I’ve only had metal detecting as a hobby for a few weeks now. I got a metal detector for my birthday last March from my brother. We aren’t too close, but I had shown some (very minor) interest in the activity, which he has a lot of interest in. The bulky metal rod was one of his that he didn’t use because he had bought a newer model. After drowning in dust for months I only tried it out because he asked if I had used it, and I felt like an ass saying that I hadn’t.
I do find some enjoyment in doing it, but the most interesting thing I have found was half of a nickel, I have no idea how or why someone tore a nickel in half, but I digress. One positive is that it gives me a reason to walk more often, usually I lack the willpower to do much of anything outside of work, besides wasting away in my bed, scrolling YouTube shorts for hours and eating garbage.
This morning I was out doing my thing on the beach, it was around 4 am (early I know but like I said before, no life) when I saw a glint near the shore out of the corner of my eye. When I walked over, I found a trumpet laying on the ground, what was odd was that it didn’t seem to be wet, which meant it probably didn’t come from the ocean, nor did it have sand in it, or really on it either. It was as if someone bought a brand-new trumpet and placed it on the ground. I picked it up, and a note fell from the big end, which looked like half a page torn from a notebook. I snatched it out of the air and read the contents, on the first side, there were strings of music notes, and I guess little descriptions below written in a barely legible scrawl, like the person had only just learned to write. I’ll list them here.
call one over. (quick)
call many over. (slow)
general attack. (depends on the mutant)
attack someone specific. (again, depends on the mutant)
hold
pacify
guard
I flipped it over and, on the back, there was only one thing.
*SWEETHEART*
With a short string of notes below it. I forgot to mention before but I used to play band in high school, luckily enough I played the trumpet. I wasn’t terribly good, but I remembered enough to be able to play the notes. I tried out the trumpet, and it worked pretty well. I practiced for a few minutes and decided to “call one over”. After playing the tune, I stood there for like a minute, but there was nothing. I decided that finding a trumpet was good enough for the day and decided to head home.
Before I could head home however, I heard an anguished cry from behind me. I turned and limping out from the shadow of a large rock, was a shambling horror unlike anything on earth. It looked like it could’ve a regular person, at some point. It looked like its body was turned 180 degrees and grew to the size of a fridge. Its arms were huge and twisted, far too big for the rest of its massive form, they were also constantly in a flexing position. I don’t think this was by choice, but its strange anatomy meant that was their natural resting position.
Its legs were normal sized, but looked small in comparison, I have no idea how it even stayed upright, those legs couldn’t possibly hold up the rest of its body. It wore purple pants and a tattered purple vest, which was likely torn apart when the thing mutated into the abomination before me. It had a large bulbous head which was hidden behind a porcelain mask, with two eyeholes, rosy cheeks, yellow hair, and a little smile. Blood seeped out from the left eye, the mouth, and its head above the right eye. As well as blood staining its hands from god knows where.
I don’t think I have properly indicated just how big it was. It was probably eleven feet tall, with a torso bigger than my entire body. Its arms, while not as wide, were so long that were it not holding them up, its wrists would drag on the ground. I stood there in silence staring at the monstrosity before me. I am endlessly glad I found this thing so early in the morning, so nobody was around, and that I decided to play it there instead of at my house. It kind of just stood there, flexing, and staring into my soul.
I slowly backed up, and thankfully it didn’t follow me. Once it was out of sight, I booked it back to my car and drove home. Was it irresponsible to leave the thing there? Probably, but it’s not like there was a command to tell it to leave. It has been a few hours since then, and I think it might still be out there on the beach. I don’t think anyone has seen it, as there hasn’t been anything on the news yet.
I don’t know what that creature was, or how this trumpet summoned it.
And I really don’t want to know who wrote that note.