I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, surrounded by the rolling hills and dense forests of the Appalachian Mountains. My parents were farmers, and I spent my days working the land and exploring the woods around our farm. I knew these woods like the back of my hand, and I never felt afraid while wandering among the trees.
But on this particular night, something felt different. The air was heavy with a sense of foreboding, and the animals were silent, as if they were hiding from some unseen danger.
I had been searching for a missing goat all day, following its tracks through the woods as I called out its name. The goats were invaluable to our small farm, and I knew my parents would be devastated if anything happened to it. As the sun began to set, I reluctantly decided to head back home and continue the search in the morning.
The moon was full and high in the sky as I made my way through the dense and quiet woods, its pale light casting shadows among the trees. But as I made my way through the woods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. I had heard reports of coyotes in the area, and their eerie howls echoed through the trees at night. I quickened my pace, my heart racing as I imagined the sharp teeth and glowing eyes of the predators stalking me through the darkness.
At first, I told myself it was just my imagination. But then I heard a rustling in the underbrush, and I knew I was no longer alone.
I turned to face the source of the noise, and that’s when I saw it. A creature with the body of a wolf and the face of a demon, its skin stretched tight over bones and sinew. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and its lips were pulled back in a snarl that revealed sharp, needle-like teeth.
I froze in place, my heart racing with fear as the creature stalked closer and closer. I could smell its putrid breath as it filled my nostrils, and I could smell the rank stench of its wet, hairless flesh.
And then, with a primal scream of terror, I turned and ran. I could hear the creature behind me, its claws scratching at the ground as it closed the distance between us. I could feel its hot breath on my neck, could hear its guttural growls as it drew closer and closer.
I don’t know where it came from, or what it wanted with me. All I knew was that I had to get away, had to find safety before it was too late. So I ran, my feet pounding the ground as I fled from the terror that lurked in the shadows. And eventually, I emerged from the woods, my heart racing and my breath coming in gasps.
Even now, as I sit safely at home and look out at the peaceful moonlit landscape, I can’t shake the feeling that something is out there, waiting for me in the darkness. The memory of that night will stay with me forever, a constant reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows.