you are a genius.” Dean smiled and gave him a pat on the back. “So where are we headed?”

“Well, I did some research, and apparently before the war, and before the walls were built, this was part of a big city, and if I’m right, there is an underground subway station a few miles west of us. That would be the perfect hideout for a Wendigo to store its food, don’t you think?”

The rest of them nodded. “Okay then, let’s gear up and catch us a Wendigo. Lead the way Kevin.” Benny gestured to the door.

“Sure thing.”

**

The four trekked through the woods, Kevin taking the lead, Dean in the back, looking for any movement in the trees. His friends were talking, but he walked silently, his mind occupied with other things. You should not be here Dean. You should not have lied to your friends. You aren’t okay; you are far from okay….. Dean shook his head, suppressing the thoughts racing through his mind. He continued walking, when he heard a rustling in the bushes. He stopped and looked around, trying to locate the noise. Thinking it was just an animal, he continued on. It was silent for a moment, and then he heard it again. His friends, oblivious to the noise, continued walking, but he stopped.

He heard a crunching noise, like leaves under someone’s feet. He pointed his gun, ready to pull the trigger. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins; it had been far too long since he had been hunting. He looked around. Wait, Wendigo climb in the trees, you idiot. He sighed. I’m really out of practice. He put the gun down carefully and took a step closer to the noise, and then he saw him.

A boy peered out from behind a tree a few yards away. He had dark brown, almost black hair that stuck out in all directions. He was wearing a dirty brown trench coat, and an annoyingly crooked tie. His face was covered in a thin layer of dirt as if he hadn’t showered in a month, but what stood out the most from this already very unusual by were his eyes. They were bright blue, like a frozen pond.

 He stared at the boy for what seemed like ages, before he ducked back behind the tree. “Hey! You need help?” Dean called out to him. No response. He walked over to the tree where the boy had just been. Nothing. No trace that anyone was ever even there. He looked around, confused, wondering if what he saw was even real, before giving up and running to catch up with his friends.

“Dean! Hey, we thought we lost you!” Jo called out. She studied him for a moment. “You okay? You look flustered.”

“No, I’m fine.” Jo gave him a concerned look. “I’m okay.” He repeated.