- Case File - 001 - The Smiling Creature - 06 - It Followed Me
Alex awoke back in the caves, back to where that thing was. But something was weird though it was vivid Alex, couldn't feel anything.
It was dark in the cave, suddenly torches began to light up towards the end of the cave, right at the end Alex expected to see the 'thing' but there lay a dagger.
The dagger's blade was made of a slightly purple tinted metal, the handle was made of strips of fibres that Alex didn't recognise. They were a bright blue but were clearly a made of a plant material. At the cross handle was a symbol, it was circular, it was green and orange, the green part was like a crescent moon and the orange part was the rest of the circle but Alex didn't get to see anymore as something fell from overhead. The monster.
Its eyes still hungry, pierced him to the bone chilling his soul itself.
It open it mouth, still in that ever present twisted smile, its dagger like teeth revealed and it lunged, its body still seemingly invisible behind a veil of shadow.
***
Alex awoke in his bed this time. Another nightmare.
Alex felt his bladder at the verge of bursting as in seconds from wetting himself. Forgetting about the monster for a moment and sprinted full force through the abyss of the night his path lit only by the eerie light of the pale moon (the torches by the edge weren't of ANY use cuz ya know they were by the EDGE!) to the outhouses and, sweet, sweet urinary relief hit.
And Alex couldn't help but let out a sigh for relief if he had wet himself then Xavier would have pestered him about it his entire life. 'Oh remember that time Alex wet himself at camp' he would likely say. Also Adam would have also laughter at him cuz of the 'prank' Xavier and Alex had pulled on him that morning (it was mostly Xavier's doing so maybe not).
Alex then stood there within the toilet deep in thought. That dream the dagger did it mean something. Alex chuckled like hell it meant anything, just a dream, just a nightmare or at least Alex hoped it was. After about 10 minutes of deep thinking and chuckling at some stupid thoughts he had, Alex opened the door of the outhouse and exited.
***
Now that Alex wasn't in a rush and his eyes had adjusted he saw truly how beautiful it was, the sky, stars dotted the dark canvas of the night sky, they were so clear, never before had Alex seen them like this, it almost felt like the calm before a storm. 'Like hell' Alex thought to him myself. It was also quiet (everyone was asleep) and only because it was so quiet Alex heard it.
{CRACK}
A twig had snapped in the forest that surrounded them. Alex looked at the rough origin for the sound. And against, this time louder.
{CRACK}
{CRACK}
{CRACK}
Something was coming this way. Alex's blood ran cold as he saw that smile he had seen only once but was ready very familiar with, glowing white in the shadows of the trees.
Then the eyes, its irises were all that were visible in the shadows of the trees, they looked like glowing orbs, the silver clamps looking painful as ever, the eyes as a while hungry as ever. And something else that Alex had sent seen before. Red arrows of sorts pointing up were visible starting at the place that should have been the base of its neck, no as it moved forward slightly Alex saw that the arrows were glowing on its neck which was long or at least Alex presumed it was from the way its head moved and the number of arrows. Its body still unseen.
A whip sound snapped through the air as IT can rushing at him mouth open still in the twisted smile. Alex reacted.
He dodged just barely. And yes indeed it did have a neck several meters long but it was just short enough that it couldn't reach Alex beyond the point it was at without revealing its body, which it was trying to actively avoid showing for some reason. 'Maybe its weakness' Alex thought.
Suddenly its head receded back into the light deprived void of the forest. Alex stood there mind racing, heart pounding, body shivering, breathing heavily.
It had followed him. He didn't notice it following him which confirmed it had been messing with him in the cave, it had been pretending to be loud and maybe it had been pretending to be slow but Alex wasn't as sure about that.
After several minutes Alex finally managed to normalise his breathing and lessened his shivering. One deep breath then...
Alex sprinted, tears streaming down his face, he would have screamed but the fear that it might hear him and come for him locked his voice.
He reached the tent almost as fast as he had left it for the outhouse he was only made slower by his still shivering legs he had even tripped and fallen a few times but he made it to his tent. He essentially tore open the zipper, ran inside and closed it behind him.
Inside he saw Darius and Xavier peacefully sleeping. Blissfully unaware of the horror that knew where they were, of the horror that wanted to hurt them, the horror Alex had seen. Alex couldn't help but smirk a little, for some reason he felt safe, a thin sheet of polyester or was it the presence of his friends. His tears had stopped pouring. His shivering stopped. His courage bloomed he could do this.
He went to his sleeping bag and laid down in it. Alex closed his eyes, darkness, peace and a sound.
Alex jolted awake.
{CRACK}
Through the thin sheet of polyester Alex saw two red spheres, Alex realised his mistake he had led it to his tent, led it to his friends. The tears began again as did the shivering. It then looked back and the red orbs moved back beyond the tree line.
Alex sunk his body deeper into the sleeping bag. Shivering. The fear was so overwhelming Alex began to feel fatigued his mind wanted rest and so this eyes became heavy, he felt his senses drop.
Alex heard his tent zipper begin to open slowly but it was too late to wake up, Alex's conscious had faded to the point of no return and even though Alex was aware of the ripper opening, even though dread had consumed him, he fell asleep...