The Forest

The woods were kept and tender in the cold wind, they were of no color and bleak. They rise down and crooked, engulfing the many animals that were lured. The home of these woods was of a beast not of this world. It made its home and it waited, it slept on a pile of what it ate and it was resting.

Outside of these woods, fences come from the entrance of them. A car in the direction of the gate, laying in front of it. Two men sat on the seats of the car at the front and they were tired, they looked at each other and then looked at the backseat. Looking at a guy who was holding a camera and with it unkept along in appearance. The driver gave a sigh and was laying his head on the wheel.

“This has got to be good Xander.” said the driver.

“Well this place is a good hunting spot, it always has been." replied Xander.

“Like what? We have been going to these random locations for a good hunting space and we haven’t gotten a single thing for about three days.”

“I don’t think it was that bad,” said the camera man.

“Dave, we have been driving with all this crap for about eternity and not even a single deer.”

“So, if you are complaining about it now? Then why do you continue driving us around?”

“Because it was Xander’s idea of meeting up and I just want to get one animal and that’s it!”

“You don’t need to get so frustrated about this Ed.” said Dave.

“Okay fine! We are already at the gate so let’s go get the guns and ammo then we will start!”

Ed turned off the car and then all of them left and closed their doors. They went to the back and opened the lift. Dave lifts it and it was a heavy load, the group’s guns were stacked onto each other and the ammo has been spilling out from the boxes. Their gear was scattered and none of them could tell which of them was theirs. Ed was getting more shaky and gritting his teeth, though it didn’t seem to faze Xander and Dave. They pulled everything out and rearranged everything slowly yet quickly.

They put on their gloves, boots, body vests, helmet, googles, and then put on their backpacks. Ed pulled out some scopes from his backpack and passed them out to Dave and Xander. Once handed, they connected it to their rifles. They looked at each other and now were ready, fully covered in camo to the environment and ready and loaded.

They marched into the woods and followed the main trail. They walked about three miles in about an hour and thirty minutes. Once they were at the mileage of the spot, they rested and took a seat on the moisty ground covered in pines and leaves.

“So do you think any of the animals will come?” asked Xander.

“Maybe, this is the supposed right time of season, hopefully we get something of worth.” said Ed.

“Maybe, I’ve been recording for a while now with my camera.”

“Why do you have a camera on you for recording Dave? Ain’t your body already tired from just walking around in the gear?” asked Ed.

“Well I just do it because at least it gives us a glimpse of our experiences.”

“Aren’t photos enough though?”

“Sure but I might miss something and if I don't think I’ll have the time to get set.”

“That sounds really overcomplicated, you place your phone or camera on and you don’t find it weird?” said Ed.

“That sounds like Elijah, he records these things in his room on this website and shows off these things to this chat.”

“Xander, I am not like your son. I do this for my own thing and show it to my family later.”

“Sounds like you are trying to be a hip old man.”

“Oh shut up!”

They continued to talk and humor each other for a couple of minutes. Talking about recent experiences and exaggerating them. It went on and on until Ed felt unnerved, he had this feeling ever since they walked on this trail. He stopped talking and looked farther from where they were at. He was dizzy at thinking of it and was more confused looking from far. He pulled out phone and placed it in camera, he zoomed in closer to what was there and he felt a shiver he didn’t know why.

“Xander, you said that most of these woods have pines, birch, and firs. What in the hell do I see right there?”

“What are you talking about Ed-”

The group has attention to what they see in front of what’s to come. They were stunned and anxious, they couldn’t understand what they were seeing. They saw trees, but they were blackened and crooked. Yet the texture was different, instead of bark it was something stringy like hair. They were taller than most of the trees and sprouted like a palm tree but instead of leaves, it was something similar to the texture of dirty fingers that growed mold.

They looked at each and gave eyes of wanting to leave. Ed was getting ready to go, Xander was starting to regret this, and Dave was wanting to strangely get closer.

“Y-Y-You know what? I think it’s best if we leave this place.”

“That sounds like a good idea Ed, we should go before something happens.”

“I’m with you on that.” said Dave.

They packed and hurried and ran back to the trail, but for some reason bushes engulfed them as they passed them. It was blinding that when they opened their eyes, they saw what they saw. It was the trees yet now more taller and every single one had eyes looking at them from their trunks.

Surrounded, the beast, unnaturally uncanny, looked at them with its fleshy gun head.

“Found… You…”