It was the middle of the night, and I was lying in bed, wide awake. The darkness was oppressive and crushing. I had left my window open, letting the night air rush in, but the only sound that it brought was that of a lone cricket chirping in the distance, like a distant beacon of light in the ever-darkening night.
My mind was racing. Every creak and every rustle of a leaf made me jump, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. I was alone in the house and fear was gripping my entire being. I felt like I was in the middle of some vast, unknown void, and it was all too unsettling.
I got up and opened my bedroom door, peering out into the darkness. Nothing. I listened intently, but all I could hear was the eerie silence of the night. As I stood there, I wondered what unseen creatures lurked in the shadows, their eyes searching for me through the night. I trembled, my body trembling with apprehension.
I made my way down the stairs, my feet creaking on each step. I paused at the bottom, my eyes scanning the living room. Nothing there either. I tiptoed across the room, my entire body shaking with fear. I could feel something watching me from the shadows, but I dared not look.
Reaching the kitchen, I quickly grabbed a flashlight from one of the drawers. I switched it on, my heart beating faster as the light filled the room. I ran outside, the cold night air hitting my face like a slap. I shone the light around the backyard, but I couldn’t see anything. I took a few steps forward, then stopped. I heard a loud thud coming from behind me.
I spun around quickly, my flashlight focused on a large, black shape. It was a large black bear, standing just a few feet away from me. I gasped, my heart pounding in my chest. The bear stared at me with its large, dark eyes, and I could swear that it was smiling. Its presence unnerved me, and I slowly started backing away. The bear followed me with its gaze, not breaking eye contact as I stumbled back into the house, my body shaking with fear.
Once back inside, I locked the door and raced up the stairs. I tucked myself back into bed, pulling the covers up over my head and closing my eyes. I lay there for a long time, my heart racing as I thought about the strange events of the night. What had that bear been doing there? What other creatures lurked outside in the darkness?
Finally, I drifted off to sleep, my fear slowly fading away into the darkness. I awoke the next morning, my body heavy with the unsettling feelings of the night before. I recalled the events in the dark of night, but the fear was gone.
The following morning, I ventured out to inspect the garden and found gigantic footprints in the dirt. It was unmistakably a bear–the prints too large to be from any other creature, and those long, jagged claws gave it away. It must have been a giant! I also noticed scratches on the wooden fence posts. What was it trying to do? Could it have been trying to get in? The thought sent chills down my spine, and I quickly ran back inside.
My parents were visiting my cousins’ next town and they were staying there for a few days, so I was alone. All I could do was call them. That day, I told my parents what had happened, but they didn’t believe me. They said that bears weren’t native to our area and that there wasn’t a chance of one coming around our house. Then I was thinking: maybe I should call my grandparents who lived on the other end of our farm but I wanted to deal with this on my own. I was 12, a grown-up person - this is what I thought back then.
The next evening, I heard the terrifying sound of branches snapping and leaves crunching outside my window. A chill ran down my spine as I hastily grabbed the curtains, praying that whatever lurked outside wouldn’t see me. Clearly, whatever it was was large, as its heavy steps shook the earth beneath it. A sickening feeling rose in my stomach as I thought of our chickens and hens—would it be a bear? Or something even more sinister out to make a meal of them? Even though I felt powerless and afraid, I knew I had no choice but to face whatever waited outside.
The sun was setting and I was alone in the house. I knew my parents wouldn’t be home for days, so I had to act on my own. I headed to the garage and opened the door. My father’s shotgun lay against the far wall. I grabbed it and felt the weight of it in my hands. I loaded it and felt a surge of adrenaline as I braced myself for what may come.
I took a deep breath and cautiously stepped outside. I tiptoed to the side of the house, hoping to get a better look at what was out there. As I peered around the corner, my eyes widened in shock at the sight before me.
I nervously opened the door, my heart pounding in my chest. What I saw was not a bear. There, standing tall and proud in the moonlight stood a creature I had never seen before. Its teeth were bared, eyes glowing yellow in the night like two small moons. Its fur was black as ink, glimmering silver in the eerie light of the evening stars. The creature’s powerful frame stood nearly eight feet tall and its face was one of timeless strength and beauty despite its monstrous form.
My eyes widened with shock and I felt a sudden urge to run away and hide from this terrifying sight. But something inside me held me firm—a strange feeling of wonder bubbled up in my chest, as if I’d been waiting to see this beautiful beast all my life. We locked eyes as if we both knew that something special had just occurred between us—something primal and magical that transcended time itself.
Then, with a thundering howl, the werewolf tore across the yard and started running towards the forest.
Because of the sight, I forgot that the shotgun was in my hand and I started running after the beast.
My heart was pounding as I broke into a sprint, the beast ahead of me. Dark branches threatened to snag my clothes and the shadows seemed to move with a life of their own. I could hear the heavy thuds of the beasts feet pounding against the ground, echoing through the trees. My heart was pounding like I had just run a marathon when I left the safety of the cave and charged through the forest. Above me, the mighty trees weaved in a tapestry of deep green, while below, the forest floor was a dark gray cloud of pine needles, dust and stones. I could hear the heavy thuds of the beasts feet pounding against twisted roots and loose soil as he fled deeper into some unknown cave. The reek of wet fur, muddy fur and dung hung thick in the air, settling like a dark fog into the bones of my face and arms.
I rounded a corner and spotted it running ahead of me. With one quick, smooth movement I pulled out my gun and fired off a shot into the air. The loud crack rang through the still silence, followed by the rustle of leaves as it fled. I flicked on my flashlight and swept the light around, but there was no sign of it, only the drag marks in the dirt where it had fled.
As I made my way back to the house, I was bursting with excitement to share the news with my dad: I had chased off a monster and saved our animals. I was eager to discover the body of the creature in the light of day. I hoped that it would make my father proud and happy with me.
I peered out my bedroom window, as the car pulled up into the driveway; my parents, my little sister and I, were all in the same car. I ran out of my room to greet them, but when I saw their faces, I could immediately tell something was off. As they parked the car in the yard, their expressions stayed frozen in one of sadness and concern.
My father’s voice was heavy with sorrow and anger as he spoke, clenching his fists. ‘I have terrible news.’ He paused and drew a deep breath.
‘The police has just called us. A runner found your grandfather’s body in the forest. Someone shot him.”
My heart stopped and my knees weakened at the thought.
I was paralyzed by shock, unable to even move or utter a word about this. Ever.