Johnny Henderson

The most logical course of action that he could come up with was to call for help.

His best friend, Kenny Patterson, owned the farm just over from his.

If he were home, he could bring a saw and cut up the tree for him.

So Jacob, with his nerves still frazzled and frayed, reached into his glove box and pulled out his cell phone and clumsily dialed Kenny's number.

The phone rang six times, and Jacob was about to give up when Kenny answered the phone and said, Hey, ugly, what do you want this early in the morning?

As quickly as he could, he relayed the recent events to Kenny and said, Man, please hurry.

I'm not kidding.

There is something out here.

And Kenny, hearing the shakiness in his friend's voice, assured him that he would be there in a matter of minutes.

Jacob thanked him, hung up the phone,

embraced himself for what he was sure would be the longest few minutes of his life.

He sat motionless, with bated breath there in his truck.

Every sound made his imagination run wild with fear and expectance.

Even though little more than three minutes had passed since he had spoken to Kenny, it felt as if hours had passed.

Each tick of the clock seemed to be an eternity.

Jacob frequently checked in all directions for any sign that that nightmarish monstrosity had pursued him.

In every shadow that the forest and this irritatingly cloudy day produced, he thought he saw the shape of the black beast that had followed him out of the woods.

and he was afraid that he would lose his sanity long before Kenny arrived to clear the tree out of his pathway.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Jacob heard the sound of Kenny's old truck sputtering up the road, and in just moments, he was able to see the old red Chevrolet as it made its way closer to him.

Jacob's spirits lifted when he saw his old friend, and a sense of relief washed over him as he realized that he was no longer alone.