We have reached the end of a Fantastic month. I enjoyed writing these stories a lot. It has shown that it really is possible for me to prioritize something and stick to it. I am going to be a lot more vigilant with the blog from now on, and just keep writing.
There was a small technological hiccup causing the delay in today’s post. Thank you for reading.
Creature in the Hills
“It’s out there again,” he said. “You can smell it. I’d go another weekend if I were you!”
She rolled her eyes and threw her camping gear into the back of the car. “You worry too much,” she said. “This is our yearly meetup. I can’t just reschedule.”
You’re just going to compare notes about rocks and fossils,” he said. “Send an e-mail and stay home.”
She slammed the trunk closed, got in the car, and turned the key. “At least my rocks and fossils are real!” she said. She slammed the door shut and she’d peel out of the driveway.
She’d come to regret her words, but at the time she felt entirely justified.
The hunting and archeology gathering was a smashing success. Everyone laughed, joked, socialized, and occasionally compared notes too.
She couldn’t recall who’d suggested it, but they were all preparing for an exciting and spontaneous night hike.
She grabbed her pack, heavy coat, and jogged off to the meeting spot with a flashlight in her hand.
“Are you ready?” she asked her friend and fellow archeologist, Cary. “This will be interesting.”
“I’d rather stay back at camp with a cold one,” he said. “But it’s pathetic to drink alone in the woods in the dark.”
“You’re so dramatic,” she said. “There’ll be time enough for a drink when the hike is over. Come on, we’re falling behind.”
They picked up their pace but didn’t quite catch up before the group came to a fork in the path. They stood for a moment, looked at each other, and went right.
They kept jogging but didn’t meet up with anyone in from the group. They went to double back, but they realized they’d dropped their flashlights in their haste.
“We’re stuck,” Cary said. “Do we just sit here until morning?”
“I can see…” she said trailing off and held up her hand for quiet.
Footsteps louder than any humans approached them, and the stench was overpowering.
She and Cary froze in fear. The footsteps and stench grew closer and closer.
Her partner had been right all along, and she was a fool.
All she could do was hold her breath and wait. She kept her hand on Cary’s shoulder to keep him quiet.
The footsteps drew even closer, and the stench was overwhelming. But the footsteps came to a stop just yards from them.
She prepared to run, but what happened next was even more surprising. Her flashlight rolled out of the darkness and came to rest at her feet.
“Thank you,” she breathed.
She grabbed the light and she and Cary didn’t stop running until they were safely back at camp.
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