Collin Bishop-Karney

The trailer was soon filled with hushed voices. Everyone gathered in the hallway, listening as the creature outside began to thrash against the ground. its guttural moans growing louder. My grandfather moved with a calmness that seemed almost unreal, retrieving his shotgun from a drawer and loading it with ash-coated bullets. He whispered prayers under his breath as he approached the door.

The trailer was soon filled with hushed voices. Everyone gathered in the hallway, listening as the creature outside began to thrash against the ground. its guttural moans growing louder. My grandfather moved with a calmness that seemed almost unreal, retrieving his shotgun from a drawer and loading it with ash-coated bullets. He whispered prayers under his breath as he approached the door.

I watched, frozen in place, as he swung the door open, the cold night air rushing in. The creature was there, standing at the edge of the porch light, its twisted form barely visible. My grandfather fired, the blasts echoing into the night, but the creature moved, faster than anything I had ever seen, disappearing into the darkness.

I watched, frozen in place, as he swung the door open, the cold night air rushing in. The creature was there, standing at the edge of the porch light, its twisted form barely visible. My grandfather fired, the blasts echoing into the night, but the creature moved, faster than anything I had ever seen, disappearing into the darkness.

We stood there in silence, the acrid smell of gunpowder hanging in the air. The creature was gone, but the sense of dread remained. My grandmother's trembling voice broke the silence, trying to comfort us, but the fear was still there, etched into each of our faces. My aunt whispered that it saw us, that it knew who we were now.

We stood there in silence, the acrid smell of gunpowder hanging in the air. The creature was gone, but the sense of dread remained. My grandmother's trembling voice broke the silence, trying to comfort us, but the fear was still there, etched into each of our faces. My aunt whispered that it saw us, that it knew who we were now.

The rest of the night passed in tense silence, each of us afraid of what might come next, our only hope lying in the first light of dawn. The air was heavy as dawn began to break, the first rays of sunlight filtering through the thin curtains, painting the room in soft, muted light. None of us had slept.

The rest of the night passed in tense silence, each of us afraid of what might come next, our only hope lying in the first light of dawn. The air was heavy as dawn began to break, the first rays of sunlight filtering through the thin curtains, painting the room in soft, muted light. None of us had slept.

we had stayed huddled together in the hallway each of us listening for any sign that the creature might return my grandfather sat near the door the shotgun across his knees his eyes fixed on the small window as if daring the thing to show itself again

we had stayed huddled together in the hallway each of us listening for any sign that the creature might return my grandfather sat near the door the shotgun across his knees his eyes fixed on the small window as if daring the thing to show itself again

my mother's arm was around my shoulders her presence the only thing keeping my fear from swallowing me whole when the sunlight finally broke through there was a collective sense of relief the darkness had retreated and with it some of the terror seemed to lift my grandfather stood his joints creaking as he rose and he opened the door

my mother's arm was around my shoulders her presence the only thing keeping my fear from swallowing me whole when the sunlight finally broke through there was a collective sense of relief the darkness had retreated and with it some of the terror seemed to lift my grandfather stood his joints creaking as he rose and he opened the door

The cold night air had left a bitter chill, but the warmth of the sun was beginning to melt it away. He stepped out onto the porch, his eyes scanning the horizon, the yard, and the space behind the parked vehicles. The ground was scuffed where the creature had stood, dark smears marking the spots where it had dragged its twisted limbs.

The cold night air had left a bitter chill, but the warmth of the sun was beginning to melt it away. He stepped out onto the porch, his eyes scanning the horizon, the yard, and the space behind the parked vehicles. The ground was scuffed where the creature had stood, dark smears marking the spots where it had dragged its twisted limbs.

My grandmother was the first to speak, her voice barely more than a whisper. We need help. There was no arguing with that. The events of the night had shaken us all, and none of us could pretend otherwise. My grandfather nodded, his expression grim, and after a few moments he stepped back inside, closing the door behind him.

My grandmother was the first to speak, her voice barely more than a whisper. We need help. There was no arguing with that. The events of the night had shaken us all, and none of us could pretend otherwise. My grandfather nodded, his expression grim, and after a few moments he stepped back inside, closing the door behind him.

He exchanged a few hushed words with my mother, and soon a decision was made. We would call on the neighbor, a medicine man known for his strength in such matters. My mother picked up the phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed the number. The hours that followed seemed to stretch on forever. Every small noise made me jump, every creak of the trailer sending my heart racing.

He exchanged a few hushed words with my mother, and soon a decision was made. We would call on the neighbor, a medicine man known for his strength in such matters. My mother picked up the phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed the number. The hours that followed seemed to stretch on forever. Every small noise made me jump, every creak of the trailer sending my heart racing.

It felt as if the malevolent presence of the night before still lingered, hidden just beyond the edges of the light, waiting for its chance to return. When the medicine man finally arrived, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

It felt as if the malevolent presence of the night before still lingered, hidden just beyond the edges of the light, waiting for its chance to return. When the medicine man finally arrived, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.