Gizem

Rumors, they spread relentlessly, so has one regarding the forest near where you live. People claim there is something so intimidating that all the animals in that forest leave it alone, living inside a dark and damp cave and clinging to the last threads of sanity. Anyone who so even taken a glance at it haven’t survived, but their screams haven’t gone unheard, spurring the rumors. Although no one has lived to tell what the creature looks like it is rumored to have a strong scent of death and dried blood following. A manic, unstable glare in the eyes and height so tall it is considered freakish.

But, those are only rumors; nothing has actually been confirmed besides the screams that sometimes echo in that maze-like forest. However a part of you wants to validate the claims, to see if it’s true or just a made-up story. Sleeping on the idea and against better judgment you eventually decide you will. Preparing for however long you might need to stay inside that dreadful and mysterious forest you bring several things; a backpack with various necessities and a compass, a flare gun, and a portable camera.

Because all the rumors happen around sunset, that’s when you set out for your journey, a golden glare on the trees, bushes, and everything. For the first few hours you thought you found nothing, but approaching a cliff you find a mutilated body of an wolf, stomach forcefully ripped in two and by the look of the corpse, it happened while the canine was still alive. With the unceasing smell of death trying to encapsulate in the air you take a picture of the dead wolf and move on. Strangely the next hours were relatively uneventful, nothing seemed astray or wrong, just the nature sounds of forest animals as it became night.

For awhile, since nothing really happened you assumed that the rumors were just fake, but that was the last thing on your mind as you came upon a large, open cave. Matching the rumors of where the creature lived and that being your only mission for even being in the forest you take a picture of the opening and carefully enter.

The entrance is long, and dark. Taking out a flashlight from the backpack and turning it on, flashing it at an intersection with three different openings you pick the middle. Stepping onto the rock the ground is slightly wet and the air is moist, something you didn’t see with the other two openings. Regardless, you have a mission, and you will complete it, nearing the seeming end you notice a source of light not from the flashlight, like a campfire. Hiding behind some rock you manage to catch someone staring into the flame, reddish fur and mane drenched with dried blood and mumbling to themselves. Out of the corner of your eye you catch a human skull and ribs, blood splattered across them. I’m just fine, they shouldn’t have been here anyway. But I need, need something to kill, no other kind of blood makes me happy besides humans. And the meat on them, it’s just too good to ever forget, that blood… everything about humans tastes so good. This must be the rumored creature, everything matches, the scent of death, and the insanity.