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Haunting Memory

by Christopher Filippone
I ran for what seemed like hours. Over knolls and through bushes, I ran. I ran for some time through the cold night. I fought against my fear and stopped to look back. Was it still after me? I couldn't tell. The memory of the creature's horrible face filled me again. Fear overwhelmed me once more, so I ran. The crunching of the dried leaves beneath my bounding feet and the beating of my heart were the only sounds I could hear. My chest ached. The cold air I drew in my lungs sent chills throughout my body. I grew weak from my flight. I couldn't run much longer. Just ahead of me lay a dark forest. Not even the full moon's light could penetrate its dense foliage. I ran to it, hoping it would hide me from my tormentor.
I entered the deep dark twisted forest. The huge gnarled branches of the thickening trees swayed in the harsh cold wind. I stumbled over a twisted root protruding from the ground. I fell. The dirt and leaves filled my face as I lay on the ground. I dragged myself a few feet forward and ducked behind a large tree, trying to catch my breath. My arms and legs felt frozen in the cold damp night. Not even the pounding of my hot blood could warm the chill inside me. My face was covered with sweat and dirt. My eyes rolled up, searching for the sky. The full moon shattered by the stiff cold branches hovered high above. I found no sign of the safety and peacefulness of the coming dawn. The night still surrounded me, embracing me like the cold arms of death.
Then I saw the thing. It entered the forest looking for me. I crouched behind the tree I lay in front of, hoping it would conceal me from the beast. The creature looked to be over eight feet when it stood upright. At times it walked on two legs, but it seemed to travel over the ground most efficiently on all fours. It staggered all around me. Searching for me. Its hellish yellow eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Its long sharp teeth seemed to glow red with the blood of its victims. The cool wind struck its fur covered body as it sniffed the air, searching for me. I sat, motionless, trying not to breathe. I closed my eyes tight, afraid to cast my gaze on the monster for fear I would scream out in terror and reveal my place of hiding. As it grew nearer to me, I could feel its hot breath. I began to pray, quietly to myself, hoping for some divine intervention.
From high above, a flock of geese took flight. Their beating wings and loud honking caught the attention of the beast. I swallowed hard and opened my eyes to see the monster gazing up at the sky. The creature let out a blood chilling shriek and waved its clawed hands at the fleeing birds. It began to run. It started to chase the flock, howling loudly as it ran. In a short while, I could no longer see it. It was now deep inside the thick woods.
I lay there, amid the dried leaves and thick rough trees for what seemed like hours. As I rested, my mind drifted back to a time before this nightmare began. I thought about my friends, Steven and Thomas. We three thought it would be fun to do some exploring. Somehow, after a time of drinking and laughing, we were separated. That's when the beast spotted me and my horrible ordeal began.
After my moment of reflection, I tried to stand, but my entire body felt dead. The stinging cold weakened me. I couldn't move. I was about to give in to my fate when I heard a voice call out. "Hello! Hello, there!"
It was a man. He was several yards from me, waving his arms. As he grew nearer, I tried to make out his appearance.
He wore heavy clothing, like those worn by someone accustomed to working outside. A heavy woolen coat covered his thick frame. Clumps of dirt clung to his dark brown coveralls. His black boots were covered in mud as well. The man's face was creased from weather and age. The hair jutting out from under his woolen hat was gray like the clouds surrounding the moon above. He was running towards me. Was the beast chasing him now? He was close now, leaning against a tree, catching his breath.
"What are you doing out on a night such as this?" his tone thick with concern.
"Some kind of monster straight from hell was chasing me."
The man's eyes grew wide. "The creature is back? Come, come, I will take you to my home. It's not far from here. Come on, we must get you out of this cold night."
The man pulled me to my feet. I was weak. I felt my body about to fall, but the man, clearly stronger than he looked, threw my arm over his shoulder and helped me stay on my feet. He led me deeper through the thick forest, over brush and under branches. I twisted my neck to try and stare back. The night was thick all around me. I tried to see the edge of the forest, but it was far from my sight. I closed my eyes and prayed the old man knew where he was going. I also prayed the beast was not near.
We walked for what seemed like days, but it was probably less than an hour. Eventually, we came upon a small, dilapidated cottage. The structure looked to be in disrepair. I wondered how long the man lived there. The darkness and silence of the night began to fill my ears. The cold chill of terror played on my mind. I no longer cared about the condition of the man's home. I just needed to be inside, out of the night.
The dwelling was surprisingly warm and inviting. A small wooden table with two chairs stood in the middle of the floor. In the center of the table was a small basket of bread. A bottle of wine sat next to the basket. A short distance from the table was an angry fire burning within a stone fireplace. Suspended on an iron bar above the fire was a large steaming kettle.
The old man dragged one of the chairs closer to the fire and helped me sit down. I hugged my body tight, trying to stop the shaking. I hung close to the fire and let its warmth rush over me. The images in my mind melted away. As my body warmed, my strength began to return.
I drew in a deep breath and let the delicious smell coming from the steaming kettle fill my senses. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until that very moment. I wanted to ask the owner for a bite to eat, but I decided against it. I didn't want to impose. He risked his life to save mine. I couldn't ask him for any more.
I turned to the man who rescued me. He sat quietly in the chair beside the table smoking a pipe. His eyes were narrow and dark and a bit unsettled. As the flames flickered higher, I caught a glimpse of a small smile tracing his lips.
"Sir, please tell me your name." I asked. "I'd like to know the name of the man who saved my life tonight"
The man chuckled. "My young friend, the night isn't over yet. The name's Jeb. Pleased to meet you -"
"My name is Tim," I said. "Pleased to meet you as well."
The old man and I sat in silence for some time. I stared at the fire, mesmerized by its magical dance of light and shadow. As the night continued on its silent journey, the flickering flames grew shorter and shorter. The man stoked the fire and added some timber to it. As he sat back in his chair, I finally got the courage to speak to him once again. "Sir, what was that thing out there? You know of it?"
"Oh yes, I've known of the beast my whole life. It's lived in these parts for as long as I can remember. It comes out on nights like this searching for food. Then, at dawn, it returns to its lair to sleep."
"Well, I hope I don't live long enough to see horrid thing again. As soon as dawn breaks, and it's safe to travel, I'll be on my way. I was lucky to run into you. If you hadn't come upon me, I would have died for sure."
Then a loud knock came from the door. "BAM! BAM! BAM!" The man jumped with a start and let out a laugh. "Well, I guess I've got another guest on this cold night."
He walked to the door and opened it only a crack. It was just enough for him to inspect the mysterious visitor. The old man spoke to the visitor. Although his voice was muffled, I could still hear his words. "Oh it's you! You're early. Come in, come in."

The old man turned to me and said, "There's someone I want you to meet." He then flung the door open, revealing the beast. It screeched and roared when its eyes met mine.
It was a massive beast. Its fur body was covered with dirt and muck. Its two dark crippling thick and twisted legs reminded me of the gnarled trees it chased me passed. The beast's arms were long and mangled, much like its hideous legs. Long warped fingers shot out from the ends of its arms in bizarre directions. The creature's horrifying face was long and narrow like that of a four-legged animal. Two pointed ears sprang from ether side of its large head. Hot streams of breath shot from its flat nose, which sat very low on its face. The large gaping mouth hung open revealing blood soaked daggers. Those cold dead yellow eyes that pierced the night seemed to cut right to my soul.
I jumped out of my seat screaming in terror at the site of the beast. It howled and screeched as it shot through the door at me. I flung the chair at the monster but missed. The chair struck the kettle instead, knocking it off its perch and spilling it onto the floor. I covered my mouth in horror when I saw severed hands and pieces of skin and bone spill from the steaming kettle spinning on the floor.
"Ha! You spilled his snack, my friend," laughed the old man. "Now you're in real trouble."
The beast stopped to examine the horrid mess. It crouched down so that its face was just a few inches from the floor. It shot its long thick tongue out and began to lap up the bits of bone, the whole time keeping its focus on me. I had to look away. The horrific scene was too much for me to endure. As it snacked, I struggled to keep my sanity. I had to find a way to escape. I looked back at the thing. Its eyes locked with mine. Then, without warning, it leaped at me.
I screamed and ran nearer to the fire. As the animal stalked me, I could hear the old man laughing. I instinctively reached into the fire and flung a burning log at it. The burning wood struck the monster in the on the side of the head. It screamed and cried as it clutched its wound. It whimpered and backed away from me.
"Why'd you do that? He's only playing with you," whined the old man. His tone then became low and cold. "Kill him, my pet. Kill him!"
My gaze moved from the beast to the old man and back. I was cornered. The old man moved in and shouted at the beast again. "Kill him. You must kill him!"
The monster understood. It stood straight up and stared at me, eyes wide. It huffed and bared its teeth at me. It let out an ear-piercing roar and came at me. I closed my eyes, awaiting my painful death.
Just before it pounced on me, a sudden bang cracked the cold air. At the old man's door stood Steven, a smoking gun in his hand. His shot stuck the monster in the back. It screamed in pain. The monster faced him. Steven shot again, hitting the creature in the arm. It gripped its bleeding arm and fell backward, screaming in agony. Beside Steven appeared Thomas, weapon in hand. He shot at it too, but his shot missed the beast. It stuck the old man as he stepped in front of his wounded pet.
"I hit that old man!" Thomas said in a panic.
Steven aimed his gun once again and yelled, "So what? Just keep shooting."
I ducked down beside the fire, afraid I would be hit by a stray shot. I didn't need to worry. Every shot hit the fallen creature. But, after every shot, the monster seemed to react more violently. Finally, the beast went mad from the agonizing pain. It jumped up and charged Steven and Thomas. For a moment, I was sure they were doomed.
The two men kept on shooting, but the creature kept coming. It bounded through the doorway, knocking them to the ground. However, the monster didn't turn and continue its attack. It ran howling and screeching into the deep dark forest. My fiends made it to their feet and called for me to come out. I did, walking past the old man lying motionless on the floor. I didn't stop to check if he was alive or dead.
I looked at them both with tears in my eyes. The joy of seeing them come to my rescue overtook me. Without saying anything, they knew how grateful I was. Thomas gripped his riffle at the barrel and pointed in one particular direction. "I think the thing went that way." Thomas was scared, for sure. I could hear it in his voice. He tried to conceal it, but it was obvious. "What the hell was it?"
"It's like nothing I've ever seen in my life," said Steven. I knew he was scared too, but Steven hid his fear far better than Tom. He kept his mind focused on his goal. It helped him control his fear.
I looked back at the cabin. "The old man was protecting it. He cared for it, I think. Is he dead?"
"I don't know, and I don't care," said Steven. "Let's go."
I wanted to ask them how they found me, but I didn't care very much. They had found me. That's all that mattered. Thomas ran on ahead and waved Steven and me to follow. "Come on, let's get out of here. This is the way."
We walked through the thick forest until dawn. When we finally reached civilization, we promised never to speak to each other about the horrible night again. We never did. On that night, a strong bond of friendship formed between the three of us. The bond was like nothing we had felt before.
Some nights I lay awake in bed thinking about the horrible beast. I wonder what it was. I wonder if it's dead or if it still comes out at night prowling the dark forest for its next victim.

Haunting Memory

by Christopher Filippone
I ran for what seemed like hours. Over knolls and through bushes, I ran. I ran for some time through the cold night. I fought against my fear and stopped to look back. Was it still after me? I couldn't tell. The memory of the creature's horrible face filled me again. Fear overwhelmed me once more, so I ran. The crunching of the dried leaves beneath my bounding feet and the beating of my heart were the only sounds I could hear. My chest ached. The cold air I drew in my lungs sent chills throughout my body. I grew weak from my flight. I couldn't run much longer. Just ahead of me lay a dark forest. Not even the full moon's light could penetrate its dense foliage. I ran to it, hoping it would hide me from my tormentor.
I entered the deep dark twisted forest. The huge gnarled branches of the thickening trees swayed in the harsh cold wind. I stumbled over a twisted root protruding from the ground. I fell. The dirt and leaves filled my face as I lay on the ground. I dragged myself a few feet forward and ducked behind a large tree, trying to catch my breath. My arms and legs felt frozen in the cold damp night. Not even the pounding of my hot blood could warm the chill inside me. My face was covered with sweat and dirt. My eyes rolled up, searching for the sky. The full moon shattered by the stiff cold branches hovered high above. I found no sign of the safety and peacefulness of the coming dawn. The night still surrounded me, embracing me like the cold arms of death.
Then I saw the thing. It entered the forest looking for me. I crouched behind the tree I lay in front of, hoping it would conceal me from the beast. The creature looked to be over eight feet when it stood upright. At times it walked on two legs, but it seemed to travel over the ground most efficiently on all fours. It staggered all around me. Searching for me. Its hellish yellow eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Its long sharp teeth seemed to glow red with the blood of its victims. The cool wind struck its fur covered body as it sniffed the air, searching for me. I sat, motionless, trying not to breathe. I closed my eyes tight, afraid to cast my gaze on the monster for fear I would scream out in terror and reveal my place of hiding. As it grew nearer to me, I could feel its hot breath. I began to pray, quietly to myself, hoping for some divine intervention.
From high above, a flock of geese took flight. Their beating wings and loud honking caught the attention of the beast. I swallowed hard and opened my eyes to see the monster gazing up at the sky. The creature let out a blood chilling shriek and waved its clawed hands at the fleeing birds. It began to run. It started to chase the flock, howling loudly as it ran. In a short while, I could no longer see it. It was now deep inside the thick woods.
I lay there, amid the dried leaves and thick rough trees for what seemed like hours. As I rested, my mind drifted back to a time before this nightmare began. I thought about my friends, Steven and Thomas. We three thought it would be fun to do some exploring. Somehow, after a time of drinking and laughing, we were separated. That's when the beast spotted me and my horrible ordeal began.
After my moment of reflection, I tried to stand, but my entire body felt dead. The stinging cold weakened me. I couldn't move. I was about to give in to my fate when I heard a voice call out. "Hello! Hello, there!"
It was a man. He was several yards from me, waving his arms. As he grew nearer, I tried to make out his appearance.
He wore heavy clothing, like those worn by someone accustomed to working outside. A heavy woolen coat covered his thick frame. Clumps of dirt clung to his dark brown coveralls. His black boots were covered in mud as well. The man's face was creased from weather and age. The hair jutting out from under his woolen hat was gray like the clouds surrounding the moon above. He was running towards me. Was the beast chasing him now? He was close now, leaning against a tree, catching his breath.
"What are you doing out on a night such as this?" his tone thick with concern.
"Some kind of monster straight from hell was chasing me."
The man's eyes grew wide. "The creature is back? Come, come, I will take you to my home. It's not far from here. Come on, we must get you out of this cold night."
The man pulled me to my feet. I was weak. I felt my body about to fall, but the man, clearly stronger than he looked, threw my arm over his shoulder and helped me stay on my feet. He led me deeper through the thick forest, over brush and under branches. I twisted my neck to try and stare back. The night was thick all around me. I tried to see the edge of the forest, but it was far from my sight. I closed my eyes and prayed the old man knew where he was going. I also prayed the beast was not near.
We walked for what seemed like days, but it was probably less than an hour. Eventually, we came upon a small, dilapidated cottage. The structure looked to be in disrepair. I wondered how long the man lived there. The darkness and silence of the night began to fill my ears. The cold chill of terror played on my mind. I no longer cared about the condition of the man's home. I just needed to be inside, out of the night.
The dwelling was surprisingly warm and inviting. A small wooden table with two chairs stood in the middle of the floor. In the center of the table was a small basket of bread. A bottle of wine sat next to the basket. A short distance from the table was an angry fire burning within a stone fireplace. Suspended on an iron bar above the fire was a large steaming kettle.
The old man dragged one of the chairs closer to the fire and helped me sit down. I hugged my body tight, trying to stop the shaking. I hung close to the fire and let its warmth rush over me. The images in my mind melted away. As my body warmed, my strength began to return.
I drew in a deep breath and let the delicious smell coming from the steaming kettle fill my senses. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until that very moment. I wanted to ask the owner for a bite to eat, but I decided against it. I didn't want to impose. He risked his life to save mine. I couldn't ask him for any more.
I turned to the man who rescued me. He sat quietly in the chair beside the table smoking a pipe. His eyes were narrow and dark and a bit unsettled. As the flames flickered higher, I caught a glimpse of a small smile tracing his lips.
"Sir, please tell me your name." I asked. "I'd like to know the name of the man who saved my life tonight"
The man chuckled. "My young friend, the night isn't over yet. The name's Jeb. Pleased to meet you -"
"My name is Tim," I said. "Pleased to meet you as well."
The old man and I sat in silence for some time. I stared at the fire, mesmerized by its magical dance of light and shadow. As the night continued on its silent journey, the flickering flames grew shorter and shorter. The man stoked the fire and added some timber to it. As he sat back in his chair, I finally got the courage to speak to him once again. "Sir, what was that thing out there? You know of it?"
"Oh yes, I've known of the beast my whole life. It's lived in these parts for as long as I can remember. It comes out on nights like this searching for food. Then, at dawn, it returns to its lair to sleep."
"Well, I hope I don't live long enough to see horrid thing again. As soon as dawn breaks, and it's safe to travel, I'll be on my way. I was lucky to run into you. If you hadn't come upon me, I would have died for sure."
Then a loud knock came from the door. "BAM! BAM! BAM!" The man jumped with a start and let out a laugh. "Well, I guess I've got another guest on this cold night."
He walked to the door and opened it only a crack. It was just enough for him to inspect the mysterious visitor. The old man spoke to the visitor. Although his voice was muffled, I could still hear his words. "Oh it's you! You're early. Come in, come in."
The old man turned to me and said, "There's someone I want you to meet." He then flung the door open, revealing the beast. It screeched and roared when its eyes met mine.
It was a massive beast. Its fur body was covered with dirt and muck. Its two dark crippling thick and twisted legs reminded me of the gnarled trees it chased me passed. The beast's arms were long and mangled, much like its hideous legs. Long warped fingers shot out from the ends of its arms in bizarre directions. The creature's horrifying face was long and narrow like that of a four-legged animal. Two pointed ears sprang from ether side of its large head. Hot streams of breath shot from its flat nose, which sat very low on its face. The large gaping mouth hung open revealing blood soaked daggers. Those cold dead yellow eyes that pierced the night seemed to cut right to my soul.
I jumped out of my seat screaming in terror at the site of the beast. It howled and screeched as it shot through the door at me. I flung the chair at the monster but missed. The chair struck the kettle instead, knocking it off its perch and spilling it onto the floor. I covered my mouth in horror when I saw severed hands and pieces of skin and bone spill from the steaming kettle spinning on the floor.
"Ha! You spilled his snack, my friend," laughed the old man. "Now you're in real trouble."
The beast stopped to examine the horrid mess. It crouched down so that its face was just a few inches from the floor. It shot its long thick tongue out and began to lap up the bits of bone, the whole time keeping its focus on me. I had to look away. The horrific scene was too much for me to endure. As it snacked, I struggled to keep my sanity. I had to find a way to escape. I looked back at the thing. Its eyes locked with mine. Then, without warning, it leaped at me.
I screamed and ran nearer to the fire. As the animal stalked me, I could hear the old man laughing. I instinctively reached into the fire and flung a burning log at it. The burning wood struck the monster in the on the side of the head. It screamed and cried as it clutched its wound. It whimpered and backed away from me.
"Why'd you do that? He's only playing with you," whined the old man. His tone then became low and cold. "Kill him, my pet. Kill him!"
My gaze moved from the beast to the old man and back. I was cornered. The old man moved in and shouted at the beast again. "Kill him. You must kill him!"
The monster understood. It stood straight up and stared at me, eyes wide. It huffed and bared its teeth at me. It let out an ear-piercing roar and came at me. I closed my eyes, awaiting my painful death.
Just before it pounced on me, a sudden bang cracked the cold air. At the old man's door stood Steven, a smoking gun in his hand. His shot stuck the monster in the back. It screamed in pain. The monster faced him. Steven shot again, hitting the creature in the arm. It gripped its bleeding arm and fell backward, screaming in agony. Beside Steven appeared Thomas, weapon in hand. He shot at it too, but his shot missed the beast. It stuck the old man as he stepped in front of his wounded pet.
"I hit that old man!" Thomas said in a panic.
Steven aimed his gun once again and yelled, "So what? Just keep shooting."
I ducked down beside the fire, afraid I would be hit by a stray shot. I didn't need to worry. Every shot hit the fallen creature. But, after every shot, the monster seemed to react more violently. Finally, the beast went mad from the agonizing pain. It jumped up and charged Steven and Thomas. For a moment, I was sure they were doomed.
The two men kept on shooting, but the creature kept coming. It bounded through the doorway, knocking them to the ground. However, the monster didn't turn and continue its attack. It ran howling and screeching into the deep dark forest. My fiends made it to their feet and called for me to come out. I did, walking past the old man lying motionless on the floor. I didn't stop to check if he was alive or dead.
I looked at them both with tears in my eyes. The joy of seeing them come to my rescue overtook me. Without saying anything, they knew how grateful I was. Thomas gripped his riffle at the barrel and pointed in one particular direction. "I think the thing went that way." Thomas was scared, for sure. I could hear it in his voice. He tried to conceal it, but it was obvious. "What the hell was it?"
"It's like nothing I've ever seen in my life," said Steven. I knew he was scared too, but Steven hid his fear far better than Tom. He kept his mind focused on his goal. It helped him control his fear.
I looked back at the cabin. "The old man was protecting it. He cared for it, I think. Is he dead?"
"I don't know, and I don't care," said Steven. "Let's go."
I wanted to ask them how they found me, but I didn't care very much. They had found me. That's all that mattered. Thomas ran on ahead and waved Steven and me to follow. "Come on, let's get out of here. This is the way."
We walked through the thick forest until dawn. When we finally reached civilization, we promised never to speak to each other about the horrible night again. We never did. On that night, a strong bond of friendship formed between the three of us. The bond was like nothing we had felt before.
Some nights I lay awake in bed thinking about the horrible beast. I wonder what it was. I wonder if it's dead or if it still comes out at night prowling the dark forest for its next victim.