The Wilderness Within: A Fanfiction (Draft)

Chapter 1

I glanced at the clock on the dash. It was the middle of winter and although it wasn't yet five p.m. the red sun was rapidly sinking to the distant horizon. The clouds twisted the orange light into a peaceful scene I would have taken a picture of if my phone could still hold a charge. Still, I admired it through the windshield, seatbelt pressing against my shoulder.

I turned around and saw Kami stretched out on the backseat, surrounded by CDs and snack wrappers. I sighed contently. It was the first peace and quiet we'd had in what felt like days. We were only a couple hours from home now but I knew we'd have to stop for the night soon. I turned back and readjusted my seatbelt as I peered out the window. Icy snow sat on the drooping trees on either side of the road, resembling the clouds that flew by overhead. The shadows grew longer and with the empty winding road ahead, it was a calm drive.

I pulled out an old paper map from the glovebox and unfolded it, skimming for our approximate location. I stopped and looked up at the driver as the map spilled over my knees.

"Thanks for inviting us to meet your Gran, Alex. It was a really fun weekend," I nodded to the driver.

"Yeah, she was really nice. She makes amazing cookies," added Kami.

The driver switched on the headlights. "Thanks for coming with me. I know I don't visit enough, but it's such a long drive and you know I hate driving so far by myself."

"Yeah, yeah," Kami grinned. "I just had no idea she was such an adrenaline junkie. I mean, snowboarding, boxing-"

"Bungee jumping," I said.

"Paragliding."

"Caving. Motocross."

"Yeah. She's awesome! And then there's you," she trailed off. "The most adventurous thing you do is your D&D campaigns," she smirked.

Alex pursed his lips. "Can we stop with the teasing already? I get it, I'm a dweeb," he said sullenly, although a smile twitched at his lips.

"Love you," Kami called before settling back down on the backseat and closing her eyes.

I looked sideways at him, then traced my finger along a dark line on the map. "You've been driving for hours today. Maybe I should drive for a while, and you can have a break?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

I paused, then tried again. "It's still a few hours to that town we wanted to stop at. If we-"

Alex noticeably gripped the steering wheel. "Look, I'm fine," he repeated.

I leaned back, attempting to fold up the map and failing. "Okay, okay." I glanced up at the road. "Just watch out for that pothole."

"What pothole?"

"That huge pothole, right ahead." I pointed to the bend in the road.

Alex shook his head. "That isn't a pothole."

My voice turned shrill as we got closer. "Yes it is! Move! Move!" I insisted.

Moments later the car lurched to the side as it stumbled over the miniature asphalt crater. I reached for a handle while Alex and I leaned into our headrests. I noticed Kami in the mirror as she shot up in the backseat. As the rear tire made contact, everything in the back was launched into the air, including Kami.

Alex winced as we heard the undercarriage scrape against the road. As soon as the car stopped shaking, he steered into a shoulder and hopped out, a string of curses tumbling from his mouth.

Kami's head popped up from the floor behind me. "Did we drive through a grenade or something?"

I rolled my eyes. "Might as well have, right," I unbuckled my seatbelt and pushed open the door. "Better go check the damage."

Outside, Alex was kneeling next to the rear right wheel, a frown etched on his face.

Kami rolled down a window and leaned out. "So, what's the damage?"

He stood up and rubbed his forehead anxiously. "A flat tire."

I stuck my tongue in my cheek, "Well that's fantastic."

Alex scowled at me. "Not helping, George."

Kami broke our staring contest. "Don't we have a spare?"

Alex grunted and started walking to the other side of the car. "Get the tools," he said pointedly.

I scoffed. "Rude," I muttered just loud enough for him to hear. Kami motioned for me to come over.

"Georgia," she said softly, "be nice, would ya?"

"Whatever." I stomped off to the trunk to grab the toolbox while Alex began rolling over the spare.

"Is this supposed to take thirty minutes?"

I couldn't see the sun anymore and it was significantly darker now, filling me with a sense of unease.

Alex ignored me at first. "Since you're not exactly helping, yes." He knelt in the snow and began attaching the last bolt. "Almost done."

I kept quiet. I suddenly spun around and stared into the dusk, convinced something was watching us. Nothing burst out of the shadows at us so I tried blame the chills running down my neck on the cold air and not something more sinister. I rolled out my shoulders.

Alex had barely pulled the car jack out from under the vehicle when I noticed a figure rushing towards us the way we came. "Hello?" I called warily. Alex turned around.

Kami stuck her head out of the window and saw the person I shouted to. "Do you need a lift?" she yelled.

I froze as the figure snarled back at us. It seemed to be jogging towards us with an unnatural stiffness that made me want to run in the opposite direction. Something was very wrong.

I lifted the heavy toolbox and pushed it through the window into Kami's arms. "What are you doing?" she said, confused.

"Alex, start the car, now." He must have sensed the urgency in my voice because for once he didn't protest.

I kept an eye on the figure that was getting too close, too fast. I picked up the wrench Alex had left on the ground, which was a little heavier than I expected, and pulled it back behind my head. "Stay right where you are," I warned the creepy stranger.

I held my ground but the figure didn't seem to care, it just kept snarling as it got closer and closer to me. It looked like a normal man, but the lights from the car reflected off its blindingly white bared teeth. And its eyes. I didn't want to see its eyes.

The irises were a blood red.

I put as much force behind the wrench as I could and whipped it towards the thing. It bounced right off its forehead and the man kept coming, the attack seemingly making it more agitated.

I ran to the passenger side door but as I reached for the handle the car pulled away from me. I stared in shock as Alex reversed the car and swiftly ran over the monster with his new tire.

With the thing incapacitated, I bolted for the door again, tumbling inside. "Go, just go!"

Alex changed gears and stomped on the gas while I stared at the side mirror. Horrified, I watched as the thing somehow started to pull itself to its feet. "That thing is not human," I mumbled. We made a few turns on the winding road and soon it was out of sight.

I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"You all saw that too, right? I didn't just imagine that, I'm not crazy or anything?"

The others were just as pale as I probably was. Alex said nothing, but stared intently at the road. Kami was silent for a moment. "Yeah," she said softly before passing me a water bottle. I must have looked as shaken as I felt.

"That definitely wasn't human. What was that thing?"