FROM THE FOREST

A supernatural tale.

     I sat at my computer on the second floor of my house working on a novel I hoped to finish soon. The computer desk was beside a large picture window. I had pulled the heavy curtain closed on one half of the window, the other half I left uncovered so I could look out every once in a while. It was five minutes to midnight.

    The novel I was working on was a paranormal romance. Reaching a difficult part of the story to write I paused a moment and turned to look out the window.

    Out back of my house was a wild patch of land made up mainly of grasses and wildflowers. I thought of this large patch of land as my meadow. It was early May and the wildflowers were in bloom and the grass was tall and still green.

    Beyond the meadow was the dark and shadowy Douglas Fir forest.

    I loved this view, day and night. The forest was a nice distance away from the house and often I saw deer grazing on the grass and other plants in the meadow. Coyotes often hunted in the meadow for small rodents. Rabbits, raccoons and red and grey foxes used the meadow too. I once saw a black bear wander about in it as if in search for something.

     But this night I didn’t see any of the usual animals wandering in the midnight meadow but something else.

    The moon was full and bathed my personal meadow with a shimmering glow. And as I gazed out I spotted something just at the edge of the forest moving along swiftly.

    I turned the lamp I had on by my desk off and looked out harder.

    Yes, something was moving along the edge of the forest, fast, gliding along ghost like, not moving at all like an animal or person would.

    I felt a stab of fear in my gut. I wondered what it could be. I continued watching it until it seemed to just fade away.

    Feeling a bit shaken I stood up and closed the half of the curtain that was open.

    I couldn’t get back into my story after that and finally logged out and turned off my computer.

 

    All day I wondered what that could have been. I couldn’t think of anything but the paranormal and I dismissed that too.

    As night descended I went out on my back porch and gazed across the meadow to the forest edge. A couple deer were peacefully grazing on the long green grass growing in the meadow. The moon was still full and made it rather easy to see them out there.

    I thought about that gliding something I had seen last night and felt that stab of fear again.

    I should go inside. I need to put some time into my book, I told myself.

    I just started to turn to go inside when I saw the deer leap straight up into the air, turn and land in the opposite direction, fleeing as soon as they touched the ground.

    “What the…?” Then I saw it. That something at the forest edge. It wasn’t moving this time.

    It was hard to make out its shape. Too far away plus it is dark, I told myself was the reason.

    Then it was moving. Coming across the meadow toward me!

    I gasped and headed for my back door.

    That’s when I heard a sound. At first it was eerie, then it became down right frightening.

    Then a strange shimmering glow spread out from near where I had just seen the moving shape. The glow undulated across the meadow, lightening it up with an unearthly light as it did so.

    I couldn’t help myself. I turned to look back at the meadow. It looked surreal, supernatural, rather like something one would see in a fantasy movie or TV show.

    And what ever it was was now very close. I saw two shiny almond shaped lights where its head or face might be. Eyes? I wondered.

    It had slowed but was still gliding toward me in the eerie unearthly light. It seemed more like a shadow than anything solid.

    S**t! I thought, my heart pounding. Why can’t I move? Paralyzed with fear?

    As soon as I thought that my hand reached for the door and I flung it open and stumbled inside. I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it.

    I was having a difficult time breathing as I gazed out the back door window.

    What ever it was, was gone now but the meadow was still lit with that eerie, unnatural and very frightening light.

 

    As night approached again I felt my fear rising with it. I was too agitated to even consider working on my book.

    That awful eerie light had left with dawn and I was dreading that it might return with the dark.

    But it didn’t. The moon was still full and it was only its light that was spilling down onto the meadow.

    Alien. It has to be an alien, I thought. This is a rural area. A ship has probably landed nearby. That’s where that light was coming from, that’s why the creature moves so strangely.

    I kept telling myself that. I didn’t think it was a Big Foot even though the thought had crossed my mind.

    It’s a Grey, that’s what it is. I was feeling extremely nervous, I kept pacing.

    Finally I couldn’t resist looking and went to the back door and opened it. Taking a deep breath I stepped outside. At this moment I was wishing I didn’t live alone, that I did have a couple big dogs and perhaps I could have my 10 gauge shotgun with me right now.

    If the creature came at me perhaps using my shotgun on it would slow it down or kill it.

    I stood on the porch leaving my back door open just in case I needed a quick get away…waiting…thinking I’m pretty stupid standing out here waiting for it.

    And it didn’t disappoint me. It just suddenly appeared right at the bottom of the steps to my back porch.

    It was tall, at least seven or eight feet and it was standing on two legs.

    It was hairy. I could see it had a long muzzle full of sharp white teeth and long claws at the end of each finger and I noticed its hands were similar to human hands.

    It made a really awful snarling growling sound.

    I couldn’t move I was so overcome with terror.

    I couldn’t breath and suddenly my vision narrowed and I felt hot and a sickening rush of nausea hit me.

    I’m going to faint! I thought as I stared at the creature that stood there staring right back at me out of almond shaped eyes that were radiant and white.

    Then I stumbled backward gasping for breath.

    The creature pointed its muzzle upward a bit and made such a terrifying haunting howling sound. I thought I saw a bushy tail as it did.

    I felt my knees give way and I collapsed on my porch.

    The creature stopped its howl, turned its radiant white eyes on me for a second, then another second, then turned and flowed away across the meadow and entered the dark Douglas Fir forest.

    I decided then perhaps it was best if I sold my house and moved into the city.

 

   

Reviews

[lawrence bear]

that was intense, but the ending I didn't like, I wanted blood and flesh tearing, but that's just me. I live on the dark side.

[Tina Kline]

You just picked the wrong story to read.

[Vyctm]

I thought this story was mediocre. some of the things that happened seemed strange and I don't see a dangerous killed acting in that fashion. The environment was fairly vague bu detailed enough for me to understand the basic idea of everything. To me this is a 85/100. Keep writing.

[Star Wolf]

This is sure dark and scary! I'm not so sure I'd go looking for that werewolf like she did but it sure made for a thrilling and tension filled story!