The One in the Woods

Michael.

I go upstairs to check on my cousin. He and his family have been staying at our house this past week and today we were all planning on going on a hike. I check the guest room Ryan was staying in. that's weird. He's not here. Where could he be? I go downstairs to ask my mom.

"Hey mom", I ask, "Have you seen Ryan?".

"I thought I saw him going outside. He said he was going for a walk." She responded.

"Ok. I'm gonna go look for him." I wasn't too worried. Ryan knew his way around the neighborhood. I opened the front door to leave.

"I'll be right back"

"Alright. Be careful honey!"

I went out the door and toward the shed. It will be quicker to find him by bike. I go around the back of the house to the shed, and I notice that the sprinkler that waters the grass in the backyard was left on. I turn it off so that it doesn't make more mud then it already had. Dad is gonna be mad when he gets home. As I go to walk back to my bike, I notice some footprints in the mud.There is a slight indent in the heel of the print that shows whoever walked through the muddy yard was DEFINITELY wearing heelys. I can tell it was Ryan as he is notorious for wearing those. Why was he over here though? I take a detour from getting my bike to follow the tracks. They lead to the forest behind our house. What could he be doing going in there? Well anyway, at least I know where he is. I enter the dark forest to find my cousin.

I follow the path for a while. I try not to get lost as I go deeper into the wooded area. Where the hell can he be? I'm starting to get annoyed so I call out to him.

"RYAN!"

After a few more times of me calling out for him I discover a small trail that leads off the path. There are some broken branches around it that show someone ran through here. I might as well check it out. I end up walking for some time before I see legs poking out from behind a tree. I know its him as I can see the muddy heelys. He must have fallen asleep. I run up to him. "Ryan, what are you doing wandering through...Oh my God."

What I see makes me want to throw up. 

My cousin is laying against the tree, both him and the once white bark are dyed red with blood. He has strange scratches all over his body. I back away with my hand over my mouth in shock. What happened. After a few minutes of looking at the gruesome scene I remember I have to get home.

 I have to tell someone. 

I turn to walk back to the path but I hear a branch snap. I look around in a panic. This forest isn't safe. I continue to walk. I hear another snap and I quickly spin around in the direction of the sound. That's when I see it. The thing that must have gotten Ryan. I start running. I have to get away. I have to get home. As I run I think about what the monster could be. I remember the stories my friends would tell to scare each other during sleepovers. I run faster. The myth was real and my life was in danger. I can hear it gaining on me. I hear it right behind me and I stop and turn to face it...but...nothings there. Could I have just imagined being chased? No, it felt too real. I look into the forest. 

I find nothing. 

I hear nothing.

 I turn back around. 

I don't even have time to scream at the gruesome face 5 inches in front of me as I painfully succumb to the same death as Ryan.