But it wasn't.
Skiller walked the short distance to the Black Hollow Police Station, a modest building that served the close-knit community. On most days, he was greeted by Emma, the station's sole ranger and the only other law enforcement officer in town. She was usually at her desk, sipping coffee and sorting through reports. Today, however, the station was eerily silent.
"Emma?" he called out, his voice echoing through the empty station.
No response.
He checked the break room, the interrogation room, and finally, his office. There, on his desk, he found a note written in Emma's hurried scrawl:
Chief,
I’m heading to the campsite to look for the missing kids. Be back soon.
Emma
Skiller's heart sank. The disappearance of several local children had been the town's darkest mystery for weeks. Despite exhaustive searches, no clues had been found. He'd told Emma to stay put until they had more information, but she was never one to sit idle when there was work to be done.
Leaving the station, Skiller noticed the posters of the missing kids plastered on every available surface. Their innocent faces stared back at him, a constant reminder of the town's collective grief and fear. Each poster tugged at his heart, fueling his determination to find them and, now, to find Emma.
The drive to Black Hollow Campsite was short, the winding road flanked by dense forest. The campsite, once a lively place for family gatherings and school trips, now stood deserted, shrouded in an unsettling silence. Skiller pulled up to the entrance and immediately spotted Emma's ranger vehicle. It was in a bad state. The windshield was shattered, the tyres slashed, and deep claw marks raked across the doors and hood.
"Emma!" he shouted, drawing his firearm as he approached the vehicle.
There was no answer. His trained eyes scanned the area for any sign of a struggle. He noticed broken branches, scattered leaves, and footprints—both human and something else. Something much larger.
Skiller's mind raced. Black Hollow was not known for dangerous wildlife, especially not anything capable of leaving such marks. He followed the footprints, his senses on high alert. The trail led him deeper into the forest, where the trees grew thicker and the light dimmer.
Several Hours Earlier
Emma had arrived at the campsite just as the sun began to rise. She was determined to find any clues that might lead to the missing kids. Armed with her flashlight and radio, she began her search, starting with the perimeter of the campsite.
As she ventured deeper into the woods, she noticed unusual marks on the trees—long, deep gashes as if something had clawed at them. Her radio crackled to life with static, but no voices came through. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.
She heard a rustling in the bushes and turned, her flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. "Who's there?" she called out, trying to keep her voice steady.
A low growl answered her. She raised her flashlight higher and saw glowing eyes staring back at her. The creature emerged from the shadows—massive, with fur as black as night and claws that gleamed menacingly.
Emma didn't have time to react. The beast lunged at her, and she barely managed to dive out of the way. It swiped at her, its claws ripping through her uniform and skin. She scrambled to her feet and ran towards her vehicle, but the creature was faster. It rammed into the side of her truck, causing the windshield to shatter.
With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Emma grabbed a flare gun from the glove compartment and fired it at the beast. The flare hit its mark, and the creature howled in pain, retreating into the woods. Emma, bleeding and terrified, managed to scribble a quick note and leave it on the dashboard before collapsing.
Back to the Present
Skiller followed the trail to a clearing where the trees formed a natural circle. The ground was littered with bones, some animal, some disturbingly human. In the centre of the clearing stood an old, decrepit cabin, its windows shattered and the door hanging loosely on its hinges.
He approached cautiously, his gun drawn. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional creak of the cabin settling. He pushed the door open with his foot, the hinges squealing in protest. Inside, the air was musty, filled with the scent of decay.
"Emma?" he called out softly, his voice barely more than a whisper.
No response. He scanned the room and noticed a trapdoor partially concealed beneath a threadbare rug. Moving the rug aside, he pulled the trapdoor open and descended the creaky wooden steps into a dark, damp cellar.
The cellar was colder than the air above, with the earthy scent of mould and decay. Skiller's flashlight beam cut through the darkness, revealing a narrow tunnel that seemed to lead deeper underground. The claw marks on the walls sent a shiver down his spine, but he pressed on, determined to find Emma and the missing children.
The tunnel opened into a cavernous underground chamber, lit faintly by bioluminescent fungi that cast an eerie glow. Skiller's heart raced as he spotted movement in the shadows. He raised his flashlight higher and gasped.
Four of the missing children huddled together against the far wall, their faces pale and terrified. They were alive but clearly traumatised. Skiller rushed to them, checking for injuries and offering words of comfort.
"We're going to get you out of here," he said, his voice firm and reassuring. "Where are the others?"
The oldest of the children, a girl named Sarah, shook her head. "We don't know," she whispered. "We just woke up here."
Skiller's blood ran cold. He had to find Emma and the remaining children, but first, he needed to get these kids to safety. He led them back through the tunnel, urging them to move quickly but quietly.
Just as they reached the cellar stairs, a low growl echoed through the chamber. The beast emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence. Skiller positioned himself between the children and the creature, his gun aimed and ready.
"Go!" he shouted to the children. "Run to the campsite and hide. I'll hold it off."
The children hesitated, but Sarah took the lead, guiding the others up the stairs and out of the cellar. Skiller fired a warning shot at the beast, which only seemed to enrage it. The creature lunged, and Skiller barely managed to dodge its massive claws.
He fired again, aiming for the beast's legs. The bullet hit its mark, and the creature staggered but did not fall. Skiller knew he couldn't kill it with bullets alone. He needed a plan.
Remembering the flare gun, Emma had used earlier, he scanned the room for anything that might help. His eyes landed on a canister of gasoline, likely left behind by whoever had used the cabin before. He grabbed it and splashed the contents around the chamber, dousing the beast in the process.
The creature roared, its fur sizzling as the gasoline soaked in. Skiller pulled out a lighter, flicking it open with a steady hand. "Stay back," he warned, his voice cold and determined.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the lighter at the beast. Flames erupted, engulfing the creature in a fiery inferno. The beast howled in agony, thrashing wildly as the fire consumed it. Skiller watched, his heart pounding, until the creature collapsed in a smouldering heap.
He didn't wait to see if it would rise again. Skiller ran up the stairs and out of the cabin, joining the children at the campsite. They were shaken but safe, and he quickly called for backup on his radio. This time, the signal went through.
Within minutes, the area was swarming with emergency personnel. Paramedics treated the children's injuries while search teams scoured the woods for any sign of Emma and the remaining missing kids. Skiller directed the efforts, his mind racing with worry for his colleague.
Hours later, as dawn broke over Black Hollow, the search teams returned with grim news. They had found no trace of Emma or the other children. Skiller refused to give up, organising another search for the following day.
As the children were reunited with their families, Skiller stood at the edge of the forest, his thoughts heavy. The beast had been defeated, but the nightmare was far from over. Emma and the remaining children were still out there, somewhere, and he would not rest until they were found.
The legend of the beast would live on in Black Hollow, but so would the story of the brave chief who faced the darkness to save his town. Skiller knew the battle was far from over, but he was ready for whatever came next. For now, he would protect Black Hollow and its people, no matter the cost.
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Can't wait for the next part
ReplyDeleteAmazingly written... Loved it thoroughly
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