Samantha (Corrections Officer)

his eyes were locked on the creature's body wide and unblinking like he thought if he looked away it might get back up i wasn't so sure it wouldn't my hands trembled as i stepped closer the fence post still gripped tight the beast's chest didn't rise No breath, no twitch, but its eyes. Jesus, its eyes. Even in death they held a faint unnatural glow like embers that refused to die out.

his eyes were locked on the creature's body wide and unblinking like he thought if he looked away it might get back up i wasn't so sure it wouldn't my hands trembled as i stepped closer the fence post still gripped tight the beast's chest didn't rise No breath, no twitch, but its eyes. Jesus, its eyes. Even in death they held a faint unnatural glow like embers that refused to die out.

I crouched beside it, close enough now to see details I wished I never had. Its head was unmistakably wolf-like. But the proportions were wrong. The snout was too long, the teeth too jagged, and where a wolf's eyes should have been wild and animalistic, these were knowing, human almost.

I crouched beside it, close enough now to see details I wished I never had. Its head was unmistakably wolf-like. But the proportions were wrong. The snout was too long, the teeth too jagged, and where a wolf's eyes should have been wild and animalistic, these were knowing, human almost.

Its fur was thick and black, but patches of it were missing, revealing mottled, grey skin beneath, like it was in the middle of becoming something else, or had been something else once. Its paws, if you could call them that, were massive, ending in claws like curved knives. I could still see the blood from copper and red clinging to them, thick and dark.

Its fur was thick and black, but patches of it were missing, revealing mottled, grey skin beneath, like it was in the middle of becoming something else, or had been something else once. Its paws, if you could call them that, were massive, ending in claws like curved knives. I could still see the blood from copper and red clinging to them, thick and dark.

The tail was long, almost serpentine, curling around its body even in death. This ain't right, Eli finally whispered, his voice hoarse. james this-this ain't right i didn't have the words to argue we should have left it there walked away but some stubborn part of me needed to prove what we'd seen needed someone else to look at this thing and tell me i wasn't losing my mind

The tail was long, almost serpentine, curling around its body even in death. This ain't right, Eli finally whispered, his voice hoarse. james this-this ain't right i didn't have the words to argue we should have left it there walked away but some stubborn part of me needed to prove what we'd seen needed someone else to look at this thing and tell me i wasn't losing my mind

We're taking it back, I said, my voice steady, though my insides were shaking like a leaf. Eli snapped his head toward me, eyes wide. What? You out of your damn mind? We need to burn it. But I was already reaching for my knife. Help me gut it. We'll drag it back to the cabin. Eli stared at me like I'd sprouted a second head, but in the end, he didn't argue.

We're taking it back, I said, my voice steady, though my insides were shaking like a leaf. Eli snapped his head toward me, eyes wide. What? You out of your damn mind? We need to burn it. But I was already reaching for my knife. Help me gut it. We'll drag it back to the cabin. Eli stared at me like I'd sprouted a second head, but in the end, he didn't argue.

Maybe he didn't want to be left alone with it, or maybe he, too, needed proof that we weren't crazy. The smell hit me the moment I sank the blade into its gut, not like any animal I'd ever hunted. It wasn't just blood and awful, it was rot. Like the thing had been dead for days, maybe longer. But its body was warm, too warm. And then there were its insides.

Maybe he didn't want to be left alone with it, or maybe he, too, needed proof that we weren't crazy. The smell hit me the moment I sank the blade into its gut, not like any animal I'd ever hunted. It wasn't just blood and awful, it was rot. Like the thing had been dead for days, maybe longer. But its body was warm, too warm. And then there were its insides.

I've gutted deer, bear, all kinds of game, but nothing prepared me for what was inside that beast. Its organs were wrong, twisted in ways that didn't make sense. The heart was too big, pulsing faintly even as I carved it out. The intestines were dark, almost black, and the blood... It wasn't the rich red of life, but a thick, tar-like sludge.

I've gutted deer, bear, all kinds of game, but nothing prepared me for what was inside that beast. Its organs were wrong, twisted in ways that didn't make sense. The heart was too big, pulsing faintly even as I carved it out. The intestines were dark, almost black, and the blood... It wasn't the rich red of life, but a thick, tar-like sludge.

Eli gagged beside me, turning away to retch in the dirt. I didn't blame him. I wanted to do the same. We lashed what was left of the carcass to a makeshift sled, using old fence rails and rope we found nearby.

Eli gagged beside me, turning away to retch in the dirt. I didn't blame him. I wanted to do the same. We lashed what was left of the carcass to a makeshift sled, using old fence rails and rope we found nearby.

the thing was heavy impossibly so like it didn't want to be moved every step back to the cabin felt like dragging a piece of the woods itself something ancient and angry the forest stayed silent as we moved but that didn't comfort me

the thing was heavy impossibly so like it didn't want to be moved every step back to the cabin felt like dragging a piece of the woods itself something ancient and angry the forest stayed silent as we moved but that didn't comfort me

it felt like the trees were watching holding their breath until we were gone and more than once i swore i heard something behind us soft footsteps just out of sight but when i turned there was nothing nothing but the shadows By the time we reached the cabin, dawn was creeping over the horizon, staining the sky a sickly gray. My muscles burned, my hands raw from the rope, but we didn't stop.

it felt like the trees were watching holding their breath until we were gone and more than once i swore i heard something behind us soft footsteps just out of sight but when i turned there was nothing nothing but the shadows By the time we reached the cabin, dawn was creeping over the horizon, staining the sky a sickly gray. My muscles burned, my hands raw from the rope, but we didn't stop.