This was never to be expected. Never would I think that something so horrifying and gruesome would be connected to the one thing that brought me joy
It was just a regular day. A regular Friday. I had gotten out of school after a rough 6 hours of standardized tests and teachers shushing me with their bone-y index finger as I sneezed a little too loud to their liking.
I walked to work, which wasn’t far from my school. I didn’t have any worries since the teachers were generous enough to lighten up on the homework since we had so much testing that day. A rare occasion.
The only thing on my mind was boxing. After my shift, I had a boxing session since I had a fight on Saturday. It was going to be my first fight ever. I was jittery with excitement and nervousness.
When I got off of my shift, I waited for my mother to pick me up so I could grab my bag and head to the gym. I got lost in my thoughts before I was found by the voice of my mother.
“Are you excited for this weekend?” she asked.
“Oh, uh, yeah,” I replied.
“Just remember, keep your guard up and…” by that point I zoned out.
Something in my gut was telling me to go home today. Obviously I chose to ignore it. This is my first fight and I’m not risking it being my last.
When we got closer, something was screaming in me that I shouldn’t go in there, worse than before on the way there. I figured I was just worried about my fight and I was overthinking it. Whatever, I grabbed my stuff and went inside.
When I got in there, I could feel the vibes in the room. It was much quieter than usual, with the only sound being the hum of the A/C. Really weird.
I started my way towards the ring, when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Something was terribly wrong. All of the sudden, the A/C shut off.
What made my stomach churn inside me, though, is watching the tarp covering the space between the floor and the ring sway as if there was still a breeze.
Something is under there.
Before I called out, my phone buzzed. A text from my coach. My face must’ve went white as I read it.
A̲L̲Y̲S̲S̲A̲, P̲L̲E̲A̲S̲E̲ W̲H̲A̲T̲E̲V̲E̲R̲ Y̲O̲U̲ D̲O̲, D̲O̲N̲’T̲ G̲O̲ T̲O̲ T̲H̲E̲ G̲Y̲M̲ T̲O̲D̲A̲Y̲. S̲O̲M̲E̲T̲H̲I̲N̲G̲ G̲O̲T̲ I̲N̲ A̲N̲D̲ H̲A̲S̲ B̲E̲E̲N̲ H̲I̲D̲I̲N̲G̲ U̲N̲D̲E̲R̲ T̲H̲E̲ R̲I̲N̲G̲. T̲H̲E̲ S̲W̲A̲T̲ T̲E̲A̲M̲ I̲S̲ O̲N̲ T̲H̲E̲I̲R̲ W̲A̲Y̲. P̲L̲E̲A̲S̲E̲ J̲U̲S̲T̲ D̲O̲N̲’T̲ G̲O̲.
I started to violently shake in my place. I shook so bad that I dropped my phone on the concrete floor, which made an echoing sound that screwed me over. Then I heard wrestling from underneath and my instincts told me to get out there if I still wanted to live.
I ran up the steps when I heard a ear piercing shriek follow behind me. Stupidly, I slammed into the entrance door, and struggled to yank it open and make a run for my mom’s car.
I looked behind me and saw an image that will haunt me until the day I die.
The creature was not an addict tripped out on acid or anything, this was a tall, thin, and hairless creature. Its eyes were sunken into its skull. It had no nose, and no teeth, yet hung a wide and wrinkled smile that took up half of its face.
I wanted to vomit. I wanted to cry. I wanted to forget this all happened.
For whatever reason, my mother’s car was gone, and I had no cell service. “Great”, I muttered.
The thing managed to break the door down and sped up. It was at least 8 feet tall. I tried to run into the woods but something wrapped around my ankle which caused me to slam my chin into the asphalt as I fell on my stomach.
I suddenly was met face-to-face with this creature. It’s putrid breath smelt like death. It made my nose hairs singe and my eyes water. It didn’t help that I was hanging upside down, and blood was rushing to my head.
It dragged me towards its mouth and I accepted my fate. I’m dead. I worked hard to fight and I’ll never face it. I closed my eyes shut.
It began to shriek, and I heard the sound of… firecrackers…?
I opened my eyes to find 100s of men and women firing AR-15s at the monstrosity. It let go, and I fell. Everything happened in slow motion. I thought for sure I would fall to my death, that my head would burst open as it hit the concrete. Something bad.
For once, to my luck, I fell on an inflatable platform. I lay on it for what felt like eons before a woman climbed on it to help me down. I was in shock. I couldn’t move. I heard ringing in my ears. Then I blacked out.
I woke up in the hospital. It took me a few seconds to come to my senses.
“What the hell happened,” I groaned.
“You blacked out after the big incident,” my mother said.
“What was that thing?” I asked in a panicked voice.
My coach stepped into view.
“Not far from here is a laboratory. They were conducting a big test when something malfunctioned and the product of the mess escaped and ran in here. I forgot to text you to stay away from there but it was too late. I’m so sorry.”
They shot it down. It’s been 5 months since it happened and I have constant nightmares about it.
Also, I noticed a mark on my ankle where it grabbed me. It looks like a blister and it itches really bad. It feels like it gets bigger and itchier everyday. I see a doctor next week.