Something's Lurking In The Woods

[Darek Milako]

                   The Creature in the Woods
                               Part I

Scurrying through the woods about three hours before sunrise, a frightened townsman runs through the lightly misted grass. Leaping over cricks and logs, the man pants while looking back over his left shoulder every other step. Behind him, running at a very swift and quick speed, a shadow creature approaches him. The man, panicked, runs into a low branch of a large pine tree. Looking up at the moon his vision grows blurry. The dark creature stoops over him and all goes black.

"Wake up Tom, breakfast is ready!" yelled Sheela, young Tom's mother, from the kitchen. "Alright, I'm on meh way down." Sitting up from his bed, Tom stretches his arms with a fierce yawn. Wiping his mouth and patting down his short brown hair, he stands on the cold, creaky, wood floor and walks out of the room as if he was an undead. Stumbling down the stairs he yawns once more and looks to his mother. "What time is it?" "It's time fer yer teh wake up, eat yer some eggs an' milk the cows. Tha's wha' time it is." Rolling his eyes he sits on the weakened wooden chair at the eating table. "Here ye' go deary, eat up an' get dressed." Sheela walked out of the room into the living room where she plopped onto her reading chair. Tom watches her then returns to staring at his food. He eats his eggs with a rush and runs back upstairs to put on his loose white shirt and brown woven pants. Tying his shoes, he hurries back downstairs into the living room. "Alright Mother, I'm off teh town." He kisses her fast and attempts to run out the door before she has a say but comes short of making it. "Town!? Ah thought Ah told ye' to milk the cows. Ye' best do wha' yer told or else young man." Nodding, Tom runs out and runs to town anyway.
Approaching town, he notices that a bunch of people have gathered at John Rolman's house right outside of the market area of town. A group of people towards the inside of the group were crying. The guards were there and everything. Curious, Tom walks towards the group to see if he can hear what the comotion is about. "He never did anything wrong, why him?" Mrs. Rolman said between her sniffs and tears. The head guard, Desmond Bochal, looked to her and said, "Nay worry Mrs. Rolman. We'll find the creature, Ah swear." Desmond then turned to look at Tom. Tom saw this and scurried off into town. "Jake, there ye' are." Tom said to Jake Kasbro, the town's archery guild leader. "Hail Sir Tom, 'ow's yer mother?" "She's gran' Jake sir. Wha' 'appened over at Mr. Rolman's house?" Setting down the small bottle of poison and arrow that he was poisoning, he said, "Not sure. Bu' tha's none of anybody's buisness." Nodding, Tom could tell he was keeping something from him. "So wha' ye' doin'? Poisonin' some arrows?" Jake nods and says, "Aye, Ah've been given a mission teh fulfill an' Ah might need some poisoned arrows." Tom's eyes grew large. "An assassination? I' is isn' it? I knew ye assassinated..." Jake dropped the arrow and put his hand over Tom's mouth interupting his sentance. "Shuttup boy! Ah'm nay an assassin, Ah nay 'ave anythin' teh do with tha'. An ye' screamin' wha' yer was screamin' gives folk bad ideas of meh. Ye' understand?" Looking a bit mad Jake released Tom. Tom nodded and rubbed his cheek. "Sorry if Ah 'urt ye'," Jake said. "So when can Ah join the Archer's Guild?" Tom finished his rubbing and looked up to Jake and then grabbed an arrow to fiddle with. Jake snatched the arrow and said, "Never if ye' keep tha' up. Ye' need teh learn teh respect yer weapon an' ammunition. For without 'em ye'd be unprotected if ye' engaged in battle." Tom nodded. "So ye' gonna teach me 'ow teh use the repeater today?" Jake nodded slowly and put the arrow in a silkish bag and capped the poison bottle. "Aye aye, come come, Ah got yer bow o'er 'ere. Man if yer mother knew wha' yer was doin' she'd flip. Ah'm onleh teachin' yer these things 'cause of yer father. 'e was the grandest archer in the land an' Ah think 'is son should learn 'is grandest art." Tom nodded with understanding. They then walked out into the practice area and began. After a couple of hours Tom realized that he was late to the market for bread. "I gotta go Jake sir. 'ave to pick up bread for mother. See ye' next week." Jake nodded and said, "Have a gran' week young Tom." Tom headed off to the market and bought his bread, from there he ran home as fast as possible so his mother wouldnt worry. "Did ye' milk the cows?" "Aye mother, I milked 'em then I made sweet love to 'em." Sheela nodded then realized what he said. "Wha'!?" "I'm just kiddin' mother." Tom chuckled and headed upstairs. "G'night." Blowing out the candle, Tom laid down in his bed and stared at the sky. The sun was set but there was still some light from it grasping the sky. Tom stared until his eyes grew weary. Slowly closing them he was asleep.
A scream is heard not to far from Tom's window. Tom jolts straight up and looks out the window. It seemed as if he just closed his eyes but the sky beared all the bright stars. Crickets were heard but Tom was listening closer than that. Another scream was heard. Tom jumped out of bed and slipped on his shoes. He rushed downstairs and quietly out of his house. He went to the back of his small two story house with it's straw roof to see if anybody was out there. "Hello?" Tom said with a loud voice but short of a scream. Listening closely, he heard a panting and as if a man was running through the woods. "Help!!" Tom heard this scream and jumped back and tripped over a root. Landing on his butt he stared with open eyes into the pitch blackness of the woods. Hearing the man running, he realized the man was coming in his direction. Staring extremely hard into the blackness he finally sees a dark oulined figure running. Coming into the moon-lit area where Tom's house was placed Tom reconized the man as Dr. Ralph Selong. Staring at Dr. Ralph, Tom scooted back in a fast manner. Releasing a horrific yelp, Dr. Ralph flew off his feet to his face on the cold leaves covered in night dew. Gasping Tom looked at the man and saw he had an arrow burrowed deep in his back. Staying quiet and trying to regrasp his breath, Tom was in shock and couldn't move. Looking quickly back into the blackness, he saw a figure moving towards the man's limp body. Tom scurried to his feet and ran around the corner of his house hoping the figure didnt see him. Peeking around the corner he saw the figure, a large man like figure with a quiver and a ninja mask, pull the arrow out of the Dr. and roll him over. The monsterous man leaned over Dr. Ralph and got close to his face and just looked as if staring into his eyes. He then unsheathed a dagger from the side of his belt and slit Dr. Ralph's throat. Tom stared in unbelief as the man murmered words and a green glow surrounded his hands. He then rose his hands slowly to the sky and on either side of Dr. Ralph, two summoned skeletons rose and stood firmly. The masked monster then pointed in Tom's direction as he kept staring at Dr. Ralph. Tom ran inside and locked blocked his door with a chair. Running upstairs to awake his mother, Tom ran into his room first to peek out the window. As he crawled on the floor up to his window he barely poked his head out before his window opened on its own. Tom crawled back as fast as possible towards his door and went to scream to his mother but the masked man already had Tom in his grasp. Covering his mouth with a damp cloth Tom watched the light that filled the air dissapear and his eyes shut.


                      Part II Is To Come

[Amy Marsteller]

I liked the story, but was a little hard to follow with the large paragraphs.