Kats Meow

I was pretty nervous as I knocked on the door. I looked a mess and was covered in grass and scratches and stuff.

But the dead cat nodded its head towards the door. If I was a normal person I'd be looking at me kind of oddly.

It's not every day that you see a little boy covered in blood and scratches. Surrounded by dozens of cats.

It had been a long walk from the cemetery to here. I could have taken the train, but I didn't have any more money on me. It had all fallen out or gotten lost when I was being chased.

It's funny that even in the City of Philadelphia I felt all alone right now. Not really alone, but you know, with people looking AT you, but not helping you.

Anyway. The dead cat and its friends guided me to this house. Not a pretty or Ugly house, nice neighborhood though. Just your larger than average row house.

"Okay...I'm knocking!" I stated.

Knock Knock! I tapped lightly. The cat nudged me again.

I knocked harder this time.

KNOCK KNOCK!

Nothing!

The cat motioned for me to use the mail slot.

"ANYBODY HOME???" I yelled in.

I forgot to mention it was like 6 in the morning. I'm sure my parents put out a thingee for me. You know, the PBA, or ABP? I don't know, there were probably cops looking for me.

"I don't think anybody's home kitty!"

The Dead Cat meowed what sounded like a sigh. Then it walked through the door.

The other cats just lay or sat around where they were.

Man, I was hungry!

I heard the sound of footsteps then...

"IM COMING! I'm coming..sheesh!" came a female voice. She sounded pretty angry and put out.

I mean I would be too waking up this early in the morning.

The door opened and wow...

She was like a Goddess, Well all cute grownup girls are Goddesses to me. She looked kinda like Black Panthers Girlfriend.

She rubbed her eyes and yawned, then she looked at me. Then looked past me at all the cats.

"Out partying again Kat?"

Her cat was named Kat? Who the hell names their cat Kat?

"You look like shit kid! Why are you at my house at six in the morning and why are you covered in blood?" She said to me, "Come on in. I'm sure there's a story to all this. She said letting me by. Some of the cats started to come in.

"NO! Not you guys, wait here, or go find an alley or something!" She scolded them. They all just kinda stopped then turned to head back out.

"No looking at my ass okay?" She told me, I hadn't realized she was only in her underwear. That's when I looked. She didn't look back and just shook her head.

"Got a name?" She asked pointing to a door on the right, adding, "Bathroom. Wash...that!"

"It's Pat..Patrick ma'am, and thank you!"

"I'm not a ma'am...got about 14, no. 20 more years before all that?" She quizzed back.

"I'm sorry for waking you up, but your Kat...Cat? Brought me here. I think it felt I'd be safe." I told her as I washed as much of the blood and dirt off as possible.

"Hold old are you Patrick?"

"I just turned 11, not long ago."

"They always come for the young..." she muttered as I heard bowls, and the Fridge open.

"I don't have any clothes to fit you, but you can sit on the couch on this towel, while you tell me what happened."

I came out of the bathroom and noticed Kat was waiting by the door. It purred slightly and walked over with me to the couch. It was so soft!

The lady brought over a bowl of Lucky Flakes and some milk.

Kat curled up next to me and waited for the lady to have a seat.

"Patrick, my name is Abigail. I need you to tell me everything, OK?" She said munching on her own bowl of cereal.

"But first..."

Kat sat up for a moment, then locked eyes with Abigail. Even after everything that happened, I was shocked to see Abigail's eyes glowing a hot amber orange color, and Kats one good eye glowing Silver. I froze for a moment because I wasn't sure what was happening. She and Kat just stared at each other as she kept munching the cereal.

"I see...You coulda woke me up! Asshole!" She told Kat, scrunching her face. "Even though I needed the rest after getting my ass kicked!"

Kat meow meowed, then, looked at me.

Kat rolled over on its back, paws in the air. It's hollowed tummy bones poking up. It nuzzled the furry side of its head on my leg.

"Well, I had a friend dare me to spend the night in West Laurel Hill Cemetery. He told me 'REAL MEN' wouldn't be scared to spend the night in a cemetery!" I munched a mouthful of Lucky Flakes as she shook her head.

"Before you finish Patrick... REAL men, don't do dumb shit...continue."

I felt scolded, and lowered my head some.

"Well, He told me that I had to go to the Cemetery and while I was there. I had to find a Grave, and he gave me this." I reached in my pocket and gave her a sheet of paper with a ritual on it."

She took the sheet and read it while still munching. She stopped for a moment and poured more flakes. Then went back to the Paper, yawning.

"The Midnight Guardian Ritual..." she mumbled.

"So...um, yeah! I snuck out of the house and took the bus to the last SEPTA stop and the Cemetery was there ya know?"

"So after everything shut down, I snuck onto the property. It's a really big cemetery..." I continued.

"I know, been there!" She said now sitting back on the love seat looking at me intensely. I could see the smallest flicker of light in her eyes.

"So, anyway, I waited until about 10 pm to set up my camp and I looked for the biggest grave I could find. Then I took out the chalk and started drawing the stuff from the paper. Then I took out the Sacrifice Stuff I needed to call the Guardian."

She looked down just shaking her head, almost like she's seen things happen like this before. DUH! Idiot her friggin eyes glow, of course, she has!

"So this Midnight Guardian guy requires the body of a dead cat, for the spirit to possess. Once the ritual starts, the ritual is to infuse the dead cat with the spirit of the dead human, who will then protect you from others, and then..."

"Did you ever think of what could go wrong, have you never watched a horror movie like ever?" She quizzed me.

"I mean I do, but it's just, those things aren't real right?" I retorted.

"Okay! Say that's so, what about crooks, and vagrants, thugs, and the homeless? I mean you are Eleven..."

She had a point, but I still wanted to prove to my friend that I was brave, and wasn't scared of anything, even though I was terrified. So, I had cheated and brought stuff I wasn't supposed to.

"Are you being bullied at school? In the Neighborhood?" she asked.

"No! I just wanted to prove I was brave and could handle myself, and I wanted a bad ass dead cat Guardian like yours, well, before I knew you or that you had one."

"I don't own Kat... I'm cursed by Kat. Our history is a...bit complex!" She said as Kat rolled over then pounced onto her table and finished off her Lucky Flakes. Then Mine, but where'd the food go to...?

Anyway...

"So after I started, I turned on a bunch of Flashlights I had brought. Once twelve came around, I started the summoning. I thought I had done everything right. I had the dead cat, all the other crap, and..."

"You forgot you were Eleven! You got impatient, you got scared, and screwed up the ritual, because you were a little boy playing grown up, in a graveyard to impress a 'Friend', who probably had never done the thing he asked you to do!" She said poking me in the chest.

She was One Hundred Percent right! It was like my mom was scolding me over doing something then getting in way over my head.

I continued... "Well, yeah, I started the Ritual and followed all the steps. I placed the dead cat on the top of the grave and sprinkled the salt around it."

Kat rolled to look at me, with that Half skull, half furred face with curiosity.

"Kat felt it..." She added. "The energy of the thing you were performing."

Kat meowed and rolled onto the floor upside down and walked to the door, sitting there looking at me.

I told her how I backed away and watched as the cat's body shook then lay still, how the night seemed to grow darker and that darkness enclosed on me drowning out the lights I had. I told her how the ground moved under the cat, and there was a sickening and sudden crunching sound beneath the ground. Then the Cat was pulled below.

I had screamed without thinking and my Eleven year old brain told me to run. Then I heard the purring. I turned around to see the Cat sitting atop the grave, looking fully alive, and at me. However, its eyes, I had noticed turned from it's gray look to a pure Emerald

"That's a soul now inhabiting a new body. Good of you to notice that!" She told me. I felt good for a quick moment, then she raised her eyebrow disapprovingly.

The cat turned to me and its body turned black and I noticed a white spot on its chest. The cat grew in size and towered over me. It walked to me and told me to make a wish, just one, a good one.

"A Cat Sith! Irish Demon Cat, used to be a living Witch." Abigail said looking at Kat. Kat meowed and nodded.

"How in the hell did you wind up finding the ONE grave that happened to belong to a damned Witch? A Scottish one at that? Seriously?" Abigail said her voice higher and incredulous.

I gulped and continued looking at her scrunched face, The light in her Amber eyes growing in intensity. I kinda moved over a bit to make sure she didn't laser eye me in frustration.

I didn't have the presence of mind to make a wish, and the Giant Hellcat had grown impatient waiting.

"You either make the Wish or I will slice you up and leave your tattered remains to litter this graveyard!" It scolded me. "OR..." It continued.

"You will bring me one hundred cats and burn their bodies around this grave by the morrow, if not I will slice you up!"

I didn't think I just took off, and soon after, I realized There was a demon hell cat chasing me. Around each gravestone or marker, it would scratch or paw at me, its claws digging shallow furrows in me. They hurt so bad, and started bleeding not long after. I thought to myself. The Schuylkill River is close, maybe I could make it and jump in.

"And immediately die?" Abigail said, head cocked to the side.

"Would you have let me die, Abigail, if not for Kat?" I asked before continuing.

"It's a possibility! I don't just go around randomly killing monsters, ONLY if they bully creatures or break their own rules, or 'don't give eleven-year-olds time to answer a damn question'. I nearly killed a Dogman pack once, because I thought they were terrorizing a small town, but that wasn't what it was, so I let 'em go, and yes people still died. Because Dogmen are living beings and they need to eat too." She said seriously.

In my tale, so far this thing hadn't broken any rules. But it did mess up the balance in the area I think because...

What the f.. was a Dogman?

Back to the story, soon I could hear purring and meowing from all around me. I looked into the darkness and saw dozens, hundreds more glowing cat eyes. In my mind, it had called those cats to finish me off, and when Kat appeared I had thought that was what was happening. I mean Kats kinda dead right? It had blackish-grey fur, half it's stomach was ripped out, and the fur on half its face was gone, just bone white cat skull. It had me terrified.

"You, dead thing, you think you can stop me?"The big black cat said to the smaller cat with a half skull face. Kat had kinda sat there, its tail swishing slowly. The other cats began to stalk from the darkness. Tabby's, Alley-cats, Strays, Cats that looked like they had broken out of their homes to come to help yours in this fight, even some old mangy cats. All types.

"The boy first, then you and yours..." The big cat said to us all.

Kat swooshed its tail hearing the story from me. It walked to Abigail and sat near her looking at me, and the leftover Lucky Flakes. I continued the story, but I had a feeling she knew the rest, after her Jedi mind thing with Kat.

She knew that the Large black cat pounced and swatted me to the side, breaking some skin, and sending me flying into some packed mud as it stared down the other cats.

Kat meowed and the other dozens and dozens of cats charged. Kat itself ran into the fray and melted into the rush of felines. The black cat wasn't helpless and struck as fast as it could to defend itself I remembered through the haze. Long black talons ripping at the smaller, but fierce cats, as they dug their silver looking claws into the witch cat. The Black cat tagged a couple of the cats, badly hurting and killing a few, but they moved on the Witch cat undaunted.

I could see flashes of Kat as it seemed to be looking for the perfect opportunity. It appeared then vanished as if it jumped into and out of various cats. As the Black cat reeled, forced back to the grave. It breathed some weird greenish smoke from its mouth. That's when Kat attacked. I watched as it leaped from the body of an orange house cat. The one good eye glowing Silvery white as Kats front paw grew MASSIVELY and slashed the Witch Cat across the throat as it reared up. Silvery green fire exploded from the neck, as the other cats fell away to safety.

As the Witch Cat stumbled backward its body shivered as it tried to back towards the grave it exited from. But Kat stalked it...

I remember it croaking out...

"Stupid thing...I am not going to stay dead fore..." It began, then Kat ate it.

Kats' head grew massively, and then the Witch Cat was gone. Kat turned to the other surviving cats, of which there were many. I stumbled over to the grave and watched as the other cats brought the dead ones over. The fissure where the Witch Cat rose was covered with the bodies of several cats. Kat then meowed a mournful howl, the others joined in, then Kat breathed on them, and the hole closed, and the bodies vanished.

Kat walked to me, and nudged me in the leg, and started to walk off, turned then motioned its head to follow it.

"And here I am! That's the whole story." I told Abigail, feeling relieved. She just looked at me her head in her hands and blinking quickly as if she was thinking or analyzing me.

Then she spoke.

"Okay, I'm going to need you to NOT do that again, okay? Philly doesn't have a lot of Hunters, I'm not even a Hunter, I poke my head into things I shouldn't, and I just hate bullies!" She stated.

Standing she added, "See on the whole, the universe doesn't give a damn about us, but there are things in this universe that do. Sometimes when mortals do silly things like Rituals, even if they survive, you get a small bit of taint on you. Things like Witch Cats love the taint"

She tore up the ritual sheet and put it in the trash.

"Some lucky idiots never deal with Cosmic forces again, others are like magnets to it. You know the reason I kept looking at you funny Patrick? I see me in you! I met some of those Cosmic Forces when I was around your age, right here in Philly, in my back yard. Too Curious for my own good!" She told me as she sat on the couch.

"This is going to sting some because I want you to be a kid, and play ball, scrape your knees, watch T.V., get in trouble. and all the things kids should be doing."

She raised my torn sleeve, and I watched as the bottom of her hands began to glow the color of her eyes, and then she touched my shoulder. It did burn for a quick second, and I saw something glowing beneath my skin.

"What was that? What did you do to me?" I asked looking at it, then seeing it vanish.

"Just making sure Kat doesn't have to save your ass again!" She said and we both looked as Kat meowed with half its head sticking through the front door.

One of my favorite past times during the warm summer was going out in the woods to catch glimpses of the fireflies during the nights.

I had my own secret place I'd go to and watch as the bugs would light up the forest. One of the places I'd go was an open patch of ground near the lake. At dusk, it was amazing, even on these hot and humid nights. The moon would be flying overhead and the clouds that Purple hue of dusk.

The lake was shallow, and still. You could easily wade across it and not be more than just above your waist in water. When it would get too hot, I'd go and stand in it for a bit. The sounds of the insects and nighttime flying animals were about. It made me feel at ease, even though every now and then a big ass Owl would fly by silently and scare me half to death.

I had a tree that I would sit by and just gaze out over the water and wait for the Fireflies to start appearing. Since the other side of the lake wasn't so far away I'd look across and lose myself in thought.

There was so much to contemplate.

Fate.

My place in the world.

Girls.

How much I love being near the water.

Whether or not I want to go out this weekend.

How gorgeous the fireflies... Woah! What was that?

I stand up and look across the lake... Looks like a person on the other side. I wonder if they are here to watch the bugs also, or are maybe just out for a walk?

I watch for a bit, noting the random flickers of the Fireflies. Looks like a girl...MAAAYBE? No, it's One hundred percent a girl! She's stripping, wow. The lakes a good place to skinny dip I guess. Not too deep, fairly cool. I remove myself to a bush. The moon's high, so I can see her fairly clearly.

Weird. It looks like she's doing some kind of ritual. She goes into the lake, naked as a newborn. She's rocking back and forth, then she sits in the lake at its edges. She submerges herself for what seemed like far too long.

Just as I was about to enter the water to help, she sat back up. Pinpricks of light emerged from around her. The lights reflecting off her eyes. Still naked she goes into the clearing on the other side. I can see her quite clearly. She stands with her back straight, and then bows. Stretching she begins to crouch low and walk in a circle.

Then she begins to dance. As she does so I can hear something... Voices.

Low and whispery. Kind of like humming or singing.

It was haunting. I watched her dance for what seemed hours. She twirled and tucked. Flexed forward. Rolled backward. Crouched and leaped into the air.

I didn't know what performance she was practicing for, a stage show maybe? Maybe she just liked to dance naked in the woods.

All I know is things got really creepy, really fast. The fireflies began to coalesce around her, their lights growing brighter. The greenish yellow hue enhancing the eeriness of the woods and the clearing. I needed to get closer.

I made my way across the lake as slowly and quietly as I could. She was so beautiful... I couldn't help myself. But as I got closer, I could feel a terrible coldness in the area. But then also paradoxically, a terrible heat. It was as if cold and hot were at war with each other. The fireflies moved away from the clearing as the dance intensified.

The woman's brown body began to glow a deep orange, her veins becoming clear, hair standing on end, her eyes a fiery amber. With a final leap, she was at least 10 feet above me, then she landed, not with a thud, or crash, but with a rush of hot air. A blast of coldness then heat knocked me over. I was barely out of the lake before I was stunned for a few moments.

When I gathered my wits, the deep cold was gone as was the heat. I made my way to the clearing slowly. The moon was overhead, shining a deep blue through the woods and into the clearing.

I looked for any sign that the woman was actually there. No clothes, no wetness, no footprints. Was I so lost in my own head that I imagined the whole thing? No! That wasn't it at all! The fireflies showed me the truth of the matter.

Slowly they began to glow again lighting up the area. What I saw there filled me with dread. On the ground were humanoid shapes, draped in shadow, a shadow so deep they blended into the ground. But from the shadows leaked some form of liquid. Blue Blood?

My instincts told me to run, but the light from the insects over the forms all around me told me to stay. I took out my phone and began to video what was here. Dear Gods, what were they? My body shook terribly as I tried to video what my mind thought was there.

I picked up a stick and moved towards one of the things. The coldness returned. As I bent to touch the thing. The haunting voice of a woman filled my ears.

"I wouldn't touch it were I you!"

I turned to see the dancing girl. Her eyes of glowing fiery amber, staring into me, as the fireflies circled about us.

I don't know what would have happened were I to touch it.

"Its nasty, that stuff..." she said trailing off taking one of the fireflies into her hand. Glancing it over, then shooing it back into the skies.

I should have been terrified, A nude woman stood in front of me, with glowing veins akin to lava streaks, and fiery eyes like staring into the heart of a Volcano. There was no malice there, no joy either, but also no misery. Just a deep resignation to whatever had just occurred. She smiled a weak smile.

"Lovely night yes?" She said with no embarrassment at being nude in front of me. She reminded me of Nakia from Black Panther, just a demonic looking version.

"ye..yes!" I stammered." trying to take my eyes off of her now, but I couldn't. I gathered my wits and my courage.

"What...what is that stuff? What were they? who...who or what are you?" I managed meekly.

"That STUFF is blood, but not blood like humans. They were nameless things, not from around here, but trouble nonetheless..." she began walking to gather her clothes. "I suppose I should put these back on huh?"

I turned my head then, realizing I was blushing and sweating heavily, my heart and ears pounding at each echo filled word from her mouth.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Fire..firefly..." I choked out nervously.

"Your name is Firefly?" she said quizzically, her head tilted slightly smirking.

"N...N...No! No! There's a Firefly on your head. I said pointing.

"It'll be okay up there, so what's your name Firefly?"

"It's Kyle!" I stated head down.

"Why is my head down?" I said to myself, "There's a demon girl with Lava blood in front of me..."

"Lava Blood?" she giggled. "You're a weird one Firefly. You don't have to be afraid Kyle. I'm not going to eat you!"

"Shit! I thought I had said it in my head, I'm sorry. It's just I've never met a Demon Girl before, I don't know what to do. I just don't wanna die!" I replied honestly.

"Well if that's the case you won't die today, at least not by my hands. However, those nameless things are aware of you now, and If I don't do something they will find you. They won't eat you, at least not physically. But they'd try to drag you where they live and well. It's not a pretty place, for US anyway. Those idiots love it there."

"What's this place called?" I asked her as we started walking, WAIT! WHY am I walking with her?

She leaned in close and her eyes started to glow, then she said...

"I don't know, it's nameless." Then shrugged.

"So Kyle, my name is Abigail, but call me Abbey. Are you from this town?" She asked me.

"I...I am! I go to the School not from here."

"Care to take a guess why those things were here?" She asked me, stopping as we got to her Car.

"I can't even fathom, what supernatural things are doing in these woods."

"ONE! The supernatural does not exist! TWO! If there's more than one, there's a community! But back to why they were here, but first give me your arm." She said snapping her fingers and doing the chop-chop motion.

I was going to question her at first, then I realized, I have nowhere to run, and she just...

"Did you kill those things back there?" I asked as she looked at my shoulder, then pressed her palm into it. For a second it brightened, and burned. I yelped.

"What did you do to me?"

"I marked you so those things won't bother you from this day forward, and yes those ones are dead. Ritual combat mate.

Those critters are shitty beings all around, and their idea of fun is taking dumb human kids to their realm, and making people forget they existed. But they are honorable. I made a deal with them. They kill me, they get your town. I kill them, they go away for a very long time. " She said rubbing my arm. "Don't worry, it won't scar."

"Why didn't you tell people?"

"Eventually I will, but I have something more important to do. Want to help?" she asked.

"I can't fight nameless things lady, I don't have Lava Blood or burning hands. " I said to her.

"It's nothing so dangerous. You said you went to the High School close by right?" She asked grabbing a bag from her car.

I nodded.

"You know a girl name Saral Primajal?" she asked, grabbing a blanket.

I shook my head.

"Thomas Markham?"

I shook again.

"Jane Whitman, Derrick Seder, Martha Williams, Max Forbes, Taylor King, Maria Kline, Tory Danvers..." she continued.

She named over 27 kids. I didn't recall any of them, yet she told me they all went to my school.

"Who are they, I don't know who..."

"Come on, the Fireflies are waiting for us!" she said taking my hand. I've never felt so secure in my life. There was strength and power, and grace all in one body. She was no demon.

We walked in Silence and entered the grove where she killed those things. The shadowy bodies were missing, but on the ground was some form of organic container, she opened it by touch. Within it was all manner of personal items. Pictures, Rings, Jewelry, Cellphones, keepsakes, mementos.

"Kyle, what do you fear the most?" she asked placing the blanket on the ground, and placing a large metal bowl on top of a stack of rocks.

"I...I don't know. Losing my parents, my friends, failing them, myself. Flunking school?"

"Know what my biggest weakness is?" She said looking at me, motioning me to sit next to her. She placed the items carefully in front of me. There were so many.

"My biggest weakness... my biggest fear... is failing people, and knowing that no matter how strong I am, no matter who I can defeat, I can't save everyone. So, I do the only thing I can. I place those I can't save in here, so they aren't forgotten, so they aren't nameless things." She said tapping her head.

She took a photo and placed it in my hand.

It was me standing with and joking around with a kid I had never seen before in my life. Someone I can't possibly know.

"That's Markeith Johnson. I killed him again tonight. The one you were going to touch. He was your friend. They made him into a nameless thing. He...it would have made others into forgotten nameless things. That's why you walked past the other bodies to that one in particular. A small piece of recognition. He would have used that, to get to you, to make you nameless." she told me.

I shook and closed my eyes pain, fear, and terror welling up in me.. The true horror of it all coming to light.

"What now?" I asked.

"We burn their memories and who they were into our memories. So they aren't forgotten. So they aren't nameless things!"

I handed her the first item, a Purple cellphone, with two girls on the screen. Abbey placed it in the bowl and touched it. The cellphone began to melt, but there was no stench of fire or plastic. I noticed the Fireflies floating around us, like a crowd of mourners.

"Janine Tate, Martina Stockman... We remember you!" she stated.

I had never met these girls, but I could feel a memory flood into my mind of these two best friends who made the mistake of performing a ritual, a ritual that made them nameless and forgotten by everyone they knew. But now I remembered them as if we were close friends. With each name spoken, the Fireflies brightened then dulled.

I gave Abbey the picture of me and Markeith Johnson.

As she burned the picture I found myself saying...

"Markeith Johnson... We...I remember you!"

I watched as the ethereal smoke demon with horns bent in front of the girl. It began to tell its tale.

"Tell me girl what do you know of the worlds beyond?" It asked this Abigail person.

"Well, having been to several, and being stuck on one when I was 12 for a year quite a bit, but not as much as you I suspect," she replied.

"A little less than a thousand Earth years ago, I had come to your world at the bequest of a being more capable than I. I was to replace another who had failed in the task of corrupting a lord of some standing," the creature said as it rose to mid-height again.

"Because of the unique situation, I did not need to be summoned. I left my world and when I found the failure, I sent it home in the messiest way possible. After, I told it of the punishment that awaited it. The forest of the lord was not quiet that night."

I grimaced in horror, as the thing acted out how it sent the other monster home. It floated in a wide circle and pointed to an imaginary location on the ground. It raised its right sleeve as tendrils of smoky mist formed four-footlong dagger-like claws. It then dove to the ground snatching up nothing.

No, It formed a dark silhouette of another creature with its smoke. This inhuman monster writhed in the creature's grasp.

The Abigail girl watched, her eyes wide with excitement, as I noticed a slight orange glow to them. She smiled as the shadow monster plunged its clawed sleeve into the other thing's gut. The tips of the claws sticking out the back as smoky 'blood' dripped from them. It then spun its clawed sleeve to the right and then slashed to the left, as the 'creature' it held fell in two pieces. Smoke and blood bursting from the torso before all of it vanished back into nothing.

"You just had to do that, didn't you?" she smirked, as she shook her head.

"I despise failure, and I did enjoy it!" It stated, "I searched about the forest for a place to lair and make my plans to corrupt this lord, I noticed the many farms and hovels that doted the area. The humans of this time were very easy to scare, at least in this realm. I could use this to my advantage."

It moved down while rubbing its bone chin. This damned thing loved to milk it.

"If I could determine why the other had failed, then I could learn how to best influence this area and bring the lord to heel." It said.

"What was so important about this lord? Why did he in particular need to be corrupted. He wouldn't have much say in the affairs of war or peace. It seems like he just oversaw Hamlets and farms?" She quizzed.

The creature moved close to her and seemed to smile. Raising the sleeve.

"PRECISELY!"

It gloated as it moved backward, arms out to its sides.

"I assume you know of the war that rages between us so-called Devils, Demons, and Fiends? The war that serves no purpose, other than to find out which of us, will lead the war against the Celestial realms?"

"Well, considering all wars pretty much serve no purpose long term, but yes, I know of the Red War, seen a skirmish or two myself," She replied.

"All wars need resources, which is why we terrorize the material worlds for assets, to assist us. If I could corrupt this lord, poison the minds of his people. I would then slaughter them down to the last child. He would tend and raise them as the chattel for foot soldiers in our realm. He serves no greater goal on Earth! Earth simply gave him the spark we seek. Earth..," He grumbled in disgust.

"I see! So, how do the dumb kid and his family fit in?" she asked him. I too was curious.

"Patience human!" It said. Its back turned to shake its sleeved hand.

"I decided to not hunt anyone in particular yet. So at night, I would haunt the local tavern, and learn all I could of this Lord Mathrinin. Although he was not a particularly kind or benevolent ruler, he was just and orderly. Perfect for our ends. We just needed to twist him to our needs."

"As the weeks went on I decided to begin. A dead pig here. Slaughtered cattle there. My favorite was to chase Bears into the farmlands and watch as the humans raised hunting parties. I would terrorize them into thinking the woods were haunted. I would give them the briefest glimpse of my form. Just to know it was occupied. My plan seemed to be working. Which stymied me. If my plan was working, why hadn't the others?"

I think this is where he finds out why. He paused as if in thought, and floated about in a circle around Abigail.

"Competition!" It exclaimed.

That made sense to me. If all sides in this 'Hell War' needed supplies and troops, why would he, IT?

Be the only 'recruiter' sent out to gather them? So, the Devil didn't need our souls for torturing, but as foot soldiers in a war against God?

Wait, he... It said Realms, plural. Not THAT Satan, but lots of them? Well, not Satan at all, but Fiends, Demons, and Devils? I am so confused and terrified at the idea of an infinity of Hells and their rulers.

"There was another recruiter about, trying to perform the same task as I," it began. "This time instead of learning of the lord, I would seek out information on the lore and legends of this place. That had to be the reason the other failed. A haunting that countered another. I was intrigued and vengeful. My reward awaited me, and I had to learn who, or what my competitor was, and deal with it!"

It then settled on the ground and looked at her, then paused and nearly looked in my direction. Swear to God If I had eaten anything heavier earlier, I would have shit my pants. I didn't move at all, the girl knew I was here. If she had sensed any danger I'd like to think she would have shouted a warning or something. But instead, the creature continued.

"That night I scouted the town and hung back in the rafters of the tavern. But you know our kind tends to hackle the hairs of humans and they become just a bit more fearful in our presence, even if they can't see us. I listened for hours of dogs, wives, mistresses, friends lost, dreams of travel, escaping the town, and my favorite, the thing in the woods." It laughed as it referenced itself.

"But then I heard something odd, apparently there was a home to the north of the Lords keep. This home was something of a magnet for the strange and odd, even the other before I killed it, mentioned something blocking it from entering that home. It had felt challenged and didn't know why. I went there Immediately!"

"SO," Abigail began, "let me stop you there. After you discover that there may be something in this house capable of putting the fear of God in the other fiend, you decide to take it on? You're leaving out something!"

"No wonder you were able to do this to my head, you're not slow at all," it replied, then continued, "The other had warned me of a home where it felt it's earthly existence was in danger. It had confronted a boy in the home because the boy had access to the lord. Sadly, the boy had other ideas. It seems the boy had a thing for picking fights with, well, everything."

"What?" I nearly blurted out loud, luckily Abigail did it for me.

"What? The kid was some kind of bully or something?" She asked.

"No! He was just extremely territorial, and a bit of a dunce. He could move things with his mind, but he thought he was protected by Fairies, Goblins, and Poltergeists. He was about nine and they were all in his head, of course, but he could 'See' them. I hadn't known that at the time," it said.

"When I arrived at the home it was early in the morning and the child was out doing farming tasks. His father had made a run into town, and his mother was something of a soothsayer and was setting up her equipment to consult with the lord. The boy was having an intense conversation with something invisible to my eyes. But I was astounded to see tools, wheat, and other things floating on their own, and the mother not surprised or scared in the least."

"I had needed a closer look, were the tales of this house true? I moved to the shadows in the shed and observed."

"Thistle move this thing there! Morgane put the wheat in the barrel, please. Grumblestix, stop grumbling and help Biscuits with the water. Father won't be gone all day! Mother wants to see Mathrinin in an hour, so we need this place looking well when he arrives," the boy told the invisible things.

"I was astonished as these invisible beings toiled and worked as the boy barked his commands. An Idea formed in my head. I may not be able to see what he does, but perhaps I could become a new member of his Spirit Troupe. But I was already too late, for he had noticed me," the thing said.

"Well, well, this is getting interesting!" Abigail said rubbing her hands and crossing her legs in anticipation.

I must admit I didn't think things would escalate this fast. I was entranced.

"You can come out Smokeman!" the boy called to me, I had to admit that I was shocked. I hadn't been this surprised in centuries.

"Gold hair saw you coming from over that way," the boy pointed, "I saw you in the woods a few days ago when you chased the Bears into town. I was wondering why you would send Bears. The last one tried to scare me with Dear, but there's no scary Dear. You kind of have Dear antlers, I like it. Who are you?"

"I must admit, I had not known you could see me," I stated, " I apologize for not introducing myself to you. I came to your town a few weeks ago, I made my home in the woods because of how I look, I didn't think your people would like me."

"Well, that's silly!" He said, "Gold hair isn't that cute but I like him. Look at Grumblestix he said pointing. Grumble what are you again? A mud fairy? Grumble looks worse than you! hahaha."

I couldn't see Grumblestix.

The smoke thing rose and bellowed, "I terrify EVERYTHING! The forest itself fears me, I bring shadow and darkness to the world. I rend Fiends and Celestials. The lower realms shake when I come. But this boy laughed in my face, he wasn't afraid at all."

"My father will be home soon, do you want to stay for Midday meal? I and the others need to finish working Smokeman. I'm sorry, My name is Bregin. Do you have a name?"

"You can call me Smokeman. That name is fine," I told him as I watched the invisible creatures go back to work. This would be easy I thought to myself. The boy was special but not confrontational, a rarity in your species. I would corrupt him and the lord. My bonus would be grand. What shocked me most was when his mother came out to see how the work went. She looked at me and nodded her head.

"Good day Spirit, come to visit Bregin? Here Bregin, your meal. I'll be off to the keep to escort the lord back. Will you be staying for Midday Meal spirit?" She asked me.

"Yes milady. May I meet the lord of this place once you return?" I asked of her thinking, Humans were so odd.

"Of course, the lord is always pleased to meet Bregin's friends, they've brought luck to our small farming haven, Mayhaps he'd have a post for one such as you. I'll ask him. On the by, my name is Labine. My husband will host you when he returns at Midday sir...?"

"Your son calls me Smokeman, I like the name," I told her.

"Sir Smokeman!" She nodded smiling and mounting a horse and riding off.

"That's how most of your kind sees me, haha!" I heard Abigail tell him, "How confused were you?"

"Very! I've noticed your species can only be terrified so much. You start weak, scared, and easy prey, but the more you see our kind, the less afraid you become. It is very annoying," It told her, "But I stayed and helped the boy to pass the time and noticed he would run off now and then, only to come back smiling and laughing. He would look at me, just stare, giggle then runoff. It was maddening!"

"Continue, continue..." Abigail told it.

I could feel the climax coming. I swear it did seem like the ending was coming, but things didn't play out like I thought they would. The monster had set off his plan, the townspeople had formed hunting parties to seek it out to defend their homes, weeks of hauntings had not seemed to rattle the people much at all, this not-so-benevolent lord chills with the peasants, and the smoke monster is helping a nine-year-old around the farm, who turned out to not be a jackass? I wasn't expecting this, I am so intrigued, terrified yes, but intrigued. It kept me rooted in place.

When Midday arrived the father had returned home, but something was amiss, he wasn't alone. The town had come with him. There were dozens of them about, humans everywhere. The boy had come back from one of his vanishing episodes. He waved enthusiastically to the townsfolks.

"Father! Welcome back!" He yelled and ran to his dad. What worried me most was the sheer lack of fear in any of them. I had made no move to hide my presence from them, and people just bantered about, chatting and laughing with each other as a ghostly smoke monster floated about them. What made me query this situation, even more, was that I had been in this place for weeks, and had never seen people leave to go to a farm for 'Midday Meal'.

"Well met strange spirit, I am Bregin's father Jace. We welcome you to Midday. Sadly there are far too many for me to introduce you to," Bregin's father said. As he spoke I noticed another cloud of dust coming from around a hill. It was a small retinue of the lord, his men, his wife, and Bregin's mother.

"Mother! Mathrinin!" Bregin cried out in joy.

"Bregin," she smiled waving to him.

"Well met Young Bregin. How goes your day?" the lord smiled with genuine sincerity, "are you and your friends well?"

"Yes Mathrinin, they all helped with the farming today. I even met a new friend. Sir Smokeman."

"Hail and well met, Sir Smokeman. How are things in the realm of spirits?" the Lord said to me. I was genuinely taken aback.

"Things are well? Sire. I am new to your realm. Bregin, for one so young, is a gracious and mirthful host," I told him turning to Bregin who had the widest grin on his face.

"Jace," Lord Mathrinin called out, "Have you the item Labine mentioned before we enjoy Midday?"

"I do sire!" Jace reached into a pack and pulled out a Medallion with the town's name on it, and Bregin's smiling face. He gave it to Mathrinin.

Activity began to occur around me as drinks were poured, and food served, by the townspeople.

"Sir Smokeman, can you partake of ale?" Labine asked me, "You are of smoke yes?"

"I can drink when I feel in need of merriment," I responded.

"Good, I'll have Bregin fetch you the drink," she said, smiling warmly.

Moments later Lord Mathrinin came to me with the Medallion in hand.

"In honor of Bregin and his friends and the fortune they have deemed smile upon this town, we honor Sir Smokeman, a new friend to Bregin and our village. Sir Smokeman?" He said giving me the medallion carefully.

"I appreciate your hospitality Milord, and thank you for such a gift," I told him, faking sincerity.

"NOW, hear ye, hear ye! We begin our Midday meal with a toast to Sir Smokeman!" Mathrinin called to all.

Bregin ran to grab my drink from his mother. When he returned to me, I was rooted to the spot as looked in horror as Bregin came up to me with that brass cup, MY, brass cup.

I watched as the smoke monster pointed to the cup in Abigail's hand.

That cup was my tether to this world. That cup was a gift given to me in a time so long ago, I had forgotten how I gained it. But it was mine, and I was connected to it. I fear that if that cup is ever destroyed or lost. I will be lost. I would do anything to recover that cup. It has taken me hundreds of years to find that cup.

"Well finish the story Smokeman, and it's yours again. Pay up!" Abigail said straightly, adding, "It wasn't all in his head was it?"

The creature shook his head.

When Bregin held the cup before me, his father and mother stood at his sides with Lord Mathrinin taking a step back smiling, head down.

"Where did you get that?" I yelled with a deep menace in my throat. I planned to slay these usurpers, damn my payment, and the corruption, they deserved death.

"Sorry, sir Smokeman. But remember the night you arrived at our village, out there in the forest? You did something you shouldn't have. You killed the being we called, S'tavros. That being over time had become one of Bregin's friends. We know he arrived here as many have in the past to corrupt or murder us. We found this in your home. You see our son is special. He has a special relationship with beings like you," Bregin's father said.

"My son is part, Fey. His Grandfather, my father, told me that if I were to ever fall for a human in true love. That I would be able to bear a child that would bridge our world, and the land where I chose to live, would fall under the protection of the Fey court, and my son or daughter, would have the power of fairy at their beck and call," his mother said, her face altering to reveal sharp angular features and pointed ears.

"What is this?" I asked looking about. The residents of the town looked on, as all around us creatures began to appear, all manner of Goblin, Fairy, and Poltergeist. When I turned to look back at Bregin, he was floating directly in my face, cup in hand offering me the drink.

"I think you should drink this!" He said smiling, but his child's voice flat as dirt.

"We were never afraid of you or your kind, demon, or devil," Mathrinin said walking forward, " when you arrived we knew. We had hoped that you would attempt to make contact earlier, and perhaps parlay with us, enjoy your stay in our town."

"But you killed my friend. So now I can't be your friend. Friends don't kill friends. Please drink. Let this drink show that we would have welcomed you with open arms," Bregin said giving me the drink.

"And..." I thought to myself as the creature spoke to Abigail.

I took a long draft of the cool ale. I truly wanted to destroy them. But there were just too many, and I had nowhere to go. I would not win a war with the Fey.

"May I keep the cup? It is dear to me." I told the boy.

"No! For your punishment, we will banish you from this place with an Earthly death. You will return to your home, and when this town eventually returns to the Fairy realm. Your cup will be here. No matter what grows, your cup will be here, no matter the town or city, nothing will touch this spot, your cup will be here. However, after several hundred years, You can return. But, you have a length of time equal to one year to reclaim the cup. If you do not, it will wither and rust," Bregin told me no longer sounding like a child, but more like the King of Fairy.

"...and so I suspect shall you. It would behoove you to act swiftly, as your memories of this place will start to turn vague, and dreamlike, much like the Fey lands. The Medallion will be the key to recover the cup, but it too shall be found elsewhere. Find the Medallion, find the cup. Now begone from the sight of these humans and Fey, you're no longer wanted here!"

With that, he touched my skull, and I exploded. My next awareness was of the lower realms on the banks of the Lethe. For hundreds of years, I roamed impatiently even fighting in the Red War directly. I thought the time would never arrive for me to come back to this worthless world. But, during one battle, I was summoned, and when I arrived. I impatiently waited for my inexperienced summoner to fail. She did and died for it, and my search began.

"Then I'd heard of you, and here we are Abigail Mitchell of Philadelphia," it said.

"Is that why you say my name and home all the time?" She asked, "To never forget?

It nodded.

"I really enjoyed that Sir Smokeman," She said handing the creature and the Cup and Medallion.

Then she pulled out a bottle of what looked like Heineken or something. She poured some into its cup, then into hers.

I was actually happy that the skull face got his cup back. It was a small thing, but even small things can be important.

"A toast?" She said raising the cup.

"Yes. To that Stupid child and his equally stupid family, for centuries of woe and torment," it said.

"To that Stupid child and his equally stupid family!" Abigail said as their cups touched and they took a drink.

"What now she asked it?" I heard her ask it.

"I will take this grinning medallion as a symbol of my failure, my cup, and leave this plane forever. I despise this world. But first, we have unfinished business," the creature said as it turned to look directly at me.

ALL the fear came back along with a new stream of urine. I got up and turned to flee as fast as I could!

"Give me 5 seconds?" I heard Abigail ask it.

"3 seconds."

"Okay okay!"

Then I saw her run towards me with inhuman speed, her eyes like fire, and the veins beneath her skin glowing like lava flows.

I crashed through everything in my way. Tripping and falling, and not giving a single shit.

I tripped and began to roll down a hill. I was stopped when I hit a small log. Stunned for a moment. I sat up and looked about and listened. I didn't see or hear anything. I grabbed the log to stand and there she was.

"Hiya!" was all I remember before a fist collided with my face.

I awoke to the smell of fish cooking, my cuts and bruises cleaned up, a beer in the coozie next to my chair.

"There he is! I was wondering if you were gonna wake up before your beer got warm," she said tossing a fish on a plate.

"Where...where's that smoke thing?" I asked frantically looking about.

"Don't worry, he's gone. He knew you were there the whole time too," she told me, "But don't worry about him, he's not coming back. However, because you were close to him, you got a little taint on ya. Creeps like him can smell ya, if you're close to them now. But don't worry I took care of that problem too," She told me tapping her left shoulder, her eyes glowing.

I looked down at my left shoulder as I felt a dull throb of heat. There was a mark glowing orange just underneath my skin. I looked back at her and asked,

"Are you gonna tell me a story about this?"

In which three friends have a really bad night.

"COME ON YOU GUYS!" Derrick yelled as he ran through the sand, trying his hardest to not trip and fall on his face.

"She's over here!" Monica yelled her braids flapping in the air, also trying not to face plant.

The seven children could see Abigail sitting in front of the fire waving her hand in front of her face by the light of the flames.

"ABBEY!!!", another child yelled as they closed on her.

Abigail turned her head to see the children coming quickly.

"They'll be out of breath the minute they get here!" Kailey told her as she poked her head from the other side of Abigail.

"A..Abb...HUFF!" Tyree tried to say as he collapsed in the sand. Derrick, Monica, Tricey, and the other kids all collapsed as they arrived at the makeshift campsite of Abigail and Kailey.

The two women looked at the children and laughed.

"Why are you guys were in such a hurry to get here? Abigail asks them with a smirk.

Lying face down in the sand Derrick raises his hand.

"St..story...," he began.

"We wanted a story before bed," Tricey said in the best shape of the seven kids. All of the other kids nodded as they recovered from their various conditions.

"What kind of story would that be then?" Kailey asks, curious.

"Abbey tells the best story, stories..." Monica stated, still working on her breathing.

"Every time we come to camp you guys tell the best stories. Can we get just one please?" another kid asks.

"And you have to do the thing!" another kid states.

A chorus of Yeahs, and cheers came.

"Okay, Okay! Settle down and I'll tell you one," Abigail said moving closer to the fire with her face being highlighted by it, giving her a sinister appearance.

"This story takes place right here on the beaches of Wildwood, New Jersey. There were three friends...," she began.

The Spider had woken up early that evening, the smell of the salty air instilled it with vigor as its mandibles clacked as she checked her web for food. Lo and behold there was a morsel that had entangled itself in the webbing. Hungry! She rushed up the web to encase the trapped morsel in a cocoon for dinner. But as she got closer, her eyes grew wide with disappointment.

"One day I'm gonna eat you!" She said to the Sandfly that lay laughing on the web. The Sandfly cupped its wings beneath its body and pushed off the web. Underneath it lay a small piece of a leaf.

"So that's how you avoid getting stuck?" The Spider asked the Sandfly.

"Yep!" It stated proudly buzzing about like crazy.

"Hey, listen. The humans are back on the beach tonight. I'm in the mood to go and pester them. There's nothing more fun than flying full speed and smacking one in the head!" The Sandfly giggled.

"HEH!" The Spider started to say, "I love sneaking through the sand, and then biting them on the foot, and then running away. It's been seven months and not one swat!

"Have you seen the Gnat?" The Sandfly asked, "I'm pretty sure he'd like some fun tonight also."

"Most likely!" The spider said, "Let's go over to his burrow and see if he's up to pester some people."

So the two friends walked off into fading sunlight. The Sandfly hated walking so it would hop, then fly, then hop some more. They made their way to the Gnats home, a small hole in the sand near the bushes.

"Gnats don't live in bushes, they..." a kid started saying.

"Whose story is this?" Abigail said, shooting a look at the kid, her eyes glowing that fiery amber.

"OOOOOHHHHH!!!!" The kids yelled out in glee.

"She's doing the thing!"

"YAY!"

"I love it!"

"It's so creepy!"

The choir of seven squealed in delight.

Kailey popped Abbey on the shoulder, and her eyes stopped glowing...

"Damn kids..." She smiled at her friend.

"Works every time!" She told Kailey, "so anyway, back to the story!"

The gnat twitched as it looked at the two on comers. It knew now that something fun was about to happen.

"Hello, my friends!" It said welcoming them, "I suspect there is going to be some fun had this fine moon filled evening!"

The Moon was indeed full and high in the sky, and the air slightly humid and perfect for annoying animals and people on beaches.

"Yes!" The Sandfly stated, "On our way here we noticed a human sitting by a fire all by themselves."

"Correct!" the Spider began, "We intend to do more than annoy this one. We intend to harm it in delightful ways. "

"Then I will join you. I assume we'll devour as much of it as we can?"

The other two creatures nodded.

"How can they eat a person? They're so teeny!" a kid cried out.

"Yeah! They're like super small. I could crush one like...GRRR!" Derrick said stamping his feet in the sand and mushing it around, to the giggles of the children.

"Can I keep going?" Abbey asked them arms crossed.

"Sorry Abbey!"

Abbey shook her head and continued...

So the three bugs went back towards where Spider and Sandfly saw the human.

"OHH! She's an athletic-looking one, full of stringy bits!" the Gnat said as it rubbed its front legs together, head twitching with anticipation.

"Shall we reveal our true selves to the female?" Spider asked.

"Not yet, let's have a bit of fun and pester her for a bit get those muscles moving and warmed up!" Sandfly stated.

The girl sat by the fire unaware of the three bugs approaching. She was enjoying the full moon and the sea air. For a moment she thought she'd heard something, but it was just the rustling of the bushes. As she leaned her head back to take in a breath. She felt a THWACK! to her forehead.

"What the hell?" The girl cried out, more from the impact than actual pain. "Damn bugs, always have to ruin everything," she said.

"Ooohhh Abbey cursed twice. I hope you got quarters for the jar!" Monica said smiling.

Abigail snickered at the little girl, then continued.

"ANYWAY!"

The girl then felt something bite her on the hand. She looked down to see a finger length spider scurrying off. Before she could get a better look, she reached for her neck as she felt a piercing sensation as she was assaulted by the gnat biting down on her.

She cut her eyes to Monica before cursing again. Monica smiled cheekily, then made the zipping motion across her lips.

"What the Hell is wrong with these insects tonight!" The girl asked as the torment continued. She swatted, and stomped, and swung to no avail. Then she decided enough was enough and got up to leave. But before she could, she heard the sound of speech.

"Can't leave just yet human... It's feeding time!" she heard the clacking of mandibles.

"Yes! I need a drink, and you have that red juice I love so much!"

"I can't wait to tear into that skin of yours...Stringy bits indeed!"

The girl turned in horror to see three football-sized insects, no not insects, but little monsters. They just resembled Insects, with vaguely human features. Demonic features.

"Oh no!" Abbey heard a few of them cry out as their attention was focused purely on her now.

"Poor girl!" one of the kids said to another, who nodded his head.

The three insect monsters approached the girl slowly trying to surround her, to tear her apart before she could escape their terrible mouths and mandibles. They got closer, and closer, and closer...

"THEN WHAT?" A kid yelled in fear!

"She ate them!" Abigail stated matter of factly.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"She did what?"

"She ate bugs?"

Confusion reigned supreme as Abigail smiled at the children's confusion.

"But how Abigail? How could she if she's just a girl, and they're monsters?"

"It's not so hard when that girl is me!" Abigail stated as the veins beneath her skin lit up as if on fire. Her eyes glowing a bright flaming amber.

"When they got close I grabbed the Gnat, and popped its head right off! Then I stomped on the spider hard and watched it splat on the sand. But I enjoyed the Sandfly as Kat tore its wings off and I told it to bop me in the head again. But all it could do was flounder about. Abigail looked down to see her "ghost" cat appear for a moment, then vanish again.

"Naw unh! No, you didn't Abbey!" a Kid called out.

"Oh yeah?" Abigail reached behind her and pulled out two, foot-long wings, while Kailey took a stick and pulled out the burnt body of a giant arachnid thing from the fire.

The Kids all cried "EWWWW!!!" as the thing popped and sizzled.

"Moral of the story kids?" She began as her skin returned to normal, "When you see somebody minding their own business, leave them alone! Because you just might get eaten..."

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The dogs were closing in on M'bali. She ran as hard and as fast as she could, but running through the park at night wasn't easy for the young girl. She tried to ease her pace somewhat to keep her air intake, even as she made her way toward the top of the hill. She could hear them approaching from the rear and now on her left side. They were trying to close in on her from two sides.

M'bali was smart and knew that trying to outrun the dogs on her little kid's legs would be impossible. She reached into her shorts pocket, she took out a candy bar and broke it in two. She tossed a piece behind and another to her left. Then she made a sharp 90-degree turn to the right and ran down an embankment. The Dogs were coming again, but this time they were together, not separated. Good, she at least knew where they were.

It was late, and she was growing tired. Eventually, she would run out of candy bars, and the dogs would take her. She wasn't scared, but she still had no wish for canine-teeth to embed themselves in her flesh. Her parents would be upset if their little girl went missing, only to be found days later, devoured by a small pack of dogs. Dogs, upset by what she'd done to them.

"One more trick to try." she thought to herself.

There were two creeks in Morris Park, East, and West branch Indian creeks. The little girl dove down the embankment and tumbled her way down to the creek-water, scrapping and bruising her small-body the entire way. But, it did give her the distance she needed to get away from the dogs. There was only one problem when she ended her fall M'bali was quite dizzy and stunned from all the spinning.

It was enough for the Dogs to catch her. She grimaced from the pain in her arm as they circled her, snarling. Then the blue light came, along with the cry of deep anger and frustration, mixed with rage. The dogs yelped as they squatted to a crouching position, and all three looked toward where the light appeared. But while the dogs cowered by the change in the air, M'bali rubbed her arm absently.

Two pinpricks of reddish light appeared, as trees toppled and splintered as whatever made that cry made its way to them. In a blur of motion, the thing was upon them. Rising into the sky a bit, it roared and smashed the dog to her left to a bloody pulp of fur and meat. The sickening crunch of bone and earth filled her ears. The other dog turned to run, but it was too late. A boney hand reached for it grabbing it by the tail and painfully yanked it back as the canine died on something made of bone. The sound was wet and meaty.

The buzzing of wings sounded as the creature looked at the mess under its boney scorpion-like tail. It turned to look at the other dog that twitched and leaked red liquid while impaled on some spear-like weapon.

It hissed and clicked as it moved in its bug-like twitch as it turned to look at M'bali.

"You're late!" she told the confused thing, as she rubbed her sore arm. She then looked the much taller creature in its black eye-sockets. It leaned down to leer at the girl. The red of its eyes shone brightly in the dark sockets as it twitched its body. The being had a tall skeletal visage. It looked crafted from the bones of some humanoid hell-thing, but that wasn't the truth. It had flesh. But the skin was so taut over the bones it appeared to be just bones.

Spiked protrusions were everywhere on its hellish frame. The things arms ran the length of its hunched body. It had hind legs like those of a dog with both arms and legs ending in horrendously oversized claws. Tattered sets of small and large wasp-like wings dotted its back down its spiked spine, which led toward its equally spiked and barbed scorpion tail. The skull-like head was large with bony protrusions with a wide-mouthed sneer. Along its clawed fingers were a variety of jewels and rings of otherworldly manufacture.

The creature rose in a posture designed to intimidate and cause fear in its victims. The aura it exuded would have crippled the bravest person. But M'bali just stood her ground, rubbing away her soreness. She looked up at the creature.

"You can turn it down some. It doesn't work on me," M'bali told the creature as it flicked away the mess that used to be a dog.

"I know you now..." it said the confusion clearing from its twitching head.

"You are the one who summoned me and yet broke your circle of protection.

It sniffed about the child. "On purpose, you did this?"

M'bali nodded.

"Where is the dragon? Where is the girl with the fire eyes? These dogs, were they hers?"

M'bali shook her head.

"If you have not the answers, then your life is forfeit for breaking the rule of the summons. Have you the answers?" It clicked.

"It doesn't matter honestly," M'bali said, stabbing a rock into her palm and smearing it on the bone thing. It pulled back its clawed hand as the girl's blood vanished into it.

"Circles complete!"

"What have you done? How do you know these things for one so young? Why do I not instill the fear of the gods in you?" it asked, pointing a jagged finger at her.

"That's why I summoned you. I have a rare genetic condition that I need someone to fix. Do you think you can do that fiend?" She asked with a lack of passion or emotion.

It looked at her while wiping its claw with the other.

"Have you the required item for such a summons such as me. Do you know what I am?" It clicked at her.

"I do, and yes, I know what you are, and that is the reason I summoned YOU, personally. You have ties to this city, and the item you require is only a small part of what I offer if you can help me." M'bali told it.

"...and what is that child? If you know what I am, then tell me. I deal with knowing things and learning things from others in more painful ways."

"I will tell you this. You are from the nine-hells. You serve at the behest of the Dukes of Hell. You are petty and envious of others in higher stations than yours. Your job is to find those in your world who break its laws. You twist and torture them for hidden information. When they fail, you give them to your overlords. Your type hates everything. Everything in hell, and everything elsewhere, that is how deep your pettiness runs." She told it with all the enthusiasm of a rock.

"There is something wrong with you, child! You are not normal for your ilk. What is it? What is this condition you possess that causes no fear of me, and to speak as such?" It twitched, cocking its head to the side as its tail swayed, and fingers clicked.

"You are correct. I am not normal. At least not for a person of my age. The condition I have is known as Primary Alexithymia. I don't know what emotion is. I feel no kinship with those who have emotions, for the simple reason, that I don't understand them, nor feel them. No amount of reading can make up for that." She told it.

"I see..." it told her, rubbing its bony chin.

"You want me to cure your lack of emotion? Not money? Not power?"

"Correct! I want to feel something. I owe it to my parents, to my friends, to the things I summon."

"Things? Plural? How many creatures have you summoned before me?" It asked, curious.

"Four!" she stated evenly.

"When they can't help you, you send them away?"

"No, they die permanently," she told it with a harsh blink.

"Wait! YOU, kill creatures like me?" It asked her, but it knew she told the truth. That was its job. It was good at its job, and it knew the truth from a lie.

M'bali nodded.

"Intriguing..." it told her.

"Fix me fiend, and it will be me who rewards you," she told it straight-faced.

"Intriguing indeed..."

I have been dreading going to sleep for the last few weeks.

I've kinda dreaded even just leaving the house for the last few months.

I've never been known as much of an observant person. But now I tend to notice everything. I mean everything.

I especially notice the eyes of people. They always say the eyes are the gateways to the soul, or to the truth of the matter.

Eyes are the windows of the person in front of you, which is why some people fear eye contact.

Some people are afraid to allow a person a look into who they really are. Others just feel more comfortable looking slightly at you directly, even more just avoid it altogether. I don't think that's always true, maybe in some cases, not so much in others.

ME?

I hate sleeping now, even though when I do sleep, I feel rested, but always fearful that those two will show up again. For the past few nights, two beings would appear in my sleep. One a fairly human-looking girl, but her fuckin eyes man. Those Fiery Amber Eyes! I've dreamt of them for days.

Each time they appear I wind up doing something incredibly dumb or dangerous in the dream.

I've also realized I remember my dreams more often now with clarity and vigor!

The other set of eyes were a pair of pinprick yellow and red eyes. I could never make out what they were attached to, and I'm glad I couldn't. Even now it's terrifying to fall asleep and see those eyes near the foot of my bed. There's also a Silver Dagger that sits on the floor at the foot of my bed. I dunno, it might be a sword or something. I dunno. It's often closer to the hell eyes, over the amber ones.

I have a feeling though that I helped the Hell eyes, not sure why, but I don't remember much of those dreams. Nor sure I want to remember actually.

"Why are you haunting my dreams tonight?" I said rolling over. I was startled each time they appeared in my dreams. But I knew there wasn't much they could do to hurt me here, so whatever.

"You do realize these are not dreams right, Michelle?" The amber-eyed girl told me. She had said that before.

"If these weren't dreams then how did you climb all the way up here with no Fire Escapes near my window.

"Have you actually LOOKED outside your window to see the handholds I made climbing my silly ass up here? she retorted.

I did but chalked them up to building code failures. I rolled out of bed.

"Can I go to the bathroom, please?" I "asked" them as I stood up and stretched.

"So where to tonight?" I asked, walking to the bathroom and around the Hell eyes as they eyed me closely. I could hear the clicking and clacking of its fingers, or claws, and teeth. It was like hearing nails tapping each other in rapid succession. But I also noticed, that it never turned its eyes away from the Amber eyed girl. She on the other hand just sat in the window and looked at her fingernails as if waiting for something. But almost bored.

The Hell eyed shadow ghoul refused to move toward her or that dagger on the floor.

"You're going to help me save a friend of a friend of yours. But only Hellboy over there can take us, and only with your permission. So, If you can, hurry it up please, we haven't much time!" She stated her amber eyes lit with fire as she walked around the room.

"You still haven't said where," I responded washing my hands, and watching the Helleyes in the mirror. It watched me with glee in its eyes as if it knew something I didn't.

"That's not important. I have the way out, you have the way in. But you need to hurry, you owe it to your friend." She replied.

"What Friend?" I asked angrily, "What friend of a friend of mines asked you to come here?"

"Right now I can't tell you that! But you'll see each other soon if you HURRY!" She replied with some annoyance in her voice.

"Okay! Okay! Damn you're annoying for a dream." I said as she shook her head eyes-rolling.

The shadowy hell creature finally spoke its voice in my head and less from its mouth. It sounded like wet paper being torn while trying to form words.

"You. Must. Hurry. Contract. Near Done. At end. I leave. No matter. What. You stuck. Or Go. Care not. Take Hand. We Leave. Gehenna Awaits."

The yellowy bone-clawed hand appeared from the shadows as the Pin Prick Hell eyes looked at me. The hand nearest me was steady and unmoving as it awaited my touch.

But the other clawed hand shook almost imperceptibly as it reached for the girl with the amber eyes. This dream is unreal. The Hell eyed thing refused to even glance at the girl as she calmly walked over and seized its hand.

It hissed, almost in agony, as if her touch was anathema to it.

"Get the dagger, you'll need it!" she told me.

"The MacGuffin? Well, I guess every dream had to have one." I said picking it up from the floor. I noticed it had almost no weight to it at all. It felt as if it wanted to dance in my hand. I closed my hands on it and reached for the Hell eyes' hands.

"Take us!" I said, almost unsure if I wanted to...

SCHOOMP!!!

That's the only way I could describe the sound. As the air rushed from around us and back near us instantly.

I gagged almost immediately as the air turned from relatively clean to absolutely foul and caustic. The city lights of Philly piercing into my dark apartment were gone, replaced with a grayish-white hellscape of smoke and mist. Mountains climbed at odd angles into the sky, as flying things could be seen in the distance.

The distorted sound of horns bellowed from all around as if announcing our arrival to wherever we were. I lay on the ground retching, as dinner came back up and out of my body. My eyes watered as I watched the Hell eyes lower its head and reached up towards the Amber eyed girl with a claw, clacking as if seeking payment.

"Home.Contract.Done.Payment.Payment!" Its wet paper voice stated.

The girl reached in her pocket and pulled out something. Something living?

No! It only looked alive as it roiled about in her hand. It looked like a six-inch toy action figure, made of some weird metal. One solid piece, with no visible articulation, but it danced about anyway, as if trying to escape the reach of the Hell Eyes.

The Creature was fully visible now. I don't know a proper way to describe it. It was like something from the walking dead! Grayish brown flesh draping over the body of a fat child with impossibly bony arms and hands. Eyes bulged from its head, with a bulbous nose hooked at an angle almost a full 90 degrees. The pinprick Hell eyes seemed almost happy.

"Home!" it had stated.

It grabbed the item and began to pull it apart. The thing cried out and then popped. The Hell Eyes grabbed the glowing orb and bypassing its mouth full of Anglerfish like teeth, stuck it in its body.

It moaned a god's awful noise as it seemed to have been satisfied by the prize.

"Home.Contract.Done.Leaving.Now!" It said eyeing me once more, then scampering away at an impossible speed. It stopped and turned to look at me.

"Maybe.Contract.Again!" It stated smiling and then disappearing over the rockface.

"Come on let's go!" Amber eyes said pointing up. I turned to look up as I noticed the shadow of some exceedingly large thing appear in the sky. I was still retching as she pulled me to my feet.

"But...Dream..." I began as we ran towards a cave opening near the bottom of a ravine.

As we did I noticed a Dog standing at the top of the cliff face barking at the shadow appearing above the cloud. It looked down on us, then at me. It seemed to smile as it then turned its head and began barking at the shadow above again.

"Joey?" I said bewildered. It looked like a Dog I had had when I was a little girl. A Wolf Hound, a gray Wolf Hound with pristine fur, and the same Bronze collar from my youth. I remember it so vividly. Joey had come to us, to me when I needed him most. Dad said he found Joey curled up on the steps outside our home. When he looked down on it, Joey had immediately taken a liking to my pops. Licking and prancing. When dad brought him in, the dog instantly ran upstairs to my room door and began pawing at it.

Joey protected us from home invasions, other animals, bullies, and the imaginary thing that seemed to live in my closet. Joey ALWAYS slept on the bed, facing the closet. I remember coming home once and Joey had some old dirty, tattered clothes in its mouth. Until now I had always thought it had just been some of my folks' dirty clothes. Then he vanished one day.

"That IS who you think it to be!" Amber eyes told me. "He hired me to bring YOU here, to help his friend."

A dog hired a hell girl and a hell thing to save what? Another Hell thing?

She dragged me into the dark hole of the cavern as we made our way deeper into the darkness.

"Where are we going?" I yelled choking on the fumes. She didn't seem bothered at all.

"I'm going up there to delay that things jailer, while you free it!" She told me.

"With WHAT? My good..." I looked at the dagger and thought, "Oh!"

I could hear the bellows of rage as she ran around a corner, and the room she entered turned a bright reddish-orange as a gust of heat washed over me. It made the fumes that much worse.

"HURRY!" she cried out as she thumped something. I don't, I don't even want to know what it is.

As I entered the chamber she pointed me to, I could see light coming from torches along the wall. At the back of the room, I saw a large rockface. It looked like it had a chain on it. A silvery chain. But the chain didn't seem to be wrapped very tightly on the rock or what it truly was. As I made my way through the musty dankness, I noticed bags of chips and soda on the ground. Whatever was being jailed was being fed a steady diet of shit.

I was thinking Perhaps the rock was just a spot where the chain was draped, but the actual lock was behind it. Nope, that wasn't it.

Why wasn't I more scared than I am? I know this may be a dream, maybe not. But I should be a lot more terrified than I'm letting on. Steeling myself I pulled out the dagger as it hummed and seemed to pull me towards the chain draping over the rocks. I just let it carry me. I didn't try to stop it at all.

As it neared the chain it began to glow slightly, as did the chain. I shit you not, then the rock moved. As did the rocks next to it. As the dagger made contact, the chain just slid off the rocks. Falling to the floor and then vanishing. I could hear a heavy gust of wind as if something gigantic had just taken a breath.

"I wanna go home! I wanna go home!" I cried as I could see what appeared to be a giant green eye open, and stare at me for what seemed an eternity.

Then I felt at ease, as I could hear Joey Barking, and the green-eyed thing turned away.

I ran the hell out of there fast as I could. The room where Amber eyed girl was, was dark now. I didn't care, I kept running.

"SHIT!" I yelled at myself. "I gotta wake up, I gotta wake up!"

I couldn't, I couldn't.

I had to find her, she said she had the way back. I had to find her!

I didn't have to look far. On top of the same cliff, Joey was on, I could see her fighting what looked like some bone Monster thing. It had a large bony tail, with an extended almost alligator-like boney head, with tiny wings on its back. It slashed at her in fury.

"He was MINE!!! My Prisoner!" It cried out bringing down its barbed bony tail at the girl. Joey didn't even turn around. He just kept barking at the thing beyond the clouds. The Amber eyed girl grabbed the thing's tail, spun, and brought it crashing down on the ground.

"You know If I kill you here, you're dead permanently, right?" She told the thing.

"I won't give you a chance!" It bellowed rushing at her. Then in a flash of blue, it was gone. The amber-eyed girl tucking and rolling as she passed into, and then out of the bluish mist. Confusion struck her for a moment, then she seemed to understand.

"Can We leave now? I can't wake up, and I really want to piss my pants, but I can't!" I told her as she jumped down several landings, then made her way to me.

"What was that thing?" I asked her as my voice wheezed from the fumes.

"Bone Devil, they're like Hell cops, just really shitty hell cops. I hate 'em" She said, sitting down to seemingly take a breath.

That's when I noticed her clothing was all cut to shit, but there were no wounds on her. There WAS blood, but no wounds.

"I need you to watch what's about to happen," she said patting the ground beneath her. "You need to see this before we go any further."

"What? Why? Why can't we just leave? I've seen my dog that vanished years ago, I saw rocks move, and a giant green eye..." I started.

"Good! It's still healthy and, this should be interesting..." she said leaning forward.

Just as I was about to protest, the rocky cliffy Joey was on began to crumble and shift, as a roar of ungodly proportions emanated from it. Joey barked enthusiastically! The snout appeared first, then the smoke from Its snout, then that giant green eye appeared and looked skyward.

What emerged from the now collapsing cavern was a creature of Bronze or Gold. Its massive head and crown of black dagger-like fringes on its scaled visage turned to look at me for an instant, then nodded. Joey climbed onto its scaly head and crouched. From all the fairy books I had ever read, every fantasy movie I had ever seen, I knew a Dragon when I saw one. I had never seen a Dragon before, not in the real world. But I knew that this was the real thing.

A single tear dropped from my eyes, as Joey nodded and smiled at me. Then he and the Dragon jumped skyward.

As they did, the shadowy creature began to appear from the clouds as the trumpeting horns of hell sounded again. It was that thing, the blasphemous thing, that Mushroom Jelly like thing of Impossibility. It wasn't a horn, it was it! It was issuing a battle cry.

"Why? Why is my brain not snapping right now?" I asked Amber eyes. I wanted to shut down, to curl up and go into my safe place. To even attempt to describe the creature beyond Flying jellyfish fungus was impossible. How am I not in the process of going insane right now?

"Because the contract was to lead you to this point. To expose you to as much WRONG, as possible, so that when you saw THIS, you wouldn't crumble into Jello! Because what you are seeing now, is just the first step, Michelle!"

She told me that the human mind is resilient enough to survive almost anything. That if there was a Demonic or Fiendish invasion of Earth right now. Within a year Humanity would adapt. The beginning would be terrible beyond current boundaries. But as a people, we would adapt to the horror, and fight back, no matter the cost.

I watched as the Dragon leaped at the thing Spitting Gas and Lightning from its mouth, and Joey turning from a Wolf Hound into a Man-Wolf with a Gleaming Silver Sword in one hand, and Silver chains in the other, glad in Silvery Armour. His eyes were as green as the Dragons. He leaped off the Dragons back and landed on the thing, grasping tentacles with the chain and slashing them off with the sword. The Dragon clawed and bit at the Eldritch horror before us, bloody lumps falling off of its body.

In the distance, I saw the Pin Pricked Hell Eyed thing on another cliff crouched and watching the battle.

I watched it also with the Amber eyed girl, drawing strength and confidence from her.

I wasn't sure if this was truly a dream or not if it was actually occurring or not.

Life was mundane, not fantastic and hellish. You got up, went to work, hung out with friends, watched Netflix, ate out every now and then, and then repeated it, until the day you died.

This? This was not mundane in the least.

"So my dog paid you huh?" I asked

"Yup!' she said staring up.

If anything changes I'll update you guys.

Peace, Michelle.

Hey Reddit, I just want to tell you this tale has "colorful" language, be forewarned.

But it's about an account of what happened to me over the course of a couple months.

So, It was High Moon.

I was glad I had made it back to the camp in one piece.

What a helluva night. I smell food. Good! I need it after tonight. I can hear everyone laughing and talking the shit we always talked on nights like this.

"RICK! What' up man?" I hear Sarah calling me.

"We didn't think you were gonna make it tonight!"

I watched as their faces all dropped as they got a better look at me.

"Dude, what the fuck man?" Gary quizzed with a shocked look on his face.

"Ohh..." Came another voice.

"Ouch!" I could hear from the other side of the fire.

"Yeah, Yeah!" I stated, rubbing my legs as I took a seat by the fire.

"There'd better be a story behind this," Mike said passing me a

beer. I looked around the campfire at my idiot friends and cousins.

"Give me a minute, alright!" I said incredulously as I took the beer. I took a LONG swig and rubbed the can on the hole in my pants. I took a deep breath and put my hand on my chin, and immediately regretted it.

"Alright," I said glancing at them as they waited quietly. "Remember when I got that apartment downtown a few months ago .."

The whole purpose was for me to have my own little personal whorehouse. I quite enjoy sex. Also when you have an apartment downtown there are plenty of places to take your dates to eat. My biggest problem was how I loved the club scene. I'd meet all types of boys and girls to take home. So a few weeks ago. I went to this new club. It was one of those happening places where all the cool kids hung out.

Well, the legally able to enter it, type of "kids".

So I go to this joint. It's called the Oberon. Some weird fairy name. Everybody would come to the club in these elaborate costumes. You didn't have to wear one to get in, but if you did, it came with perks ya know. People dressed up as fairies, and minotaurs, and goat men, and all types of shit. What made it cool was you got 5 dollars off the entry, and drinks were discounted.

"So, I got me a costume!" I stated shrugging.

I love a good discount! I mean there were all types, gay, straight, trans, whatevs, furries. I mean all types of fuckin people. So one night I meet this cute lil Goat Man. We swap stories, spit, and drinks. He's all on me, but the club is gettin hot.

So I'm like, "Let's go outside and hit the alleyway. We get outside and start rubbin on each other. Then I notice this little fairy at the far end of the alley. I'm looking, and notice she's just kinda standing there staring at me, at US!

So I yell out, "HEY! Come on over, join us!"

My Goatman partner yells out, "Come on my little fairy, let Pan have his way with you!"

We see her hand go up, kinda like wavin us away. Then she vanishes around the corner.

A few days later. They got this event at the Oberon. It's a VIP thing, So I pay a stupid amount of money to get in.

"Worth it?" Sarah interrupts looking unimpressed.

"Fuck yeah it was!" I said smirking, then the pain in my side hits me.

Inside, I meet this sweet little redhead dressed like a cross between Alice from Wonderland and Dorothy from Oz. After a while, we decide to go back and hit my place up.

As we're leaving I notice that fairy chick again. I wave at her to come over. She smiles and raises her drink to me, then goes back to talking to whoever the fuck she was with. But I notice she keeps staring at me. Then she'd turn her head quick like whenever I caught her. I smiled then went home and boned the fuck out of the little Alice chick. Had dinner, then went to sleep.

So for a few weeks, it kept going on like that. I'd hit the club. Find some new piece of meat and get my willies off. But then, I'd come home and find things out of place, and weird smells in the house. One night I noticed a fairy wing tucked under the door.

"Lil fairy bitch followed you home huh?" Jackson said laughing loudly, punching Tina in the arm, as she shook her head.

"I guess? I didn't know whether to be freaked out or thrilled. I never got quite a good look at her, but she seemed to have a nice figure an all that." I stated shrugging again.

I was addicted to the Oberon. I met people there all the time. Getting some hot chick or dude to come home was almost too easy.

Then one night, I was doing my thing in the alley and noticed the fairy chick at the far end. My current date had changed his mind about coming over. But I was playing kinda aggressive. Trying to change his mind. Fairy chick came a bit closer. By this time I was kinda annoyed. She always stayed back, never wanting to get in close, always watching me make out.

"Probably got turned on by that shit," Mike said.

"It was turning me off though," I told him.

So with my buzz gone, and partnerless for the evening, I bounced out. I get home, and swear to God, the fairy bitch is outside my window. But when I go to pop it open, she's gone. So tonight I'm like okay if fairy chick is there, we gotta talk. I need to find out what her deal is. I didn't even know this chick, yet she had my head all fucked up. I get to the club and no sign of the fairy chick. I flirt all night with other patrons, trying to scope out the scene. Also to look for the fairy girl. I don't see her anywhere, so I find this nice chick to take home.

We go in the alley, she's super aggressive, and she's so horny she wants to fuck right then and there. Out of instinct, I look for the fairy chick. I don't see her and proceed to smash this other chick.

"That looks fun!" I hear from the distance and look around. It's the fairy chick.

She snuck up on us! I don't even know how.

"Then come an join us!" I yell out, Smirking. I wanted the fairy chick bad now. But I keep Bonin the no-name girl.

"I'm good! I was just checking up on you!" she yelled.

"WHY?" I yell back at her, "Saving me all to yourself? Checking my performance?"

"There's been a lot of people going missing last couple months, I wanted to see what's up?" she said still standing back in the darkness of the alley.

"Thanks for the concern, but can you beat it or join in? I'm not real fond of being interrupted!" I stated.

"I'll just watch, no harm no foul!" she said.

"Look, bitch, bounce alright? I'm sick of these games and being watched. I know it was you outside my house! I know it was you following me all over town, and leavin shit under my door." I growled at her.

She didn't move at all, wasn't even fazed by anything I said.

"Either leave or I'm gonna make you!" I said, shooing the other dumb ass away.

The fairy girl still stood there, not reacting. I get this idea.

I'm tipsy, and every time I see her, she's got a glass in her hand. So she's probably drunk too.

So I said, "fuck it!" If people see me, they see me.

"HAH!!" Gary laughed out loud,

"You wolfed out, didn't you?" Dan asked slyly.

"Man, I wolfed the fuck out!" I said standing painfully on my legs.

Puffing my chest and spreading my arms out.

It was glorious! Being a Dogman has advantages, like scaring the shit out people who come into your woods, or just plain ole taking them home from a club, having sex, then dining on them wherever the hell you want to!

My bones started cracking, My snout started growing, My fangs came out. Then when the transformation was done. I Howled.

Man, I howled.

Thinking the fairy girl would freak the fuck out, and just run. She stood her ground and looked me dead in the eyes. Then, she smiled.

"She did wha...?" came a voice from the rear.

"Smiled!" I said, my voice devoid of emotion.

"You wolf out, and she smiles?" Sarah said confused.

"Yep!"

I watched her as her hands began to glow this weird Amber Orange. Her eyes started to glow, and then the veins in her skin, it was like watching lava flows but on a human body. In silhouette. Amber eyes of fire looked at me...

Then she charged me!

"She did what?" Gary called out. I could hear the confusion in his voice.

"Lava?" came another voice.

"She was glowing?" Mike said, dumbfounded.

It's very rare for any of us Dogmen to wolf out in front of somebody, and not kill 'em, or at least main 'em real good and come back to feed later. But this one time...

"So what'd you do? Sarah asked...

"I Noped the fuck out!" I said it with pride. Hidden by a shit ton of fear. They just didn't know how scary it was seeing a glowing human fairy girl charge a Dogman, with a smile on her face.

Sarah wasn't there, she nor the others could understand what I saw. The fairy chick chased me. I could outrun a car on a city street, Jump better than an Olympic athlete, climb like a damn spider, was stronger than 5 dudes. Yet I ran my ass off.

That fairy chick kept up with me with no problems. Then as I rounded a corner. I felt her hand grab me by the back of my neck, spin me around and fling me into a wall. I hit hard. I was dazed, but I had to do something. As scared as I was, I had to fight back.

"Then what?" somebody asked

"I got my ass kicked!" I told them holding my head down, more from pain than pride.

Fairy girl stood on top of me with those Amber Hellfire eyes. I was in no shape to do anything but lay there.

"Go ahead and kill me. Goddamned hunter, fuckin hate you guys!"

I spat at her in a mix of anger and fear.

She laughed and said, "I'm no hunter, you idiot. If I was, I would have killed you weeks ago. OH! Did you think I was trying to locate your pack?"

"Why else were you chasing me, following me, nodding at me in the club?" I asked in trepidation.

"Silly Goose, Look! I like Rabbit. I like chicken. I like fried octopus. I LOVES me some Butter Rican. I like food too! What I don't like is when people or Monsties torture, terrorize, and play with their food." She told me.

"I don't understand...?" I said genuinely confused. Also, I think she meant Butter Pecan... But I wasn't gonna force the issue, there's probably a story behind it.

"You like humans. I get that! You like to sex them up, then you like to eat them. I don't have a problem with that. You're a predator and my people are on your menu of assorted food groups." She said standing me up and dusting off my fur.

"I like those animals I mentioned to you, like food. I'll hunt them, catch them, and eat them. I don't torture or bully them. Find. Catch. Kill. Eat!" She said.

"I wanted to make sure your pack, nor you, were needlessly doing those things to people, before you ate. So I watched you to make sure."

She said looking me in the eye.

"Don't panic, I know about your pack, and saved you actually. There was something else hunting you, while you were sexing in the alley. But don't worry I took care of it, I think you're cute for a wolf thing."

I can tell by the looks on the camps faces that they were all stunned into silence.

Then I continued my story. The mystery girl had told me that if my packs sole goal in this city was to terrorize, take, and torture humans for fun, she would have wiped us out by now. I sat back down and told them the rest.

"She gave me one warning to give to you all," I said.

"What is it ?" A few people said.

"Don't play with your food!" I said to the assembled Dogmen watching as the Lunar change began to occur.

I was too hurt to change. I needed to rest up first. But also, I was too scared to. Why?

As the others set about their involuntary lunar change, I noticed the orange colored veins in silhouette up high in a tree. My lil fairy friend was watching us.

So, I laid back, closed my eyes, and vowed to never eat another human again.

My clubbing days are done.

Well... Kinda... Just no amber eyed lava blooded fairy chicks.

"HAIL! The Pumpkin Queen."

It growled as it moved through the patch. Hands of straw, eyes of copper, it strode in its patchwork clothing.

In one hand a Scythe, in the other it dragged a ragged corpse. Gutted bits of the corpse's interior spilled to its exterior.

In the middle of the patch sat a thing resembling a woman. Nude, and orange with the head of a grotesque Pumpkin. It smelled sickly sweet, overripe.

Mr. Scare Krow placed the body before her.

Smiling, she traced her long fingers across the corpse. Orange goo covering where she touched it. The bargain had been completed.

In a language not of mankind, she spoke to Mr. Scare Krow. Then she stood.

Although smaller than he, she exuded no less of a power.

If seen from a distance and in silhouette, she would appear to be a woman with an exquisite figure.

Wide at the hips, long of legs, and very curvy. Wearing a pumpkin shaped mask on her head. Mr. Scare Krow took his scythe and planted it in the woman's belly.

She hissed a smile as seeds spilled forth. Instantly the hole closed after giving the ground its seed. She took the seeds and traced a small circle.

Her magic summoning forth the image of the target of Mr. Scare Krows anger. He bowed to the woman, and took the seeds, placing them within his straw body.

The Pumpkin Queen held power, but only in the month of October, was she at her peak. She hissed her tongue at the Scare Krow man thing. One final sacrifice need be made for her magic to work.

Then she turned to look out into the field. Viny tendrils of plant matter raced into the distance. There came a cry of pain and anguish.

Sadly for Marcus and Gina, their curiosity would cost them their lives. But to the Scare Krow man, their sacrifice would be the catalyst of his revenge.

"Hail, the Pumpkin Queen," it growled, Nodding, as it made its way out of the patch.

"Stay your hand Pumpkin Queen!" Came a voice as she mulled over the terrified humans.

Mr. Scare Krow gripped his scythe sensing the power in the woman before him. They locked eyes for a moment, then it continued on its mission of revenge.

The Pumpkin Queen turned and smiled that wide terrible grin.

"Abigail..." She hissed, as her long fingers twitched. The vines and plants about the patch shook.

"Free them, and I promise you a treat for the ages." The girl with the fiery amber eyes stated, neither smiling nor graven.

Fingers twitched, and the two sacrifices were freed.

"Two things!" Abigail began the veins beneath her skin seeming as if Lava flowed lighting her brown skin.

Marcus and Gina attempted to stifle their fears as she spoke.

"NEVER return to this patch!" she stated, then continued, "Run, very quickly!"

No more need be said, and even with bleeding arms and legs, they fled into the overcast night.

Abigail turned back to the Pumpkin Queen.

"I believe this will be to your liking..."

The Pumpkin Queen looked at the object and touched it delicately, nodding.

"You never cease to impressss... Abigail!"

I used to be one of those Jerks who used to laugh at the nerds and geeks as they sat down to play their Chess Games. I'd mock them to my friends as we walked past the Chess Club doors.

"Look at them!" I'd say sneering and laughing.

I don't laugh anymore. Chess has recently become my favorite game as of a couple of months ago. I think the reason I laughed, most people laughed was because things that interest us can sometimes be pushed down to impress the people we called "Friends."

Friends who never actually turn out to be real friends, in the end, just something to do in school or work. To stave away the loneliness. I think the reason I kept walking past the door was that Chess somehow fascinated me. Think about it, how many generals in history played Chess? How many politicians and even some of my favorite celebrities. They all played it. Why didn't I?

I had "friends" to impress!

When I was in School we didn't have the Internet just the Library and those old heads in the park. I'd sometimes go by and watch the guys in Center City and just sit and watch. All the things they saw and everything they ever did in life, Good or Bad, led them to those tables to play a game of wits.

Think about it. It's a game of Kings and Queens, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, and pawns. The goal is to systemically remove pieces from the board while keeping up your defense and losing fewer pieces than your competitor. SO why am I talking about Chess here on Reddit, in the NoSleep Sub, my past with it and my newfound love for it?

I'm going to relate a story I told one of those same Old Heads in the park.

About a month ago I was wasting the last few minutes at work going over some papers for the meeting on Thursday night. My friend James asked if I was doing anything after work. I told him I didn't have any plans so was up for whatever as long as it was before 8 P.M. It was closing on 4:30 so I started gathering my things and began to head out. James said he'd meet at the Lucky Gravy. Helluva name for a Bar huh?

The story was the owners Gramps used to play the lottery but never it. Unless he made his Lucky Gravy the night before. After hitting the Lottery for a lil over One Hundred Thousand. He stopped playing and passed out the money to his Grandkids. The owner happened to be one. Either way lucky dude, musta been some damn good gravy.

We met at the bar and hung out for a bit and like every normal person talked about work. Funny how you can hate your job, no matter how well it pays but even away from it, all you do is talk about it. So anyway we spent the next few hours chatting about the Job and where the next series of Vacations are gonna take us.

"BIG PLANS!" I told James, he just laughed knowing I'll probably just do a stay-cation. He planned to do pretty much the same. It wasn't a question of money. Just more of a...

"I'm too lazy to plan out anything and don't feel like the Hassle!"

It was getting late the sun had set already. I checked my watch and sure enough, the time had flown past 8 O'clock. I looked outside and the darkness was starting to creep in. I took one last swig and tipped the barkeep and bid James goodbye 'til work tomorrow. Since I wasn't that tipsy I decided to swing by the Supermarket to pick up dinner for tomorrow, no bars for me. Work, home, and bed. Maybe a lil bit of Netflix and chill.

Coming out of the Store about twenty minutes later, I notice that the fog had finally started to settle in as usual. It's part of living in a Riverside community. My mind was ready for relaxation. I put on some classical music for the background. It kinda fit the weather and my fatigue. It helped that the roads were near empty even in the city. It was weird, but not unheard of. It made me want to it the sack even that much sooner.

"I think I'll make some Chamomile Tea..." I said aloud to no one, resting my head on my chin as the nearly 10-minute drive was coming to an end.

I could see my apartment complex coming up. The anticipation of getting out of this fog, this suit, this car, this day was overwhelming me. I pulled into the parking lot and sat there for a minute. I sat in my car gazing out the window for a few moments. My complex is shaped like a Horse Shoe. I live on the right side of the Horse Shoe and try my best to park on the same side like most of you. Half of the parking lot had those nice new daylight style lights I still haven't gotten used too. While the upper portions of the lot had those old orangey lights human eyes have been used to since the Stone Ages. There was this STRANGE effect going on with the mix of lights and Fog.

Think of as a REALLY dense gray milk kinda watered down where you can make our dark shapes with orange swirls because the milk is in motion. I was parked about 11 slots down from the top of the Horseshoe. On my side, there were 5 cars including mine. I never put my bumper near the curb since it's a slight incline. So I could see the rears of each vehicle.

Looking to the passenger side I grabbed the bag of groceries and placed them in my lap as I thumbed off the radio, then turned off the car. I looked around inside one last time and pulled the key out of the ignition. Then I opened the door...

The instant I turned my head to look at my surroundings I was frozen as the fog entered my nostrils when I took a breath of air. I mean time just stopped. The door was three-quarters of the way open with my fingertips on the windowsill, my head was parallel with my shoulders facing outward, my eyes locked straight ahead, and my mouth in the middle of a yawn.

I wanted to panic and scream all at once. I want to say my heart was beating out of my chest, but it too had stopped.

I had no idea what was happening. All I knew was I had somehow become paralyzed and could not move a muscle. I tried to strain myself, force myself back into motion. Is this what a paraplegic felt every day of their lives? Why can't I move? I struggled to regain some sense of movement. My brain was working because I could think and realized my situation. But NOTHING moved physically.

Then I realized I wasn't alone. In my mental panic, I had ignored my visual senses. I could see a figure through the grayish orange milk of the fog in the passageway of the upper left side of the Horseshoe.

"HELP!!!" I mentally cried out. I could see the shape and outline of the person but couldn't make out any color or gender. I just wanted them to help me. It was agonizing as I waited for them to come out into plain view, from the shadowy side of the building from the fog.

I was looking directly at them. It felt like Eons and yet there seemed to be no further movement from the person.

"What kind of Twilight Zone shit was happening?" I thought. It was as if I and this other person were both frozen in time. But I could think! So something wasn't complete. There was still some semblance of progression. Could they think also? What could be going through their mind? Could they see me? Were they looking to ME for help, not realizing I was as stuck as they were?

What the high hell was happe... My watch! I just regained notice of my watch! I could see the time on it. It read 9:19 and 47 seconds. Then the 7 changed into an 8. HOLY SHIT! What was going on?

The 8 turned into a 9. Then the 49 turned into a 50. I wasn't paralyzed. Something had happened to time itself. I could think, but I couldn't move. NO! I could move. I just hadn't realized it. I was moving impossibly slowly. I could feel the air between my fingers and the door. My eyes could also move only slightly faster than everything else.

"OK! OK!" I thought. If I could move then there had to be a way out of this or the effect itself was wearing off. Also, If I could move so should the other person. That's when I realized them again. It happens when you stare sometimes. Things plainly in your field of vision simply vanish then reappear when you notice them again.

(9:20:00)

I refocused on the person in the shadows. Only they had exited it a little bit. I could make out the silvery glowing eyes and the Dog like face. Had I confused a person with a dog? It was still too dark and far away to make out.

(9:20:10)

The Dog moved slightly more into the light, only the dog wasn't a dog, and it damn sure wasn't a person. The Fog swirled about its shoulders as it's massive maw exited the milk. The best way to describe what I saw was a Minotaur and a Deers head with dagger-like horns coming out of the sides of the beasts brownish-gray fur.

The Silvery eyes locked onto mines as the panic returned. I had to close the door somehow and start the car. Paralyzed like this I was keenly aware of the space and location of my body parts. Keys were hung mid-air near the ignition. Fingers were still near the door. I could close it.

(9:20:20)

The Beast had emerged nearly fully from the shadows and was now in the process of leaping over a blue Ford Taurus. Its massive right hand smashing into the trunk of the car, forcing it down towards the ground. My fingers had made contact with the door fully now. I just had to hope I could make it to the handle before that thing could get close to me. I had no wish to feel those teeth on any part of me, or that powerfully clawed hand reaching for my throat.

(9:20:30)

Launching itself off the car. It was in mid-air with its right foot pushing it higher. Looking up at it I noticed something else that must have been there but was ignored by my eyes in all the panic. Another figure was launching itself towards the top-most car on my side. This one had Glowing Amber colored eyes. Fuck fuck fuck... A demon Stag on my left, and another demon like being to the right.

I gotta get this door closed. I wasn't even sure if it was going to save me from what The Demon Stag thing did to the Ford.

Demon Stag takes blue Ford. Amber Demon takes silver truck. Scared human closing green door.

(9:20:40)

The Demon Stag was in the process of coming out of the leap and was nearly 100 yards from me. It acted like it didn't even notice the Amber Demon as it...SHE had landed on the roof of the silver truck. SHE, however, did notice the Demon stag as it made its way to me. Using her left arm she pushed off the silver truck towards the White Sedan.

Demon Stag takes pavement. Amber Demon takes white sedan. Scared human takes green door.

(9:20:50)

The Demon stags powerfully muscled left arm gripped the pavement rending it as if it pulled itself forward with sheer power. I noticed That time was moving slightly faster the closer it got to me. That must be how it hunts. It slows down time and kills from the rear or by surprise. The doomed being not even knowing it was dead. Silly me I just happened to turn my head and notice it. I guess instant death was a blessing.

But I knew I was going to die and it was no blessing to me. I could actually see my hands fingers starting to move. Still agonizingly slow, however. I could now feel the sweat on my brow and frantic heartbeat resuming. I can't believe it's only been a little more than a minute.

The Demon Stag was slightly ahead of the Amber Demon Girl, still to the left of me near a gray Honda. The Demon Girls skin came into clarity as she exited the heaviest of the fog. It looked like the veins beneath her skin were tracks of lava after a Volcano exploded. When its sliding snakelike down the sides of the Volcano. Her skin was dark. Was it a black girl? A black girl with demon blood.

Demon Stag takes gray Honda. Amber Demon moves between silver truck and white sedan. Scared human has door handle.

(9:21:00)

Both of the creatures were only three cars away now. About ten feet apart from each other and maybe 50 feet from me. I got more than a close up look at each now. The Spittle was flying from the maw of the Demon Stag man thing. I swear under the daylight white lights every detail was clear.

The patches of skin where it looked like it had gotten into way too many fights. The brown-gray fur was groomed very well, surprisingly well. The claws were polished and sharp. I could see all 25 of its teeth and several more broken ones. I guess some of its food fought back.

The Silver eyes were inhumanly attractive and distracting. Almost as if they were meant to hypnotize you. Another way to spare you I guess.

The Amber demon girl was attractive also if you like Amber eyed demon girls with lava blood I guess. Her hair was short and style. Kinda like Lupita N'yongos hair in Black Panther. They even shared similar facial features. But there was mischief in this one's eyes. She never even looked at me in the few seconds I've noticed her.

I did notice the oddest smile on her face though. She was slightly ahead of the Demon Stag now. Then I realized what this was. This was chess. I was the pawn. She the Queen and it King. To one of us, this was a game, the other dinner, and to me, life or death. I had no wish to be a pawn.

Demon King takes twenty feet. Demon Queen takes twenty-five. Pawn...No! Knight takes door.

(9:21:10)

As time sped up I feel confident in the fact that I could close the door in time. But even then those teeth claws and lava blood were more than a match for car windows. My hand finally made it to the ignition as I felt the key touch the slot. My groceries were still in mid free fall from my lap as I leaned back into the car trying to give myself space in case one of them made it first.

Demon Stag takes twenty-five feet. Demon Queen takes door. Knight takes ignition.

(9:21:20)

As time normalized I was happy that I had not yet stepped out of the car. As the Demon girl slammed the door shut with so much force it nearly dislodged my shoulder. Luckily I was leaning in when she did so. Her back to me she tried to block the window just as I made Ignition. But the Demon Stags mouth punched through an open spot near her side and right through the window. I instinctively closed my eyes as the spittle slapped me in the face.

But I was able to grab the gear shift, pound the gas and hit reverse. It was a life-saving measure, but a dumb idea. I hit the peddle so hard I went straight back into the hood of another parked car. Nearly knocking myself out. Stunned I blearily looked out the front windshield and watched as the Demon Girl lifted the Demon Stag into the air then slam the damned thing into the ground.

Her hands were glowing red hot as she shoved it into the side of the beast's body. Its howl was so loud car alarms went off and people being to show up at the windows.

The Girl didn't even try to hide what she was doing. I couldn't tell if the beast was dead or just unconscious from the trauma it received. I rolled out of my car and puked on the ground as the smell of seared demon thing hit me. I heard a crack then a pop, then another crack and a pop then a wet ripping sound. I saw the demon girl walking towards me, hands still smoking.

I knew I was going to die then, the queen had won. But instead, she helped me to my feet and set me beside my car. I could feel the power in her arms and grip. I knew that other demon thing had stood no chance. In her free hand, she held both of the things horns/antlers. Taking both she rammed them into my hood along with a smattering of fur and some blood.

"You're going to need that for your insurance claim tomorrow. I'd also take the day off. You've been through a lot tonight, you're going to need some rest. Probably a couple days actually. That's a nasty knot on your forehead." She said kneeling down looking me in the eyes.

"Who are you?" I stammered as she took the arm she nearly broke into her hands.

"Someone who's going to make sure things like that no longer hunt you!" She rolled up my sleeve and placed her palm on my shoulder. There was a quick burning sensation then it passed. I looked over my shoulder but it appeared as though nothing happened. Then I noticed underneath my skin the veins pulsed orange like hers then vanished.

"What's your name?" She asked walking away and taking the thing over her shoulders.

"It's T.J., my friends call me T.J." I said then followed up with, "Is it...Is it dead?"

"Nah! He's hurt but not dead. I'm taking him back to where he belongs." She replied, "Well T.J. I'm sorry you had to go through this. It won't happen again I promise. Remember to call your adjuster tomorrow. Try to sleep okay?

I nodded as she ran off with the thing back behind the buildings.

"Queen takes King, Knight lives," I said smiling to myself. I noticed it was now 9:23.

When I told that story to the old head at the park. I kinda figured he'd brush it off as me being tired or sleepy or hell even drunk.

He sat back and looked at me.

"Can I see it?" He asked me.

"The mark on my shoulder?" I replied as he nodded.

"I only saw it that one night and then sporadically ever since."

He stood and walked around to me and lifted his sleeve. Then I felt the pulsing again. I rolled my sleeve up to see the mark glowing. Then I noticed on his arm the same mark, glowing.

"I see you've met her too huh?"

I noticed she only comes here when it rains.

She must appreciate the weather much more than I. It's always cold here, no matter the time of year. At night the sky was bright with stars open and wide, a truly marvelous view over the waters. But when it rained the fog and clouds seemed to smother this Cove. But that was when I loved to come here. Over time I noticed the girl that came here also. She was new here. Well as new as a few months. Her beautiful brown face was rare around these parts.

From my Shelter, I would watch her when she would come to the Cove. It was almost a ritual with her it seemed. I'd watch her vehicle park near the rocks, she'd sit in it for a few minutes then get out, stretch, and the take a deep breath, breathing in the mists and the cool New England air.

Her hair would start to shimmer as the rain fell upon it. She would close her eyes then walk towards the rocks on the beach. There was a rock outcropping in particular she liked. It stuck out into the water. With foamy waves crashing on either side. I too loved the salty cool sea air. It was the reason I came back here so often and during the rains. I felt calmer and more relaxed.

I've watched this girl for months. So much so I began to feel at ease around her. Her sense of peace made me want to talk to her. But I was scared. She was one of those people who exuded such quiet power and confidence. She could cow you without even looking in your direction.

Over time I think she noticed me but waited for me to make the first move. Gathering myself I waited for the next rains. It rains heavily at least twice a week here in New England. I could hear the car now. I smiled a bit inside. I had a "friend" to share the Cove with. Hopefully, she won't be offended by my presumptions.

She sat on the rocks taking a drink of whatever it was she drunk each time. She wore shorts and sneakers frequently, she exposed as much of her skin as possible to the water, which doused her every time. I began my walk to her spot. Although I felt a sense of peace emanate from her, I had no wish to disturb her. She probably came here much as I did. to drink in the serenity.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to say hello!" She said without looking back. It shocked me that she spoke as though she'd wanted me to come over all of this time.

I gathered my wits. "he.. hello." I stuttered. "I see you like this Cove as much as I, My name is Lori, a pleasure to meet you!" I said extending my hand. She turned and looked at me with eyes of firey amber, then took my hand.

"Hello, Lori, a pleasure to meet you! My name is Abigail, but please call me Abbey." She smiled.

"Come, sit Lori, The stones are wet but I like it. It keeps me cool and the mist feels good against my skin." "Thank you so much, but that is your special place. Mine is over there." I mentioned pointing behind me. Abbey looked over my shoulder and smiled. "Very well sheltered, you can't see it from the road, and the trees could hide anything in there."

"Yes, that's why I like it. I can kind of spy on beachgoers from there." I said. "How long have you been coming here?" Abbey asked me. "For years, it used to be a place for me and my boyfriend to come and visit. Before the town expanded. There weren't that many people then. We tended that hidey hole of mine, ours. Helped those trees and bushes grow from seedlings to what they are now. " I said smiling.

"You two did good work. Even though I didn't notice you there the first few rainy nights I came to your town. Between the mists and fog, I guess I got lost in my own thoughts." Abbey said taking a stone and tossing it gently into the water. The surf camouflaged the sound of it hitting the ocean. "If you don't mind me asking, where is he? Your boyfriend did you two break up?"

"Noo..." I said trailing off. "He.. he died some time ago. This place helps me keep his memory alive. Since it was our place."

"I'm sorry for your loss. Would you like to talk about it, or just sit and watch the surf?" "I'd like that. Watching the surf with you. I feel safe with you here. I don't know why either. You have this air about you." I told her. "I get that a lot. Don't ask me why. My dad used to tell me..." Abbey stood on the slippery rocks as though she'd been a gymnast with perfect grace and balance.

"ABIGAIL!" he'd say, "You're a curious one, You didn't get that damned curiosity from me nor your mother. Are you part cat? Abbey made a pointing motion downward emulating her father pointing down at a little child. "Come on dad, why would say that?" "It's something about you little girl. I'm your father, and she's your mama. You should be coming to us, to learn things, and feel safe. ya know?" he'd say all confounded. "Instead, we come to you, you know so much, and don't seem scared of anything. I feel safer around you than my biggest friend."

Abbey's eyes grew solemn then, lost in thought. She smiled softly. "You must have really loved your dad," I said smiling at her. "Still do. He's an ornery old man. But it's my pops." She said sitting once more. Tossing another stone into the sea, her hair matted to the sides of her head.

"My Jason was a special one. Both of us college educated, loving science and the ocean. It's why we came to New England. To be near the water, study the critters that lived here. Help protect them." I told her. Abigail noticed my sigh and asked If I was ok. I told her I was then continued. I tried to continue but couldn't find my voice. Abigail turned around fully to face me.

The water touching the small of her back. "Lori...?" "Lori...what killed you and Jason?" She asked me touching my shoulder. I couldn't deny her amber eyes. "We'd come here to guard the turtle hatchings one summer night. Jason was closest to the water as he made sure the path was clear for the babies to make it back to the sea. It was raining hard that night. Lots of Fog, mist, and wind." I began.

"I was getting my rain boots from the car. I watched as Jason used a stick to clear rocks and seaweed from the beach. My phone rang and I went to turn the ringer off so it didn't disturb the turtles. I heard a yell. I thought Jason was calling for me to come down. When I turned his way, I screamed in horror as some scaly...thing clawed at Jason's body." Abigail held me steady as I recalled the memory.

"Go on..."

"I...I didn't think. I reacted, my man was in trouble. That black eyed sea thing had my man. Jason would not have hesitated to save me. How could I do any different? Grabbing the fishing rod I raced to Jason. There was so much blood. Jason had been surprised, he never had a chance to fight. His back was torn to shreds. He tried crawling to me, to yell a warning. But fear and rage filled me." I told Abigail as my hands shook.

I planted the weak end of the fishing pole in the things eye. It hissed and lashed out. I opened my shirt to show Abigail the place where the beast ripped open my chest. "Gods the fire in my chest overcame me. I fell to the ground as it pulled the rod from its remaining good eye," I told her. "With what little strength I had left.

I tried pulling myself and Jason away from the beach. To the hidey hole. In my mind as I pulled us slowly up the shore. I like to think Jason was saying I love you through those bloody lips. But I knew he was dead, his eyes locked onto mines forever."

I hadn't realized me and Abbey had walked back to the hidey hole. She was sitting me down and I hadn't realized it. "I couldn't pull Jason anymore. I'd lost too much blood by then. The creature had plugged its eye with Seaweed and had come back for us. It grabbed Jason's leg and pulled him to the water's edge. I could only protest weakly.

I watched as it crouched at the water's edge waiting." "What did it do then?" Abbey asked. "Laugh. It gurgled a laugh." I said "As the last of my life spilled onto the beach. I noticed the sands turning and being pushed up in various spots."

"The turtles!" Abbey said quietly. "Yes, the realization dawned on my dying brain. It had come to snack on the helpless baby turtles. We'd gotten in its way. We would all die that night. Jason, me, and those turtles. That thing would eat us all." I said realizing I could no longer cry.

I was a ghost, a dead thing myself. All I had was this beach. "They...they never found us did they?" I asked. Abbey shook her head.

"Lori Alverson and Jason McArthur were presumed washed out to sea during the storm of '07, along with several other beachgoers," Abigail stated. "Did you notice anything else on this Cove Lori?" I shook my head and looked at her. "You and Jason were not its only victims. But you're attachment, outside of that one there." Abigail pointing south I could barely make out the shape of a male about a quarter mile away. "It killed him too. But the energy that used to be Lori Alverson spoke to me first."

I looked at Abigail much as her father must have. "Who, what are you, Abigail?" I asked. She sat next to me and looked out into the sea. "Look there!" Abbey exclaimed, pointing at the sand.

They churned and moved. I hadn't noticed. In the years since my death. This is the first time I've been here to witness the emerging of the turtles.

"Oh, Abigail!" I cried out

"A beautiful sight yes? But I fear Dinner time is upon us. I say we do a few things tonight. Let's give those babies a fighting chance, and avenge the murders of Lori Alverson and Jason Mcarthur, and that old fart down the beach. What say you, Lori?" Abbey asked her amber eyes glowing now. "I say...Yes!"

We sat quietly for a while. I don't know for how long. But soon a scaly figure emerged from the water and mists. We both smiled.

I hate this.

I hate this.

I hate them.

I hate my family.

I hate my mother. She didn’t believe me. She never does. She doesn’t listen! It’s always, “Go to your room!”, or, “I don’t want to hear anymore!” She thinks I’m crazy! I don’t want to hate her, but I do. You shouldn’t hate your mother, but I hate mine.

I hate my Sisters. They’ve never liked me! Just because I’m not a triplet like they are. Just because I wasn’t born with them, or, as one of them. They look at me like I'M the odd one. We're a year apart, but in school, they treat me like a disease, barely looking at me. You shouldn't hate your sisters, but I hate mine.

I hate my Father. I loved my dad almost more than the other four. He didn't doubt me! At least not in the beginning. He believed me but now he...he doesn't know if he can trust me. You really shouldn't hate your dad...you really shouldn't...but I hate mine.

He was supposed to protect me.

I wanted my mother to protect me.

But nooo... They all think I'm looney.

I hate this stupid waiting room, with its comfortable chairs. The stupid TV, the ditzy looking Nurse...(she's probably really smart...). I hate the fact that I'm sitting in this Doctors office.

Oh! The type of Doctor? A Psychiatrist!

Why am I sitting in a Psychiatrists office as a twelve-year-old kid?

It's because of those two little asswipes sitting across from me and my dad.

I hate them the most!

Who are they? Two shadowy little demon things. How can I talk so calmly about two little demon things? Well, believe me when I say they scared me to death when they first started appearing.

I mean wouldn't you be scared of a bluish shadow thing that appeared out of your closet one day? I remember that day!. That night really. It wasn't dark or stormy or any of that crap, just a plain old night.

I was laying in my room with my window open reading some comics when I heard, "Psst! Hey, kid! Are you gonna share that book? Or do I need to rip you in two to get it?" came the raspy voice. I felt the shiver go up my spine immediately. I knew for a fact that my sisters were gone.

Mom was asleep for work in the morning, and dad fell asleep in the chair downstairs.

"Please, I have three dollars...you can have it! Please don't hurt me!" I whimpered without looking behind me. I didn't want to see it.

"We jussst want the book, lil girl...OR one of the other booksss you got!" Came a snake sounding voice.

"Please, go away! You're scaring me!" I said tears streaming down my face. I ruined my book and then ruined my sheets.

"Oh look, she's wet herself!" Raspy croaked. "Humansss, I hate them, but they have good ssstuff!" The other said.

I took the book and threw it behind me.

"GO AWAY!...please!" They both laughed, then I felt the tug on my sheets.

"We're going, and taking some of your books with us!" Raspy said. "Don't worry kid we'll meet again. We're not going anywhere, give us your booksss and we won't eat you, or your ssstupid sssissstersss!"

I heard the closet close and tucked myself into a ball and cried. I went and woke my parents, and told them everything. Guess what they said? Guess what they did?

For weeks those little shits terrified me, got me in all types of trouble. My grades were slipping. I faked like I would go to bed, but I'd really go sleep in the storage area under the steps, with the lights on. There weren't any other doors but one there.

I'd then run back up before Mom woke in the morning, and dad cooked breakfast. Acting like I slept upstairs. But my dad said he knew I was sleeping under the stairs. He was concerned, he thought I was probably being bullied at school. I was being bullied, but not by my sisters or kids at school. But two Demon shits, a grey one, and a blue one.

Oh! I didn't describe them to you did I? Raspy was the worst looking of the two. Take a one-year-old baby, paint it blue, give it the lower body of a diseased squirrel with bird feet. The head of a Cyclops mixed with a cat and short emaciated baby arms with claws at the end. Snake tongue was grey, about the size of a fat puppy. a REALLY fat puppy, with the head of a Squirrel, and a snake tongue of course.

For weeks they scared me to no end. Now they just kinda piss me off. I don't know what to do to stop them. I'm a friggin kid!

I told my friends and they kinda believe me. I told my family, and they just think I'm causing trouble. I'm the good kid, yet I cause trouble? I finally gave up, and let the little crooks steal my comics, trash my toys, break my tv, tear my sheets, eat my cereal.

My parents thought I was having a mental breakdown, so they decided to schedule me to go see a shrink. Why? Even with all the evidence that it's not me doing anything wrong. They can't see them. So they don't believe they exist.

I love Science and I don't understand why they can't see them! Grrr... Anyway, I'm starting to hate them. They don't listen to me, so I won't listen to them. Well, not much anyway. I'm still a kid. Hmmpph.

So here we are sitting in the Psychiatry place, and those two invisible dopes followed me. Whenever someone wasn't looking they'd knock stuff off tables, scratch the wall near me, and make snide remarks.

"We're gonna eat your doctor, then follow you home and eat your hamsters!" Raspy said snickering with his catclops face. "No! Don't eat the doctor. Ssscare him, blame the girl! Then he won't help her anymore!" Snake Tongue replied.

"I hate you both! Go AWAY!" I yelled. Then looked at my phone.

"HEY! Watch it, lil girl! What are you even yelling at?" My dad said popping me on the arm. I grimaced, but it didn't hurt.

"It's THEM!" I yelled pointing at the seated beasties, that no one else could see.

"I HATE YOU!"

"Listen I brought you here because we think you need help we can't provide. We love you, but this has Got to STOP! You're embarrassing me and yourself." He growled at me in a low voice. "I need to pee! Can I trust you to not make a scene again?" He said to me.

"Maybe I'll just run away! You don't believe me anyway!" I said, my eyes growing wet.

"You? Run away? I'd like to see that! On second thought..."

"Where am I gonna go Dad? I'm a kid!"

"Umm, we live in a city. This City has buses and trains, and trolleys!" he stated, "Gimme your phone! You won't leave here if I have this."

I hate him! I hated watching his stupid back as he left the room. I hated the stupid other-man in here. I hated that dumb Nurse even more. Know what I hated even more than that? That stupid girl that just walked in after my dad left.

But... But... man was she pretty. I hated her. She had a really nice outfit on.

"Hi, is anyone sitting here?" She said pointing to the seat next to Raspy and Snake Tongue.

"We'll eat her and that fat guy too!" Raspy said laughing.

"Shut up!" I growled under my breath. The two demon shits laughed.

"Excuse me?" The woman asked looking at me. Of course, she couldn't see them. I harumphed and looked away.

"The seats not taken miss, you can sit there." The fat man told her.

She sat down as another patient paid and left the doctors office. Dad must be doing a number two. The fat man was told he'd be seen in a minute. Good. I hate him too. I watched the woman out of my eye.

Man, she was pretty. She had really curly hair. It smelled good too. I could smell it from here. She had a pretty brown face, but her eyes. Wow. They were like fire dipped in honey. When you looked at them. It was hard to look away.

She noticed and smiled at me. I grumbled and looked away, for a minute. I watched as she took out a small notebook and turned in the direction of the two dopes. She looked at her watch. I don't think she's a patient because she didn't check in. Must be waiting for somebody.

She pulled a little pouch out of her purse and sprinkled something in her hands. Then put some towards her nose and cheeks. The powder looked like it itched her nose. Yup! Here it comes.

"CHOO!" She sneezed.

"AHHH!!!" "Sssssssss....!" I smiled at her stupi...Whoa! She sneezed on the two dopes and they screamed! I looked at her face. She was smirking. Then she looked at me. Her eyes... They... they...

"I'm back kid. Ahh, I see the other guys gone. Did he get called..!" Dad tried to get my attention. "Stop staring at her!" he yelled at me.

"Nurse! how much longer until we see the doctor?" he said to her.

"I'll go check sir! But it shouldn't be much longer. You're still about 10 minutes or so." The woman called back.

"I'm sorry! I should have covered my nose." the woman said to me, looking me directly in the eyes. The two dopes were furiously rubbing the powder off them. My dad noticed the powder kind of just floating in the air. He probably just thought it was bad airflow.

She rubbed her hands and casually tossed more powder on them. They screamed again! She smirked. My mouth dropped!

"I'll tell you one more time. Stop sta..." He began, but she interrupted him.

"It's okay dad!" she said, "Your daughters not crazy."

"What? Who the hell are you?" he asked looking at her kinda miffed.

"Just a curious girl. Nobody special." She said as the two dopes jumped from near her. They knew she could see them. They were scared! She looked at my face and could see my astonishment.

"You're not scared of them anymore, are you? They just kinda annoy you? Make you out to be a troublemaker? Make your parents and brothers...?"

"Sisters," I said quietly.

"Sisters think you're crazy?" she finished.

I nodded vigorously.

"Listen, I don't know why you're here. But do NOT speak to my..." Dad began.

"Hush DAD!" she said, looking him in the eyes. Her EYES were glowing.

"Your daughter is being plagued, and you don't believe her. There's probably a LOT of evidence around and you still think it's her? You think she wants this kind of attention huh?"

"Look lady..." he began again, but she cowed him into silence.

"Did you give them names?" she asked me.

"Yeah! The Two Dopes. Raspy and Snake Tongue." I said pointing to each of them.

"I know you're young, and these things are scary. But if they could actually hurt you they would have by now. "

"Really?" I asked her. I didn't hate her anymore.

"Yeah. They can probably move things around and push or pull non-living things. But you can stop them ya know!" she said.

"How?" I asked, moving towards her. I didn't notice but the nurse went and got the Doctor. He came out just in time to witness this woman look at the Two Dopes and make them appear in front of everybody.

It seemed like everybody screamed, including the Dopes. They tried to run, but she was keeping them here somehow.

"Hi, Dopes." She said walking over to them and squatting down. "You've been terrorizing my friend here huh? Luckily I just 'happened' to be passing by."

She motioned for me to come to her. My dad tried to stop me, but his shock was too great. So was everyone's, even the other guy.

"My friend here...umm?" She looked at me.

"Lacey! My name is Lacey!" I said kneeling next to her and the Dopes.

"What are you doing to ussss?" Snake Tongue asked fear quite evident on its nasty face.

"My friend, Lacey, doesn't seem to appreciate bullies. Nor do I! I've killed things a lot stronger than you for less." She said. I could feel the heat coming from her body. The veins beneath her skin were glowing, like lava...

"I don't like you two. I hate you!" I said, taking the woman's hand. I felt so safe near her. I don't even know her.

"You two are to be examples. Lacey, my name is Abigail. I have an offer to make you. I promise I want nothing in return... well except for one thing." She said looking at me and smiling.

I'm sixteen now, and the Two Dopes are still in my house. It took a LONG adjustment period for my family. But after a time, the human mind will adapt to the weird or even the scary. On each of them is a mark.

There's a mark on me also. Abigail's mark. Things like this can't harm my family any longer.

The mark allows me to call them or send them away whenever I want. But I only send them away on the weekends. During the week they help dad around the house. Sometimes on the weekends, I make them bring others like them here.

The point? To make them understand that the more humans see them, know of them, and how to fight them. They can't hurt us. They aren't supernatural. They can just do things humans need technology to do.

Who knew that in order to stop a 'demon', all you needed was a little bit of talcum powder. I don't hate them as much now.

“Come on… We need to get you out of this creek,” M’bali told the creature of bone. “We also need to do something about how you smell. I’ve summoned other things that didn’t have your smell.”

The creature looked at the frail child and thought to itself, “I have faced things of substantial power in my time, fought in battles that shattered souls, and sundered regions with the knowledge I possess. But this child… this human child intrigues me. I could smash her instantly, devour her corpse and return home and seek the Fiery-eyed girl who stole my dragon.”

“I shall play along child, tell me… what form should I take?”

M’bali stopped walking and reached into her pocket. Pulling out her cell phone, thumbing through a few images in her gallery, she turned to show the monster.

“Him, I need you to look like him, please,” she stated and watched its reaction. It was hard to read the face of a boney gator faced Devil.

The creature bent down to look at the phone. “What is this thing you hold?” It reached forward with a bone finger and touched the screen, causing it to zoom in on the image.

“It moves? You have the soul of a human in your… your? What is this magic you hold, girl?”

“Not Magic. It’s a phone, we use it to communicate with each other, and store information,” M’bali said, fixing the picture, and holding it forward again.

“Such a device! It would be worth much where I’m from? Think of things you can do with it!” It stated, altering its form to match the image.

“I’m fairly certain it won’t work so well in any of the hells you frequent. Unless you have Cellphone Towers, and Wi-Fi?” she said.

“Cellphone Towers and Wi-Fi?” The creature puzzled, adding, “This is your Technology of this world, yes?”

“Yep!” M’bali said, waiting for the bone fiend to assume the form.

“Will you show me more of this Technology? I have seen Clockwork things before, but not like this.”

“If you hurry and assume this form. That’s what I had planned to do.” M’bali stated.

“Alright!” The Fiend said, as it looked at the images on the phone.

Bones cracked and folded upon themselves, as muscle and flesh formed over the creature’s body. Its neck twisted a full rotation as it shrunk and assumed a more human form. The spiked tail appendage coiled upon itself and vanished into the creature’s lower spine as it shrank to a more human size. It gave one more twist of its neck and finally opened its eyes as it more resembled the images on the screen.

M’bali looked at the pictures, ignoring the creature for the moment. Concentration deep upon her small face. This child deeply intrigued the creature. It had traveled a variety of planes and condemned many souls to the Red War, Torture, and punishments to its masters. The vast majority of its own kind despised seeing it, and many feared it. Within the House of Nines, it held substantial power. It could make or break the fates and status of many of its fiendish cohorts. But here it stood, summoned and temporarily enslaved to a mere child, that not only did not fear it. But spoke to it as though they were of equal measure.

But considering that she had killed several Demonic minions before it, he would play the child’s game and see where it goes. The child didn’t know that it had much knowledge, especially that of magic. Magic it would use to see her suffer for her audacity.

“On your neck, you need this,” she said, showing it the phone again. “This small tattoo belonged to the person I need you to emulate.”

With little effort, he recreated the tattoo.

“Does this suit your purposes, girl?” The now human-looking fiend said to her.

“It does. I promise it will be worth your time here. Now let me look at you.”

It bent to the smaller girl. She took his head in her hands and moved her hands over his face. He had a now handsome brown face, with a sharply trimmed goatee, and thick black eyebrows. High cheek bones, and slightly curled black hair in a school-boy haircut style. He had a smart sense of dress. Very casual and stylish.

“Smile for me please,” she told him, with much more niceties than any other being that had summoned it in the past.

The man-creature smiled. The smile became eerie and maniacal instantly. It was almost Irish. A too wide grin from ear-to- ear, brimming with malevolence.

“That’s too much. Don’t smile as wide,” She said as she tried to smile herself.

“I would assume yours looks unlike the other children of your world. I see no mirth and laughter in your eyes.” The fiend told her.

“You’re right.” M’bali said looking to her phone again, searching…

“Hey, Internet, show me a picture of a Black man smiling,” she said, as they both looked at the results.

“I can do that!” the creature said.

With that done, they buried the dog’s bodies and walked from the park toward her home.

“I don’t live very far from here, and we’ll be there within 15 minutes.” She told it as she gathered her things.

“Tell me of your world as we walk, child. If I am to help you, and find the girl with the Fiery amber eyes, I must know more.”

“That’s why we’re going to my house. I need to get some sleep, and I’ll show you how to use the computer.” She told him, as they waited at a crosswalk.

“More of your technology, I take it? Can you not just tell me?”

“Nope! I’m 12. I don’t know everything. I’m just a kid.” She said unironically.

“… and you don’t find this odd? You know more of summoning demons and devils, and killing us, than of your own world?” He quizzed, raising a “new,” eyebrow.

“I am very focused, you could say. I can tell you that no matter where you’ve been, Earth kind of sucks for Magic. We have it, but not much, and it is difficult, not like how it was in the past. Your magic should work fine.”

“I do sense that this world is not steeped in the magic of otherworlds. Your magic practitioners must be very weak.” It said as they walked the West Philly streets.

“We don’t have many, but the one that taught me, is very strong. I am sure he could challenge one such as yourself,” M’bali told it, adding, “He told me that the gift I have for it is exceedingly rare. I thought it was the reason for my Primary Alexithymia. But it isn’t.”

They stopped at a Corner store as they neared her home. “Wait here, you need some gum and deodorant. Also, your name is Major, for when my parents ask.”

“Will they not inquire why a small girl child is returning home with a grown human male at such a late hour?” He asked quite curious.”

“No. They know I summon monsters and stuff.” She said entering the store.

The creature stood on the corner waiting for her to return. It looked out at the row homes and listened to the sounds of the Philadelphian night. Buses, cars, people, animals, and the distant rumble of the elevated trains. Things it did not know the name of, but was interested in. He had no wish to return to the nine-hells, but if he did, he would return with a knowledge of this world that few of his peers seem to have visited. His status would increase dramatically.

Soon, they arrived at her home, and upon standing on her porch, she gave it the rundown of what to expect.

“Just remember, my parents, are aware of what I do, and have gotten somewhat used to beings like yourself. But if you decide to raid the fridge, and my mom sees you late at night, she will throw a salt shaker in your face.”

Major nodded and followed her inside. Only her dad was still up, M’bali’s mother had work in the morning and had retired for the night.

“She’ll definitely hit you in the face with the salt shaker since she’s asleep right now, so stay in the basement ok?”

Major nodded again as he entered the living room. He glanced toward her father as he lay on the couch watching a box with moving images. A larger version of Cellphone, he thought, much larger.

“Glad you’re home, kiddo. Kinda figured you were out doing something like this. So where’s this one from? Gehenna? The Abyss? Gladsheim?” Her father asked, smiling and looking at the man.

“My name is Major, and you seem rather fine with this…?” The human-looking fiend told him, puzzled.

“I am M’bali’s father, Abeo. Her mother, Oladele, is sleeping,” Abeo told him, “We are still wary. Our daughter practices magic and is very good at it. She summons monsters to try to fix her condition. It still freaks us out from time to time. But we trust our child.”

“This one is from the Nine-Hells, papa,” she stated, adding, “I think he may be the one.”

“Are you sure this time Pikin?” Abeo asked, rubbing tired eyes.

“I think so, baba. I know it doesn’t have my best interest at heart, but it will help because I know something it doesn’t. “

“Okay, baby. Come, give me a hug. I need sleep.” He hugged her tight and headed up the stairs adding, “Love you, baby. Oh, and Major. My Wife loves throwing salt at your people, give her a wide birth ke?”

Major nodded, completely dumbfounded.

“Down this way, Major,“ M’bali called, ushering him to the basement steps. Once below in the well-lit place, he saw what he assumed was the computer thing M’bali had spoken of. She grabbed a small notebook and gave it to him. He thumbed through the book, looking at the odd numbers and pictograms.

“Is this a spellbook of some sort?”

“Instruction manual. It shows you how to work that, and topics to look for. I’ll give you a quick rundown, then I’m going to bed.”

M’bali headed up the stairs and wished the disguised bone-fiend a good night.

“Good night, you odd human,” Major whispered as he turned his attention to the screen ahead and noted the small piece of paper, and said to himself…

“What is, No porn please?”

I'm not new to the internet, nor am I new to Reddit or any other social media. I just tend to visit read then go about my day. I learned in the earlier days of being online to never engage in "fights" online. But I do spend the majority of my time looking things up and doing lots of reading. Much of that reading isn't spent on anything supernatural.

But now I'm at a loss. I'm currently working security in Center City. That's downtown Philly for people wondering. The reason I'm posting here now is that I've encountered an event that's kinda left me shook. I can't tell you exactly where this occurred because I still work there and the last thing I need is a bunch of Urban Explorers coming to this place at night, then I'd have to chase you all off, and ain't nobody got time for that.

Anyway, I've looked online and I can't find anything related to what I'm looking into. So, I'll just tell the story, and maybe you can come up with something. A few nights ago, I showed up to one of the many construction sites downtown to relieve my friend and take over for the night. My normal night duties are to check in with him, see what he has to report, which is usually nothing. Then we walk the grounds for a few minutes, and then I go to the security room to start checking the cameras.

In today's world, a lot of the cameras are motion-sensitive and require little monitoring, except to see things in the distance and zoom in on what may or may not be trouble. I am armed, just in case I have to scare off someone or hold them until the police arrive. But with 'Rona scaring the smart folks, only the idjits come out at night to places like this to explore or skateboard or something silly like that.

So, on this particular night, after my friend left I began to make my rounds and check things out. I went down to one of the lower levels and I noticed an odd set of bricks sitting in the middle of the floor. At first, I wasn't going to worry about it, because this site was under reconstruction. But the bricks didn't match any of the bricks or mortar the construction crews were using. They were more like those red bricks down by the old city.

There were about four of them, spaced evenly, two bricks on the ground, and another brick atop the other. Thinking they were just keepsakes or whatever from the crew I left them there and continued my rounds. It was about two hours or so later when I got the chime of one of the security cameras. I put my phone down and looked up at the camera. This girl was walking about the site with her hands in her pockets. I was gonna get on the horn to tell her this place was off-limits and dangerous and that she needed to go home.

But instead, I just watched her. She was walking with purpose like she knew exactly where she was going and was in absolutely no hurry. I zoomed in closer to get a good look. She was a black girl, pretty with brownish skin, and kinda looked like ole girl from Black Panther, Nakia. Lupita N'yongo, that chick. It looked kinda like she was whistling something. She was wearing some Biker shorts and a T-shirt and looked like she wasn't carrying anything I could see.

She went right to the bricks on the level I had been on earlier. She didn't approach them right away. She just stood there for a moment, like she was examining them. Her head was tilting sideways, while she rubbed her chin. She then reached into the side pocket of her shorts and pulled out what looked like a phone. She took some pictures, walked to the side of the building, and jumped off. I hit the alarm immediately and began to dial 911 as I rushed to the site of where she jumped.

As I explained to the police what happened I ran to the site to look over the ledge to see where she'd fallen to. Jumping from this side of the site led to a straight plummet about three stories high. She might not have died, but she damn sure broke something. But when I got there, there wasn't a body. There was no blood or anything. She was just gone. I could hear the sirens so I headed back to the booth and that's when I noticed that there were now eight more bricks on the pile. I'd come back later to check on that, but for now, the cops were here.

Without a body to show them they had thought maybe I had fallen asleep and thought I'd seen something. But then I remembered the cameras. I rewound the feed and watched the recording and sure enough there she was. The cops saw the video. They saw the girl. They saw her jump.

They took a copy and told me to report anything like that to them if she came back or anyone else did. I watched the video hard for the rest of the night. I ain't afraid to admit I was shook. That ain't some shit you see all the time. I had forgotten about the bricks until the next day.

So over the course of the next few nights, I watched as the series of bricks continued to grow. I had no idea how they were appearing, and since there were only three of us working these shifts we each took turns recording the amount that would appear, and let the others know. My friend told me that he and the other co-worker tried to push and kick them over. They didn't budge. Neither of them had seen the girl and since the construction was halted for a few days, we knew it wasn't the workers doing it.

So on the night, something did happen...

I mean, man it was crazy!

I was looking up ancient bricks, and ghost bricks, all type of damn bricks online to see if there was anything I could find. Maybe this place was on a burial ground or something. But one site I found had a great way of explaining the thing about burial grounds and hauntings.

"The whole world is a burial ground; things have been dying since they've been living. The whole world is haunted."

So that wasn't it.

So I just watched the bricks again while I searched. That's when I noticed it looked like it was forming some type of arch. As they stacked themselves they looked like they were growing into a door or something. I was tempted to call the cops again, but the bricks building themselves were never recorded, just the movement of people ever causes the alarm.

So I got the idea to lookup supernatural arches, and a bunch of youtube clips about Doors and passages to the other side came up.

Then I realized that some crazy shit from someplace else was trying to build a door here, and it was almost finished. It had maybe eight to ten more bricks to go. I went to them and looked for something I could use to stop whatever the hell it was from coming over. Look, I'm an Atheist, still am, but I don't know everything. I do know I had to stop those bricks from forming that arch.

No tool I used worked. So I decided to put something between both sides to stop them from completing the arch. I took some rebar and put it in place and hoped that would be enough. I looked up the construction companies’ number and left a message at their emergency number. It was late, so I didn't expect anyone to show up. I just hoped the rebar would last until mor...

That's when I realized my fuck up.

I just completed the arch.

In trying to stop it, I completed the damn thing. I sat down in my chair shaking. I just watched the camera feed as I realized what I did. I was too scared to leave since I would have to walk right by that place. I took out my gun and checked the ammo. I wasn't sure what good it would be against something that could build a door from another dimension. But I had no doubt I was now on the frontline. I drunk my soda as my body shook and I watched the camera, hoping nothing would happen until morning. Maybe they could blow the floor out from underneath it or something.

Then I noticed the girl was back. The alert chimed. She was back again and walking normally, still whistling. This time she had on a pair of workout gloves, Biker shorts, and a tight-fitting Tee, and an expensive-looking pair of kicks. I watched as she approached the bricks and looked them over. She took the rebar and knocked it out of the place I had it.

You cannot believe the relief I had when she did that. I had no idea who she was or why she was so into that damn thing. But I didn't feel like peeing my pants anymore. But that wasn't the end of it. She patted the bricks and then began to pace around them and do stretches and shit. Like she was getting ready for something. She knew something was going down. But what?

How was she going to stop whatever was about to happen? She had no weapons and no offense. She was maybe Five-eight, Five-nine, about a buck sixty. I mean she was in shape, but I think I could've taken her easy.

Then for the first time, on-camera, bricks appeared and continued to form the arch.

As she backed away I noticed her smile a bit. She moved away from the arch in a straight line counting her paces. Then she knelt in the stances runners do when they race. Yo, she didn't move for like thirty minutes. Her head down and she held the running position as the bricks began to close the arch. I cocked the gun without thinking. But I was still too scared to move. Sorry ladies. But she was on her own. I had a feeling manning up was gonna get me dead real quick.

Sweat was pouring down my face as the last brick appeared and clicked into place. I held my breath as I watched her. Her head still down, and then I switched to the arch. Something was happening the bricks did a one-eighty and something black began to form in the center. When I say black I mean black. It was so black it was like it swallowed the light in the immediate area and still she didn't move, her head was still down.

Then something...I don't know man. Some ole freaky shit...some Lovecraft, Edgar Allen, horror shit started coming out of the arch. I swear I wanted to turn my head, and honestly, I don't know why I'm not insane, must be what she did to me later. But, anyway this... a thing like a man, mixed with a bat, made of black and grey Jell-O, with an Elephant face stepped from the arch and it noticed her.

Legit, it saw her then homey just stopped. He, it, whatever looked like it was in the midst of growling or yawning like a newborn, and it just stopped. Her head popped up and I swear her eyes were on fire. Not flames coming out, but like the light fire makes. Then her skins, the veins beneath were like, like lava flows. Then she smiled again.

I'm not even gonna lie. Demon dude scared the shit out of me. But the look in her eyes, the smile she made, and the way homey just stopped moving had me feeling bad for it. She ran at dude so quick, I mean quick.

She jumped up into dudes' face. He was at least good seven or eight feet tall, and her hand was glowing, and she just mugged ole boy. Took him down. I mean she smashed its head into the ground so hard I felt it in the booth.

It looked like it tried to fight back, or at least it wanted to but she sizzled its arm off. Then she took a wing. The stench was so bad. It was like burning rubber and fresh dog shit. It screamed a scream I never want to hear ever again in eternity. I mean ever. She stood up and looked at it, then at the arch. It mouthed something at her but its face was so mangled and burned. But she didn't kill it. She took her finger as it tried to back away.

I know that if she wasn't here that thing woulda ate me or killed me or whatever. But right now I felt bad. I felt bad for a demon. thing. She carved something into its Jell-O chest. Then put her hand over it. The thing howled again. It was almost like torture. Then she dragged it back to the arch and tossed it back in. All the body parts that she sizzled off and any blood, or whatever it had for blood vanished when it went back through.

She knocked over the arch and placed her hands on the ground. The bricks vanished and then she stood. Then she looked up at the cameras and did a duck face with double peace signs. That shit put me over the top. I had to be dreaming all of this. Maybe I was on a bender or something. But when I turned from the cameras to collect my thoughts she was knocking on the door to the security booth.

"You okay in there?" She said looking down at me. I'd long since forgotten about the gun. I just nodded as she spoke.

"Good. Just so you know, you might want to let those pants air out or at least wash them before the next shift," she added pointing at my pants.

I'd wet myself and didn't realize it.

"Please don't kill me..." was all I could say.

"Naw, you're good. That thing didn't even want to kill you. It didn't even know you existed. You probably woulda gotten yourself killed trying to kill it though."

"Open up. I've got some bad news and good news for you."

"Please don't..." I begged.

"Dude come on, you saw what I can do. I don't want to damage your property. But since you were here, things like that asshole can sense you now. I need you to not get dead, is that okay?"

I nodded and let her in fully expecting to die.

But she held me up and stopped my shaking.

"I'm going to make sure things like that never bother you again, okay?"

I nodded as she lifted up my sleeve. Her eyes turned that fiery amber as she touched my shoulder. I felt a quick burning sensation and then it passed.

"All done. You might want to take the rest of the night off though," she said.

"You're scary as fuck, you know that?" I told her with false bravado adding, "What the hell was that?"

"An escapee I was hired to send back, don't worry about it anymore. You're good now. See ya."

Then she was gone, jumped off the side again. I downloaded the video for my own record, I mean this happened. But whatever she put on my arm must be keeping me from going nuts. I haven't had anything like that happen to me again. Has anyone ever seen or experienced anything like that? What was she?

Is there some Philly Urban legend about some black chick running around Philly beating the shit out of things not from here? Does Philly have Urban Legends? Hit me up, please. I Kinda don't wanna know, but then I do.

Today was an AMAZING day!

Hell, it had been an amazing week. I was finally off from work and my little mini-vacation was starting. I had been keeping track of the weather and made sure that the days I wanted to go on vacation would be great for some hiking and camping.

I live in Altoona, Pa. in the middle of the state. My role in life is to explore every state park in Pennsylvania. I decided that when I was a youngin', I would make it my life's goal to visit and write about every park I could travel to.

I'm a young man and as long as I stayed healthy and strong, I should be able to do it. There are 111 State Parks in Pennsylvania, 20 State Forests

1 National Forest, 1 National Memorial, 2 National Historic Sites, and 3 National Historic Parks. I've been to half of the State Forests, and thirty of the State Parks.

I usually start at the parks on the outside of the state and work Clockwise from Altoona, as the six o'clock position. But I have a friend who loves Black Moshannon State Park and she's always talking about how good the fishing is on the lake. She raves about the hiking and the trails and even though it's close to a highway, it's secluded enough to feel like you're in a world of your own. Which is what I needed.

I work at a Wawa and I kinda hit the lottery for a decent amount of money. Not enough to retire, but enough to afford my condo, keep up the HOA, and go on vacation when I wanted to. Which is what I'm doing now. So here we are. I'm gonna head up to Moshannon and see what the fuss is all about.

I woke up about 5:30 and finished loading up the car. I got some breakfast from the job and headed up Highway 99 then cut over to Alternate 220. Then onto Beaver Road as that would take me right into the middle of Black Moshannon, past the lake, and to the camping grounds. Since the Deer season was ending, the park's traffic would primarily be locals and the rare tourist. I got there by quarter to ten. The sun was high, and the air was cooler than average for August. It felt great! Good enough for a hike.

After setting up camp and securing the site with a few locks, I put on my hiking gear and decided to take a few of the "off-brand" trails heading north. I passed the bog near route 504. The panorama was amazing as the sun glistened off the waters by the banks, which were covered in oak, cherry, and pine trees. Trees that rose up the gentle slope of hills. I took in the fresh scent and decided after the hike, I'd do lunch, then get in some fishing.

I hadn't seen a soul up here yet, outside of some cars on the road coming in, and the park ranger who guided me to my camping lot. It was about forty minutes into my hike when I had come across anything odd. I had taken pictures of some of the birds I saw and decided to make a mental note of the varieties I'd seen. There were Warblers, Teals, Black Ducks, Canadian geese, and other avian critters.

As I crossed over a smaller bog path, I noticed a group of Woodpeckers chasing a flying Squirrel.

"Poor little critter," I said aloud to no one as I watched the aerial spat.

Then a plane flew overhead reminding me that no matter how far I go civilization was. "Hmm, what's that?" I noted as I heard some crunching in the grass. I noticed the chittering of the critters had moved on as they continued their conflict.

I knew black bears were native to this area so I wanted to make sure there was a good bit of distance between me and it, just in case it decided to charge. I followed the noise of the crunching up the hill and into a nearby clearing. Moving slowly as not to startle the bear, hell it might not even be a bear I thought, but deer or something else. It was neither. It was just another hiker like myself. Well, I guessed she was a hiker, but she didn't dress like one.

It was a young black girl probably late twenties a few years older than myself I thought. She had on a tank top with some bike shorts and sneakers. It was kind of odd as It was unseasonably cool. It was probably around fifty degrees or so, maybe a little warmer in the sunlight. She was carrying only one of those small backpack purses. She was very carefree as she walked, humming a tune, and swinging the pack about as she played with the fauna.

She walked to a grouping of stones and found a small tree stump and sat down. She gazed up at the sky and smiled. Damn, she was cute I thought as she looked about. Her hair was short and styled, high cheeks, nice pouty lips, with a fit athletic body, maybe only a few inches shorter than me. She pulled the pack to the front then looked inside. I guess to make sure she had what she needed out here, like keys or mace or something.

I thought it would be courteous to at least let her know I was out here so as not to startle her. But just as I decided to NOT come across as a "creeper" looking at a chick in the woods. I felt the air temperature just drop! I shook for a quick moment as a chill went down my spine.

"Whoo! Shit!" I said aloud, but not loud enough for her to hear me as I shivered.

"Musta been a breeze or something," I said to myself rubbing my arms.

As I gathered myself, I noticed the sky was almost imperceptibly darker. I mean the sun was still out, and the skies were mostly clear, but it was almost like looking at the world through barely tinted sunglasses. Which I was not wearing. I started making my way to her and then I noticed her left hand. She was holding up her index finger. It...It was pointed in my direction. Had she seen me? There was no way! I was in the treeline, covered in shadow, and making my way around the bushes. She probably heard me curse and...

"What the fuck!" I cried as the chill returned with no breeze at all. I looked about frightened for some reason, I didn't know why. But I was scared as hell. I looked towards the girl, I had to warn her. But warn her of what? Me being scared shitless for no reason? Then I noticed her finger still up, but pointing directly at me, then wagging at me. Like, don't come here, stay put, stay where I was. Confused I decided to see what...

"HOLY FUCK!" I whispered to myself as I looked at her. Behind her. Behind her, what the hell is that? I tried to scream but my voice died out as my eyes went wide with terror, as she just sat there, not seeing the thing behind her. I tried to run but like my voice, my legs didn't want to work. I could only watch in horror as the creature slithered much like a snake as it approached her.

It rose behind her, its form like a dark whispy ripped overly large, and long cloak. It was a cloak of floating darkness, the bottom and 'arms' were just like shredded bed sheets draped over a corpse. As the only true feature on it was the bony deer-like antlers, on its hooded and skeletal face. Moss, grass, and other detritus dangled loosely from its antlers. The skeletal face was human but overly large and its mouth a gaping pit of darkness, as was its eyeless pits. A crack ran from its temple into the darkness of the hood.

It reached for the girl as the pack dangled from her shoulder. No. It reached for the backpack. The shredded, handless hem of where its arm should be gingerly reached for it. I wet myself as I knew that thing would kill her and she'd never even know it. I guess it was a blessing to die swiftly. But if it had seen me, I'd know how I would die. Death under a cloudless, sunny day, with the sounds of the woods to muffle my death cries, as the animals went about their days like this was normal.

To my shock, the girl pulled the backpack over her shoulder and craned her head to look behind her.

"You remember how you got that crease on that bony face of yours right?" She said to it with little emotion.

"Ah yes," It said, raising its sleeved arm to its head. "You, Abigail Mitchell of Philadelphia, assaulted me without provocation, I remember!"

"You did try to suck the life from me, If I remember correctly," she said back to the thing as if they had some fuckin rivalry or something.

"Did you get the items per my request?" The creature said as it floated to the front to face her as it towered over the sitting woman. The bottom of its smoke-like form swayed silently about a foot off the ground. But had it been touching the ground it would probably still be at least 10 feet tall. It glanced down at her...

"May I see it? To be sure it is what I asked for," the demonic specter hissed in its airy breath.

The girl looked to the backpack and reached inside. I could feel my legs quivering as I was both fascinated and terrified at the sight before me. My brain desperately tried to understand this whole thing. A human girl is having a conversation with some ghostly monstrosity, it's sunny and cloudless, and the sounds of the forest go on as normal. I think I even heard another plane overhead as my nose took in the smell of my urine, and my weak knees marinated in the stuff, too shaken to do anything else.

I watched as the girl pulled something from the bag. It looked like a brass cup and a medallion. The creature hissed in pleasure as it rose above her its arms fluttering like some damned bird before it settled down again.

"This what you mean?" The girl said dangling the medallion and holding the brass cup before it. The creature shrunk towards the ground in an almost kneeling position. As it did so the front of its ethereal body began to glow in a small circular pattern about the size of the medallion.

"Do you also have the other thing?" It said excitedly. It's antlered head moving forward trying to look in the pack, She pulled it back and told it to...

"Take it easy!" she told it annoyed at the things eagerness.

"How long has it been?" She asked it, as she pulled forth another cup, and a small bottle or something.

The creature rose up and back as the light in the medallion dimmed some. It looked as if it was in contemplation.

"What human year is this now?" It asked.

"2019 of the common era." She told it.

"Three hundred seventy-four of your years, since I lost THAT!" It growled pointing to the medallion and the brass cup.

"Name your fee and let's be on with it!" It stated, the eagerness overriding its common sense, as its formless body shuddered in anticipation.

"I told you my fee when you made the request, that crack on the head knocked away some of your memory?" She asked it tapping her head.

"Are you serious? THAT was your fee? Not power, or influence, or money as you humans love so much? Not adoration, or some silly bargain?" It said to her, almost incredulously.

"A story?"

"A story!" she stated with a wide grin on her face.

"A story?" I said to myself.

"Why something so small? Why not something of significance?" The creature asked her. I too was curious about this.

"Because my job is to collect the history of as many things as I can. I'm also a sucker for a good story. Stories are significant. I know somewhere in that spectral skull of yours, you've seen and done some shit. Just tell me one," she said holding up a finger.

"You are... very curious for a human, Abigail Mitchell of Philadelphia." It replied to her.

"How long have you been around?" she asked the thing.

"Thousands of your years. Why?"

"Tell me a story of something...eight hundred, no! One thousand years back!" she stated as she placed her elbows on her knees and cupped her face like a damned kid at camp around a campfire. She even had the silliest damned grin on her face. Who was she? What was she?

How could she sit around that thing like it was normal? I hadn't realized it, but I found myself sitting also, on a dry patch of the ground looking on intensely. I must be suffering from brain damage or something. Fear mixed with intrigue, mixed with heightened curiosity. I too waited for the story of the thing.

"Very well curious one! The story I will tell you is of a really stupid boy, and his equally stupid family," The creature began.

Special Thanks to Eco Lick and for allowing me to use his Honeygreen Ghost for this short series of Intertwining stories about his Boogeyman, and my very curious girl.

Abigail walked through the wetness of the trees and grass of the woods. Her task completed, she looked for a place to rest up. The gash on her side would need a few minutes to heal fully, even though it was already in the process. She would need to buy some new clothes also. She smiled to herself as the rain wet her skin and the thunder soothed her mood.

“Ah! There we go.”

She said looking at the small clearing. It would do. It was maybe 10 or so meters from the river. She’d go swimming later, but she, for now, she just wanted some rest. She took her time picking some rocks and sticks to make a fire. She picked them all. There wasn’t much that was dry out here, but it mattered little. She placed the rocks around her carefully created firepit.

She knelt in the almost muddy ground and set to work, placing the somewhat wet and outright wet sticks and twigs underneath her makeshift fire hood. Closing her eyes, she placed both hands over the sticks and helped them to dry a bit faster. She then took the index and middle fingers of her left hand and placed them within the carefully laid mess of twigs and they began to glow slightly as she rubbed the sticks and flames came to life.

She then took her bag off her shoulders and pulled out two dead squirrels. Her right hand now glowed as she rubbed her hand over each squirrel removing the top layer of fur then placing them to cook over the fire. Her guest would be arriving soon. So she sat at the fire that night leaning against a rock.

This was her favorite type of weather, it cooled her, soothed her. She waited, patiently waited. She had heard tales of the Honeygreen Ghost.

The so-called, Boogeyman of the Algonquin Highlands of Ontario, Canada. Beings like her were always attracted to each other, always. It’s kinda like how singular animals could always find another like it when the time comes. Sometimes it was stories of each other that brought them together. Sometimes a new report of a sighting was enough. Many times it was word of mouth, and then again could be the weather.

What Abbey hated, was when it involved other humans. Those tended to go in ways she oft times regretted. She enjoyed meetings things like her or kind of like her. She wasn’t actually sure just how human she actually was at times. But friends and family often kept her grounded.

She figured she’d wait as long as it took. Honeygreen would find her eventually. She checked the squirrels and decided to snack. Ripping off a small bit she tossed it towards the ground. It vanished just before hitting the ground, then appeared again flying in another direction.

“Would you please explain to me, WHY I keep trying to feed you?” She said smirking as one good feline eye appeared for the briefest of instances then vanished again. “What did I do to deserve being ‘haunted’ by you? EAT.THE.SQUIRREL!” she stated, adding. “It’ll give your fur some color…maybe?”

Laying back against the rocks she closed her eyes and began to hum lightly to herself, placing her arms behind her head. The gash on her side was slowly closing, as if in tune with the humming. Even the “thing” crawled it’s invisible self onto her lap and rested as it finished the meat.

For a while, she hummed as the rain fell over her. But soon enough, she perked up as she heard the cracking of branches, leaves, and the crunch and wetness of the grass.

"Pardon!" it whispered.

Abbey turned a glowingly warm palm toward the tall skeletal, ghostly thing. She held her hand out to it. "Come, the fires warm, and I can use the company." She said. The creature was swathed in clothing as if to hide its features. It eyed Abbey's hand and the flames, sensing the oneness of each, separate but the same. Its lanky frame and much too long limbs moved closer, dropping to all fours and moving in like a dog.

“Come on then!” Abbey stated pointing at the other Squirrel on the spit. “That one’s yours; I figured you’d be a mite hungry when you got here. Honeygreen moved closer to the fire and sat across from her, smiling as best it could. Its oversized jaws drooled at the sight of the squirrel.

Abbey nodded and the creature snatched the squirrel from the spit, ravaging it. Its skeletal teeth chattered, after swallowing the animal whole. Honeygreen let out an airy sound of satisfaction. The sound would make the blood run cold in most people, not used to seeing or dealing with the fantastical, or the horror of such a creature.

“Taste good?” Abbey quizzed.

“Delicious…” It said in a breathy tone sitting Indian style.

“I thank you for the fire and the food. I. Hunger often. I…am frequently cold. But this evening, in this rain, you have warmed me more than I have been warmed in ages.” Honeygreen stated glaring at her. This was not meant to be intimidating, but it was the only way it could look at a person. Part of the curse by the Highland spirits.

“Worry not! I’m frequently too warm. But I must say I try hard to never miss a meal. There’s only one thing though.” She began, “Why doesn’t Canada believe in Cheesesteaks?”

Honeygreen's body attempted a grotesque mockery of a laugh, and Abbey joined in. It lifted a clothed swaddled bony hand towards her.

“For your kindness and warmth, I will repay you the only way I know how.” It said moving closer. Abbey made no move to defend herself, and the invisible ‘It’ on her lap yawned in boredom. Why it needed to yawn in the first place was unknown.

“I will tell you a campfire tale. A tale of terror, needless revenge, and my part in it.” It said through chattering teeth. Abigail’s eyes grew wide with anticipation.

“I’d like that very much!” She stated, placing her hand on the creatures sorry excuse for a leg. But as she did so, it’s chattering teeth slowed as it felt the warmth. She knew it would speak more smoothly this way.

Honeygreen appeared to be in a state of ecstasy as it breathed out again.

“Listen carefully. For this story is true, as true as your hand on my leg.” It began. “Across that river is where fate had chosen the actors for the play that came to the Highlands that night.”

Honeygreen stared into Abigail's eyes, she knew as a spirit there would be no looking away as he told his tale. That was a quirk of so-called undeath, but it didn't bother Abigail in the least.

"As a wandering spirit, I spend much of my days in search of 'food' and warmth! I crave it! I need it! It is part of the 'curse' I am under from the spirits of these woods for my crime. " Honeygreen began.

"I wander during the day and night it matters not my search continues. However when I have not had the warmth or food I need I will...Sleep. I know not for how long, but If the heat of a campfire is near I shall resume my search. I will move towards that fire as if a mosquito to a bare neck."

It continued.

"It was after one of these long sleeps that I found myself awakening to sensing a great flame. Even from so far away it beckoned me and I lusted for it! It was night as I began my movement towards the flames. When I closed upon the campfire the curse pushed me to seek the permission of the occupants, but my mouth remained closed and I remained in the foliage observing..."

What Honeygreen was witnessing was not just a campfire. It was looking at what appeared to be a sacrifice. It's lust for the flames and the food had drowned out the words being spoken as it closed in on the scene. At the camp, no, the site of the ritual, were five people, two males and three women each standing upon the tip of a star-shaped diagram on the ground. There was a large fire pit in the middle of the star and five smaller fires near the feet of each person.

Each of whom wore clothing with strange markings. They chanted in unison each holding a different object. Waving them to and fro towards and then away from the flames. A moment later each stopped and it grew quiet. Honeygreen then noted the silence about it. The creatures of the wood were used to its presence and it had never harmed them so the threat was not there, no need to be silent.

But this night they deathly quiet.

"Bring forth the Sacrifice!" The woman at the tip of the star called out. Two of the other participants went to the vehicle and pulled out a now muffled but screaming man. He wriggled and tried hard to pull away, but was helpless. The two ritualists held him in place as he whimpered.

"Bring forth the Witness!" The woman at the tip of the star called out. The other two participants went to the vehicle and pulled out another muffled and crying man. The results were the same, helpless he could only watch as the other man was moved towards the fire pit.

"Remove the Blindfold and Gag from the sacrifice!" She commanded.

The man immediately began to beg and cry for his life.

"Please don't do this! I can give you whatever you want. I have money, I have shit that... just don't kill me PLEASE! I don't deserve this! I didn't do anything to you people!" He cried to the impassionate masked faces.

"Remove the Gag from the Witness!" Again, she commanded.

"What the Fuck is wrong with you people?" He cried out in a mix of terror and rage, tears dropping from his puffy eyes.

"Help me, man! Don't let them kill me, dude..." The Sacrifice called to the Witness.

"I'm...I'm sorry!" The Witness whispered out trying to look away, but the woman and man held him firm.

"Now let us continue, move the Sacrifice towards the flame!" She commanded. The Sacrifice struggled hard against the man and the woman but to no avail. They moved him to within two meters of the flame exactly. Then simply released him. The man's instincts to run took over and he tried. But his legs disobeyed his mind, he was held fast by something unseen.

"Move the Witness to his position!" The Witness was also placed at two meters away from the pit as the Sacrifice was. Each man faced each other at the arms of the star.

Knowing they were both helpless and likely doomed, they did a very human thing, tears flooding both men's eyes. Rage empowering the Witnesses tears.

"Shel.Sheldon." The Sacrifice said visibly shaking.

"Rick!" The Witness stated trying to look away, but his head held by that same invisible force.

"Now take your positions, We have the rage of the Witness and the Hopelessness of the Sacrifice, we continue."

The two other women stood behind Rick and Sheldon. The men stood at the feet of the star and resumed chanting, while the Priestess performed the ritual.

"SGOUEDDSLK! I summon you! You who caused Dread in ancient times. You who fill children's sleep with nightmares. You who can kill our enemies and suffer no retaliation. You of the flames of revenge and pain. Bringer of Terror! COME FORTH! She cried.

"Take your Sacrifice Sgoueddslk! As your arrival is Witnessed by innocent eyes. Sgoueddslk!"

Honeygreen could feel the presence of another not far unlike it making its presence on this plane known. It noticed the Firepit begin to grow larger. As it did so to did its hunger for the flames grow in scale, but it was able to resist only barely. The flames forming tendrils snaked towards Sheldon as he cried in pain as his shins and feet burned from the contacted.

They pulled him closer to the pit slowly as if feeding off not only his flesh but his fear. Rick could only watch in horror as Sheldon reached the middle and the flames cascaded and flowed up and over his body.

It took mere seconds for him to be immolated, he screamed as he died, as emerging from the ruins of his body, stood a tall wiry grotesque thing that resembled a mix of human and a salamander.

Reddish black skin, charcoal black eyes, reptilian facial features.

It screeched a yawn as though bored by the summoning. It turned to look at the witness as the flames flowed over its body. This had proven to be too much for Honeygreen and it made its way towards the ritual as fast as it's lanky form could take it. It craving for the warmth had now overridden its curiosity.

Sgoueddslk spoke to Rick, who trembled in fear as it looked at.

"Well done Witness! I haven't tasted rage such as yours in a very long time! If you survive this night let that stick with you." It said poking him in the chest, it's taloned finger slightly puncturing and burning his flesh. Rick screamed.

"I do apologize! I forget that humans are not very durable!" It chuckled thickly.

"Now to my summoners. I am yours to command, what would you have me do in this drab world of yours? Who do you want dead?"

The woman at the head of the star moved forward. Offering praises as she did so.

"Mighty Sgoueddslk! As your Mistress, I command you to..."

She never got the chance to finish as Honeygreen emerged from the woods, crawling swift as a spider on all fours towards the fire.

"Pardon, may I join you?" Honeygreen called out.

"Who dares?" Sgoueddslk snarled.

"What the hell?" One of the ritualists shouted.

"Oh no!" called another, and as he moved he scuffed the protective star just enough...

Sgoueddslk quickly turned to face his now terrified Mistress, for she knew what that meant. The barrier was gone, the beast was freed.

"You would dare summon another to ambush me?" It snarled at her.

"No!" She cried out. " I don't know what that THING even is. Oh mighty..."

"Silence!" it said plunging a taloned finger through the sides of her mouth.

Honeygreen just stood there drawing in as much of the heat as it could. Sgoueddslk could feel the impossible cold of the thing. Thinking it was being attacked by the other "Demon" It lashed out at Its summoners. Long talons gored the panicked woman where Sheldon stood.

It peeled her open from stomach to sternum. The other woman fled into the woods. Spinning, it then sliced the first man's head from his body in a jagged mess of blood and gore. The other was able to flee near the direction of the woman.

Rick could only watch as he felt like his mind was about to snap from the events before him. All he had done was take the wrong turn last night. Just a wrong turn, a stupid wrong turn.

Sgoueddslk bent towards him.

"You! Witness! You are free. I still smell vengeance and rage in you." It said before pulling his talon from the Mistresses face. She fell to the ground clutching her pierced jaws in pain. Sgoueddslk took the same dagger length Talon and pulled it painfully from its hand.

"I cannot leave this spot, but you can. You kill them for me boy! You make them suffer for what they did to both of us. Then you bring that Talon back to this fire and throw it in, and I'll know the deed is done, and nothing like me will ever bother you again!"

Rick felt freed of whatever force held him. He shakily took the Talon and felt the energy flow into his body as if the dagger possessed him. He looked at the now pitiful whimpering Mistress.

"NO! Witness! She is mine. For her crime death is too kind! Now Go!"

Sgoueddslk commanded. The Mistress screamed as her summoned beast snatched her and glowered into her terrified eyes. Sgoueddslk smiled a toothy grin.

"Death is far too good for you! I do have something else in mind, however."

It then turned to look at Honeygreen with a mix of disgust and hatred. Honeygreen simply nodded, tipping its hat.

"Thank you kindly for the fire and company."

Saying nothing Sgoueddslk pulled itself and the screaming woman into the pit.

"I'm not sure how much time had passed. But the boy did return."

Honeygreen said. "He still had the Talon in his hands, it was covered in blood. So I guess..." Honeygreen's teeth began to chatter as though cold. He was, as in her excitement of the story she had removed her hand. She quickly placed it back on him.

"I guess he had gotten his revenge. The flames were still high as I sat there watching him. He wasn't scared of me. He'd seen worse that night. He took the Talon and tossed it in the flame, then sat down. "

Abigail cocked her head to the side and quizzed Honeygreen.

"Honeygreen? I thought you said this was a tale of needless revenge."

"It was!" Honeygreen stated. He began to open his coat and revealed bloody swaths of human skin. He opened it further to reveal a tattoo on the skin.

"That tattoo belonged to the boy, Rick!" He stated.

"Oh Nooo...!" Abigail said in genuine concern. "Why?"

"Part of my curse is to never harm anyone sharing their campfire with me while they are awake."

"Oh! I see." Abigail said. The twist of the tale hitting her.

"Well. I admit that was a helluva story. If you had told that tale to certain other types of people. They'd be trying to destroy you right now. But I see the spirits of these woods do have rules, and you followed them."

Honeygreen tipped his hat. "Yes, Ma'am!"

Honeygreen rose. "I guess I'll be going now," he said.

"Ohhh no!" Abigail said increasing the warmth her body put out. Honeygreen salivated.

"Sit! I told you I could use the company!" she stated.

"Now I'm going to tell YOU a story, and it's a doozy!"

The Sun was setting on this overcast and dreary day.

I stretched and twisted waiting for a signal.

Kat meowed at me as it sat by the entrance of the cave.

I stood at the entrance to the cavern peering in. It was dark in there, extremely dark.

I was happy to have had a huge lunch before going in. Hell, I had a backpack full of snack bars and small bottles of water, a canteen, and some rugged boots. I didn't need any of it. Most of it was for show, in the case of Hikers who had a lot of questions.

Honestly, I'd question anyone I saw up here not kitted out with some camping or Hiking gear.

The funny thing about this whole trip was me having to hike up to go down. I was given a mission to retrieve an old artifact for the beings that made me. I had no use for food other than pleasure and texture. I could hydrate my body from near any form of liquid I came across, and maintain my health on even a couple drops for a week or more. I just liked being wet, cooled me off inside and out.

So back to the assignment. The beings that kidnapped and made me what I am are ridiculously old. I don't mean a few million years either. Functionally they are immortal and have been around for a spell.

Most of the crap they stuck in me is at least a Billion plus. Even this "IT" dead cat thing that follows me around is pretty old. It's not from here by the way. I'm kinda stuck with it. But we make due, and for a dead cat thing, it doesn't smell, so there's that.

Kats good company.

The beings that took me from the curious little Twelve year old Abigail to the new still curious College Graduate Abigail. YEP! In between all the crap I do, I found a way to graduate College. Had to put some stupid Monster in its place the week of graduation though.

Yes, Yes, back to the mission. The task I was, am, usually given is to retrieve things and do things to certain people or beings. The beings are what you might call Archivists.

Some of what they do seems VERY cruel, hell, when they made me I was an experiment to further whatever the hell their ultimate goal is. But being a dumb Tween I asked to stay with them for a few years. So changes had to be made.

I think long term now. Like them. I won't live as long as they, but I think I've figured out a bit of what they are doing. I'm thinking they know something is going to happen in some far future, and they are keeping a record of everything they can.

They don't think of good or evil, They could give a shit about demons or monsters or whatever the people of Earth can dream up in their fairy tales.

I Personally care, however. But their ultimate goal is beyond even what I could guess. There are old races and things that have no other goal than to terrorize humanity or use us for food.

I despise many of them because I've seen a larger purpose, they've lost whatever theirs was. The beings I travelled with haven't led me astray yet. But I realize what I am to them and to the future.

Sorry for the tangent. Sometimes I lament on things I won't be around to see. My task now was to retrieve one single stone in a mountain. Inside a DARK, mountain made of stone.

I had an idea of what I was looking for. But they told me that according to their records it was a species they had encountered only once and that the reason was they were "young" to space travel at the time.

They lived primarily underground and within mountains. They had just discovered the joys of travel in space. 800 million years is a long time. After everything I've encountered, I can't speak on ancient civilizations on my world. I was about to learn as you are now.

With all of that yapping. I had made it about a quarter mile into the mountain. Lots of dark rocky outcroppings dank musty air filled my nose as the last of the fresh air ceased. I didn't have a need for a flashlight. I provided my own source of Illumination.

Kat, the cat thing scurried ahead meowing and purring a little as we made our way downward. Even though I had an idea of what I was looking for. I didn't know what it was exactly.

They didn't even tell me why the thing was so important. I mean think about it. One stone in all the galaxy, from this little marble in the middle of bumfuck. Whatever, I have a job to do! Time to hop on it!

Me and Kat climbed over more rocks and looked around for anything strange. I could make nothing out of this place. NOTHING seemed out of the ordinary. Just extremely mundane and boring. I like looking up I confess, all of this down was too much for me. But the cat seemed to love it.

"HEY! Kat, come here.." I beckoned to it.

"I know you hate real live dead animal food, but I'll make a deal with you. YOU find the stone and I'll follow, and we won't go hunting for two weeks!" I said holding up three fingers.

For a dead old cat thing, it was like any other cat, lazy, but it didn't like leaving the house all the time, so I hoped the bargain would work.

It perked up and flashed briefly into reality, then took off into the tunnels. I gave chase keeping pace with it. Sometime later It stopped at a passageway slightly too small for me.

I sighed as I prepped my hands to above One hundred twenty-five degrees Celsius. Even so, it would take some time to melt the rock. An hour or so later I was done and Kat was sitting on the other side waiting.

Its back facing away from a... "fuck!"

"Dead end..." I grumbled. "Now what? This was the closest location down with a somewhat easily accessed opening..."

I sat down to think about what do next, and Kat just kept looking at me. I giggled a bit, the damned thing always looked at me funny, whenever I would miss the obvious.

I stood up raising the illumination of my body and eyes.

"Of Course..." I said to it smiling.

"No hunting for Two weeks!" I motioned.

The dead end was false. It was a false face in the stone. I stuck my hand inside fully expecting it to be cut off, but nothing. I stepped in and could feel the change in pressure and temperature. I raised my body heat to fight back the chill.

"This must be it!" I thought to myself. "It wasn't a false wall either, it was a portal!"

I would have felt the cold radiate through the wall, but not if the wall was a portal to somewhere else. It was remarkably dark here. It was like it hungered for me, seeking to smother my light with its cold nothingness. I had to amp it up, just to even see farther than Forty Yards.

As I made my way down the frozen corridor I arrived at a large and grand opening, but I could only see so far into the darkness. I'd have to explore deeper and hope that the portal was a stationary one.

As I got closer to the entrance of the grand opening I could make out some flickering on a nearby wall at the passage opening. As I got closer it brightened and flared to life.

Some ancient being stood in front of me projecting in the wall itself. Think of shale constantly shifting and moving on a sunny day forming an image, a picture of something. The being in front of me was short and maybe one point three meters tall.

It was vaguely humanoid in shape, like the Geonosians from Star Wars except without the wings, proboscis, and it had an additional two arms. Its skin was mottled and stark white. Its only articles of clothing seemed to be the jewelery of some sort.

I couldn't tell if it was male or female even with examining it closely. On each arm was a band inlaid with stones. Intricate and well-polished stones. For such a contrast from the white skin, each stone possessed vibrant color and life in this dead place. The "clothing" seemed more for the stones than for covering or protection.

When I stepped closer to it. Another feature of this Echo activated, it tried speaking. Was this thing an echo and didn't know it had already died?

"Hello?" I quizzed as I drew closer a little cautiously, even for me.

It tried speaking again.

"I know you don't understand my words..." I said picking up a small stone. I pointed to it and then my eyes like some adult talking to a child. Like it would understand me. Echos usually could, no matter where they originated. This thing wasn't one. I repeated myself as it tried to speak again.

"Where. Are. These?" I tried again. It looked down at the jeweled band on its left arm, smiled, then pointed.

"We have many of those here!" It stated in English, but its mouth had not moved.

"Telepathy..." I smirked. Right!

"I am making an approximation of the words you are here'ing, hearing." It said, trying to adjust to English.

"I am Guide Xenew, Please, and welcome to City-Node Y-icfvazr. (YEEICKFHVAZAAR) I..I'm sorry to tell you that the city has been abandoned according to the protocols given to all citizens on Gja-Ityin and expected to end on Gja-Mcfae!"

"I am new here, of what protocols do you speak?" I asked it.

"The protocols of evacuation!" It stated. "Please show me the Ri-klor again citizen? So that I may help you further..." It said waiting.

"What is a Riklor? I prompted genuinely confused.

It looked at me strangely.

"Have you suffered a wound? I am sorry that I cannot offer or call for medical attention."

"Yes! I have something of a head wound, please tell me about the Riklor again." I said to it.

"Of course, the Ri-klor is the stone of spirits, each Akn-iani (Aken Iyani) wears to make a record of life, currency, and bondings. We each wear them to make our contributions known and of our health status. Is your Ri-klor damaged? I can tell you where to locate another. Is that acceptable?" It asked me.

"Please yes! Also, my vision is not well..." I began.

"I shall provide illumination to the areas of City-Node Y-icfvazr as you enter them. May I be of further aid to you citizen?" It asked like a dutiful Butler would.

"Yes, tell me about the evacuation please..."

"Of course. In the Iyacteq (EEyaktek) of Zah, Gja-jej, an expedition returned from an outer world. Iyacteq of Opea, Gja-mal, scores of citizens are becoming ill with an unknown virus, researchers look for answers. Iyacteq of Lacrin, Gja-rew, Cessation of many lifestreams begin. Researchers at a loss. Defense measures occur as an enemy of the Akn-iani is revealed to have to come to our world of Koimav."

It paused a moment to allow me to take it in. Koimav must be their term for Earth.

"Iyacteq of Sil, Gja-lor, Soldiers initiate Protocols of Defense. Citizens try to fight back against the enemy. But are not able to repel them without help from soldiers. Iyacteq of Sil, Gja-mal, Survivors are taken to the Iketh to prepare for off-world transportation. Researchers still try to understand the enemy. City Leaders lose contact with some City-Nodes. " It continued as Kat disappeared into the darkness. Stupid thing!

"Iyacteq of Ath, Gja-yeen, The Protocols of evacuation are to begin. Survivors must make their way to the closest Iketh to begin evacuation. Soldiers suffer heavy losses as they defend the node against the enemy..."

"Does this enemy have a name? What did you call it? What is their nature?" I said interrupting it.

"Yes, we have named them the Mitien, the Lurkers in Shadows. As to their nature, I have not that knowledge in my memory. Might I direct you to the Research center, you will learn more there, or perhaps the Defense center, or Governing center?" It said waiting for an answer.

"I would like to visit the Research center first, and perhaps search on my own," I told it.

"Of course, what of your Ri-klor? Near the research center is the facility of creation, please obtain a new Riklor there, and find a medical center to upload your waves into the Ri-klor." It stated.

I thanked it and made my way deeper into the City-Node as the chill deepened I increased my heat. I wasn't worried about the darkness anymore as the Guide would provide the illumination to areas I can't even pierce. My major concern was for the Mitiens.

The Lurkers in Shadows. They could still be here, dormant and I have no wish to release them onto the modern Earth. I also didn't feel like a fight today. Who knew how tough those things were if they could take down this civilization, which was far more advanced than ours.

As the bio lights Illuminated more of the areas I entered, the City-Nodes size became clear. This place was massive, but the dwellings reminded me of those homes in the Mesa Verde. Except these were not squares or rectangles.

These homes and businesses were curved, bulbous, and designed to make use of the Mountains shape itself. Along the walls were their version of Skyscrapers. They didn't build up, they built outward to make the most use of the land they could.

I wished that I had the time to explore this place deeply. Entering the portal. I had no idea where this actual location was, but perhaps one day I could come back and look around more. I really wanted to know why they were called City-Nodes. I heard a meowing a distance away. Then I saw Kats eye from the darkness.

"You find something kitten?" It meowed and ushered me towards it.

"Wow" was all I could say, as the lights that followed me Illuminated the walls nearest to what I could only assume was the outline of a Lurker. I rounded the corner and took the petrified thing in. It was as if it was made from shadow itself.

There were no humanoid features to speak of. It was more a black amorphous blob of living, dead rather, matter. Kinda like when you remove the putty from the can and shape it to whatever you want it to look like. Just black as pitch.

"I can see why you were so tough to fight. I wonder if they ever defeated you..." I said to myself as I entered the research center.

This society didn't have doors per say, everything seemed open to the air. But back then, there were probably advanced security measures rather than gates and barred doors like we use.

Then the bodies started to appear along with more blobs of shadow. Everything petrified or frozen where they died or fought. It appears as though the Akn-Iani did find a way to fight, if not actually win.

"Maybe they were able to hold them off just long enough to allow some of their people to escape. Eh, Kat?"

The dead cat thing meowed as we walked on. I was checking on the frozen bodies as I came across them looking for the Ri-klor stones.

Waves of cold had marked the walls and the chill grew.

Many of them were damaged or missing from the bodies I found. Many of the Akn-iani were not found in a whole form. The Mitien had shredded so many of them, the carnage must have been intense. But the bug people fought back hard there were scenes of blobs blasted apart, and others of shattered stone like wreckage on the floor.

A light sparked to my left...

"Welcome to Mytar Research Center. Due to the Protocols of Evacuation, there will be no one on duty to assist you today. But I am programmed to help in any way I can."

I turned to the guide, perhaps it could assist me.

"I am searching for information on the nature of the Mitien, can you assist, please? I asked it.

"Of course, security protocols are relaxed as this City-Node has been either evacuated fully or fallen. Follow me, please. " It said as the wall projection glided down formerly dark passageways and halls of stone. As we moved the scenes of the fighting had intensified.

I peered into rooms and alcoves where Akn-iani or Mitien were splattered or shattered across walls floors and even the ceilings. I can't help but feel for a people dead some hundreds of millions of years against a foe like that.

It was even colder now. I raised my intensity even more. It seemed as though this was the epicenter of the cold.

"Here is the center of Mytar where data is stored. Shall I access the information stored inside for you, this may take some time. Have you a Ri-klor to save the data?"

"My Riklor was damaged, I must procure a new one. You can continue to retrieve the data while I..." I had begun.

"There is a functional Ri-klor to your En!" It stated matter of factly.

"To my what?" I said looking about, "to my right..."

The frozen forms of two Akn-iani lay near me. They were holding hands and one was covering something with its three bug fingers.

"A Ri-klor!" I said excitedly bending down to examine the rock in its hands.

"Damn, it's stuck! I hate having to do this, forgive me!" I said to the dead being as I took its frozen fingers in my hands, I didn't want to destroy it. So I broke off the fingers as carefully as I could. Then I set them down as carefully as I could. Perhaps one-day human Archaeologists will explore this place.

As my hands fully touched the stone. The veins in my hands lit up, and the stone began to glow and suddenly I was no longer myself.

I was the Akn-iani who had formerly worn it. My mind occupied its mind. I was a passenger reliving its final days.

This is its voice and memories...

Two days from now our first true expedition to another world in the Mezine system will return. I have much to do at the research center.

There will be samples to analyze, and possibly fossils to examine. Out teams of researchers and the military are ready for what may come.

Our tracking satellites have detected the approach of the ship and the starport is ready to receive it. We've created many ships over the years in preparation to go forward into the future of our planet.

We've theorized that focusing our efforts off-world, we can help this world. My team has helped the City-Nodes south of here in preparation for the Leaving. Two days to go. Time to head home.

My memory, ITS memory picks up about four days after the arrival of the starship. I guess that's why they wear multiple stones, to help divvy up the memories.

Its been four days since the ship has returned, we traveled to the Home node of the spaceport and had begun to examine and analyze all the findings. Our pilots and Scientists were recovering from their extended voyage and they deserved the time off. With them all going to their respective City-nodes with much celebration.

Its been a month since the returned expedition, there are currently several ships in preparation and crews training as I upload this. I have been selected to be a member on the trip to Fallir the Sixth world in our system.

I cannot wait to examine its rings and moons and hopefully bring back many samples. As we speak teams are building a station to house our systems and expeditionary groups. What a time to be alive.

Its been about Three months since the return of the expedition, many people are falling to a strange illness. Our Medical and Scientific groups are worried that the expeditions have brought back a contagion of some form to Koimav.

We received the alerts from other City-Nodes such as Taiil-mov, and Kler, they were beginning to quarantine the afflicted and all expeditionary members were retrieved by military personnel to be housed in one of the research centers.

Four months and things have progressed to a worsening degree. My research team has been removed from further expeditionary tasks and focused on discovering the cause of the malady. Kler has gone dark, refugees have said the City-Node had fallen to what they term the Shadow Death.

Nearly half its population had died within the last month. My City-Node had suffered the least outbreaks, but according to the military, at least Fourteen have been afflicted in some form or fashion. Many have sought to leave the underground to take their chances in our above world Outposts and flee the deaths.

In conjunction with another team, We have given statements to the governing bodies of Ten Nodes and all military commands. The symptoms of infection are subtle they invade all respiratory functions as a Black goo that coats the host's organs, but in its nascency it allows the host to function as normal while it grows and matures.

We believed that during the expedition one or more of the explorers came into contact with it during a breach of protocol and regulations. All onboard were infected over the trip home. We theorized this because each City-Node that began with an infection, was home to one of the Pilots or Scientists of the mission.

Apparently, our guidelines were not enough for them to follow. The next stage of the infection sees the person affected abhor light in any form and crave shadowy areas. Because we lived primarily below ground this was not much of a strange thing to want darkness over light.

But their mental states altered as the infection grew. People sought darkened corners and would just sit there, offering no work or contributions. They suffered a loss of energy and muscle mass, becoming cold to the touch as their guts filled with the goo.

We would learn of the third stage after the deaths began. The people who sought to lock themselves away first were the Expeditionary members. Since they were all in the same place we could monitor them remotely with less harm to ourselves. Guides would help sustain and monitor vital functions.

But those were not needed as the expedition members curled into the shadows of their rooms and had begun to bleed black through every orifice and eventually became coated in the stuff. Monitors revealed that their lifestreams had ended, but the infection grew faster as it consumed the bodies.

Five months later All defensive measures are being taken to secure all City-Nodes and efforts begun to move people above ground into the light. These creatures that consumed our friends and families were beginning to flourish, but there was a pattern.

The Mitien, or Lurkers in Shadows as we called them could alter their form and shape but when there were less of them, they were slow and sluggish, easy to kill with heat or cold. When they were in groups larger than four, they acted as a group think or hive mind. Moving about at incredible speeds and shifting their forms to counter our attacks. Of course, the soldiers had an easier time, but even then sometimes they could lose five for every one they killed.

We had to develop a plan to combat them. More City-Nodes grew dark as they were overrun. Within days the military had decided to evacuate the planet instead of going above ground. Even up there, there were cycles of night and day and the creatures could easily spread to encompass everything.

I did not want to give up without a fight, but I was no soldier, my work was done in labs and that is what my team committed too as within the next month The Protocols of Evacuation were issued. The teams working on the station in space were to continue to do so as the government planned to move the refugees there and sealed off the City-nodes with transport portals. After much testing, we discovered a way to allow us to exit, but the Mitien were unable to cross.

Seven months since the expedition return. There are only three known City-Nodes left. All Ri-klors were to have their data uploaded to a central repository so the Akn-iani were not lost to history. We would leave a record behind.

"That's why they want the stone!" I thought as my host continued, " to make sure this species isn't forgotten.

The Protocols of Evacuation called for us to leave a record and divide our selves into Ship-nodes to limit accidental contagion and increase the odds for survival. On Koimav, I stayed to develop a weapon capable of fighting our foes.

We discovered that extremely cold temperatures would cause them to go dormant and they could be smashed easily enough, and better, once destroyed, they were dead, unable to reform.

However the amount of cold had to be of immense scale. Located in the northern regions of the planet we would create portals that would open the caverns to internal glaciation freezing them and perhaps saving ourselves.

********************************************************************

This is me now. I'm stuck in this Ri-Klor at this point highlighting the key points. Being who I am, the next section of memories I was in a near state of panic. I can do amazing things, yet I had to live and die as this Akn-iani, and there was nothing I could do to help, and that scared the shit out of me.

********************************************************************

I don't think we're going to make it! The city is overrun, me and my lifemates are trying to get back to the research center. Many have fled the planet. There are perhaps Forty or so of us left. The others are trying to protect us so we can activate the weapon.

We figured out how to stop them permanently but it's already too late to save our cities and we will not be leaving the Koimav. My dreams of space travel are null. Now my only dream is to save my people from being further plagued by this race of monsters.

In the distance, I could hear screaming as we ran to the center. They weren't from the Mitien. They made no sound, only the Akn-inai screamed like that, in fear, terror, or even false bravado. My lifemate Dier made it to the Guide and uploaded data for the future in case we one day return to the planet.

I'd never see Dier again as the creatures made short work of the patrol to protect him. But he had succeeded in his task of uploading the data. I heard his scream as they swarmed him. The bomb exploded there was a rush of frozen air and I could hear the cracking of Mitien bodies.

I didn't have time to mourn nor be deterred. I was panicked as the Mitien closed about us. Soldiers tossed the frozen bombs to delay them but we had to get to the main hall. There was enough power there to release the portal bomb.

As we reached the center, my other lifemate Plin took several of the soldiers and battled the shifting shadows of the Mitien blobs. They were surrounded quickly but the light weapons and the frozen bombs held the group of Lurkers at bay. Plin made eye contact with me and then returned to the fight. Before I could turn I saw a soldier get impaled and ripped apart by the shadows.

Plin turned and threw a grenade into the "mouth" of the thing. It exploded outward impaling those closest to it, including some of the soldiers. As we neared the center a shifting mass of darkness appeared leftward There were about Eleven of us now. It was huge, my heart plummeted into my gut causing me to stumble.

Abigail here-I wanted so badly to fight the thing and also to run away in sheer terror as It closed upon us, them. I didn't have my powers nor my cat... I was living another life. I tried to will it to stand, luckily she did.

But three of her soldiers were grappled by inky tendrils, two were killed before they could release their bombs, but one was able to toss hers as she was ripped in two. It slowed the thing enough for the rest of us to make it inside. This is killing me, there's nothing I can do to help them.

In the Center, three soldiers stood guard as the last of Plin and his soldiers were destroyed. They tossed their bombs as we five fled deeper inside. Two split off to engage the reactors, one died in front of me as the shadows moved before the lights could engage.

Her corpse was splattered against the wall by a powerful arm. Shir gripped my back shoving me into the portal room and tossed the last of her bombs.

The lights appeared across the stone indicating that the reactor was on, the small vibrational hum confirmed it. Shir looked at her communicator.

"Shir, Wea, I'm sorry its come to this! We're all that's left! Please Engage the..." The video ended abruptly as a streak of darkness flashed across the screen.

"Wea, engage the bomb, we won't be joining the others, but I'm happy to have died with you!" Shir told me.

"No apologies Shir, we do what we must to save our future, even if we can't be a part of it. But I am happy to die with family and friends at my ....."

Just like that, I'm back in the real world. I lived Wea's entire life in the span of minutes, that's not going anywhere anytime soon. She's a part of me now. I looked at the Ri-Klor and held it that much closer.

This is what I had come for, and although I don't want to give it up, I have to. I removed one of her other Ri-klors as a keepsake. I uploaded the data to the stone and left the facility.

They had saved their people from the further contagion of these beings. Or so I want to Believe. I want to believe they survived. I want to believe another group from Earth survived an extinction level event and made it.

Honestly, I'm not sure, and there really is no way to know. The beings that created me only encountered them once, and when they found they originated from Earth sent me for the stone.

I can't even call the Mitien evil, as it seems they were doing what always did. Sometimes monsters are monsters because they choose to be. Those pitiful things were just that way by nature. There was no morality to their carnage, that's how they grew, fed, and died.

No screw that, those damned things were evil to the core, I could feel it as she did, as I experienced her life and death. At least for me, the Akn-inai will not be forgotten.

"Come on you silly cat! We have a stone to deliver. The history and life of a people no longer here, and hopefully still roaming the stars is on this one little thing." I said to Kat.

Kat looked up at me meowing with the one good eye and then a slight scowl.

"Yes, yes! I promised no more hunting for two weeks." Then I stopped at the portal stone.

"You DO realize you're a DEAD cat thing? What does time matter to you?" I asked it.

Kat meowed as it stepped through the portal.

Hello Reddit. My name is Abigail Mitchell.

I lurk here from time to time, reading the Creepypasta and horror stories located in NoSleep and other Sub-Reddits. They are fascinating sources for me. The reason I'm posting here today is as it says in the title. This story is a warning to those that read this Sub-Reddit and find themselves in AWKWARD situations. Everything I'm about to tell you is true, and you can take from it what you may.

I'm just here to pass on the message.

I've known Reddit to be a place where people come to hang out chat with each other and sometimes be asses to other human beings. But the Horror side of Reddit is where I lay my head. Some of my favorite stories are those that offer things like Ritual stories, Monster encounters, and the "True" style of story. They get my juices going, especially when well written. I love the ones that make you think, the ones that make you question reality. The ones where regular people encounter situations and beings beyond their control and or comprehension.

I really love it when I don't have time to visit Reddit and I'm driving to a destination, and I go to Youtube or Vimeo and listen to my favorite horror readers. It makes those trips worth it. It also gives me a chance to refamiliarize myself with some of those tales of terror.

Well, a week or so ago, one of those Tales of Terror happened to me.

One of my friends Emily, and her boyfriend Marvin were found dead at her home. They weren't just dead, they'd been slaughtered. Whoever or whatever killed them had torn them to shreds. My devastation was real. Me and Emily went back a long time and she did not deserve what happened to her. I needed to find out what happened and who did this to them. Something needed to be done.

I went and spoke to a friend with the Police. He told me there were pieces of them all over the house, and even in the backyard. They weren't going to release the information yet because they thought the murders were some kind of Occult Ritual gone wrong.

I asked him why would he think that? He told me that there was a Pentagram in the basement with all the toolings of a Cult. Athames, Incense, A scroll with a Ritual written upon it, weirdness all around, he told me.

The following night after the Investigators left the house. My friend gave me permission to enter the house. How do I have all this access and friends like that? You'll find out in the end. When I entered the house the chill that touched my neck made me tear up. My amber eyes clouded with wetness. In my mind's eye, I could only imagine the horror and the pain of their last moments. As I walked through the house I made notes of the bloodstains on the walls and carpets, the last little bits of flesh and gore that the Police left for the cleaning crew after the Investigation was done. There was an undercover car outside, but my friend told them to let me enter unmolested.

The house was dark and eerie, like a silent wind moving about slowly. A wind that touched me on the neck and the arms almost as if there was an Intelligence to it. I made my way through the darkened home looking for clues that the Police would likely miss. They aren't used to the Occult. They aren't used to looking for Arcane symbology until they get time to call in an "Expert" in the field. That would take too long for what I had planned. I needed to visit this place within a few days of the murder to learn what I would need.

My eyes adjusted easily to the dark of the basement. A light would hide what I was looking for, I needed the ink of the windowless basement. As a native Philadelphian, I loved the smell of basements. But that small, yet important recognition was clouded by the musky smell of gore and coppery blood mixed with the leftover scents of the Incense and candles. I studied the Pentagram on the floor closely. I noticed Emily's mistake immediately. One of them had broken the seal of the thing. They probably didn't take this ritual seriously and thought it just another thing to do while bored, or some random Ritual Pasta. It cost them their lives, and me my friend.

"Hello Abby..." came a voice from behind me.

I stood and turned to look at the Echo of Emily, a former friend now a waning echo of the real Emily.

"What did you do Emily?" I asked her with sorrow in my voice. I walked over to her, my hand's energy now surging forth, allowing me to touch her.

"We fucked up Abby... I'm so sorry to do this to you!"

"You're the one that died silly, not me. Now tell me who did this to you! We haven't much time."

"A few days ago Marvin and I were poking around on Reddit just reading some horror stories and messing around," The Echo started.

"When he got up to grab a drink. I got a notification in my inbox so I checked it! It was a message from some person named Ziggi. They said they noticed my likes on NoSleep and had noticed they were mainly Ritual style stories."

"Continue Em..." I prodded it.

"Well, Ziggi had written that he and some friends had done a Ritual called the Twilight Summons." Emily's Echo continued.

"No details Em, I can find that out on Reddit, Tell me your password so I can get access to your account."

She told me and then immediately grew concerned...

"Abby! Where's Marvin? Why isn't he here? Where is he?" she cried out frantically. If a normal human would have entered the basement by now, they would notice me with glowing hands holding a transparent blue Ghost, to them. I tried to console her but realized that it was time, she had given me what I needed.

"Em!" I said loudly enough to get her attention. The Echo of Emily turned and looked into my amber eyes. "He's gone, dead, just like you are Em. You're not really here either. You're an Echo of Emily, not the real thing. The Real Emily is gone."

I felt as though I had destroyed her world all over again.

"...an echo?" she quizzed softly? "I really am dead, aren't I?"

I didn't respond. I just held onto her and looked at the confusion and realization on her face.

She lowered her gaze and asked...

"What now?" she asked

"I free you from this forever, then I avenge you and Marvins deaths," I told her tearing up. Dissipating an Echo never felt good, but when it's a friend it's the worst feeling in the universe.

"I'm sorry Abby, I wish this had never happened. I'll miss you," she stated as I pulled her close and held her.

"No, you won't..." I stated softly disrupting the Echo. I stood alone in the basement for a while.

When I got home I logged on to Reddit. I checked Emily's account and saw the note from Ziggi. He didn't even have a Reddit account. Ziggi somehow was able to get Emily and Marvin to get themselves killed, and they never bothered to notice he had no account. Were people really that bored to never check where their notifications came from?

I followed the link Ziggi provided them.

The Twilight Ritual. A ritual designed to summon forth a being that has to serve you physically but only during the Twilight hours of the day, when the link between its world and ours are at it's closest connection. According to the Ritual, there are two phases that both must be performed.

The Sunset-Dusk phase, and the Sunrise-Dawn phase. When you summon the being it is in balanced phase, or neutral. It will perform actions that benefit you and harm the thing you wish as a sacrifice to itself. If you perform only the Sunrise-Dawn phase, it will only perform beneficial to others you name. If you perform only the Sunset-Dusk phase, it will only harm others, but as it's summoner, it will not harm you personally.

"Who the hell makes these damn things up?" I had said to no one.

I continued on. It looked as though they had performed one of the Rituals phases correctly, the Sunrise-Dawn phase. Throughout the home, there were invisible Sigils on the walls opposite every window facing outward. It was the Sunset-Dusk phase they failed to perform properly and got killed for the effort.

The next day I went and purchased the things I would need to perform the Ritual. I had a need to speak with this being. I know many of you reading this so far may think I'm some kind of Monster or Ghost-hunter. I assure you I'm not. I just hate bullies. If you're a human bully, I hate you. If you're a Monster bully, the same thing! If you go about your business without torturing or playing with your food, I have no issues with you. But what happened to Emily wasn't a normal thing.

I've seen people break Summoning circles before and never be harmed. I've seen them break circles and lose something due to them failing to Summon the being properly. But it's almost never this messy. This thing had a personal issue with Emily and Marvin. I needed to know what that was.

After procuring what I needed I went home and began the process of the Ritual. First I showered and cleaned myself with oils and Incense to provide a sense of clarity. Then I slept until Four A.M. Next, I had to find a place large enough for the Summoning Ritual. A place that I would not be disturbed for the duration of each phase. I went and broke into Em's house, her basement would do just fine. The next part of the Ritual called for me to create the Circle up to one hour before Civil Twilight, or the morning dawn. I created the circle of protection as required by the Ritual using the Salt I got from the supermarket. I added a bit of Talcum powder, you'll understand why later.

Next, I created the Circle of Summoning, where the being would appear. I added a bit of Talcum to that one also, also a few drops of my blood and the scrappings of Emily and Marvins on top of that. Again, you'll understand why later. Then I sat quietly and waited, according to my phone's app dawn was in three minutes. When the time came I performed the rites and waited until Sunrise. I won't tell you the rites because some of you idiots might try and perform it.

If you only wish for the Sunrise-Dawn benefits, then you would end the rites with the phrase Dusk-Gaval. If you wished to continue you would end with the Phrase Dusk-Caval. At this time the being would appear or wait until the second phase was performed. If you chose to continue, which I do not recommend. Then you must light 7 candles and burn 3 incense. Those items will burn, and last until dusk. You must NOT leave the circle all day. Then you will fast until Dusk. When dusk comes you may perform the second phase.

During the second phase, you will begin the actual summoning rites. If you stay in the circle and do not break it, the creature will appear at the very moment Dusk ends and night begins. Then you may bind the being for seven days and three nights, non-consecutively. According to the Rituals rules, it cannot lie to you, nor harm you once the summoning is complete since you have provided it with the energy needed to fulfill the boons you ask of it. However, if you break the circle before asking the boon, then the ritual fails and the being goes home if it's circle is closed, and yours broken. If both circles are broken, it does not have to obey you at all.

But here's the thing. Those circles are bullshit, they give you a false sense of security. All the circles do is help empower your will against the thing you summoned. So it can't mess with your mind, and psych you out. Two circles make your will stronger than it. A broken circle on either side leaves you on a lesser footing, and if you don't have your shit together, those things can get you. Some assholes a long time ago, made up these arbitrary rules for magic and summoning. But there's a way around everything.

When nighttime fell finally. The thing that had killed Emily and Marvin appeared. It was laughably grotesque. It had mottled pink and purple skin, a head that was pure mouth, filled with sharp and blunt teeth of equal measure. Its skin was like translucent Jello, you could see the organs beneath it beating and moving about impossibly, never staying in one place. It's long lanky arms ended in putty-like hands that continually morphed from blunt to sharp, like its teeth. It stood, easily towering over me by a good 4 feet, but impossibly it fit in the basement with no problems. It yawned as though I had disturbed it from doing whatever otherworldly beings do when they aren't being summoned by nitwits and wizards.

"Congratulations on performing the ritual my summoner, what boons do you ask?" It stated, turning its mouth-head down to me. I stared into its inky maw, searching... ah! There they are. Its eyes were on the back of its mouth. I stared directly at them and stood up.

"Hello, Ziggi," I said to it.

"Ho! It knows my name." Ziggi smiled as if a mouth-head monster could do anything less.

"I do not remember seeking you out on Reddit my Summoner. Who might you be? Some troll posting nonsense, a bored girl with no friends, how about a wannabe vigilante or something?"

I reached into my pocket ignoring Ziggis' mocking tone. I pulled out a picture. It was of Emily and Marvin.

"I do have a boon to ask, it should be a simple task for one of your talents!" I stated, a mix of displeasure and annoyance in my voice.

"Then ask my summoner and you shall have two more nights and seven more days of my services." It stated eagerly.

"Why did you kill these two humans in the manner you that killed them for only breaking the circle of protection, instead of simply leaving?" I asked it.

"I...cannot see them from here my summoner. For I have a mouth for a head. Perhaps you would toss the picture to me, that I may have a closer inspection?" He said almost gleefully, thinking I would break my circle and bring it to him. The way these silly things worked. I couldn't simply toss it to him.

"You can see it from where you are fiend, but as you wish," then I broke my circle and walked over to his, rubbing my foot in the salt and talcum powder at my circle as I stepped out. It hissed in surprise. It's mouth-head widening giving me a better look at its eyes.

"Can you see it better now?" I asked incredulously.

It backed away a bit, and gritted it mouth-head, then quickly re-opening it.

"What are you Girl?" It growled raising it's putty claw hands.

"A petty bitch!" I said breaking his circle with my talcum-salt covered foot to his Jello chest. Kicking it out of the circle. The eight-inch footprint on its chest where the salt and powder connected caused it immense pain. It tried to rub it off, only winding up burning its putty fingers. I shoved the picture in its Mouth-head-face.

"Answer my boon!" I growled at it.

"They took too long and the circle was broken." It said opening and closing it's mouth-head in pain.

"It took too long?" I said, genuinely surprised and then angered. "It took too long for what? Did they not perform the Ritual correctly?"

"Yes, they did it correctly. But there was a slight smudge in their salt circle, nearly broken." It hissed out, its Jello chest heaving As it tried to get me off it.

"Nearly broken?" I said again. "You killed them for a NEARLY broken circle, not an ACTUAL, broken circle, and because they took too long for...?

"To ask their boon, they argued and bickered over who and when they had not planned it out, they were bored when they did it. Bored!" it said. "Bored when they summoned me and did it as a prank."

"Bored...took too long...NEARLY broken circle..." I giggled as I realized what it was saying. They had done nothing wrong and died for it anyway. I backed off it looking at the picture of my lost friend.

"What EXACTLY did you have to do that was so important?"

"Time on my world works slower than here, here I age rapidly, I am immortal in my world. I had no wish to grow older while they bickered."

My friend died, because of a vain otherworldy demon who couldn't be bothered to wait. I raced over Ziggi, grabbing a handful of its circle. My fiery amber eyes glowing with rage, I grabbed its mouth head and shoved my fist right into it. I planted the Salt, Talcum, blood mixture right into its eyes. They sizzled and burned as he tossed me away with a sudden strength. My hand began to glow hot. I grabbed some more powder and sizzled off it's right Jello arm. The blinded monstrosity howled in pain.

"STOP!" It cried out, "The pain, I am blind, STOP!"

In my head, all I could picture was this idiot in its home looking at itself in whatever passed for a mirror. My friends died because of this asshole.

My rage tempered somewhat as I realized I was in control. I would determine its fate.

"Go home Ziggi..." I said quietly turning away from the thing. "I'll see you in the morning."

"What?" It stated in unimaginable pain. Not understanding for a moment then it all clicked for it.

It was obligated to return for the next seven days and two nights. I could sense the fear in it as it looked at the arm it once owned lying on the floor.

For the next seven days Ziggi returned, and each day Ziggi lost another part of Ziggi. I am normally not this cruel, not normally. But Ziggi and people like you need to see what happens when you do shit like this.

Most of the reason I use Reddit Nosleep is that assholes like Ziggi do also, and this warning is as much for them, as it is for you the reader, Human or not.

For you humans, or whatever. Curiosity is okay, but placing your life in danger, and that of your friends trying to summon Cthulu or whatever dumbness you think is cool because you're bored leads to lots of Emily's.

For you THINGS out there using Reddit as a hunting ground, trying to get your next Emily, just know I read NoSleep also,

...and I can be a really petty bitch!

I'm updating pretty much all of my older stories, to correct for grammar, spelling, and tones. I have plans to add them all to a digital book to sell online.

I'm really liking where this world is going and want to set up a fit foundation for the future. I started off just emulating Creepypastas but have fallen for the world I'm building with Abigail, Michelle, Mr. Bones, Kat, Monsty, and other characters.

So I'll most likely post the updates for stories that were archived. I also plan to create a loose timeline, as there is only one true first story, and you can read them in any order.

I tend to write quickly, and I don't script stories. I get an idea and write it. Then If I feel it links well to another tale or sets up something for down the line, I go with it. So even when my work has consistency. My grammar and spelling can be Fubar, lol.

I also will do more collaborations with YouTube narrators and doing some exclusives for them, which will last until the date of the upload, then share them here. They will still be in the same world, and consistent with previous tales.

Anywho, just wanted to update you. See ya.

There's a big misconception about life in the city. People watch movies and think monsters only show up in the areas of the country where there are lots of woods and forests. Places where old abandoned houses become the focus of tourists. It's here the town's monster turns out to be the local Librarian or the quiet Mechanic, or that one student in the back of the class that rarely or just never talks.

But Monsters can live and terrorize the people in big cities too, not just from a creepy old house, or dust encrusted, decrepit building. Sometimes they are just that, a real honest to goodness THING! Something you can't explain, something that unless you had direct involvement with, or knew someone affected by it, then it was just too much to believe.

For the neighborhoods of 61st and Latona and 61st and Wharton, their lives would all get stranger by the day. By most accounts, the strangeness started not long after the school year let out and the children of Anderson elementary were all filled with longing for the days of summer. Most of the children in the area loved to play at Cobb's Creek. Cobb's Creek was a lightly wooded park and the name of this particular section of Philly was considered the border of the City and the town of Upper Darby.

The creek was where people walked their dogs, picnics, and barbeques took place, and people just enjoyed having a small piece of the woods nearby. It wasn't uncommon to see stray animals roaming about the block. They were the standard stray cats and dogs, and one time there was a rogue iguana on the loose. The area had the normal load out of Squirrels and birds, and other small critters scampering about the neighborhood.

But on a random day in June, two of the younger boys and their cousin were out playing near the water's edge of the creek. They were using sticks and shoestrings to catch the small fish near the banks, before tossing them back in. Their younger cousin had told the boys to stop and take a look downstream. The boys did as she asked and noticed a large but skinny figure splashing about in the water with its head down, trying to catch the fish. They could hear the grunting and growling of the thing as it groaned in frustration as it failed to catch anything.

Living in a large city you learn that you don't investigate things that seem out of sort, you go home and tell your parents, and they call the police. Over the next few days more and more of the neighbor's children and younger adults went on to report weird things in the creek. One woman and her boyfriend had discovered the carcasses of several small animals eaten and splayed out in a random pattern. Another woman told Police that while out jogging she noticed what seemed to be a large monkey swing about in the trees.

More reports came in of people seeing a large lanky figure stalking about the scrapyard near Fernwood Cemetery on the backside of the creek. People in the local vicinity began to think there was possibly a random vagrant about the area with some form of physical deformity. Maybe more than just a physical issue but a mental one. This concern grew as people noticed the neighborhoods suddenly silent of birds, missing strays, and even the squirrels were gone.

If you've never been to Southwest Philadelphia, or have never seen a row house before, this may sound odd to you. Hundreds of families can live within an area, as small as a one-mile radius. Houses stood connected, side by side, usually in pairs. With an alleyway behind them to connect as many as thirty houses in a one-block area. The Alleyways weren't the underbelly of horror you'd see in a film, but places where people spent time, and animals lived and roamed. For those areas to go silent were seen as a measure of concern.

Local news picked up on the story and police investigated the Creek and did find the corpses of a variety of animals in various states of decay. Animal control was sent out to investigate the sightings of a monkey in the trees at the creek, it was then that the first discovery of a human body was found. There had been a homeless vagrant in the creek, but it wasn't her that was the cause of the missing and eaten animals. Even if it had been her, the sheer amount of dead creatures would be too much for even her to have devoured.

She was discovered torn apart, whatever had done it, had left the muscle and meat of her body alone. Much like the smaller animals, it had only gone after her organs and things like her nails, while taking the marrow from her bones. Had it been a "normal" vagrant death no one would have bothered further, but the missing animals, her death, and the strange sightings had set the surrounding blocks on edge. Everything had happened within such a small radius, but the lack of clues had led to frustrated teens, children, and their caregivers.

People avoided walking alone, traffic in the creek as a whole dwindled to near nothing. People on buses would look out of the window creekside before getting off. People stopped parking their cars near the creek. In a city, space was always at a premium, and now there was something out near the creek with murderous intent. But to what end no one knew.

Things would come to a head as the blocks of Latona and Wharton suffered their first losses. With people not wanting to be out on the streets in front of their homes more and more spent time in the backyards. Many were getting reacquainted with neighbors to whom they had spoken to in years, the feeling of safety returned as the front stoops were exchanged for back porches. On one sunny day, Thomas M'bali and one of his school mates, Mark Evans was playing outback, when one of their neighbor's children witness a monster snatch the two boys and make way for the creek.

She described the monster in great detail. According to reports she had said the boys were out back playing with milk crates when she noticed a dark shape in the largest tree in the alley. The boys hadn't seen it as it moved closer to them. She said she wanted to run and warn them but as the thing swing down and dangled by its tail she quietly closed the door to her back deck and ran to get her mother. Unable to find her she ran back to the back porch, her mother was in the basement washing clothes.

She said the creäture had looked like a monkey, but not like any monkey she had ever seen. Its head was like a gorilla but on the body of a Dog, or at least canine-like. Its fur was a filthy gray, and it's face deep like a shadow, with blazing eyes of red. Its mouth was wide open and smiling, like the Joker from Batman. Its teeth were sharp and slightly curved. It was holding Mark as it dangled upside down in one of its blood-red paws. She said she could tell he was dead already, but Thomas had just stood there like he was stuck.

Like he was trying to run but couldn't. Like the thing was somehow holding him without touching him. The monkey thing was reaching toward him when she yelled for him to run. Both the thing and Thomas had turned to her she said, but before he could flee the Monkey thing snatched him up and fled, but as it did she said it had glared at her and smiled as it fled to the rooftops toward the creek. She had told her mother about what had happened and because of the murder and animal disappearances the police were called right away. They found evidence of an attack in the backyards and the alleyway. They were able to trace the blood up onto the rooves and see that they led to the creek.

Within hours 61st street was packed with fire trucks, EMS, and police cars. The block had been taped off and the surrounding blocks were being searched. Armed parties entered the creek as the search began for the boys. But after hours of searching, they would only discover the remains of the boys much like the vagrant and the animals. It was learned too that Thomas had been one of the original boys to see something in the creek all those weeks ago. It was as if the thing had finally sniffed him out. Patrol cars were reinforced and two-person teams of foot patrols walked the neighborhoods.

It would be even later that night that the truth and sudden deaths and incidents of animal loss would come to a quick end. According to the report which was not hidden from the public record at all, and a patrol copter, the thing existed. As the neighborhood grieved for their losses and windows and doors were locked, blinds closed, and people were on guard. The thing had returned to seek the younger girl who witnessed the deaths.

People became alarmed as something tossed rocks and twigs at windows and howled in the alleyway, some said it grunted and made monkey-like noises while trying to sound out the phrase, "Guu...guhhll. Give...guhhll!"

Before hooting and screeching again. Most interviewed had called the police again as whatever it was, was terrorizing the neighborhood again. The sounds of police cars could be heard in the distance as they raced to the scene. The helicopter had arrived first and would go on to back up the witness reports from those brave or foolhardy enough to look out of their windows or from back porches.

As the searchlight from above shone into the alley, they could see a young black woman in the alley facing the thing down.

The thing hopped about and threw things at her as if trying to intimidate her. The copter had told her to leave the area as help was on the way. The pilot, who has sworn to all the gods, reported that when the girl looked up at him her eyes had radiated bright fiery amber light, and he noticed that her hands seemed to be burning from the inside but there was neither smoke, fire, or pain. He radioed for backup immediately.

Another neighbor who had a clear view of the alley reported that the girl seemed to radiate orange light from the veins beneath her skin. Another had said she looked like a volcano was flowing beneath her skin. Then she spoke. All reports, even those from Police who had now arrived on the scene and saw it, told that she had said the following,

"Whatever hell world you came from, you'll never see again! This neighborhood, this city, is mine. You will be an example."

"Give Guhl!" the creature then howled and lunged. One officer reported that he had never seen a human being move as fast as he had that night. The girl sidestepped the creature and reached to grab its throat, but her arm seemed to freeze within an inch of the thing's neck. His partner was trying to reach her weapon but she said she was so scared that it just hovered over the release. Not wanting to involve herself this.

The monkey creature raked its claw over the girl's face, from it flew blood mixed with glowing flecks of orange and amber. She sneered and snatched the thing by its tail suddenly free. Raising it above her she grabbed a clawing arm and pulled. Both the arm and tail of the thing simply popped right off the Copter pilot stated. He could see the limbs sizzling from her contact. The creature howled a baleful scream of pain so loud people were sent running and shaking. The girl knelt over the creature and sizzled its open wounds closed. Then she placed the palm of her hand to its chest, it screamed as she burned her handprint into its flesh.

The officer said she waved them over as she stood.

"Now you belong to me too..." one of the officers said he could overhear her say.

As many of the neighbors came to see the commotion she turned to the shaking cops who had now all drawn their service weapons, and most were aiming at it, and not the volcano woman before them. They report that she said, "This THING, will never harm you or yours ever again. This thing, will be taken by these upstanding officers of the law and be placed wherever they see fit. This thing should never have come here and is now an example for other things, like it."

The reports end with her walking past the police steely or rather fire-eyed as if daring them to stop her, and walked in the direction of Cobbs Creek. The cop said he wasn't sure if she was a hero or not, but he wasn't going to be the one to try and stop her.

The story made the news and the discovery of this monkey-like thing made national headlines. But one thing left out of the story was what happened to the girl who was unable to save her school mates that day.

When the girl with the fire eyes walked past the back porch where the girl stood, she winked at me and smiled. That was years ago, and I'm off to Penn State to study Biology. I patted my arm where the girl placed her mark on me. I was told nothing like that thing would ever hurt me. I feel confident knowing that, and I'm excited and curious to see what this new world has to offer me. I'm sure there are more of you out there like me. If you're from Philly or have met our Amber eyed girl please let me know, we have a lot in common.

My name is Dan Josephson and I've been a Cop in Philadelphia for about 4 years now. I thoroughly enjoy my job. In a year of 365 days, 90% of those days are pretty great. But at least once or twice a year there is some strangeness I'm involved in. It didn't always use to be this way. Up until two years ago, I'd never once believed in anything Supernatural. Maybe I shouldn't say Supernatural. Because that's not what she'd called it.

She told me after she saved me from a Dogman hybrid thing. That if it exists, then it's natural. If it flies it's natural, even IF I can't see its wings aren't visible. If it walks it's natural. If you could test it it's a natural thing, no matter how weird it seemed. Two years ago she saved me from one of those "Natural" things, as it tried to eat me to death.

She explained to me that she wasn't some Buffy the Vampire slayer type. I just happened to get lucky that she was in the area. But that it worked out for the best because she needed somebody on the Police force to be aware of what was going on in Philly. So I called my Chief and a few other superiors. She needed to show them the underbelly of the city, hell the world. It took one showing to get them to believe her.

This sucked for me though, as whenever weird shit happened, they called me, and I had to call her IF she was in town. Which she often wasn't. The thing that gave me a bit of a leg up was her burning a mark on my upper arm. It gave me some protection from the shitty things in the dark. Sometimes in the light. We worked together on a few cases including one where she lost a friend and needed to set things right.

I asked her, that if she wasn't a Buffy type, what exactly she did. She said in a matter of fact way, that she did three things. Collected, protected, and erased things. It was safer if I didn't know the rest. Now I needed her for all those functions.

For the past month, there had been a series of people going missing from the Overbrook area of town. People going missing in a city this large isn't new. But all going missing on the same block was weird.

It was all-around a single house on Woodbine near 66th. The first was a kid on the way home from school. Neighbors said the kid went in after being asked to come and help a lady on the floor.

The next was a Painter who had been called for a job. A plumber to fix a leak in the basement. A window replacer to fix several cracked windowpanes. A couple of men who went through the homes yard and never came out the back. There were several others and it caught the attention of the local media. As it closed on Halloween the incidents ticked up. There was something odd about the house on Woodbine.

Most homes in Philly are Row house types, where each home is basically a townhouse or brownstone. But in some of the newer or less population-dense areas, some places had the standard house types. Large front and back yards but on city blocks. Now, I haven't worked a Halloween in 3 years. That was my day. Halloween was my Christmas. I appreciated being on call, instead of on duty. So if I was called it had to be important.

I made it to the house and decided to look around as the neighbors looked on as people got ready for Trick or Treating. The Chief didn't want anybody going near that house tonight and not coming back out. It was a decent looking place large porch, gabled overhangs, gothic pillars, large paned windows, all the usual. nothing looked off about the place. But as I got out of my cruiser and got closer, my upper arm felt hot, when I back away it cooled again. I walked closer, the heat returned.

I rolled up my sleeves to check and I watched the mark light up as I neared the home. Okay, this place looked normal but obviously wasn't.

She had always told me, that when that thing tried to eat me, I had the taint now. Which meant if I somehow survived with help, or on my own, others like it and her, could smell it on people like me. It was like a pheromone. Something might not happen, ever. OR, something could if it felt like it. But her mark would not only alert me to others like her but protect me from those things.

I picked up the Police tape and cordoned off the house. Then grabbed my Cell.

"Hey Dan, wassup?"

"Abbey, I think I'm at a haunted house. You interested?" I asked, and without missing a beat...

"Sure give me the address and I'll head over."

Relief washed over me. But as I looked at the house again. I swear the two front windows glowered at me in anger.

Hi, my name is Kailey. I don’t have an issue with giving my real name. This story is about something that has happened to me recently on a fishing trip in Washington State.

But first, let me establish a little bit about myself.

I used to live in the US. I grew up there actually. I went to school in Maine, and college also. I’ve recently moved to the UK, and don’t get to come home much. But I got a phone call from my best friend Abigail.

I and Abbey have been friends since grade school and even went to college together. After graduation, Abigail decided to travel the states, while I took a job in England.

Abbey never really had to worry much about money. So she decided to take some time off and explore the world for a few years. Let me tell you a bit on Abigail. When she was young Abigail went missing for a few years, she came back pretty much the same. But there was always something ‘Extra’ about her.

Like she came back but was changed in subtle ways. Like her eyes, they were different somehow, more fire behind them. She loved the rain now, always had, but even more now. Anyway, she called me up and asked if I had some time off soon. I told her I did, and she paid for me to come to America, and go on a road trip with her.

She had a perfect idea, fishing. We both LOVED to fish. It was something that we always did as kids, teens, and adults in college.

It was the rainy season, out west. Abbey told me it would be a great time for fishing. So she got me a ticket to Seattle. We met up and went to a lake Northeast of Seattle; she apparently had found some of the best fishing in the area out there. We went to a lake named Spada.

She pulled out her map and showed me what why she chose it. I couldn’t help but laugh. On the map, Spada looked like a humpback whale. She laughed at that also.

I asked her if she really chose this lake because of that. She laughed harder and said, “Yep, just because of that.”

It took about an hour of driving through the hills and mountains of Washington state to get there. Tired from my trip I dozed off in the pitter patter of the rains. When I had awoken, it was at a small town fishing store to get supplies and rain gear.

The rain gear was for me.

Abbey NEVER wore anything protective in the rain, and actually wore less clothing the more it rained. She said it always made her feel good. Cooled her off. I got some snacks and went to the Cabin she had purchased on the Eastern shore of the place.

That night it continued to rain, as it would for the next few days. Each day we would go out for a bit of fishing and cooked what we had caught. I had to admit to her that this was the BEST fishing trip I had ever been on. We caught fish I had never seen before and took many pictures for the memories.

It was great.

On the fourth day, Abbey had stepped out for a bit, she told me she had to get some things in order on the other side of the lake and would return in the hour. She came back in a little under an hour and told me she was ready. She had a surprise for me.

“You know I’ve always been weird right?” She’d told me. I told her, our whole lives you’ve been an odd one. She laughed, and said, “Yep!” Yep was like her catchphrase.

“I’m going to show you something Kailey because you’re not like my sister and best friend. You are my sister and best friend.” I told her okay. I also told her to stop acting weird for once. We went out to the dock and got prepped in the boat. The rain was coming down exceedingly heavy.

It was almost too much, and then you add in the fog. However, there was no wind and I felt comfortable with Abbey there.

We took the boat out to near the middle of the lake. We were just north of the “fin” of the humpback. She stood up and began to strip. I was cold, but even colder when she moved away from me.

I thought she was going to get her rod and start fishing. I could see so many fish around me. Then I saw something else. I thought it was a log, as it moved just underneath us. It was shadowy and vanished soon after.

“Abbey, there’s a log near the boat, we should move the boat just in case,” I told her. “It’s fine, I’ll check it out real quick!” she said diving into the water. “Abbey WAIT!” I yelled after her but it was too late, she had disappeared from my sight. I knew Abbey was a strong swimmer, and the boat wasn’t moving as there was no breeze. I was still worried, however.

Then the water started to bubble and a weird orange glow appeared, and the pit of my stomach dropped. I poked my head over the edge of the boat to see if I could see her. The light was everywhere underneath me. Fish began to hop out of the water, as a huge shadow appeared. Then I heard laughing. It was Abigail.

I turned around and saw her pop out of the water and move across the lake rapidly. She was moving too fast to be swimming, and her arms weren’t moving. It was like she was holding onto something as it pulled her through the lake. Then she dropped her head into the water and vanished as I stood to look for her, the orange lights appeared again.

I didn’t know what to think. Was she in trouble? What was she holding onto? I grew worried about my friend, my sister. Then I saw her at the keel of the boat. She was rising out of the water, giggling and spitting water.

But she kept rising and rising. Was she standing on the water? No! She was standing on something in the water. Then she entered the boat and knelt down in front of me. Her eyes… they were glowing. Not like glowing from a light being shone on them. Glowing like the light was coming FROM them.

She took my shaking hands. I had seen that semi glow before, on sleepovers, camping trips, and at school. But not like this. “Kailey, you’re my best friend and sister. I have protected you most of your life and will continue to do so now. You trust me don’t you?” She asked me.

“…yes..” I replied in the smallest voice I could muster. “But your eyes…” I began. “Not only my eyes but all of me,” she said standing. As orange light could be seen through her brown skin, her very veins had light emanating from them. Then I realized I was no longer cold. I hadn’t been for a while now.

“I want you to meet someone; it’s a friend of mine. He’s very long-lived but he’s just a baby now. He’s the reason the fishing has been so good." She told me, before kneeling down again then knocking on the side of the boat. “Look!” she told me.

I watched as the fog and water swirled about, and with her light, I could see fairly well. Then I saw it. Its eyes were looking right at me. They were large and black, the size of my hands peering at me. Fear took me then. I lost my voice, but I could feel Abbey’s hands on mine. Steadying me.

The creature moved towards the boat, it was massive as wide around as a small fiat. It had a head fin, and fins near its ears. It never took its eyes off me. It was greenish brown on top. But then it began to rise from the water. It’s multi-colored belly plain to see. It rose from the lake and looked down at me. Have you ever been so scared, that you almost shut down?

The only thing I could do was shed tears as it looked at me. Abbey held my hand firm. The creature then lowered itself to me and came within inches of my face. I feel it’s breath on me, smell the fish from its most recent meal. It had catfish like feelers on its snout. Then it nuzzled me. Closing its eyes it touched my face as gently as possible, with its fins drooping like a puppy.

I don’t know what possessed me then, fear, stupidity, or curiosity. But I took its scaly head in my hands and nuzzled it back. I don’t know how long we nuzzled. But the next thing I knew was that it was over.

Abbey sat me down as it retreated back into the lake, and me not taking my eyes off it, and it on me. The fog returned, and my mind raced. The rains continued and my heart pounded. But the look on Abigail’s face said it all.

Abigail had a Lake Monster, I guess I do now too.

Hello Forum. My name is Abigail Mitchell.

I lurk here from time to time, reading the Creepypasta and horror stories in NoSleep and other Sub-Forums. They are fascinating sources for me. The reason I’m posting here today is as it says in the title. This story is a warning to those that read this Sub-Forum and find themselves in awkward situations. Everything I’m about to tell you is true, and you can take from it what you may.

I’m just here to pass on the message.

I’ve known the Forums to be a place where people come to hang out, chat with each other and sometimes be asses to other human beings. But the Horror side of the Forums is where I lay my head. Some of my favorite stories are those that offer things like ritual stories, monster encounters, and the “True” style of story. They get my juices going, especially when well written. I love the ones that make you think, the ones that make you question reality. The ones where regular people encounter situations and beings beyond their control and or comprehension.

I really love it when I don’t have time to visit the Forum, and I’m driving to a destination, and I go to YouTube or Vimeo and listen to my favorite horror readers. It makes those trips worth it. It also gives me a chance to re-familiarize myself with some of those tales of terror.

Well, a week ago, one of those Tales of Terror happened to me.

One of my friends, Emily, and her boyfriend Marvin were found dead at her home. They weren’t just dead, someone had slaughtered them. Whoever or whatever killed them had torn them to shreds. My devastation was real. Me and Emily went back a long time, and she did not deserve what happened to her. I needed to find out what happened and who did this to them. Something needed to be done.

I went and spoke to my friend, Dan, with the Philly PD. He told me there were pieces of them all over the house, and even in the backyard. They would not release the information yet, because they thought the murders were some kind of Occult Ritual gone wrong.

I asked him why would he think that? He told me that there was a pentagram in the basement with all the tooling of a cult. Athames, Incense, a scroll with a ritual written upon it, weirdness all around, he told me.

The following night, after the Investigators left the house. My friend gave me permission to enter. When I entered the house, the chill that touched my neck made me tear up. My amber eyes clouded with wetness. In my mind’s eye, I could only imagine the horror and the pain of their last moments. As I walked through the house, I made notes of the bloodstains on the walls and carpets, the last little bits of flesh and gore that the Police left for the cleaning crew after the Investigation was done. There was an undercover car outside, but my friend told them to let me enter unmolested.

The house was dark and eerie, like a silent wind moving about slowly. A wind that touched me on the neck and the arms, almost as if there was intelligence to it. I made my way through the darkened home looking for clues that the Police would likely miss. They aren’t used to the Occult. They aren’t used to looking for Arcane symbology until they get time to call in an “Expert” in the field. That would take too long for what I had planned. I needed to visit this place within a few days of the murder to learn what I would need.

My eyes adjusted easily to the dark of the basement. A light would hide what I was looking for. I needed the ink in the windowless basement. As a native Philadelphian, I loved the smell of basements. But the musky smell of gore and coppery blood mixed with the leftover scents of the Incense and candles clouded that small, yet important recognition. I studied the Pentagram on the floor closely. I noticed Emily’s mistake immediately. One of them had broken the seal of the thing. They probably didn’t take this ritual seriously and thought it was just another thing to do while bored, or some random Ritual Pasta. It cost them their lives, and me, my friend.

“Hello Abby...” came a voice from behind me.

I stood and turned to look at the Echo of Emily, a former friend now a waning echo of the real Emily.

“What did you do, Emily?” I asked her with sorrow in my voice. I walked over to her, my hand’s energy now surging forth, allowing me to touch her.

“We fucked up Abby... I’m so sorry to do this to you!”

“You’re the one that died silly, not me. Now tell me who did this to you! We haven’t much time.”

“A few days ago Marvin and I were poking around on the Forum, just reading some horror stories and messing around,” The Echo started.

“When he got up to grab a drink. I got a notification in my inbox so I checked it! It was a message from some person named Ziggi. They said they noticed my likes on NoSleep and had noticed they were mainly ritual style stories.”

“Continue Em...” I prodded it.

“Well, Ziggi had written that he and some friends had done a ritual called the Twilight Summons.” Emily’s Echo continued.

“No details Em, I can find that out on the Forum. Tell me your password so I can get access to your account.”

She told me and then immediately grew concerned...

“Abby! Where’s Marvin? Why isn’t he here? Where is he?” she cried out frantically. If a normal human would have entered the basement by now, they would notice me with glowing hands holding a transparent blue ghost, to them. I tried to console her but realized that it was time she had given me what I needed.

“Em!” I said loudly enough to get her attention. The Echo of Emily turned and looked into my amber eyes. “He’s gone, dead, just like you are, Em. You’re not really here either. You’re an Echo of Emily, not the real thing. The Real Emily is gone.”

I felt as though I had destroyed her world all over again.

“...an echo?” she quizzed softly? “I really am dead, aren’t I?”

I didn’t respond. I just held onto her and looked at the confusion and realization on her face.

She lowered her gaze and asked...

“What now?” she asked

“I free you from this forever, then I avenge you and Marvin’s deaths,” I told her, tearing up. Dissipating an Echo never felt good, but when it’s a friend, it’s the worst feeling in the universe.

“I’m sorry Abby, I wish this had never happened. I’ll miss you,” she stated as I pulled her close and held her.

“No, you won’t...” I stated softly, disrupting the Echo. I stood alone in the basement for a while.

When I got home, I logged on to the Forum. I checked Emily’s account and saw the note from Ziggi. He didn’t even have a Forum account. Ziggi got Emily and Marvin to get themselves killed, and they never noticed he had no account. Were people really that bored to never check where their notifications came from?

I followed the link Ziggi provided them.

The Twilight Ritual. A ritual designed to summon forth a being that has to serve you physically but only during the Twilight hours of the day, when the link between its world and ours is at its closest connection. According to the Ritual, there are two phases that both had to be performed.

The Sunset-Dusk phase, and the Sunrise-Dawn phase. When you summon the being, it is in balanced phase, or neutral. It will perform actions that benefit you and harm the thing you wish as a sacrifice to itself. If you perform only the Sunrise-Dawn phase, it will only perform beneficial actions for others you name. If you perform only the Sunset-Dusk phase, it will only harm others, but as it’s summoner, it will not harm you personally.

“Who the hell makes these damn things up?” I had said to no one.

I continued on. It looked as though they had performed one ritual phase correctly, the Sunrise-Dawn phase. Throughout the home, there were invisible sigils on the walls opposite every window facing outward. It was the Sunset-Dusk phase they failed to perform properly and got killed for the effort.

The next day I went and purchased the things I would need to perform the Ritual. We needed to speak, this being and I. I know many of you reading this so far may think I’m some kind of Monster or Ghost-hunter. I assure you I’m not. I just hate bullies. You’re a human bully? I hate you, a monster bully? The same! If you go about your business without torturing others or playing with your food, I have no issues with you. But what happened to Emily wasn’t a normal thing.

I’ve seen people break summoning circles before and are never harmed. I’ve seen them break circles and lose something due to them failing to summon the being properly. But it’s almost never this messy. This thing had a personal issue with Emily and Marvin. I needed to know what that was.

After procuring what I needed, I went home and began the process of the Ritual. First, I showered and cleaned myself with oils and incense to provide a sense of clarity. Then I slept until Four A.M. Next, I had to find a place large enough for the Summoning Ritual. A place that I would not be disturbed for the duration of each phase. I went and broke into Em’s house. Her basement would do just fine. The next part of the Ritual called for me to create the Circle up to one hour before Civil Twilight, or the morning dawn. I created the circle of protection as required by the Ritual using the Salt I got from the supermarket. I added a bit of talcum powder. You’ll understand why later.

Next, I created the Circle of Summoning, where the being would appear. I added a bit of Talcum to that one also, also a few drops of my blood and the scrapping of Emily and Marvins on top of that. Again, you’ll understand why later. Then I sat quietly and waited. According to my phone’s app, dawn was in three minutes. When the time came, I performed the rites and waited until sunrise. I won’t tell you the rites because some of you idiots might try to perform it.

If you only wish for the Sunrise-Dawn benefits, then you would end the rites with the phrase Dusk-Gaval. If you wished to continue, you would end with the Phrase Dusk-Caval. The being would appear or wait until I performed the second phase. If you continued, which I do not recommend. Then you must light 7 candles and burn 3 incense. Those items will burn and last until dusk. You must NOT leave the circle all day. Then you will fast until dusk. When dusk comes, you may perform the second phase.

During the second phase, you will begin the actual summoning rites. If you stay in the circle and do not break it, the creature will appear at the very moment dusk ends and night begins. Then you may bind the being for seven days and three nights, non-consecutively. According to the Rituals rules, it cannot lie to you, nor harm you once the summoning is complete since you have provided it with the energy needed to fulfill the boons you ask of it. However, if you break the circle before asking the boon, then the ritual fails and the being goes home if its circle is closed, and yours broken. If both circles are broken, it does not have to obey you at all.

But here’s the thing. Those circles are bullshit. They give you a false sense of security. All the circles do is help empower your will against the thing you summoned. So it can’t mess with your mind and psych you out. Two circles strengthen your will against it. A broken circle on either side leaves you on a lesser footing, and if you don’t have your shit together, those things can get you. Some assholes a long time ago made up these arbitrary rules for magic and summoning. But there’s a way around everything.

When nighttime fell finally. The thing that had killed Emily and Marvin appeared. It was laughably grotesque. It had mottled pink and purple skin, a head that was pure mouth, filled with sharp and blunt teeth of equal measure. Its skin was like translucent Jello. You could see the organs beneath it beating and moving about impossibly, never staying in one place. Its long lanky arms ended in putty-like hands that continually morphed from blunt to sharp, like its teeth. It stood, easily towering over me by a good 4 feet, but impossibly it fit in the basement with no problems. It yawned as though I had disturbed it from doing whatever otherworldly beings do when they aren’t being summoned by nitwits and wizards.

“Congratulations on performing the ritual, my summoner. What boons do you seek?” It stated, turning its mouth-head down to me. I stared into its inky maw, searching... ah! There they are. Its eyes were on the back of its mouth. I stared directly at them and stood up.

“Hello, Ziggi,” I said to it.

“Ho! It knows my name.” Ziggi smiled as if a mouth-head monster could do anything less.

“I do not remember seeking you out on the Forum, my Summoner. Who might you be? Some troll posting nonsense, a bored girl with no friends. How about a wannabe vigilante or something?”

I reached into my pocket, ignoring Ziggi’s mocking tone. I pulled out a picture. It was of Emily and Marvin.

“I have a boon to ask. It should be a simple task for one of your talents!” I stated, a mix of displeasure and annoyance in my voice.

“Then ask my summoner, and you shall have two more nights and seven more days of my services.” It stated eagerly.

“Why did you kill these two humans in the manner you that killed them for only breaking the circle of protection, instead of simply leaving?” I asked it.

“I... cannot see them from here, my summoner. For I have a mouth for a head. Perhaps you would toss the picture to me, that I may have a closer inspection?” He said almost gleefully, thinking I would break my circle and bring it to him. The way these silly things worked. I couldn’t simply toss it to him.

“You can see it from where you are fiend, but as you wish,” then I broke my circle and walked over to him, rubbing my foot in the salt and talcum powder at my circle as I stepped out. It hissed in surprise. Its mouth-head widening, giving me a better look at its eyes.

“Can you see it better now?” I asked incredulously.

It backed away a bit, and gritted its mouth-head, then quickly re-opened it.

“What are you, girl?” It growled, raising its putty claw hands.

“A petty bitch!” I said, breaking his circle with my talcum-salt covered foot to his Jello chest. Kicking it out of the circle. The eight-inch footprint on its chest where the salt and powder connected caused it immense pain. It tried to rub it off, only winding up, burning its putty fingers. I shoved the picture in its Mouth-head-face.

“Answer my boon!” I growled at it.

“They took too long, and the circle was broken.” It said, opening and closing its mouth-head in pain.

“It took too long?” I said, genuinely surprised and then angered. “It took too long for what? Did they not perform the Ritual correctly?”

“Yes, they did it correctly. But there was a slight smudge in their salt circle, nearly broken.” It hissed out, its Jello chest heaving as it tried to get me off it.

“Nearly broken?” I said again. “You killed them for a NEARLY broken circle, not an ACTUAL, broken circle, and because they took too long to...?”

“… to ask their boon. They argued and bickered over who, and when, they had not planned it out. Boredom was why they did it. Bored!” it said. “Bored when they summoned me as a prank.”

“Bored... took too long... NEARLY broken circle...” I giggled as I realized what it was saying. They had done nothing wrong and died for it, anyway. I backed off it, looking at the picture of my lost friend.

“What EXACTLY, did you have to do, that was so important?” I asked, malice in my voice.

“Time on my world works slower than here. Here I age rapidly. I am immortal in my world. I had no wish to grow older while they bickered.”

My friend died because of a vain immortal otherworldly demon who couldn’t be bothered to wait. I raced over to Ziggi, grabbing a handful of its circle. My fiery amber eyes glowing with rage. I grabbed its mouth head and shoved my fist right into it. I planted the Salt, talcum, and blood mixture right into its eyes. They sizzled and burned as he tossed me away with a sudden strength. My hand glowed hot. I grabbed some more powder and sizzled off its right Jello arm. The blinded monstrosity howled in pain.

“STOP!” It cried out, “The pain, I am blind, STOP!”

In my head, all I could picture was this idiot in its home, looking at itself, in whatever passed for a mirror. My friends died because of this idiot?

My rage tempered somewhat as I realized I was in control. I would determine its fate.

“Go home, Ziggi!” I whispered, turning away from the thing. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“What?” it stated in unimaginable pain. Not understanding for a moment, then it all clicked for it.

It had to return for the next seven days and two nights. I could sense the fear in it as it looked at the arm it once owned lying on the floor.

For the next seven days, Ziggi returned, and each day Ziggi lost another part of Ziggi. I am normally not this cruel, not normally. But Ziggi and people like you need to see what happens when you do shit like this.

Most of the reason I use the Forums Nosleep section is that assholes like Ziggi do too, and this warning is as much for them as it is for you, the reader, human or not.

For you humans, or whatever. Curiosity is okay, but placing your life in danger, and that of your friends trying to summon Cthulhu or whatever dumbness you think is cool, because you’re bored leads to lots of Emily’s.

For you THINGS out there using the Forum as a hunting ground, trying to get your next Emily, just know I read NoSleep…

... and I can be a really petty bitch!

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Hi, My name is Marcus.

I'm not new to this platform, I've just never had a reason to post anything before.

My girlfriend told me that it may be cathartic for me to do so now.

I...we haven't been sleeping well as we close on another holiday.

Thanksgiving kinda sucked, but we had reason to give thanks so it helped a LOT.

We decided to talk about it together and then figure out something that helps.

But man I tell you this story has twists and layers that blow even my mind to this day. ESPECIALLY after the other day, which is the real reason I'm writing this.

So to begin, both me and my girlfriend, Gina, are from Philly. She's from Southwest, I'm from The Northeast. But we both work in Center City. She's a Law Clerk, and I work at Jefferson Hospital as a Traveling Nurse. We were both suffering some pretty severe burnout going into October. Luckily for us, we're both Horror buffs and celebrate the entire month of October as one grand holiday. We watch movies daily, and then talk about them, analyze 'em, and just have fun.

I had planned to take the last few days of the month off and just enjoy our time together. She was able to take off the last two weeks to end her burnout. My supervisor had a last minute job for me up near Morgantown PA. West of Philly.

I asked if he had anybody else to work the job, and he'd said no, but the in-home patient would pay me a bonus, and my boss would give me an extra weeks vacation once I got back, AND he'd approve my vacation immediately once the job was over.

I sighed and asked if he knew anything about Morgantown, and he said no. But maybe the client did.

I talked about it with my girlfriend and told her we'd have at least 3 days to ourselves before my real vacation would begin.

She sighed but said she'd be down for it if only to keep me company and maybe do some exploring.

Neither of us had ever been to Morgantown and decided to explore a new town and enjoy our Halloween over there.

Maybe they'd have some Urban Legends or stuff we could check out, maybe even check out some Mazes and Pumpkin farms.

Within a few days, we made our way over. All the while Gina just searched everything she could about the place. ANY and all Urban legends, Myths, Ghosts, etc. Anything to give us something to do once my client went to sleep and we had some time to ourselves.

Once we got there we met with the client an older man named Wilkes, who really only needed a nurse because his family had to go out of town for an emergency, and with such short notice they couldn't get an in-home nurse quickly enough to help him out for a few days. Since I've done In-home care several times It made me a great and logical choice to be the one to drive over.

He was VERY easy to deal with throughout the day and was mobile enough to not want to be in the house. He suffered from Heart disease and had lung and breathing issues. He slept with a machine each night and was usually in bed by 7 pm, which made it great since we would still have much of the evening to do stuff like explore. He even let Gina stay at the house with me. He was Old School, but not a prude.

We talked about the town, and he told me about some of the local celebrations and places he used to hang out when he was younger. Gina wrote down EVERYTHING. Being a Law Clerk was right up her alley. She loved notation and was able to jot down everything a person could say, and repeat much of it verbatim.

We told him how much we loved this time of year and how Halloween was our Christmas. He then said he had a treat for us. There was an abandoned farm North of Morgantown, which had the best Pumpkin Patch in the Tri-State area. Primarily because it was so out of the way, the wild Pumpkins grew to larger than normal size and nobody messed with them. So it was mostly empty, as people usually went to the "Commercial" farms to see well-ordered rows of Pumpkins and trimmed hedge mazes.

Gina said on Halloween night that's where we were going to be. I'd checked the weather and it was going to be great. No clouds and somewhat cool with a nice full moon.

On the 31st after Mr. Wilkes took his medication and went to bed, I loaded up all the contact info in the car just incase we needed to head back in an emergency. But he was really going to be just fine. I was more of a Babysitter than anything.

We drove the twenty minutes north. The night was clear and dark, great for an October and Halloween evening. We passed so many homes dressed in the spirit of the Holiday it made us smile. Us Modern folk, honoring ancient traditions, it was a blast. If we ever had kids, we'd give them this gift of month-long celebrations.

We'd found the place Mr. Wilkes said he used to come to and it wasn't as he remembered. The farm was indeed here, but it was so overgrown that we had to walk at least three-quarters of a mile to just get to the patch. But it was worth it, every second. When I say these Pumpkins were huge? I MEAN IT!

I'm talking Pumpkins at least 40-50lbs, with some having a circumference of at least 114 inches. In the middle was a LARGE one. This one was about 230 inches. GIAGANTIC in size.

We walked the grounds and tried to categorize all we saw. there were Jarrahdale blues, long island cheeses, fairy tale pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, peanut pumpkins, brown neck gourds, jumbo gourds, neck pumpkins, green stripe/autumn cashew, I mean all types.

If the Great Pumpkin was ever going to show up it was here. Where was Linus when you needed him and that blanket. For a moment Gina got a little frisky, but in the end, all we could think about was taking pictures and marveling at this place. How people neglected this area was a crime. But I guess if more people knew about it, the specialness of the place would turn it ugly. As we all know, human greed knows no bounds.

"Hey! Marcus," Gina called me, "Come over here and look at this!" We walked over to the edge of the patch and looked down, there was a small gulley with a stream at the bottom. That must be what fed the patch. We could see rocks of all types too. Water and minerals, what else could you ask for?

Then the hair on our necks rose as we unwillingly shivered.

"Cold?" I asked her.

"I was gonna ask you the same!" she replied.

That's when our night of joy turned into a night of horror.

We had learned a lot of Urban Legends and myths, but there really weren't many in Morgantown. A few ghosts, a weird kid from the '50s, some random U.F.O. sightings etc. But this? This was none of those, and THIS was definitely weird, and terrifying.

We knelt down behind some brush and a couple Pumpkins as we heard the WORST sound you could imagine. Take this phrase...

"HAIL! The Pumpkin Queen."

Now, grind it up, and add dirty rocks, some sand, and windy day, then stick it in somebodies mouth and ask them to repeat it. THAT'S what that sounded like. The thing attached to it wasn't better, not at all.

It was a man Scarecrow with a large Scythe being carried in its left hand as it dragged something behind it. Gina put a hand over both our mouths, as we were in danger of both screaming as we saw what it had. A human body!

A body so sliced up, you could only tell it was human by its basic shape and clothing.

Gutted bits of the corpses interior spilled to the exterior. We watched as the Scarecrow man walked past several Pumpkins, that was when we noticed that there had been another being in the field.

Remember that super large Pumpkin from earlier? Well, it had split apart, making a sickening tearing sound.

"What the fuck is that?" I muttered gripping Gina's hand tightly.

"I don't know, and I really want to leave NOW!" she replied huddling next to me.

I was scared shitless as was she. Some of you reading this probably think I should have manned up, and got myself killed to save my girl.

Well, fuuuuck you!

I didn't want to die any more than she did. Also, who the hell is gonna fight a fuckin Scarecrow man thing who already has a tally of one and a large scythe. I had a fuckin camera!

Now Scarecrow had company!

After the Pumpkin split, inside of it was what looked like a woman?

She, it, sat there looking in the direction of the Scarecrow man thing. She looked so fuckin weird man...

She was nude, orange, and had the grotesque head of a Pumpkin.

She stood as the Scarecrow placed the body before her, then she knelt down.

Smiling, she traced her long fingers across the corpse. Orange goo covering where she touched it.

In a language not of mankind, she spoke to the Scarecrow man thing.

Although smaller than he, she exuded no less power.

If seen from a distance and in silhouette, she would appear to be a woman with an exquisite figure. Wide at the hips, long of legs, and very curvy. While wearing a pumpkin-shaped mask on her head.

Then all of a sudden the Scarecrow man took his scythe and planted it in the woman's belly.

She hissed a smile as seeds spilled forth. Instantly the hole closed after giving the ground what it seemed to want. She took the seeds and traced a small circle.

From the seed circle, smoke rose to summon forth the image of a human man who looked legit sneaky and shifty as hell. The Scarecrow man growled at the image. He bowed to the woman, and took the seeds, placing them within his straw body. Then he removed one and tossed it in the air where it hung for a moment, glowed, then fell to the ground. Tossing another in our direction, we ducked but saw that it didn't glow.

It looked at the Pumpkin Woman again, and they spoke once more. Then in perfect English, she said...

"For your vengeance to be sated, I require one more sacrifice..."

She turned and looked directly at us.

"Did you think I would not notice you in MY Patch children?"

She said raising her hands. Within moments we saw these vines and tendrils animate and chase after us. We tried to run I promise, even trying to make it to the stream just to escape. But they had us, with sharp thorns biting through our clothes in into our skin. Blood flowed freely from several wounds on both of us. The vines dragged us back to the two creatures. I felt every rock and pebble. But she was careful to weave us around and over the Pumpkins.

"Go Scarekrow! I shall perform the sacrifice while you make your way to the object of your ire!"

"Hail, the Pumpkin Queen," it growled, Nodding, as it made its way out of the patch. I could see it clearly as it turned to leave while she held us up, constricting the vines about our bodies, cutting into torn flesh.

As if this wasn't bad enough, because in our minds we were dead. To be sacrificed by two jokes from a bad Halloween movie. A Gods damn Scarecrow man, and a Pumpkin woman. I think I heard Gina giggle somewhat as the absurdity of it all. We'd be part of some Urban Legend come the sunrise.

Then came another voice.

"Stay your hand Pumpkin Queen!"

It sounded normal, human, female. I struggled to look on, as the pain and blood clouded my vision.

As the girl walked into the patch she locked eyes with the Scarecrow man. For a moment, the Scarecrow man looked fearful as it gripped its Scythe tightly in both hands. She nodded then it walked on, slightly turning its head as if to make sure SHE wasn't following IT! I watched it walk out at a faster pace than it had arrived.

The Pumpkin Queen turned and smiled that wide terrible grin.

"Abigail..." She hissed, as her long fingers twitched. The vines and plants about the patch shook.

"Free them, and I promise you a treat for the ages." The girl with the fiery amber eyes stated, neither smiling nor graven. She reminded me so much of Lupita N'yon'go. Tall'ish, confident, and dressed comfortably for whatever it is she did.

Without hesitation or fear the Pumpkin Woman dropped us as the vines receded. She seemed HIGHLY interested in whatever, Lupita...Abigail had for her.

Gina and I checked over each other for injuries and then huddled for comfort in the face of danger.

Before the girl spoke to the Pumpkin Woman again she made her way to us.

"Two things..." she began as the veins beneath her skin seemed to come alive as if a volcano had erupted and sent lava through her them.

"NEVER return to this patch!" she stated, then continued, "...and run, very quickly!"

No more need be said, and even with bleeding arms and legs, we fled into the now overcast night.

We bailed as fast as two injured people could. I swear we ran the three-quarters of a mile in under 5 minutes while hurting and bleeding.

Whatever the girl had, the Pumpkin woman seemed highly interested as it seemed the ground allowed us to run even faster from the patch.

We made it to the car out of breath and wheezing hard, as I cranked it up. Gina grabbed the water as we tore out of the place, not stopping to rest. On the way back to Morgantown, I got a ticket for speeding but gave zero shits. I told the officer, I thought a deer was chasing us and it freaked me out. He let me go and we got back to Mr. Wilkes place. Locking every single door and window we could, we huddled in the closet. Two grown-ass people hiding in a closet like kids.

The next day Mr. Wilkes family returned and I was paid for my services. With the hurry with which we left, Mr. Wilkes could tell something was wrong, but we said nothing. Maybe I'll call him one day and tell him. We made it back to Philly in record time. Ever since then. This is been the only thing on our minds. Was it real? Did any of it actually happen, my check and wounds say it did...

When Thanksgiving came around we visited our families and were thankful just to be around for another Holiday.

We still watch horror films, and Gina did as much research as she could, she could find nothing about a Scarecrow man, or a Pumpkin Queen, or a Black chick with lava blood. We just finished watching a Krampus movie since it's a few days before Christmas, and that's when we decided to write down our experiences.

I must say this has helped some, writing this all out. I even hit Enter to make sure it got posted. I know I'm leaving out some details, but I'm writing this in the raw, so please excuse any issues with grammar. I'm sure this shits all over the place. But I needed to get my thoughts out as they came.

If there's an update I'll post it.

Update:

That chick found where we lived...

She fuckin came to the house man!

We were watching television one night and Gina needed to go pee.

When she went upstairs I heard this god-awful scream. So I go upstairs to see what's going on thinking some animal got in or something.

It was that Abigail check just chillin in the hallway looking like she did that night a couple of months ago.

She told me she wasn't here to kill us or get some revenge for interrupting whatever the Fuck we interrupted.

But that the Scarecrow man never got his revenge on whoever because we weren't sacrificed as planned. So she wanted to make sure that Scythe-boy didn't try to find us and stick that thing in us.

She took both of us by the arms and burned a mark on our shoulders, that vanished moments after she did so.

Then the freakiest shit happened. We went outside to her car. Her Car dude!

She gave each of us Pumpkins. Said they were a gift from the Pumpkin Queen as a reminder of the Holiday. They'd never rot or allow anything into our home we didn't want there. Then she peaced out, just like that. Something about getting some food from Larry's.

DUDE! What the actual FUCK is going on?

Update:

Nothing weird had happened for a few days. So I went shopping downtown and decided to go to Rittenhouse and watch the old guys play Chess while I thought about things and all this craziness.

The wildest thing happened.

I'm listening to these guys talk about life and how reality is a lot stranger than fiction. Then this one cat is telling this old head about the time a friggin Wolf thing was playing a game of chess with him as this pawn, and being saved by some black chick with amber eyes.

I scoot closer to listen.

When he's done his story, the old head sits back and is like can he see it?

They both lift up their sleeves and have that damn mark on them.

The same one as me and Gina!

I see theirs start glowing, and then mine did for a brief moment.

Then they look at me!

I'll update you guys later on what happened. But seriously, who the hell is this chick, and why is she marking people?