Catherine

i stepped out into the pale morning light it had snowed lightly while i slept just enough to blur tracks the wind was dead the lake stretched out gray and flat like a frozen sheet of steel no movement no sound no birds just behind me the cave let out a low groan not from shifting ice it sounded like a breath i turned and ran i followed what i thought were danny's prints but they twisted doubled back

veered into places that made no sense tight gaps in rocks cracks in the lake ice that no human could squeeze through whatever i was following it wasn't danny any more the sun barely broke the clouds casting long distorted shadows across the ice I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see him there, or it. Hours passed.

veered into places that made no sense tight gaps in rocks cracks in the lake ice that no human could squeeze through whatever i was following it wasn't danny any more the sun barely broke the clouds casting long distorted shadows across the ice I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see him there, or it. Hours passed.

Then, near a collapsed section of shoreline ice, I found the first real sign. A parka. Danny's. Half frozen. Stuck in the snow. His boots were still in it. No blood, just empty. And beside it, a print, one, just one. It looked human, but stretched, toes like claws, longer than my forearm. The ice under it had begun to melt, even in sub-zero weather.

Then, near a collapsed section of shoreline ice, I found the first real sign. A parka. Danny's. Half frozen. Stuck in the snow. His boots were still in it. No blood, just empty. And beside it, a print, one, just one. It looked human, but stretched, toes like claws, longer than my forearm. The ice under it had begun to melt, even in sub-zero weather.

I backed away slowly and nearly fell through a soft patch. When I looked back, the parka was gone. I knew I couldn't stay out in the open. I needed higher ground, or at least a spot where I could see what was coming. I climbed up a frozen ridge near the edge of a broken cave, flares in my chest pocket. As I crested the top, I finally saw it.

I backed away slowly and nearly fell through a soft patch. When I looked back, the parka was gone. I knew I couldn't stay out in the open. I needed higher ground, or at least a spot where I could see what was coming. I climbed up a frozen ridge near the edge of a broken cave, flares in my chest pocket. As I crested the top, I finally saw it.

Down below, slithering between shards of ice and drifted snow, was a thing. Seven, maybe eight feet tall when upright, but it moved mostly on all fours, emaciated, pale, limbs too long and bent the wrong way, like an insect mimicking a person.

Down below, slithering between shards of ice and drifted snow, was a thing. Seven, maybe eight feet tall when upright, but it moved mostly on all fours, emaciated, pale, limbs too long and bent the wrong way, like an insect mimicking a person.

its head looked human almost but its mouth hung slack and split too far back on both sides its eyes were gone just black sockets and on its head a crown of twisted antlers like dead branches strung with bits of fur and tendon it stopped moving and turned its head toward me. Even without eyes, I knew it saw me. It let out this sound, like a person inhaling and screaming at the same time.

its head looked human almost but its mouth hung slack and split too far back on both sides its eyes were gone just black sockets and on its head a crown of twisted antlers like dead branches strung with bits of fur and tendon it stopped moving and turned its head toward me. Even without eyes, I knew it saw me. It let out this sound, like a person inhaling and screaming at the same time.

Then it charged. I panicked and fired a flare, mist wide. The thing ducked and twisted under the arc, impossibly fast. I ran, not back to the tent, not back to the cave. I just ran across the lake, praying the ice held. The sun was higher now, which helped. In the distance, miles away, I saw a snowmobile. Bright orange. A Coast Guard rescue unit.

Then it charged. I panicked and fired a flare, mist wide. The thing ducked and twisted under the arc, impossibly fast. I ran, not back to the tent, not back to the cave. I just ran across the lake, praying the ice held. The sun was higher now, which helped. In the distance, miles away, I saw a snowmobile. Bright orange. A Coast Guard rescue unit.

My beacon must have finally transmitted through a gap in the clouds. I waved my arms, screamed, fired a second flare. The rider turned toward me, and that's when I heard it behind me, bare footsteps slapping across the ice. Close. I turned. The Wendigo.

My beacon must have finally transmitted through a gap in the clouds. I waved my arms, screamed, fired a second flare. The rider turned toward me, and that's when I heard it behind me, bare footsteps slapping across the ice. Close. I turned. The Wendigo.

Danny, whatever it was now, was sprinting after me, its mouth opening wider than I thought possible, tongue dragging against its chest, leaving a trail of ice that hissed and melted. I fired the last flare directly into its face. The creature reared back and shrieked, so loud I felt it in my teeth. Its skin bubbled where the flare hit, steaming like dry ice on fire.

Danny, whatever it was now, was sprinting after me, its mouth opening wider than I thought possible, tongue dragging against its chest, leaving a trail of ice that hissed and melted. I fired the last flare directly into its face. The creature reared back and shrieked, so loud I felt it in my teeth. Its skin bubbled where the flare hit, steaming like dry ice on fire.

It clawed at its head, and in that moment of weakness, the sun crested fully over the ridge behind me. The creature let out a final hiss and collapsed into the snow, limbs twitching, steaming. Then, as I watched in horror, it sank through the ice, not cracking it, not breaking it, just slowly melting into it like it belonged there, like it was returning. The rescue team got to me minutes later.

It clawed at its head, and in that moment of weakness, the sun crested fully over the ridge behind me. The creature let out a final hiss and collapsed into the snow, limbs twitching, steaming. Then, as I watched in horror, it sank through the ice, not cracking it, not breaking it, just slowly melting into it like it belonged there, like it was returning. The rescue team got to me minutes later.

They thought I was suffering from exposure. I told them what I saw. They didn't believe me, but they didn't argue either. They just nodded. And one of them, a bearded older guy who looked like he'd worked this area for decades, leaned in and whispered, You weren't the first, and you won't be the last. They never found Danny's body, not even his prints.