Snallygaster

Prologue

Diary of Teddy Roosevelt’

March 10

Over the past few weeks, I have heard enough. Many stories have been told, but I am not sure if any of them could possibly be true. I have been hearing stories from friends of mine in Maryland. There have been sightings of a flying beast, the size of more than five full-grown horses, People say the creature can fly, and has a terrifying shriek that makes grown men soil themselves. Now things have taken a turn for the worse

My friends told me it started exactly two days ago. The creature had been sighted by a farmer. The farmer had been out tending his livestock. It was getting close to dark, and the farmer was about ready to turn in after a long day of work. He heard this screech that could be described as the devil’s roar. The farmer saw one of his cows get carried off like it was nothing more than a light piece of paper. He had been so frightened that he could not even describe what he saw. It is said the poor man was in shock. All that the farmer told anyone was that he had gotten a visit from the devil. A remark I don’t take seriously myself. I believe the man’s mind and poor eyesight were playing tricks on him.

Since then, I have heard that sightings of this so-called creature have increased. Livestock is vanishing only to turn up mutilated. There has been a missing child, and everyone is living in fear. This particular creature has catched my interest. Which is why I canceled my expedition to Africa. I decided to hunt the creature, and find out for myself what is really going on. I have assembled a team of soldiers and trackers to search for this creature. I will be heading out shortly on what will most likely be either an intriguing adventure or a wild goose chase.,

March 11th, 1909

We set out before the sun went down, and the day had turned to night. We found nothing unusual. I saw a few deer and heard a pack of coyotes as we went deeper into the woods, but no signs of any monster. The party had spread out no more than a quarter a mile between each other in order to cover more ground. I was put with a local tracker named Reegan, and two soldiers. Reegan had been mostly quiet. I asked him if he had ever seen the monster before. Reegan only said that he never heard of such a thing until the sightings began.

The day grew dimmer, and so far nothing. The most threatening thing we found was a fox that scurried off as soon as we got close. With it getting close to sundown, we decided to call it a day. All the men had pitched up their quarters. I joined a few men who had gone out and gotten timber for a nice, big roaring fire. Once the fire had gotten started, everyone dug into the rations they brought along. One of the other hunters, Jedidiah, a shaggy looking man with gray hairs all over his body , recounted one of his fishing trips. We all sat around the fire, and listened intently. Jedidiah described how one day he went fishing out by the lake near his home. He had been waiting patiently for hours with a feeling in his gut that said he would get lucky that day. Jedidiah said his line began to jerk like someone was trying to pull the line away from him. He grabbed his pole, and gently reeled in one, humongous, catfish. He described it as weighing at least forty pounds. After cleaning the fish, he was bringing it back to his house when out of nowhere this big black bear came bursting out of the forest, heading straight for him. It scared Jedidiah so much, ,the old man thought his old heart would fail him before the bear got him. He said that he dropped his fish, and started making a lot of whooping noises and waving his hands wildly. The bear had only gone a couple more feet before it turned around and hightailed it back into the woods. Jedidah then picked his fish back up, and continued back to his house. Proves to show that no beast on this earth can stand against man.

It was right then, right at the very end of Jedidiah’s story, that we heard the devil itself.

March 12th, 1909

I write this as I am weary from lack of sleep. Last night we heard something we could not explain. A screech that was not like anything I had heard in my entire life. Everyone gathered their rifles, and we headed west, where the sound had come. I could feel my blood rushing with excitement as we headed out on foot. I was hoping that what I heard was the monster I had begun to doubt really existed. The screech I heard filled me with hope and terror at the same time. The hunt was on.

Trekking through those woods, we all had to watch where we stepped. One man tripped on a tree root he had failed to see. Luckily, he was not hurt. With our lanterns lit we kept on heading deeper into the woods, and further away from our campsite.

Once again, we spreaded the party a quarter mile apart. Reegan was quiet, and walking slowly. I could see his eyes by the glow of the lantern. Like mine, they had been scanning the surroundings, looking for any sign of an animal. We kept on walking, and walking until we were starting to feel weary. I ordered us to head back to camp. We would resume hunting in the morning when we were not at e risk of tripping over our own two feet.

Nobody had noticed until we woke up this morning that Jedidiah, and one of the soldiers were nowhere to be seen. The two men they had been with the night before explained that Jedidiah had to do his own personal business, and that the soldier had decided to stay behind with him. The two of them had not returned. A search party was formed. Everyone went back into the woods, hollering for Jedidiah and the soldier.

March 12th, 1909

My throat is feeling dry from yelling. I have been yelling out for Jedidah for what feels like hours. My feet are feeling sore, and my voice is hoarse from all the yelling. We have been searching for hours. So far no sign of the missing men. I keep thinking about all the stories I heard. I hope that those two men are alright. I would not be able to live with myself if something happened to anyone on this expedition.

March 12th, 1909

We had been searching for hours when we came upon Jedidiah. He was hanging on a tree, looking like an empty potato sack made out of human skin. Twenty men gathered around once we got the word out that we had found Jedidiah. No one dared to try and climb the tree to bring his body back down. One of the men lost his supper at the sight of Jedidiah’s body. I admit, even I was horrified. I’ve seen lions feasting on gazelles. Their mouths would be covered in blood, and they would tear into the gazelle hide with no remorse. This 3as different. Jedidiah had not been ravaged. It was like life had been drained out of him until he was nothing more but flesh and bone. I stared up at the completely deflated body. I felt sorrow for the man. I did not know if he had any family, but if he did I personally must go up to their door and apologize for their loss. Reegan had bowed his head in remorse. I heard him say out loud that someone should go up there and get the man’s body down. Two men, both of them soldiers, finally volunteered to retrieve the body.

As the two men climbed the tree, the awful screech I had heard the night before assaulted my ears. I looked up. I was shocked and terrified. The beast that had made the sound, the one responsible for the disappearances and most likely what happened to Jedidiah, had been sitting right above my head without even making a peep. Its soulless eyes were locked on us.

The beast spread its wings, and moved from its perch in the tree. It went straight for the two soldiers. The two men scrambled to get down from the tree. Shots were fired at the monster, but it was not enough. One of the two men in the tree, let go and fell to the ground. One of the man’s leg bones snapped when he hit the ground. The other man had been picked up by the creature. I witnessed the creature drain the soldier’s body of life like it was a mosquito thirsting for blood. Every man fired their guns. There was so much ringing in my ears that I am lucky that I had not gone deaf. The creature kept on attacking, as if the shots had not even hit it. The creature picked off three more men. For whatever reason, our guns did not work on the beast. I ordered a hasty retreat.

On this hunt I regret to inform anyone that we had lost eleven good men. That is eleven families I will be visiting personally. Something I am not looking forward to.

I have no regrets as I did what I felt like I needed to do. One of the men on the hunt is an editor for the local newspaper. He and I personally concocted a story that said that the beast had been a publicity stunt pulled off by two reporters named George Rhoderick, and Ralph Wolfe. I have gotten local authorities to comply, and everyone involved has been sworn to secrecy, or otherwise be arrested for treason. I have posted soldiers in the forest to keep watch over the area and make sure no one trespasses into the woods. I have done this because if I did see what I saw on this hunt, then anyone who goes after the beast would most likely perish when they found it. I have to prevent more deaths at all costs.

Papez Sheep Farm, Maryland. Year 2022

Hector Papez sat on the hillside overlooking his pasture. The sky began to turn a rosy pink as the sun went down. Hector was watching his sheep. They all looked like giant cotton balls from where he sat. Hector looked at his watch. It was seven pm, time to bring in the sheep. His bones cracked as he stood up, a sign that he was no longer the young farmer he once was.

Suddenly all the sheep started bleating, and running around the entire pasture. Hector stood, his watchful, dim green eyes scanning the pasture for the cause of the panic. Without warning, a massive creature swooped down from the sky. Hector watched helplessly as the creature picked up one of his sheep with its talons. It flew high into the sky. The sheep legs futility kicked the air as it was lifted away. The creature then nosedived right into the forest surrounding the property.

“ How is that thing still alive!” Hector thought.

Hollywood, California.

“ Lorenzo, how could you! He was my father!”

“ Who treated me like shit. All I was to him was shit. He wanted me to be more like Miguel. Miguel was never a disappointment to him, I was.”

“ You murdered him.”

“ My sweet Selina, can you not see? It was for the best,” Lorenzo insisted

“ None of this was for the best, you bastard!” Serena screamed, pounding her fist into Lorenzo’s muscular chest.

“ Enough!” Lorenzo yelled. He gripped Serena’s hands in a vice- like grip.

“ You’re a murderer,” Serena cried out.

“ I am not a murderer,” Lorenzo yelled even louder. He had this crazed look in his eyes.

“ Yes you are!” Serena screamed. Lorenzo released her wrists and wrapped his fingers around Serena’s throat.

“ Shut up,” Lorenzo demanded. Serena struggled to break free from Lorenzo’s grip. She stared him in the eyes. There was no love , just a cold, emotionless look.

“ And cut, that’s a wrap, people. We’re officially done with this final episode for this season,,” Tony spoke into the megaphone. Ash Fletching released his grip from around Nina Papez’s throat. It was the final day for shooting the season 3 finale for a popular soap opera Roses of Love.

Ash looked at Nina. “ Your acting was very sub par,” he said patronizingly.

“ Your acting was very sub par” Nina mocked Ash once he was out of earshot. She then turned her attention to the crafts service table. Today, the caterer cooked up a mix of classic American food such as cold meat sandwiches, hamburgers, and fries. Nina got in line, grabbed a plate, and debated if she was going to choose eithera ham sandwich or a hamburger.

“ You were great out there,” A nasally voice said from behind Nina. Sheturned around to see a woman wearing a green T Shirt with brown hair tied back in a ponytail.

“ Thanks Gale,” Nina said.

“ I mean it. you where flawless”

“ Hey Nina,” someone called out. Tony Ashwood, the director, joined the conversation. A trucker hat hid his flowing black hair.

“ I just want to say I loved your work out there today,” Tony commented.

“ Thanks,” Nina said. It meant so much that someone with Tony’s talent as a director loved her acting.

Tony fished around his shirt pocket, and produced a small rectangular card. He handed the card to Nina. “ A friend of mine has taken notice of your acting abilities and thought you might be perfect for a role in an upcoming crime series he is producing.

Nina looked at the card. The words Tyler Kosch, producer were printed in bold black letters. Beneath that was a contact number. Nina’s heart beat increase. A producer had taken interest in her career. It meant that word was getting out about her acting talent.

“ Thank you Tony!” She embraced Tony in a quick hug. Tony’s phone began to rang.

“ Excuse me,” Tony said. He answered his phone as he walked away. Nina turned to Gale. Both of the girls squealed.

“ I can’t believe that just happened,” Nina said excitedly.

“ How much are you willing to bet no one is giving Ash any new parts,” Gale said.

“ I wouldn’t say I was given this role. This is just an opportunity to get the role.”

“ Girl, you will get that role.”

Tony came back. He had this crestfallen look on his face, as if all his hopes and dreams had been crushed.

“ I just got a call from the big guys. Roses of Love has been canceled,” he explained.

“ How come,” Nina said. She was not too surprised to hear the show had been canceled. The show ratings had been declining since season 2, but she thought the show still had at least one or two seasons left in it. It was not that bad of a soap opera.

“ The producers just do not see the show as being a valuable asset. That and the comments people are posting about the show on twitter. They thought it was time to shut down the show for good. Now if you’ll excuse me I got to look for my next project,” Tony walked away.

Nina look at the small card in her hand. When one door closes, hopefully another one will open wide.