I haven’t been left in charge of the Lodge for long, but things are already getting out of hand. It’s only been a month, how have we already had three guests? I need to talk about tending to the Lodge with people who can’t call me crazy to my face. Maybe. Shit, I hope none of you end up here then. Don’t make this awkward. I’m getting off track, let’s go back to the beginning.
A month ago, my folks left for family matters. They figured that I was more than ready to take care of the Lodge in their absence. It’s a three-story building, built sometime in the 40’s. Home sweet home has about 100? 150? Miles of sand in every direction. It’s my duty to tend to the land, keep the Lodge clean and ready, and to help our guests to the best of my ability. Which leads me to the guests, an interesting subject. It’s not uncommon to have people stumble onto the edge of the property in all states of wellbeing. A few years ago, we had a woman on a jog arrive at dawn, but we’ve also had the body of a man in snow gear appear at our door. I’ll use the first guest I dealt with as an example.
It was night, the sun had just set and I could still see the deep purple on the horizon. I headed out to the chicken coop, I had to open the roof so they could get their full dose of moonlight they earned from all their hard work (I’m no careless chicken owner). I had just gotten the roof open and pulled out the largest of the flock. I pet her scarlet feathers and leaned against the coop, just enjoying the cool breeze on the wind. The next thing I knew, the damn chicken exploded. It was like sticking a pin into a balloon. I was fucking covered in blood, chicken teeth, and feathers.
“God damned Chicken Popper.”
I muttered, thoroughly ticked off. I studied the surrounding area, the deep green moonlight gave me just enough light to see him off in the distance. His reflective eyes peaked around a rock maybe a hundred feet away from me. I did what my folks would do, I headed inside and grabbed the revolver. I hated using it, but we all know what happens when you try to kill one of them with a shotgun. I calmly sprinted back outside, I tried to make sure he didn’t get anymore of my damn chickens. The eyes had vanished from behind the rock by the time I made it back outside.
“You’re not hiding Pops; I’ve had it up to here with you “I said as I gestured with my gun. I kept my eyes trained on the rock and began to march.
This little shit blows up another one of my chickens and doesn’t even have the decency to let me shoot him?
I leveled my revolver as I rounded the rock, ready to take a small bit of revenge for the ruined clothes. I paused. What looked like the severed head of a monkey was laying in the sand. Its eyes were the size of softballs, pure white, and reflecting the moon. I wasn’t asking it at the time, but I really should have been. It was just the head, where did the rest of the body go? Well, that’s when it hit me. The body. The skeletal and slightly deformed body of the Chicken Popper hit me in the back with enough force to plant me face down in the sand. Shocked, I tried to get the sand out of my eyes and mouth. I hadn’t even heard anything come up behind me. What I can only imagine was a foot planted into my ribs sent me skittering over the top of the sand a few feet. I pointed my gun in its general direction as I let a few rounds fly. I couldn’t tell if any of them found their mark. I desperately tried to wipe my face clean. Finally able to see I got up enough to look around me in a bit of a panic. It took me a few seconds before I saw him. A man stood between me and the Lodge. He was skinny, too skinny. Maybe eight or nine feet tall and entirely naked.
Whaat the fuck is that.
I forced myself to my feet even as the ribs on my right side screamed in protest. I leveled the gun at him. I looked into his eyes, and it felt…wrong. I’ve seen my fair share of strange things on this land: Golden pine trees? Sure. Rabid Scorpions? Yeah, that was a bad winter. But a lanky ass naked man who likes to rip things heads off? Now that was a new one.
“Where are your protectors?” It said, its voice wasn’t human. It was like something trying to mimic human speech, but couldn’t quite get it right. Like an AI trying to recreate what it thought humans sounded like. The gun shook in my hand just a bit. I guess it didn’t like having to wait for a response so it repeated itself in a more aggressive tone.
“Where are your protectors?”
I fired another shot, the round tore through one of its reflective eyes. Golden blood began to drip down its cheek. A jet black tongue extended entirely too far out of its mouth to taste it. Its last good eye never blinked or wavered from being focused on me. A chill ran down my spine.
“Pity. I suppose we should become friends “As it spoke it dropped to all fours, tilting its head some. It began to bound across the sand at me. I pulled the trigger as many times as I could before it began to click. I didn’t know how many of the shots had actually found its target, but the thing didn’t even slow down. I took off running to the side.
Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.
It was fast, too fast. It was gaining on me. I was still over a hundred feet from the front
door. Not that I was sure even getting inside would help much. As it started to close the distance on me, I threw the revolver as hard as I could. The gun missed the creature by so much it almost seemed distracted by my attempt to hurt it.
Good enough
I turned towards the door as I sprinted harder than I had in a few years. I could hear its hands and feet kicking up sand behind me as it dug into the ground with every bound. The dulled thudding of my boots on the sand was starting to be drowned out by the rushing sound of blood in my ears. Fifty feet. Forty. Thirty.
“I want your eyes! “The thing behind me screamed as we closed in on the Lodge. Twenty feet. Ten Feet.
Did I unlock the handle?
I jumped and smashed my entire body through the window next to the door. I landed and rolled across the floor inside. I winced, a few new cuts from the glass across my arms. The creature slammed itself against the window frame, its shoulders just barely too wide to fit.
“Get the fuck away from my house!”
I yelled at the thrashing creature. I got up and ripped my father’s axe from the wall. It was simple and heavy. The monster paused upon seeing me with it.
“Fine, friend.” It said as its single eye burned a hole into my soul. “I’ll come back later”
It slowly withdrew its head from the window, slinking back into the darkness like a crocodile slipping back beneath the water’s surface. There I stood, blood pounding in my ears, chest heaving, and a death grip on the handle of the axe. It felt like I stood there, watching the window forever. The growing silence was interrupted by a woman clearing her voice behind me.
“So, are you going to offer me a drink or…?” the woman said, her voice like molasse: Slow and sweet.
I turned slowly, expecting to see another creature ready to try and take a different body part. She wore a red sundress and matching high heels. Her raven hair was pulled shaved on one side and a little sandy.
“…What?” I asked, my voice a little hoarse from the running I just did.
“Is it not usual to give guests something to drink after the hot desert heat?” She replied
in a matter of fact kind of way.
I looked at her, then back at the broken window, then back at her. “Did you not see what just happened?” I replied, still perplexed by the woman.
“So you are going to get snippy with me because you have a pest problem?” She glanced over at me. I couldn’t see anything on her face to indicate she was joking. I let the axe hang by my side.
“Of course” I chuckled, too tired to argue. “Water, wine, Quandong Juice?”
She brushed some sand off of the end of her dress.
“Water, please.”
Without another word I went to the kitchen and filled a glass of water.
I get attacked by a giant naked man and am still covered in blood, feathers, and teeth. Yet this woman doesn’t seem to give a shit. Why the hell did I have to be left in charge for this nonsense.
I brought the glass back out to her, she took it with a smile. She sipped it slowly, seeming to savor the taste. Her green eyes almost burned a hole into me more efficiently than the monsters did. I stepped forward, offering her my bloody hand.
“Theodore. And you are?”
She shook it as she looked up at me.
“Abigale, pleasure”
“So, Abigale, how did you find yourself all the way out here? Have you visited before?” I asked, wanting to get as much information as I can out of her.
“Once or twice over the years. I’ve found this Lodge to be a lovely little place to get away from everything when you need too.”
Way to avoid the question that I was really interested in.
“Is there anything else you need before I-” I gestured to my ruined clothes and cuts up my arms.
“No, I think I will be alright for now. Thank you for the water.” She said as her gaze drifted over to the fire in the fireplace I definitely did not start. Wordlessly, I turned and headed up the stairs. The axe head bounced off every step I took as I dragged it behind me.
-—–
It looks like someone else just made it onto the property, I’ll finish up that first encounter when I can. Stay safe, and if you need us, the Lodge is never too far away.
-Theodore Hearth
Acting Manager of B.B. Lodge.