THE MONSTER, PART V

The man banged on the door. He turned and looked at the black lake to make sure no monsters were drawn to the noises he was making, and the man saw that the lake was not black, but a deep, dark red.

   "This is no lake," the man said to himself, "this is hell."

He walked to the edge of the lake, and dipped his finger in the liquid.

It was blood, old blood, from a thousand or more men as foolish as he.

He noticed then that no monsters had come for him.

He was alone.

There were no monsters here.

Only a stupid man in the face of one.