Samantha (Corrections Officer)

We dragged the beast inside, slamming the door shut like it could keep whatever darkness we'd stirred out. eli collapsed into a chair his face pale sweat soaking through his torn shirt i lit every lantern in the cabin the flickering light casting long shadows that made the creature's body look even more grotesque we stared at it in silence for a long time

We dragged the beast inside, slamming the door shut like it could keep whatever darkness we'd stirred out. eli collapsed into a chair his face pale sweat soaking through his torn shirt i lit every lantern in the cabin the flickering light casting long shadows that made the creature's body look even more grotesque we stared at it in silence for a long time

what now eli finally whispered his voice hollow i didn't answer right away my mind was racing grasping for something anything that could explain what we'd seen then i thought of professor alden moore the reclusive scholar who lived on the edge of town folks said he knew more about animals than anyone else maybe too much

what now eli finally whispered his voice hollow i didn't answer right away my mind was racing grasping for something anything that could explain what we'd seen then i thought of professor alden moore the reclusive scholar who lived on the edge of town folks said he knew more about animals than anyone else maybe too much

some whispered he dabbled in things better left alone but i didn't care if anyone could tell us what this was it was him we take it to moore i said finally eli looked at me like i'd lost my mind again but he didn't argue Maybe he didn't have the strength. Getting the beast to Moore's place was no easier than dragging it out of the woods.

some whispered he dabbled in things better left alone but i didn't care if anyone could tell us what this was it was him we take it to moore i said finally eli looked at me like i'd lost my mind again but he didn't argue Maybe he didn't have the strength. Getting the beast to Moore's place was no easier than dragging it out of the woods.

By the time we got there, the sun was high but it didn't feel warm. His house sat at the edge of the forest, a crooked old thing with dark windows that seemed to watch us as we approached. Moore answered the door after the first knock, his thin face pale and drawn, like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes flicked from me to Eli, then to the tarp-covered shape behind us.

By the time we got there, the sun was high but it didn't feel warm. His house sat at the edge of the forest, a crooked old thing with dark windows that seemed to watch us as we approached. Moore answered the door after the first knock, his thin face pale and drawn, like he hadn't slept in days. His eyes flicked from me to Eli, then to the tarp-covered shape behind us.

Without a word, he stepped aside, motioning us in. We dragged the beast into his study, laying it out on a table that creaked under the weight. The room smelled of old books and something sharp like chemicals. Moore circled the creature, his eyes narrowing as he peeled back the tarp. For a long time he said nothing, just stared. Then his face changed.

Without a word, he stepped aside, motioning us in. We dragged the beast into his study, laying it out on a table that creaked under the weight. The room smelled of old books and something sharp like chemicals. Moore circled the creature, his eyes narrowing as he peeled back the tarp. For a long time he said nothing, just stared. Then his face changed.

His skin went even paler, his mouth tightening into a thin line. His hands, steady at first, began to tremble. What is it? Eli whispered, his voice barely audible. Moore didn't answer right away. He leaned in close, examining the beast's face, its claws, the gaping wound in its gut. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and strained, like it hurt to say the words.

His skin went even paler, his mouth tightening into a thin line. His hands, steady at first, began to tremble. What is it? Eli whispered, his voice barely audible. Moore didn't answer right away. He leaned in close, examining the beast's face, its claws, the gaping wound in its gut. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and strained, like it hurt to say the words.

you shouldn't have brought this here eli flinched what do you mean you know what it is don't you moore straightened his eyes darting to the window then to the dark corners of the room like he expected something to crawl out of the shadows I don't want to know, he whispered, and neither do you. I stepped forward, my hands balling into fists. What the hell does that mean, Moore?

you shouldn't have brought this here eli flinched what do you mean you know what it is don't you moore straightened his eyes darting to the window then to the dark corners of the room like he expected something to crawl out of the shadows I don't want to know, he whispered, and neither do you. I stepped forward, my hands balling into fists. What the hell does that mean, Moore?

We killed this thing. We need to know what it is. But Moore just shook his head. He backed away from the table like the beast might rise up and grab him, his eyes wide with a fear I'd never seen in a man before. Stay out of the woods at night, he said, his voice barely more than a breath.

We killed this thing. We need to know what it is. But Moore just shook his head. He backed away from the table like the beast might rise up and grab him, his eyes wide with a fear I'd never seen in a man before. Stay out of the woods at night, he said, his voice barely more than a breath.

and pray you didn't bring more than just the body back with you and with that he was gone he left us standing there the beast's carcass between us the weight of his words settling like a stone in my chest we went back to the cabin after that but the beast didn't stay dead for long not in the way that mattered by morning it was gone and the woods the woods were watching

and pray you didn't bring more than just the body back with you and with that he was gone he left us standing there the beast's carcass between us the weight of his words settling like a stone in my chest we went back to the cabin after that but the beast didn't stay dead for long not in the way that mattered by morning it was gone and the woods the woods were watching

I should have known something was off the second we pulled up to the lease. The cabin sat there, hunched in the trees like it had been waiting for us, its weather-beaten wood sagging under years of storms and silence. It always looked a little rough around the edges, it's been in our family forever, but this time it felt… different. The place was too quiet.

I should have known something was off the second we pulled up to the lease. The cabin sat there, hunched in the trees like it had been waiting for us, its weather-beaten wood sagging under years of storms and silence. It always looked a little rough around the edges, it's been in our family forever, but this time it felt… different. The place was too quiet.