Low Lurker
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I sneak into the basement, walking down the wooden stairs, trying to avoid the squeaky boards. I move several boxes, looking for that old red scarf, when I hear my father and uncle upstairs in the kitchen. "We can do this. It's easy money," my uncle says. "I know, but it's dangerous." I find my scarf and quickly wrap it around my neck. I rush up the stairs, trying to avoid the squeaky boards. I gently push the basement door slightly open. "They saw it," my uncle says. "Don't talk so loud, you'll wake them," my dad whispers. "It's at the ranch, on the other side of the farm, in those mountains. All we need to do is catch it. Can you imagine how much we can sell it for? We can make a few million." "I know, but it's not like an animal. It thinks and acts like us." "We can use Ethan," my uncle mumbles. "What?" "I'm just saying if we have to… as bait." "Are you crazy? You know he's only sixteen." I step back, disturbed that my uncle mentioned my name. Just then, a board makes a loud cracking sound. I turn around, and the basement door swings open. My dad and uncle stare right at me. "Ethan, what are you doing?" my dad asks. "I was looking for this for school tomorrow." I pull on my scarf as my uncle gives me a dirty look. "Go to bed. It's already late," my dad says. I put my head down and walk past them. I shut my bedroom door and fall on my bed. God, I hate my uncle. He's such an asshole. I pull the blankets over me. It doesn't make sense. Who were they talking about? And the other side of the farm, I know those mountains… and for a few million? I pull the blankets over my head. How stupid! Something is not right. I stay still, trying to fall asleep, but then I think about my idiot uncle. I know him, eventually, he will convince my dad to use me, and there I am at the ranch. Why should he benefit from the money? I smile and eventually fall asleep. The next day at school I meet with my best friend Johnny. I tell him my brilliant plan. On Saturday, we go to the ranch. ---------- I park next to a cattle guard and reach to the back seat for the rifle. "Your dad is gonna be pissed. You know he'll find out his gun is missing." "He won't look in the closet." "I bet he will." Johnny places his cell phone in his pocket and headphones around his neck. I look toward the mountains. "My uncle said it's up there, just on the other side of the farm. Let's see what we find." We get out of the car. As we walk, I load the rifle. "You know there's nothing in these mountains. Maybe your uncle and dad are playing a dirty trick on you," Johnny pats me on the shoulder. "But remember what you said — no matter what happens, you're gonna pay me a hundred bucks for coming out here." "Yeah, whatever." "If we catch something, I get half the money!" Johnny hollers. "Be quiet," I whisper. "Maybe it heard us." We arrive on top of a hill overlooking the tree line. I drop to one knee, searching through the scope for anything suspicious. "Do you see anything?" Johnny asks. "Nothing but trees and rocks." We walk up to the tree line. "Just go sit over there for a while by those trees," I say. "Why?" "Just do it." "Alright, but if you see anything, you better let me know." He runs towards the trees. "Come get me, come get me," he yells. "Shut up before you scare whatever is out here." He ignores me, placing his headphones on. I grip the rifle and take a deep breath. "Woohoo," Johnny shouts from a distance. I look up, and Johnny is sitting underneath a tall tree, staring at his cell phone. He then starts singing out loud. I hide behind some bushes and look through the scope, placing the target right on his head. Although I'm about seventy yards from him, he sees what I'm doing and gives me the finger. I laugh while searching the vicinity. I see nothing but trees and rocks. I sit on the ground and look again through the scope. The forest is still with the echo of Johnny's voice in the distance. I double-check my rifle to make sure it is properly loaded. I look through the scope once again. I see Johnny talking to someone on his phone. This is ridiculous! Why am I out here looking for something that doesn't exist? Johnny is probably right — my dad and uncle are playing a dirty joke on me. I stand up and grab my cell phone to text Johnny, but I have no service. That's when the sun starts to hide behind the mountains. It will be dark soon. I look through the scope again, pointing the rifle at Johnny. This time, he is leaning against the tree, listening to music with his headphones, and, again, singing out loud. I look at my cell phone, but still no service. This is absurd. I'm about to walk towards Johnny when I notice a vague movement. I drop to one knee, looking through the scope. There is a shadow, then something moving behind Johnny. I focus, but it suddenly disappears. Johnny! I yell, but he cannot hear me because of his headphones. I look again through the scope, but I do not see anything. I check my cell phone and still nothing. Johnny, I yell, but he still cannot hear me. I breathe deep, my hands and arms shake as I raise the rifle. I stare through the scope, and I see something. It looks like an animal, moving slowly like a human towards Johnny. I yell again, Johnny! but he cannot hear me. I try to keep the gun steady, glaring through the scope as it moves right behind the tree trunk. My best friend can't see it. I stand up and run towards him, dashing around rocks and trees. I hear something and crouch down, looking through the scope again, scouting what's in front of me. It is in the tree above Johnny, ready to pounce on him. The animal is shaped like a man, about three feet tall, covered in long, coarse black hair. It has claws and fangs. I aim my rifle at its head. I squeeze the trigger and fire. I miss! Johnny! I scream in distress. The animal jumps on Johnny, viciously biting and clawing. Johnny, trying to push it away, desperately yells for help, but the animal is too strong. Pieces of flesh are pulled off Johnny's neck and face. He is being mauled when I realize I'm only a few feet away. I step back. That is when the animal turns around, staring angrily at me with his white eyes and dripping blood down his hairy face. You're next, he murmurs. Stunned that it speaks, I drop the rifle and run in the opposite direction, cutting through several pine trees and into an open field. I look back, and it is chasing me. I push myself, seeing the farm in the distance. I glance behind me, and it's still chasing me, but I am too fast for it. I reach the farmhouse and step onto the porch, banging on the front door. Help! Is anyone home? I yell, kicking the door. Is anyone home? I then notice a window open. I yell through it, help! but I get no response. I push the glass open, quickly jumping through the window, landing on a table, and falling on the floor. I'm in the kitchen, and there is a knife on the counter. I grab it. Suddenly, my cell phone vibrates. I pull it out of my pocket. It's my dad! I'm about to answer when something slams against the front door. You better leave me alone, I scream. The front door smashes open as I run out of the kitchen into the living room. There is a staircase, and I run upstairs into a bathroom. I close the door, lock it, and answer my phone. "Dad!" "Son, where are you?" "Help me! It's trying to kill me!" I drop the phone, startled by a loud pounding noise against the bathroom door. I have a knife, I yell. I move next to the toilet as the pounding on the door continues. Please stop, I beg. Trying to hold back my tears, I grip the knife handle tightly with both hands. The pounding intensifies, and the door is about to burst open. You better leave! I shout, but then the pounding suddenly stops. There is complete silence. I move next to the door, waiting for something to happen, when I hear frantic footsteps. The footsteps become louder and louder, and the bathroom door flings open. I close my eyes and swing the knife back and forth, trying to stab whatever is in front of me. "Stop! Stop!" a voice shouts. I open my eyes, and my dad is standing at the door. My uncle is right behind him. I drop the knife. "Ethan, it's me," my dad says. I just stare at him with sweat running down my face. "It's trying to get me," I say. "We know," my uncle says. "When we saw the rifle missing, we knew you took it." "It was your uncle's idea to come out here to find you," my dad says. "It killed Johnny," I mumble. "We know," my uncle says. "Why did it do that?" I ask. "That's what it does, Ethan. It kills for the sake of killing," my dad replies. At that moment, I knew I made a terrible mistake coming out here. I sit on the toilet and cover my face with both hands. I start to cry. -The End- |
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