It had just turned fall, the red and yellow leaves crunching underfoot in the crisp autumn air. I inhaled deeply, breathing in the beauty all around me. My phone started to vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out to see who was interrupting my reverie. Kyla, I should have known.
Kyla and I have been friends since 3rd grade. Both of us were “misfits” and neither of us gave a crap about it. I think that was why we bonded so well. In a world where everyone cared what anyone and everyone thought about them, we didn’t have a care in the world. We were always together, you wouldn’t see one of us without the other.
I answered the phone with a slightly annoyed, “Hello?” and her as usual, cheerful as ever, responded with, “Well hello sunshine! Happen to see how beautiful it is today?? Feel like going for a walk in our favorite spot?” I contemplated. Our ‘favorite spot’ was just the woods behind my house that has a massive river running through it about a mile in. We spent so much of our time there while growing up and still do to this day. It was just so calm, so peaceful, so.. beautiful. I told her yes and asked when she’d be over and she told me to give her an hour or two. That was fine with me, I was enjoying myself for the time being.
As I stood there, going headfirst back into the immersion of my surroundings, I was suddenly interrupted by a very loud cacophony coming from the edge of the treeline. A bunch of branches snapping, leaves flying everywhere, tree limbs shaking violently and barely, just barely, I caught a glimpse of something. Nowhere near long enough to even process a minute detail. But I know it instantly put me on edge.
I only gave it a few seconds of thought before I decided to just shake it off and resign myself to the house. I rummaged through the fridge and even though it was full of food there was nothing to eat. You know that feeling. I gave up and just grabbed an apple from the counter and made my way to my room to get ready for the day.
I must admit I felt bad for being short with Kyla earlier but I was just so entranced in my surroundings. The truth is, I really care about her. Like really.. I’ve had a crush on that girl since the day I laid eyes on her. She’s always had long, straight raven hair with the most beautiful amber eyes. I’ve never told her so and probably never will. I’m too afraid to lose her, to lose our friendship. She means too much to me to even contemplate messing that up.
I looked at my phone to check the time wondering where she was now and like magic I heard the front door swing open and shut abruptly. It was definitely her. She has never knocked and has always come in and out the same way all these years. You know what they say, old habits die hard. I smiled to myself and rushed down the stairs with an attempt to look like I wasn’t rushing.. pretty sure I failed at that. She gave me a quizzical look and asked if I was running from a fire. If she only knew..
I had completely forgotten about what had happened earlier so I hadn’t mentioned anything to Kyla as we set out for our spot. I noticed quite a few branches lying on the ground a few feet into the tree line and this.. this very odd, random pattern of deep scratches on several trees. A shiver ran up my spine, I had no explanation for why. I was about to turn to Kyla to see if she had seen it too when she suddenly gripped my arm tightly and said, “Chris, what the hell is that from?!” I stood there dumbfounded for a minute before I gave the only reply I could, “I have no idea.”
We were both a little shaken but there wasn’t anything too serious so we just tried to push it into our recesses and continued on. We walked in silence for a bit before she broke the tension. “So are we going all the way to the river today?” I mulled it over, “Yeah, I mean, I don’t see why not. It’s a beautiful day out and it’s pretty early, we should be able to hang out and make it back in time.”
If only I knew then what I knew now, we would have never set foot in those woods let alone that deep in.
We reached the river about 20 minutes later. The rhythmic flow of the water sucked up all of my attention until Kyla elbowed me. Apparently she had been talking to me as I was off in space. I apologized sheepishly and asked her what was up. She gave me her fake angry face, but there was also something else hidden in her face.. It looked like concern? Worry? Fear? I wasn’t sure but she didn’t hide it well. I waited for her to speak.
“First of all, where did you just go?! I’ve been talking to you!” I opened my mouth to apologize again but she stopped me. “Nevermind, it doesn’t matter. But what the hell is that?!” As she pointed in front of us slightly to the right hidden behind a few trees. Even with the few trees in the way you couldn’t miss it.
Much like the trees right up against my property these trees had deep scratches. Though these.. they were much larger, much deeper. I stood there, my mouth agape lost for words and as I scanned the trunks I looked up. Big mistake.. There was this gigantic nest high up in the tree. Everything about it looked wrong, it felt wrong. All I could do was point up. I heard Kyla gasp.
Suddenly behind us we could hear nothing but the sound of twigs snapping and leaves rustling. Whatever it was, it was large and coming fast. Both of us spun around at the same time and we screamed at the same time. We stood there for what felt like an hour but I know it was only a heartbeat before I yelled, “RUN!” And run we did.
The creature was gaining fast. It swapped between running us down and climbing tree to tree, its weight breaking off branches and smaller limbs. I honestly thought to myself that I wished I’d worn a second pair of underwear. Funny the things that go through your mind when you’re running for your life. Kyla and I were barely keeping ahead trying to go as fast as we could without the cliche of tripping and falling but.. of course she fell.
I snatched Kyla up swiftly and dragged her along until she got on her own two feet again. It felt like we’d run far longer than it should have taken but thankfully when I looked up again the house was within sight! The creature was right on our heels. I could feel it’s hot even breath on my back. This pushed me even further. I pulled more speed than I knew I had. We broke the treeline and suddenly the sounds behind us abruptly stopped.
We took no chances though and ran straight into the house. After catching our breath we both looked at each other stunned. As always, Kyla spoke first. “Was that a giant fricken squirrel?!” I shivered. What we saw had to be impossible right? I was still trying to process what we’d just seen. But before I could form a coherent reply there was a loud thud on the roof..
I fell to the floor with my head in my hands. I looked up at Kyla who was physically shaking and I could barely whisper, “did it really have two heads?!”