Best of 2025: 4 Scary Tales of Backwoods Survival, Killer Creatures, and a Summoned Hellhound

0:01 All right, my spookies, Tonight isn't just another stroll into the treeline. This is the best of twenty twenty five, a handpicked collection of the wilderness nightmares that hit the hardest last year, the stories that made you stare into the dark like it was staring back because out there where the signal dies and the road turns to gravel, fear doesn't need a mask. It just needs time. We've got a hidden waterfall with a sunrise worth risking everything for until someone else shows up. We've got a legendary plant that isn't rare, it's waiting. We've got a river nightmare that proves the biggest thing in the water isn't always the most dangerous. And we have a howl that doesn't echo it answers. So tighten your bootlaces, check your flashlight, and if you're listening with headphones, maybe keep one ear free because this is the best of twenty twenty five and the woods pick these stories for a reason. And make sure you're subscribed right here at Weekly Spooky, where we have a brand new horror story every single Wednesday.

1:26 We also have true crime on Mondays and little surprises throughout the week. And we would love to have you join us. But now get cozy, pull out a blanket. It's time to begin. Fortune Falls by David O'Hanlon. Janine and Rose were on summer break from their third year at the University of Kansas. Being from a flat, landlocked wasteland, the Lady Jayhawks usually took their breaks on a beach in Galveston. Then something immensely terrifying it happened the previous year.

2:13 They'd been on the beach for three days. Between surf lessons and volleyball games, all anyone could talk about was this new movie opening that weekend. They decided to take a chance and join some of their friends for the first evening showing of Jaws the next day. They all just sat on the sand the day after, and every day after that until it was time to return to school for the summer of seventy six. They decided they'd try something different and far away from the threat of shark attacks. Kansas didn't have beaches, but it didn't have mountains either. Oregon was Jeanine's idea, and Rose had fallen in love with it. She studied the maps and picked the route for their journey of self discovery five days of backpacking and camping from the isolated town of Sheldon to the Silver Creek Lodge, where they'd celebrate with a final day floating lazily down the Snake River. We should just camp here, Janine said. It's going to be dark soon, and we still kind of suck at setting up the tent.

3:39 The signs say overnight camping is prohibited. Rose replied that couple said it was only eight miles to the next town. We'd be lucky to do that in three hours, Rosy. Besides, everyone we've talked to has said that we need to see this waterfall at sunrise. We all already missed it this morning because you didn't want to get a ride from that trucker, because hitchhiking is dangerous, she scoffed. And that guy was gross. He looked like an evil Jerry Garcia. Scary Garcia, Janine said, with a giggle. Come on, Rosie, everyone's leaving the park anyway. No one will know we're here.

4:26 Worst case, some ranger Smith guy comes by and we make dough eyes at him until he just gives us a warning. Rose seemed to consider it. She looked over to the parking area, and Jeanine was correct. Almost everyone had already cleared out. The park rangers wouldn't lock the gate until sundown, but with less than an hour to go, there wasn't much to do except feed the mosquitoes. A family of six was packing everything into their station wagon. A couple of teens made out on a park bench. Local kids played the last downs of their football game, and a red pickup truck sat unoccupied in the far corner of the lot. No one would be around to notice them, and it would be nice to see the waterfall at first light. That had been their original plan after hearing about it from a couple at a diner two days earlier. The locals called it Fortune Falls because the water broke up and sparkled like a cascade of diamonds at sunrise. Roses better safe than sorry approach had set them back hours. However, when they arrived at noon, the site was anything but impressive. The waterfall wasn't particularly

5:59 large and only descended some fifty feet to the punch bowl below. After the big show at dawn, most people moved along to the larger recreational areas. It did seem unlikely park services would spend much time locking down the tiny fortune Fall site. An engine turned over and Rose glanced around again. The station wagon was ready to go. The winning football team was high fiving while the losers collected their bikes from the lawn, and the makeout session was getting hot enough that it would soon need to move to a more private location. That red truck still sat there. However, an ominous feeling came over Rows, but she shrugged it off. She always had an ominous feeling.

6:59 It seemed okay, we can stay, she conceded, but we'd better not get caught. Janine used the sawback of the survival knife to split a thick limb. She tossed one half into the fire and stuck the knife into the ground next to her. Janine's boyfriend, Howard, was in the rotc back home. He'd insisted she'd take the knife along, joking that she could use the compass on the pommel to find her way back home. Janine watched the needle settle and look to the southeast. She knew that somewhere beyond the expansive wilderness was Kansas. She'd never liked it there, over the last three days, she'd come to like it even less. It was boring in every possible way, right down to the men, she thought, as she pulled Howard's knife from the earth. Two more days and we'll be at the river, Rose said, folding her map. There's so much more stuff to see. We could come here every summer, and I don't think we'd ever find it all. I don't think I want to come here next summer, Janine

8:29 whittled at the end of the stick. Jesus, Rosie, just look at it. How could anyone go back to Kansas once they've seen all this? Like you want to transfer here? Why not? The university is a few hundred miles that way, she pointed with the knife, then checked the compass and corrected her aim. That way. There's an entire ocean nearby, an ocean that's too cold for sharks too. Didn't Jaws take place in New England? Okay, so maybe they still have sharks. But there's a whole state of this, She gestured to the deep black wilderness around them. Have you met anyone boring in the last few days. I'm sure I have. Rose couldn't think of any. When did you decide this? I haven't decided anything, Janine sheathed the knife and inspected the point she'd put on the limb. Everywhere we've been this week has been so alive. Kansas is just an after birth. It's like God ran out of ideas and just left the canvas blank when he made it.

9:53 What about Howard, the boys are cuter, Rose laughed. She didn't necessary sarahly agree with her friend, but there was a ruggedness about the Oregon Mountain men they'd encountered that was lacking in the Kansas stock. Howard is sweet, Janine continued, But all he can think about is the future. How can anyone give a rat's ass about the future when we have all this right now? Maybe you're right. We got an eight mile hike tomorrow to talk about it, Rose said, Let's get some rest. We don't want to miss the sunrise showing. We can make sure we have the best view before the gates even open. It's going to be magical. Yeah, Janine tossed the wooden spike into the fire. There's a lot to see tomorrow. The tent lit up suddenly from the outside. The bright light shone through the nylon, turning the structure into an oversized lantern, and roused the girls from their slumber. Jeanine rubbed her eyes, trying to clear away confusion with the sleepiness. Rose groaned and rolled over in her sleeping bag. It cannot be mourning already, she mumbled, it's not. Jeanine sat up sharply.

11:26 She could hear the gentle rumble of a truck engine outside. Shit, I think we're busted, Rosy. Rose said something, but the words were lost in the sudden rumble of the motor. The light became more intense as the headlights rushed closer. The shower of earth and rocks thrown up by the truck tires rained noisily through the tree branches. Janine watched as the tense, thin skin glowed and brighter until the side collapsed and rushed towards her. Wrapped around a half ton of Detroit steel, Jeanine couldn't comprehend what was happening, or that the thing that struck her was the truck's bumper.

12:20 Suddenly it was dark again. The ravaged tent lay draped over the women. Rose was silent. Janine felt a crushing weight on her right arm. She tried to move it, but the appendage wouldn't budge. She pulled harder a lightning bolt shot threw her fingertips to her elbow from the effort. Rosie, she cried out, A gentle sob answered her. The tent rustled wildly. I can't move, Rose, Janine said, what's happening?

13:02 Rose sniffled. She fought with the nylon, clawing and punching at the tent as it collapsed on top of her. Her voice grew panicked and shrill. I can't I can't get this off me. Why is this happening? The truck pulled forward, releasing Janine's arm from beneath its tire. The ground moved beneath them. Rose screamed. The tent was caught on the truck. They were being dragged. The fabric tore, but not enough to get free. Janine pulled her injured arm close to her body and rolled over, looking for a way out. The engine growled as the driver hit the gas. Rocks and branches tore through the bottom. As the tent sped along behind the vehicle, deeper into the woods.

14:05 It finally came free. The truck's tires slid loudly to a stop. Rose found a tear and worked at it with both hands, forcing it open. Until she could get through Janine. She searched the ruins of the tent for her friend, finding a body shaped lump beneath Janine. Get me out of here, Rosie, I'm hurt bad, I will Oh my god, we're in big trouble. Rose stared at the truck, unable to look away. She could only discern the outline of the vehicle in the moonlight, but was convinced that it was the red pickup truck from earlier.

14:57 The truck reversed, turning around slowly. The back bumper crunched against a tree. The noise snapped Rose out of her paralysis. She wrestled the tent off of Jeanine and gasped. Her friend's face was a mask of blood. Her forehead was split open in a large gash, showing bone beneath. Rose moved the flap of flesh back over the exposed skull. The headlights shined fully upon them as the truck finished writing itself. Rose leaned close to Jeanine. Stay really still, she whispered, don't make a sound. The engine revved. The driver did it two more times, letting the women know he could run them down with the Then the door swung open. A man stepped out of the vehicle, but leaned back inside to get something. He stepped in front of the lights, casting a long shadow over the women.

16:20 Rose couldn't see any of the man's features except the distinctive shape of a cowboy hat atop his head, and then the even more distinctive shape of the axe held at his side. Why are you doing this, she asked shakily. She clenched her teeth and drew a deep breath. She blew it out and asked again, with more force, why are you doing this? What do you want? The cowboy moved towards her without a word. He swung the axe onto his shoulder. His walk was cocky and nonchalant. He looked like he was out for a casual stroll. Janine groaned and Rose shushed her quietly, praying the cowboy didn't hear.

17:21 If he did, he didn't let on. He just kept walking closer. Please stop this, Rose shouted. She pushed her hands out in front of her, Just leave us alone. The cowboy swung the axe one handed. The blade whooshed by harmlessly, and he placed it on the opposite shoulder, spitting tobacco juice playfully at Rose. He took a backhand swing. Rose felt the hit, but didn't realize the gravity of it until the three stumps on her right hand spurted.

18:08 Before she could respond, the cowboy took a two handed chop. It struck with the sound of a gunshot, and flung her into the dirt. Rose wheezed air sputtered wetly out of her collapsing lung. She rolled over, hugged her chest, broken ribs gouged into her palm. Janine shifted carefully in the tent. Her legs were still inside the sleeping bag. She moved slowly to wipe her eyes with shredded tent fabric, being careful not to draw attention to herself. Everything was blurry, but simultaneously all too clear. She could see the cowboy and the axe, and her best friend laying on the ground.

19:09 She closed her eyes again, but it didn't protect her from what came next. She listened to the crack of the axe striking Rose again. Why. Rose asked why. The cowboy answered her with another chop. Rose kept repeating the word, and their attacker continued to respond the same way. Sharp cracks became softer, wetter, Rose's voice got weaker and then went silent entirely. Two more chops followed. Janine dared to look once more. The cowboy was kneeling over Rose. He sat on her hips and leaned on his axe. Janine carefully crawled free. The blood pouring down her face slipped past her lips. She knew she'd be tasting a lot more of it. If the cowboy spotted her, he probably thought she was dead already. She could have laid there until he left, But maybe he wouldn't have. Maybe he would have used the axe to make sure. She couldn't

20:41 take the risk. She knew begging wouldn't work. It hadn't for Rose. Once her legs were free, she brought herself into a crouch and glanced over her shoulder. The cowboy was standing, but still seemed focused on Rose. Janine wiped her eyes again. She needed a few seconds of clear vision. She pushed off in a dead sprint for the running truck. She heard a frustrated curse from the cowboy. Janine stumbled, bouncing off the bumper. She pulled herself up and whipped inside the cab. Her injured hand struggled with the shifter, forcing her to use her left. The cowboy ran at her in the headlights. Janine stomped the gas pedal down.

21:41 The tires spun and threw up dirt. They gained traction as the cowboy grabbed the open door. The truck jolted forward. The cowboy stumbled, tossing himself over the side of the truck bed. Janine swore around a tree. The rear window shattered, and the cowboy boots struck her in the back of the head. The truck veered hard, throwing her out of the open door. It plowed into a stump. The cowboy flew over the vehicle and disappeared into the darkness. Janine climbed woozily to her feet. She ran the trees blocked the pitiful moonlight. Branches tore at her skin to tritas stabbed into her feet. She bounced off the trees and kept on running. She was terrified, She was blind, she was hurt, she was heartbroken. She was flying. Jeanine laid against the rocks. The water gently sloshed over her face and down her throat, choking her back into the world

23:12 of the living. The waterfall poured down across the pool from her. She blindly ran straight over the edge in her desperate escape. It was still dark out, but there was nothing blocking the moon at the waterfall, and she could inspect the damage to her arm for the first time. It was swollen, with the skin deeply miscolored. She could move her fingers, but the pain made her wish she couldn't. She knew it was definitely broken. She risked touching her forehead. It wasn't bleeding as badly as she feared, but she chalked that up to being almost out of blood. She knew Rose was dead. She'd laid there and listened to her best friend die. No, you didn't, she reminded herself.

24:11 You don't know she's dead. Janine looked around for any sign of the cowboy. Not finding any, she worked her way onto the rocks and began her hike back to the campsite. She checked her watch. It was a dainty, pretty thing that she'd picked out for esthetics and not its ability to survive a fifty foot fall into a pond. She put it close to her ear. It wasn't ticking. The time was stuck at three am, but she had no idea when it had stopped. What she did know was that meant there was less than three hours until the park opened. She needed to get back to the campsite and check on Rose. Then she could wait for the rangers to come and open the park. The cowboy had to be gone. He couldn't know where Jeanine had run to. And that red truck, she remembered it was still there when we left to set up the tent.

25:26 He would have to leave his truck to escape. He has to make sure I'm dead. He's still here. More scarce to come weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back. She pulled herself from the punch bowl and started up the steep incline back to the campsite. Janine was sure the cowboy was looking for her. She wasn't going to make it easy for him. She had to survive. If she didn't, then there was nothing stopping that bastard from doing it again and again. Rose might not have even been his first, and she certainly wouldn't be his last. If Janine didn't get to the police, there'd be dead Roses all over Oregon.

26:27 The hike back to the campsite came as close to killing Janine as the cowboy had her arm throbbed as she collapsed to her friend's side. Rose's face was gone, her arms ravaged where she tried to defend herself. There were no errant swings. The cowboy had practiced this, he'd killed before, Janine was sure of that, had wanted to camp there. If Jeanine had listened, none of it would be happening. I'm sorry, Rosie, she whimpered. This is all my fault and I'm so sorry. Janine scoured at her tears, aggravating the head wound in the process. She looked around quickly.

27:29 The truck was gone. There were no headlights shining anywhere in the woods, no flashlight searching for her trail. Janine tried to convince herself the cowboy was gone, but she didn't buy it. Maybe he's waiting for the rangers himself. She thought he could say he got stuck inside and they just let him go. He'll be in Canada by the time they find Rosie. That can't happen. It won't happen. I promise Rosie, it won't fucking happen. Janine rummaged through the wrecked tent until she found Howard's survival knife. She cut a strip of nylon and tied it around her head, pulling it tight to hold the flap of skin in place.

28:27 A bent up aluminum tent post made a quick splint for her arm. Once the wounds were taken care of, it was time for other concerns. She'd helped her father cut firewood back home. Swinging an axe was exhausting and slow. She thrusted the knife into the air a few times. That wasn't slow at all. She found her belt and attached the knife to it, but could only manage to scrounge up a mixed pair of their hiking boots. Rose's pack was mangled, but the metal flashlight on the side had survived. Janine inspected Rogue's stitches on the face of the pack. The Jayhawk patch Rose carefully centered on it was missing. The idea of the cowboy taking a trophy turned her stomach. She envisioned him mounting the patch over his mantle with souvenirs from other kills, like the antlers her father had mounted back home. Janine took the light and started towards the parking lot. The red pickup was sitting in the corner spot, exactly where it had been before.

29:54 Janine dropped behind a bush and watched for movement. There was still no sign of the occupant or any other axe swinging psychos. Janine stayed low, crawling along the perimeter of the lot. With still no cowboy present, Janine made her move on the truck. She broke into a crouching run and rolled to the side of the vehicle. It hurt more than the TV shows led her to believe. Her heart skipped. A sudden dread washed over her. There was something wrong, or, more correctly, nothing was wrong. She peeked around the front of the truck to inspect the bumper.

30:48 It was rusty and dinged up, but she'd seen the truck wreck into a tree. The crash she'd heard must have done more than a few dents. She moved down the side and checked the back glass. It was intact. It wasn't the cowboy's truck, So where the hell is he? She looked around frantically. There were no other trucks, no other anything. She was completely alone. As far as she could tell. She'd seen the tire tracks all the way from their campsite back to the parking lot. Rose's killer had definitely driven out the same way. He'd come in.

31:38 She clicked on the flashlight and set out for clues. She shined high first, hoping to catch a glint off the truck or to spotlight the sun of a bitch himself. When that didn't work, she moved the light down to search for tracks. A metal door clanged behind her. Jeanine spun, waving the flashlight around for the source. She froze. The light hung on the blocky concrete building that housed the bathrooms. Each had a steel outer door that could be padlocked during the off season. Janine snuck to the restrooms and waited.

32:27 She didn't hear anyone inside, but knew the door was too heavy to have blown in the barely present breeze. She sat the flashlight down on the archaic water fountain. Jeanine drew the knife. It was uncomfortable in her left hand, but it was going to be a lot more uncomfortable in the cowboy's belly. She pulled the outer door and pushed the other inward with her foot. No one chopped it off. Janine sprang inside, keeping the knife close to her body. A chunky, disheveled man threw his hands into the air, hiking his keep on truckin shirt over his belly.

33:15 His eyes flicked to the knife. Fuck shit, he shook his head violently. Be cool, Be cool, you motherfucker. Janine hissed, where is it? Where's the truck right outside? The man pointed shakily, Not that truck. That's the only one I got. The man shrugged. I know the sign says no camping, but stabbing is a bit fucking extreme. Lady, aren't you supposed to write me a ticket or something camping? Who are you, Phil? Why did you try to kill me?

34:00 Kill you, lady. I went to jail for being a conscientious objector. I don't even kill bugs. The park is closed, Janine snapped, Why are you here? Fleetwood Mac is playing in Boise this weekend. He let his hands fall, slapping against his thighs. I stopped here to score some weed from a buddy. Had got super baked and fell asleep by the falls. By the time I got back, the gate was locked. Janine hadn't gotten a good look at the cowboy, but she was sure he had been slimmer and taller and didn't reek of marijuana. She leaned against the wall and started to cry. If Phil wasn't the cowboy Then she'd failed and the axe murderer had escaped.

35:00 Bill took tentative steps towards her, patting the air as he went. Please don't stab me, he said softly. You look really banged up. Let's go to my truck and get you some help. It's a dodge, it'll crash right through that gate. What time you got, Janine asked, sheathing the knife. Phil checked his watch quarter past five, About an hour until anyone comes to rescue you. Guess that makes you my shining night. You uh drew the short straw, then he chuckled. Janine let Phil help her off the wall when a bright light assaulted her eyes. What are you two doing here, a strong masculine voice demanded. The park is closed. The man moved the light back and forth between their faces, keeping them both blinking and blocking their eyes with their hands. Whoa dude, chill with the light, Phil wined, This lady needs help. She was attacked, I know, the man said. The flashlight clattered to the floor. Janine's vision was blurred, but she could make out the curves of the cowboy hat. The axe split Phil's face and

36:34 stopped in the back of his throat. Phil stumbled backwards, bounced off a stall, and came forward. Woo oie. The cowboy exclaimed, we got ourselves a dancer. He grabbed Janine by the hair and pulled her close to him. You see that, he asked, means he's dead, but his body don't know it. I love when that happens. I wonder if you'll be a dancer. What do you think, dollface, you want to dance with me? Janine pulled the knife and brought it down into the cowboy's thigh. He howled and let the axe fall. Janine twisted the blade and jerked back, but the knife didn't budge. She could see the strands of meat caught in the sawback. Since it wouldn't come out, she went back in. She worked the saw through his thigh until the cowboy whipped her away.

37:41 Her face smashed into the wall, breaking teeth against the cinder blocks. Janine slumped down. The axe sparked off the wall. Janine rolled away. Her boots slipped in Phil's brains, and she toppled against the sink. The axe shattered the porcelain. It continued downward, hacking into Janine's foot. She fell on top of Phil. The cowboy straightened his hat and limped to her. He took the axe handle with both hands and rested the blade on Jeanine's forehead. He took each hand off in turn, rolling the wrists in preparation for the killing blow. Why are you doing this, Janine asked, Someday one of you will ask an original question. He said, it's always why. Well, Dolphace, why not how about that one?

38:47 He raised the axe high to show his might. The asbestos tile overhead shattered, raining down dust around the cowboy. The distraction was just enough for Jeanne to move her head. The axe buried into Phil's body. The cowboy wrestled to free it from Phil's oversized belly. Janine kicked the protruding knife with her good leg. Her attacker fell, smacking his head on the wall. Tobacco juice rolled from his lips across his fancy Western shirt. Well, I'll be damned, doll face.

39:29 He stretched for his hat and used the trash can to pull himself up. I reckon, that's a pretty fine answer to my question. He put his hat back on and unsnapped his shirt pocket. He held up something for Janine. To see. He squeezed it into a ball and tossed it to her. I think I've had enough sport for tonight. Sooner rather than later, I'm going to see you dance, he promised. Then he was gone. Janine lifted the crumbled Jayhawk patch. She crawled frantically for the exit. A truck engine rumbled to life outside. Janine used the door handle to come to her knees and forced her way outside.

40:23 Her face hit the ground. She pushed herself out into the lawn in time to see the dark blue Ford pulling from behind the outbuilding. Janine was helpless to stop him as he plowed through the gate. She rolled onto her back and held the patch to her chest. She watched moths bounce off the dim yellow light overhead. The sound of the truck faded out, and she laid there alone. Janine wondered if the cowboy was a man of his word, and somehow knew that he was. If she lived, he would find her, and if she lived, she'd make damn sure she was ready for him. A plant called death by Bruce Haney. My wife was much more intelligent than I, and the nicer of the two of us. Yet she was the one who got us into that mess, the one that I found myself hiding from in the woods on what was supposed to be our vacation, terrified that she would find me. The quote unquote vacation was her idea.

41:56 My idea of a perfect vacation was returning to Cabo to hang out at the pool bar, have a few drinks and read my books. Hers involved hiking two to three days deep into the woods to search for some elusive flower that may or may not exist. You have heard of the corpse flower and Morphophallus titan aram, right, that elusive, rotten smelling flower that only blooms every seven to ten years. Well what if I told you there was another rare flower with a weird blooming cycle, one that most people haven't heard of, and those who have think it's just a myth. My wife told me about it and said that it was called death. When she told me this, I asked, really, that's the name. Yeah, it's called death, just death, no hard to pronounce name that derives from several Latin words, just death. Why not?

43:12 Why is its name so simple when every other flower seems to have some long, hard to pronounce scientific name. She explained to me that no actual scientist had ever seen the flower. Most argued that it didn't exist because of how rare it was. They didn't even know how often it bloomed. Was it ten years, fifteen years. One estimated thirty, but Sarah didn't think it was quite that long of a blooming cycle. There are only a handful of references to it in historical documents, and one of those is believed to be fiction. One of the earliest references she found was in the third issue of Oregon's first newspaper, the Oregon Spectator. That article went something like this man found dead in a precarious position, in a condition that baffled the person who found them. There are no signs of any other people, and multiple large animals were found nearby in various states of mutilation. It might not have been Cabo, but it was exciting to get away from the city, away from work, and away from my phone. As we drove, my worries drifted away as we stopped passing Starbucks and McDonald's and started passing by trees and nature, eventually even spotting wildflowers along the side

44:48 of the road. Yes, it rains all the time here, but that suffering pays off. Once spring hits, everything in the Pacific Northwest starts to bloom. We parked near the trailhead of Blue Ruin Pass, so named after an incident on the Oregon Trail where six men died after consuming some ill distilled liquor that people refer to as blue ruin. With us came our long term friends Jane and Tom, who were a couple that met through us at one of our summer backyard parties. Tom was a colleague of Sarah's.

45:30 Jane was my buddy. We met about ten years ago. She was a regular at the bar near my house. We quickly became friends because of our shared taste in music. On karaoke nights, we both sang nineties alternative rock. I would sing songs like Semi Charmed Life and Flagpole Sida, and she would mostly sing songs by Sublime. There was never any flirting, at least from my end. If she had, it wouldn't have been noticed by me. My happy marriage kept me from looking for that kind of thing. Tom seemed like a stand up guy, so there were never any worries for me about the two of them flirting or anything like that, especially after he became partners with Jane.

46:20 He was a bit of a hard hang for me. We didn't have nearly any shared interests. As I know, fuck all about plants and outside of his work, sports was his favorite subject, which I also know fuck about. You can't beat the Pacific Northwest for its nature, Tom said, while pulling his supplies out of the vehicle. You look so happy, baby, Jane said, I am. Six days in nature is heaven? Tom said, I'm just happy to be off work, I added. Sarah was busy going through her bags, making sure she had everything she needed. pH meter check, shears, check, notebook, camera, yep, yep, there that is yep. I think I got everything. She smiled at me. How about you. I have clothes, portable meals, and our shelter. What else would I need? Vodka? Jane said, gross, I have a bottle of whiskey in my bag. I said, Then I think we're set, Jane replied. The first day was uneventful. We walked, took breaks, and chatted. It was a fairly easy trail. The elevation gain was moderate. The only struggle was a large down tree that had landed on the trail and that we had to climb over.

47:53 It took Jane and Tom a couple of attempts. We didn't stop walking until nearly nightfall. After setting up the tents, we had dehydrated soup for dinner. It was all right, excusing myself from the group. The rest of my night was spent reading the new Charles Campbell book and sipping whiskey. In the middle of the night, there was a rustling sound outside our tent that woke me. Sarah, being a sound sleeper, was oblivious. It didn't quite sound like a human, so I didn't think it was Jane or Tom. Then there was a hissing sound that startled me. What the fuck?

48:42 I said a little too loudly. This startled Sarah, who bolted upright, what's wrong? Sorry, nothing, I just heard an animal outside moving around the camp. And then I got startled when I heard it. Hiss hiss. Yeah, yeah, like a bobcat or a cougar, Sarah said, revealing a bit of panic in her voice. Smaller, more like a possum. Oh okay, then go back to bed, she said. You know, possums freak me the fuck out. Yeah, And I don't know why they're adorable. They're disgusting, regardless of what crazy people on those TikTok videos you send me say. Sarah laughed.

49:32 She knew my hatred of possums, so she sent me pro possum TikTok videos every day. Videos of people holding the disgusting things and saying stuff like, Oh, isn't he cute? Oh, he's just a little baby made my skin crawl. We heard a rustling against the tent again, which made me move closer to my wife. Calm down, it's nothing, Come on, get to sleep. We have a long hike tomorrow. Okay. Another rustling was heard at the tent, and then I saw the impressions on the wall as it pushed its little hands against the material. Fuck this. Grabbing my shoe and hitting against the would be intruder seemed to scare it off. It hissed one more time. Then we could hear it run off. John, you heard it good? Why are you so afraid of possums? Experience When I was little, I ran into the woods and one freaked me out.

50:45 Why you imagine being alone in the woods as a young child and seeing what looks like a giant rat with mange hanging from a tree. I would have thought it was cute. That's because you're crazy, I joked, fuck you, she said, playfully. But the worst was when my mom spotted a wounded possum near our house. Because of its condition, she started feeding it. Everything was fine for a few days, and I even found myself warming up to the idea of them. But one night I was taking out the trash and it must have been around the time that my mom usually fed him, because I went outside and there was a dozen of them with their ugly pink skin and matted hair and beady eyes. I was already scared, and then they all started hissing, hiss, hiss, hiss, I said, squinting my face and holding my hands like claws. Sarah laughed, Hey, it was traumatic to me, she continued to laugh. I'm sorry.

52:01 I don't laugh at your trauma. My trauma isn't hilarious. The next morning, we woke up to discover the damage our nighttime visitors had done. There was no rhyme or reason for what they destroyed. It didn't appear that they were going after the food. After some powdered eggs on tortillas, we started our hike for the day. The end goal was to reach Root's Ridge by dark. From Sarah's calculations, she believed the death plant could be found around there. Remember keep your eyes peeled and your nose open. I don't expect to find it on the way, but you never know, she said with excitement. So why do you think it'll be near the ridge? Jane asked? Do you know the legend of Root's Ridge? Sarah asked, no, I just know it's supposed to have a great view of Cougar Lake was a semi popular route on the Oregon Trail.

53:06 People supposedly stopped using it after the Barlow Trail was established, But I think it was the Roots family tragedy that led people trying to find another route. What happened to them? Jane asked, Well, it's hard to say. What people wrote versus what happened isn't always the same thing, and people back then tended to shy away from the gory details. But one of the people who found them, for how messed up they were, said he would have rather come across the Donner party. And Sarah believes that the Roots incident has something to do with the death plant. Tom said, Oh, so this plant has some kind of dark history to it, yet we are trying to find it. Jane said. They were also malnourished and in a state of starvation, which could explain some of what happened. Sarah exclaimed, Plus, no one is going to force you to go near it.

54:10 The rest of the hike that day felt off, but it was hard to place why. We were having fun. We had lots of amusing conversations. We found out that Tom fell in love with plants after seeing Little Shop of Horrors of all things. Jane told us the story of being busted as a teenager for shoplifting Green Day's American Idiot on CD. They wouldn't sell it to her because of the parental advisory sticker. Her mom was so mad that she took away all of her Green Day CDs since they were such a so called bad influence on her. Sarah also made me tell my possum stories so they could all join in on making fun of me.

54:58 Tom was the one to figure out why the day felt so weird. Isn't it strange that we're in the middle of the woods, yet we hear almost no animal noises. I haven't even seen a gray squirrel today. That is strange, Sarah said, it's like that story I told her from that pulp writer, the really bad one, Henry B. Quinn. Sarah said, how did that go again? I have a copy with me, Sarah said, pulling off her pack to dig for the Weird and Fantastic Monthly photo copy from nineteen thirty one. Here it is. I don't want to read it. Come on, read it for us. Tom said, why, because it's the only entertainment we have out here. Jane said, Just read from here to there, Sarah said, pointing to the middle section of the second page. Okay, okay, the story went like this. I never did know what evil scent hunch guided me into those preternaturally quiet woods. I had merely gone out to find a good stick for the purpose of whittling. But there I found myself, deep in the woods, at the witching hour of all hours, miles away from my humble cottage home. It was like

56:30 I had walked there in a daze, guided by my nose chasing an indescribable scent. This daze that was broken only when my eyes finally fell upon what a plant that I would come to call death. It stood tall at three feet and was just as wide. Though the only light was the moon up above. It was fully illuminated. It was a color that couldn't be described, as it was unlike anything that human eyes had ever laid eyes upon. Tom laughed, sounds like a poor attempt at sounding like HP. Lovecraft.

57:15 Didn't HP publish his stories in that same rag, maybe, I said, as I wasn't that much of a fan of old literature, the HP Lovecraft comparison is apt. Sarah said. Henry Quinn was obsessed with Lovecraft, but he was one of the few people who couldn't get a pen pal relationship going with old HP, and he wrote to everybody. It's estimated that he wrote one hundred thousand letters in his lifetime. What did Lovecraft call him? Again? I ask an unintelligible, incompetent, titchy muddle pate. What does that even mean?

57:58 Tom said, I forget something like a small idiot. I had to google it. We arrived at Root's Ridge at nightfall, and Sarah swore there was a strange scent in the air. I just smelled the pine trees, but I never had that grade of a nose. She wanted to explore that night to look for it, but we all talked her out of it, afraid that she would break her ankle on the rough terrain. We even talked her into drinking with us in celebration of making it to the ridge and the indescribable scent. It is quiet up here, Jane said, as she sipped her vodka with a crystal light packet in it. Every ounce counts when hiking, so powdered drink mixes became our go to mixer, which is disgusting. That's why Tom and I were drinking whiskey straight. I don't hear any movement in the woods at all, I added, isn't it nice, Tom said, and held his collapsible cup up to clink against mine. It's eerie, I said, But whatever, After a few more drinks, I won't mind it. Just like the night before, I woke up to strange noises outside the tent. I was pretty sure I heard another possum hiss. I debated whether I should wake Sarah up,

59:32 but when I looked over to where she should have been, she wasn't there. I heard animals scatter. When I opened the tent. The footsteps sounded like they were from various sized animals. Almost like all the different species in the woods came to meet at our campsite. Where were they all day? Sarah? I set out loud. It was not quite a whisper, but I didn't want to yell and wake Jenny and Tom up. But when I heard the zipper on their tent, I assumed I had Did you hear all that? Jenny asked, in a yell whisper, yeah, man, Did Sarah sleep through that? Tom asked, I don't know where she is? Oh. Tom said, she probably just went out to pitdle and then saw the animals and decided to wait to come back. That's possible, I guess, since they were both awake. Now. I took in a deep breath, funneled my hands around my mouth, and yelled Sarah. I did this in each direction, not getting a response. I waited two minutes and did it again. Damn, I said.

1:00:58 Then I walked back to my tent and grabbed my flashlight. I noticed hers was gone, as was the small bag where she kept her plant tools. When I came out, Tom and Sarah had their flashlights out. What's the plan, Jane asked. We decided we would stay together, and for now we would only explore one hundred yards from the camp in each direction. We found nothing when we went south, nor when we went north. When we went west, though, we came across a patch of white flowers that were unlike anything I had ever seen. When we put our flashlights on them, I could see that the whole plant was translucent and white, from the stem to the flowers. God, those are strange. It's just Monotropa uniflora, aka the ghost plant.

1:02:00 Tom said, there parasitic, so should we go around? I asked, It feeds on fungus instead of sunlight. Unless you're part fung guy, here safe, Tom said, and laughed. Jane moved her flashlight further into the group of the ghost plant and then gave a little scream. Tom and I looked over to wear her flashlight illuminated specks of blood. The red drops on the translucent white made them look like the blood was glowing. What the fuck, Jane said, There are a lot of animals in the woods. I'm sure it's just blood dripping from something carrying a rabbit through here, or a bleeding buck from a fight. Tom reassured us.

1:02:51 Put out your flashlights quick, I said, then put my hand over the front of my light. Tom and Jane followed. Even without our flashlights, we could see the blood because it was, in fact glowing. Does the blood of a dead rabbit or buck glow? Jane asked, maybe a chemical reaction between the plant and the blood. I asked, I doubt it. Tom told us I began to walk in that direction. Where are you going? Jane asked, it's the only clue we have, I said, and continued forward. They argued that my wife's blood doesn't glow, so it can't be hers, but I didn't listen. We saw more blood along the way. It was an easy path to follow, but at the end of the trail we didn't find my wife. We found a dead deer that had its guts opened and splayed on the ground. The strangest part was that its legs appeared to be broken and pulled into angles that didn't make sense, like it had been dropped from a distance or attacked by something that could grab and pull back its legs. What the fuck? Tom said.

1:04:19 In the distance, I heard movement in the woods. Be quiet. We stood there in silence as whatever was making that noise headed in our direction. Jane held on to her husband, but reached over to hold my hand as well. That glowing blood and the way that deer was killed spooked me. Why didn't I grab the bear mace before leaving my tent? It was getting closer. I could hear its struggle as it made its way up the ridge. Once it did, it would only be twenty five yards in front of us.

1:04:59 That we gave us a slight advantage if we had to run, and if it was a cougar or a bear, it wasn't an advantage at all. Put out your lights. When it was near the top of the ridge, we knew it was human. We could see light from a flashlight. I held my breath and hoped it was Sarah. As soon as the person got to the top, they pointed their light at us. How they knew exactly where we stood in the darkness, I had no idea. The light was too bright to know who it was. I looked away and thought about what I should do. Guys, you have to see this, Sarah said. Feeling relieved that it was my wife. I let go of Jenny's hand and made my way to her. You had me so worried, but my fear returned when I saw the blood on my old white, oversized blink one eighty two shirt that she always slept in. What happened to you? She looked down.

1:06:16 Oh this a deer attacked me. You killed that deer? I asked. It was either me or it. I think it might have been rabbid. Thank god it didn't bite me, she said, like it wasn't that big of a deal. Come with me. We watched as she turned around and headed down the ridge. We were all hesitant, but we followed. The terrain was rough but not impossible. Jane almost fell, but Tom was able to catch her. I think she was still buzzed. She could always drink me under the table.

1:06:58 When we got to the bottom of the ridge, I could tell that our destination was through the trees. A hundred yards or so. I saw there was a light. I found it. I can't believe I really found it, Sarah said, as she guided us to what I imagined was the so called death plant. It stood about four feet tall in the middle of a clearing. Around it sat what appeared to be large boulders that were covered in so much moss and plant life that they must have been moved there a long time ago. The plant had a translucent quality to it that was not unlike the ghost plant, but just like that, amateur weird fiction writer wrote, it gave off an indescribable scent, not necessarily bad, but not a welcoming smell either. I found myself wanting to run, yet transfixed as I tried to comprehend what I was looking at. Right now, as I write this, I closed my eyes and try to recall what it looked like, and I can barely picture it. I want to say that it was a large flower with different shades of black and purple, but the colors were ever changing, and the longer I stared at it, the more the feeling

1:08:29 of sickness came over me. Sarah walked right up to it and went to touch it. Don't, I said. She just smiled at me as she first touched, and then she slid her hand right through its pulpy mass without any resistance, and when she pulled her hand back, it showed no sign that it had ever been penetrated. But her hand was different. It glowed in shifting colors of black, purple, and blue. As she moved her hands around and opened and closed her fingers, we could all see these particles of glowing matter jumping from finger to finger. What the fuck?

1:09:21 Jane and I said in unison. Sarah looked back at the plant and then nodded her head like it was telling her something. She smiled and put both hands into the plant, then back out and took the glowing substance and rubbed it through her hair. Stop she didn't. She continued wiping the goo onto her face and her arms, then put her hands back in for more. This time, she took her covered hand and wipe the glowing substance all over the inside of her mouth. The fuck are you doing? I think we need to go, Jane said.

1:10:11 Tom took her hand and they began to walk away. When Sarah began to float a few inches off the ground, they took off running. Sarah grabbed Jane's other arm so hard that it not only pulled them both to the ground, but I heard her arm break in several places. Tom let go of her and ran. Sarah followed him. So I grabbed Jane, who was screaming in pure agony, and dragged her in the opposite direction. As we ran, I started shushing her, be quiet, be quiet, please. I took us to the embankment to climb up in a different area, which I believed would take us close to our camping site.

1:11:05 She was out of her mind in pain and panic, and it was a near impossible task, but we were able to get up there without my wife catching us. I didn't want to think about what she was doing to Tom. I wondered if he would look like that deer or worse back at the camp site. I grabbed a backpack and filled it with essentials food and water. Jenny grabbed her bottle of vodka and chugged it something to numb the pain. She told me, we need to keep moving. Is there anything else you need? Jane grabbed a jacket and winced in pain as she slid it over her broken arm and then onto the other. I think I'm good, she said, and gave a fake smile. Okay, let's go. Before we could, we heard breaking branches and crunching brush as if somebody was running through the rough terrain.

1:12:12 We didn't wait around. We took off running. I was afraid that my wife would find us because Jane was crying out in pain from the shaking of her broken arm as she ran. But to my surprise, we got away. When the sun came out, we realized we were not on the trail back like we had thought. Feeling defeated and worn out, we decided to get some sleep since we hadn't heard her sounds in hours. Jane found us a nice spot to hide, semi hidden between two down trees.

1:12:55 I found a few broken branches to put over the top to further aid our hiding spot. It might have helped us camouflage, but it didn't help. When the spring rain came, we held each other for warmth before we fell asleep. Jane spoke, do you think Tom made it? I don't know. Do you think my wife can be saved? It has to be some kind of toxin, right? Sure? Sure, Jane said, trying to comfort me in case we die.

1:13:36 I just want you to know I always loved you as a friend, of course, but if things were different, and if Sarah wasn't so damn good for you, I mean, before the toxic plant induced psychosis and murderousness, I would have wanted to be with you. I held her tighter and fell asleep. We woke up hours later, freezing and drenched from rain. But that wasn't what woke us. It was the sound of something moving in the woods. Curiosity kept us hiding instead of running. Jane stared with intent in the direction of the noise. I think she was hoping it was her husband. The part that piqued my interest was the irregular pattern of its movement. The sound was unnerving your whole life. You're used to the rhythm of how things move, sometimes with slight differences. Some people drag their feet more than others. But this was different.

1:14:52 Nothing moved like this. It was thud pause, thud, thud pause, thud, thud thud. When it appeared, Jane gripped my hand harder. Her face froze in terror, with her mouth open, like she meant to scream, but was in too much shock to do so. Tears were filling her eyes. I looked back at Tom, who was heading our way. The changed Tom with his broken limbs. He walked on his hands and legs, and each time he stepped you could see the bones shifting at the points where they were broken instead of at the joints. He also had the purple plant goo rubbed on him in various spots. Tom Jane yelled, I put my hand over her mouth. If he can continue moving in that state. He is no longer your Tom.

1:15:59 He is either something else or so insane that he can't be trusted. I took my hand off her mouth. We've got to go. Her gaze was transfixed on him now. She didn't respond, so I stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders to get her up and moving. This was a mistake. It saw us the thing that once was Tom smiled, revealing his blood stained mouth and teeth. He was so broken that it could have been his own blood coming out of his mouth from the sheer trauma he had been through, or maybe he had killed and eaten something on the way up here. Hello, honey, Tom said. This snapped Jane out of it, and she turned to run. I did the same. But that that was the moment we saw something glowing in the woods heading our way. It didn't take long to realize it was my wife, now covered head to toe in the purple goo from that plant. She was illuminated, and just like that plant, she had become semi transparent. I could see her now purple blood rushing through her body, and

1:17:29 I could see her heart pumping it. We heard a scream behind us, and we turned to see Tom leaping into the air towards us. He might have been able to get into the air using his broken limbs, but when he landed, his body couldn't support the weight and he dropped hard to the ground. With that his right femur broke through the skin. This didn't stop him. He now dragged that broken limb as he continued his pursuit. Jane grabbed my hand and pulled me to run. We headed back down the main path in the direction of the car. Of course, even at running speed, it would take hours to get back. We just had to lose them.

1:18:19 I knew we could get away from Tom, but Sarah was always faster than I, and with her death plant energy or whatever, who knew what that did for her speed. We ran and hoped that they were not catching up. But when we got to that one area of the trail that we hit earlier and had to climb over the down tree, I leaped over it and landed on the other side and kept going. Then a few seconds later I heard a large thud. Jane had tried to do the same and must not have jumped high enough and tripped, landing face down hard on the ground. Sarah in her ghoulish condition suddenly appeared on top of that down tree, stopping me from wanting to move forward to help Jane. Hia, John, why don't you come here and give your wife a little kiss? She said, and pursed her lips. Her now purple saliva dripped out of her mouth a rain check. But I just need a little kiss.

1:19:41 Come on, Johnny, just a little kiss. More of the thick slime dripped out of her mouth. It made me sick to my stomach. I'm just not in a sexy kind of mood. I continued the conversation in hopes that it would give Jane time to get up. She was starting to move a bit, but then an arm appeared on the down tree, and quickly I saw it was Tom pulling himself on top of it as well. His body was hideous, not just from the mutilations and limbs being bent in weird directions, but he was now bloody and beaten up from using that broken body to pursue us. Jane, come on, She put her arms out and started to get up, but then Tom leaped onto her back and began biting huge chunks out of her. Jane looked up at me in terror I was full of fear, but I moved towards her to try and get him off, But then her wilderness friends appeared behind her, all covered in the slime. There was a deer, a beaver, and a few squirrels, but what terrified me most was the half dozen hissing possums. I froze, but when Sarah jumped

1:21:16 down and all her critters followed, I ran, leaving my best friend behind. It seemed like I had run for hours, but who knows pure adrenaline is disorientating. Only once I ran out of all energy did I look behind me. Thankfully, there was nothing following. Stopping was a mistake. Once I did, my body tightened up and I could barely move. So with the little energy I had, I walked slowly off the trail and sat behind a down tree that barely hid me, but it was as far as I could go.

1:22:04 Next to the tree was a rhododendron bush. I used to like these, but their purple color was now ugly to me. The warmth from the sun as night became day once again felt nice, and despite everything, I found myself falling asleep. When I woke up in the afternoon, I made my way to the car. Whatever happened to them, I don't know. I went to the police and reported the incident. Some rangers went up there, and there were search parties as well. Everyone in my life looked down on me for not joining in the search, and it made some think that I must have killed them. Hopefully this will make everybody understand, but since I am writing this from the Locust Grove Mental Hospital, I don't know how much credence people will give it. All I can say is to make sure that you stay away from Roots Ridge, especially in the spring of two thousand and thirty nine, which should be the next time it blooms.

1:23:31 If Sarah's calculations were right about its blooming every seventeen years. Stay Hungry by David O. Hanny. Ella Scott watched in disbelief as the man passed the folded bills to the boat Captain Cain. Marlowe was one of the most infamous poachers in the world, and last she'd heard was in a Kenyan prison. She doubted he'd been released on good behavior.

1:24:12 Ella's face reddened as Marlowe went to stow his luggage. Her fingernails dug into her palms and her entire body shook. Keith, the cameraman for the documentary, stepped in front of her with his hands raised defensively deep breaths. He said, it's just a mix up. I'm sure. Ella shoved him out of her way and stormed over to the captain, grabbing for his collar but mostly getting chest hair. The short, stocky man whined and slapped at her hands. What are you thinking, she demanded that I didn't ask for a manscaping.

1:24:57 He rubbed his chest. You want to go up the river or no? Yes, Ella barked back to film the hippos migrating, not being butchered. God damn it, Louise, do you know who that is? Of course, Louise said, he's the guy that just paid me a lot more than you did to go to the exact same place. I can make a dozen trips to more popular locations in the same time. This trip is not cost effective. I got plenty of room. If someone else wants to come along, I'll take them too. I think you misunderstood, Keith chimed in.

1:25:39 Ella is concerned because that man is a poacher. I don't care how he eats his eggs. Louise shrugged and started up to the ship's helm. He'll slaughter them, Ella said, this is Columbia. Miss Scott Louise leaned on the rusted railing. This village here has been and burned down at least three times since I've been alive. Human life is cheap. Hippos aren't many men pay to hunt these animals. You're upset that he is here, but you use this boat, so you'll tolerate him. I understand it's your boat, but it's their boat. The captain cut her off. The hunters are why this boat has a running motor. They are the reason I was able to pay off my debts when your hippos killed the fish I used to catch for a living. You hate the hunters, but the hunters are the only reason you're going upriver to go where you wish. You either take this boat or you swim.

1:26:43 Guess we're riding with the poacher. Keith muttered, I'm not letting him kill anything. Ella said, mark my words. After the Colombian governments slaughtered the bull named Pepe, there had been an international outcry to protect the so called cocaine hippos. Pablo Escobar had imported four of the animals for his private zoo back in the eighties, which had escaped into the wild after his death. Without a dry season, they begun reaching sexual maturity faster. Their number had swelled to at least two hundred in the years since. If interventions weren't found, there would be a thousand by the end of the next decade. In recent months, reports had come in of hippopotamus sightings far from median. However, a local group of activists exploiting the rampant political corruption had supplied Ella with satellite imagery of the area, as well as aerial photographs of what appeared to be three juveniles over one hundred miles to the north. Ella studied the photos with the same intrigue she had when she first seen them.

1:28:09 In the alien jungles of South America, the animals often behaved in ways unseen among their African relatives. Still it seemed unreasonable. Still, it seemed unreasonable for a group to break off from the herd when all their needs were being met in the Magdalena River they called home. If they had been forced out by a dominant bull, then they should have stopped moving once they were outside his range, which would have been no more than ten miles. The exodus made no sense. Ella needed to film them in the wild and to figure out exactly why they had moved so far. She had to show the world that the Colombian hippo had become its own species if she wanted to save them. They'd been on the river all day.

1:29:06 Keith had occupied himself with filming establishing shots. For the first few hours. Ella had shot thirty three takes of her introduction, detailing the history of the hippos in Columbia, the efforts to contain them, and how they had transformed from an invasive species to a meaningful part of the ecosystem that they now lived within. Keith wasn't sure he bought into that last part, no matter how many times she made him reshoot it. He was from Indiana and had seen the negative effects of feral hog's first hand. The hippos were a lot bigger and more ill tempered than the pigs back home. They'd started their trip at the tourist trap in Median. The hippopotamuses had created a strange paradox for the local They killed the fish that provided the basis for their economy and diet, while simultaneously creating revenue through eco tourism. It was much cheaper to come see the hippos in South America than venturing to Africa for a pricey photo safari. Keith didn't see the appeal.

1:30:21 The hippos did nothing but soak in a river and immodestly shit for the flashing cameras. It hardly seemed worth the airfare. While Ella reviewed the maps and photographs again, he optioned to take some still photos of the vast array of wildlife occupying the riverbanks. He zoomed in on the stone faced Colombian sitting at the rear of the boat. Hector filled every role on the boat as he was needed. He was a former FARC soldier and his bear Torso was pock marked with shrapnel, scars and burns from his past life. Once they made land, Hector would make sure they were safe while filming. Ella had of course protested an armed guard, but Luis had only been paid half up front and insisted Hector go with them. Keith wasn't sure if the man never spoke because he didn't know English, or if it was some sense of warrior stoicism. Either way, the cameraman found Hector as intriguing as he was frightening.

1:31:36 Keith pried his lens away from his subject and moved to the opposite end of the rickety boat. Cain Marlowe stood at the bow with one boot on the edge and his rigby rifle propped on his hip, like he was gracing the cover of a Harley Quinn romance novel. He looked the part with his Safari shirt, sleep eaves rolled up over muscular forearms, and the top two buttons down to show the valley between thick pectorals. Exotic oils made his golden beard glisten in the setting sun. He was a bondy beach allen quartermain. The only thing out of place about him was the ragged scar on the right side of his face. The claws had left distinctive raised lines from his temple to his jaw. His eye was stuck in a permanent squint on account of the nerve damage. Keith wondered if some unfortunate jungle cat had turned the tables on the poacher, or if it had been his origin story. Perhaps the beast had mauled a young Marlowe, beginning his desperate need to kill them in retaliation.

1:32:59 Like Hector, Keith found Marlowe to be more interesting than the hippos. This is insane, Ella said, snapping him back to reality. The photos clearly show the hippos have moved on. This is completely uncharted behavior for them. We're onto something huge here and crocodile dun dumbass wants to murder them. Maybe they're trying to go home. Keith said, they are moving in the general direction of Africa. Ancient Egyptians thought they were supernatural beings. Ella seemed to consider it. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between, perhaps, Keith snorted. Or perhaps you're reading too much into them going for a walk.

1:33:50 They've traveled over two hundred miles. Ella scoffed. That's hardly an evening stroll. It's an invasion. Marlowe said, that's what the Venezuelans are calling it. They've got enough problems without a bunch of hungry, hungry hippos coming to dinner. So you're going to kill them and be the big hero. Ella asked, wouldn't be much fun or profit in that? Marlow corrected her. If the herd crosses the border, they'll be slaughtered. That's exactly what you don't want. If I recall, you're killing them for their own good Ella laughed, that's a new spin. I'll kill one or two. Marlow admitted.

1:34:35 These animals are simply exploring their boundaries. It takes a predator to set some Luckily you have me. They don't go to Venezuela to be massacred, and I get a grand hunt. We both win. Miss Scott Keith looked around the boat and raised his hand like he was back in film school. Yes, marlow asked, there doesn't seem to be room for a dead hippo, let alone two of them. The cameraman said, he's only bringing back the teeth. Ella said, pointedly, trading in hippo ivory is illegal internationally. Marlowe said, with a grim smile. They're not an indigenous species, so the Colombian government doesn't have a law on the books about domestic sales. You think you Americans have the patent on rich assholes. I can sell those tusks in Bogata for a mint. I won't let that happen. Ella ensured him.

1:35:40 The sightings indicate an entire pod up there that's big enough that we can both get the kind of shots we're looking for without being in each other's way. Marlow stepped closer to Ella. You're on the backside of Burke now. No police ya, no human rights, no fucking Starbucks. Is that supposed to be a threat? A reminder you're not live streaming a protest outside of Maybelene. Everything out here is lethal. Piranha, crocs and acandas and jaguars, even the fucking ants. Anyone can come into the jungle, but it takes a special breed to come back out. And I don't think you're of that stock. He nodded to Keith.

1:36:28 That bloke certainly isn't. Marlowe climbed the ladder to join Louise at the helm. Ella looked back at Hector, wondering if his role as their protector extended to keeping them safe from Marlowe as well. The former soldier locked eyes with her and replaced the strap on his holster, letting her know he'd been prepared to move if things had escalated. On Whose behalf he'd have acted was still a mystery. It had been a long night, so far from civilization.

1:37:10 The wildlife went about their routines uninterrupted all night long. Animals carried on in an endless cacophony of mating calls and ferocious hunts. Every time an animal cried out from the jaws of some predator, Ella would snap awake, expecting to see Marlowe carrying a gruesome trophy back on board the boat. It never happened. Each time she was roused from sleep, she found the hunter peacefully resting in his hammock. The sounds of death must have been his favorite lullaby.

1:37:51 He didn't stir in the slightest while she snuck away with his rifle. They made good time. The next morning, Keith sat beside Louise at the helm. Ella watched him shakily pouring a fresh cup of coffee into a cracked mug with faded letters. Despite having gotten even less sleep than her, Keith seemed wide awake now. Ella went to the top of the ladder. Keith, She called, yeah, He yipped excitedly, His feet tapped rapidly, and he was grinding his teeth. Oh, you want me to get some more bee roll? That would be great. She gestured to the cup.

1:38:38 How much coffee have you had? This is my second cup. Keith nodded vigorously, Louise held up three fingers. You seem a little jittery, Ella said, it's really good. Keith slapped Louise on the back. Folgers doesn't know shit about Colombian blend. Colombian blend, Ella asked. Colombian blend, Louise said, tapping his nostril for clarity. Take him before he shakes us off course, Jesus, okay, no more coffee, Keith Ella snapped her fingers, pointing to the bow. We have work to do. Pour it over the side. I don't think so. Louise took the mug from Keith and down to gulp. Last thing we need is piranhas swimming in this. Go make movies with your girlfriend and leave the coffee to the men. Keith laughed.

1:39:34 He thinks you're my girlfriend. Move your ass. Keith Ella dropped to the deck and went to stern for the camera equipment. She looked around suspiciously. Hector had stayed at the rear of the ship the entire day, but had seemingly given up his post. A sharp whistle drew her attention and apparently the captain's, as the boat slowed, I think you should come and see this, Miss Scott Marlowe shouted from the bow. Ella pulled the camera from the bag and shoved it into Keith's arms. On the way past. Hector was there cradling an assault rifle in his arms and sipping at his own coffee. Marlowe pointed to the river bank. You see that, miss Scott, he asked, Make sure your cameraman gets a good look. Flies swarmed over the corpse of the American crocodile. It laid on its back, with its intestines bulging out of its split belly. One leg was completely torn from its body. A yellow headed vulture tugged at a strand of muscle hanging from the stump.

1:40:52 The birds stretched the tissue until it snapped loose. The grass was trampled around the scene, with deep hoof prints clearly visible in the mud. There are five thousand American crocodiles in the entire world, marlow said, minus one, thanks to your hippos. Maybe you two would like to get off the boat and film that. Fuck you, marlow Ella spat Territorial disputes happen across species in every ecosystem. Don't try to justify what you do. That croc was at least fifty years old, Marlow said, pointing at the carcass.

1:41:37 There was no dispute, dearie, this was his territory. Your hippos kill him for the sport of it. Funny how you seem to have such a problem when I do that. The crocodile has not been dead long, maybe since last night. Hector said, in an even mechanical tone. We should not be this close. What do you mean? Keith looked around, swinging the camera as he turned his head close to what blimey? Marlow scanned the water for air bubbles. A territorial dispute, you say, Ella gasped, Oh shit, what? Keith shouted.

1:42:24 Why does everyone know what's going on except me? We moving on? Or what? Louise asked? We were wrong, Ella shouted, get down here and bring your map. Ella laid her photos in topographic map on a small table and waited for Luis to add his own. The others gathered around to hear what she said, but Hector and Marlowe kept their eyes on the river. Hippos stay in the water most of the time, but we'll travel around ten miles to graze. Ella pointed at a circle on the map. Our photos were taken here, so we assumed they had migrated up the Magdalena to this inlet. It was the only logical place they could be. But we know a hippo was here recently. The inlet is too far away for a bull to have wandered. We were going to go right past them. I'm thrilled for you, lady, Louise said, But like my mother in law always says, you pay full price even if you don't go all the way.

1:43:33 Was your mother in law a prostitute? Keith asked, second finest in all of Columbia. Louise told him if she'd have been the first, I'd have married her instead. It might have worked out better. Hector added. The answer seemed so obvious that no one looked for another. Ella sketched a rough circle that joined their current location to the confirmed sighting. The calves were photographed at one end of the grays Lands, and we're sitting on the other. You can't see it on my map because of the canopy, but yours is hand drawn. There's a large pond right in the center. What isn't on your map is the tributary that feeds it. That's because we already have enough ways to get killed in this country without going down.

1:44:25 Rio dedl mortal seriously, Ella stiffened. It's actually called the river of deadly evil. You have a river of deadly evil? Keith screeched, Of course not, Luis laughed. It's hard enough to get taurusts this far into the jungle without scary rivers. It looks narrow and shallow. Probably someone just figured there was no point drawing it on. Can the boat make it through? Marlow asked, If not, I don't give refunds. Louise sipped his coffee. He'll both see your hippos soon.

1:45:09 Luis ducked under a branch, careful to keep his hand on the wheel. The hull scraped noisily against the rocky banks of the narrow channel. He stood and eased back on the throttle. Navigating the unmarked river had proven more challenging than the map suggested. The jungle reached out for the boat on both sides, swatting at the passengers like it was shooting gnats. A monkey jumped from one of the trees, using the boat as a stepping stone to the other side. Louise watched the foliage to make sure it wasn't being pursued Alto Alto. Hector called out from the bow. Something in the bushes ahead, check it out quickly, pen Dale Louise shouted back. Hector stepped onto the rail, using a branch for stability. As he hopped over a round boulder and on to the bank. The former rebel moved gracefully through the brush. He stopped in his tracks as something rustled behind him. He turned to find Ella picking herself up from the ground. He should have stayed on the boat, Hector told her, many dangerous things here.

1:46:33 Marlowe swung from a vine to land between them. He unslung the rifle from across his back. Hector groaned and signaled for both of them to stay quiet before moving on. Ella shoved past marlow to catch up. The hunter chuckled. The smell of death lingered, but without the usual accompaniment of scars. Hector pushed through waste high grass, stepping into mud. Blood squished up around his boot soles. A hippopotamus carcass laid on its side. The bones were still wet where the meat had been removed, and its organs were strewn from its split belly all the way to the water's edge.

1:47:27 Ornaments hung from the trees like archaic wind chimes. Ella investigated one of them. Vertebrae were spaced out along hand braided ropes with conical spikes at the end. These teeth are crocodilian, she said. The bones aren't, though they're human. Marlowe informed them some poor bastard spine. This animal was butchered, Hector said, kneeling to examine the bear femur. There are knife marks another poacher, Ella asked, with a baleful glare at Marlowe. Jesus, the monsters cut out its teeth, all of them. Marlowe said, a hunter would have only taken the tusks. These cuts are ragged and much too rough for steel. This was indios revenge. Hector rattled one of the wind chimes. The crocodile has been revered across the globe since time began. Marlowe nodded. The hippo killed one of their gods. They got their payback. They probably took the meat to appease the other crocs and keeping there good graces. Holy shit, Keith called from the boat. He zoomed in on the carnage. That's insane, Ella you're not

1:49:01 going to believe the shot. He should probably keep quiet, Marlow suggested, while bringing his rifle to bear. This was a pup. The hippos will be more aggressive now there's too many rocks here. Louise bellowed, I can't slow down anymore. You need to get back on the boat. Hector, what color is the bottom of the boat? Ella watched the crock teeth swaying on the ceremonial decor white, I guess. Hector shrugged like a croc belly. Marlow whispered back on the boat, Louis ordered. Marlow turned slowly, scanning the jungle for movement. Ella gasped when he pointed the rifle straight at her. She watched as his finger moved to the t trigger and took up the slack. The muzzle flash stretched at her like dragon's breath, accompanying the terrifying roar of the big game rifle. The ground rumbled around her.

1:50:14 She whirled around to see the hippo dead at her feet. A wisp of smoke drifted from the fist sized hole in its skull. Crikey, that was a close one. Marlow chambered another round. Good thing, I reloaded since someone took the bullets from my rifle, no worries I brought more. Keith screamed as the boat listed violently. Great boulders bobbed to the surface around the vessel. A muffled whoomp came from the water, jostling the boat again. The group stood petrified as the boulders stretched open their wide jaws and cried out. Unseen members of the pod responded throughout the jungle.

1:51:09 An immense hippo exploded out of the water, crashing bodily onto the boat's stern. The bow rose up, throwing Louis from the helm. The captain hit the deck with a splash. Four thousand pounds of hippopotamus pressed it deeper into the water. Louis clawed at the floorboards. The beast's fetid breath washed over him as he slid closer to the gaping maw on the shore. The others watched as Louis was dragged, screaming beneath the surface. Keith Ella cried out, you have to jump. Water rose around the cameraman's legs. The ship was going down fast. Hippo jaws snapped at him over the guardrails. He shook his head. I can't jump, Are you insane? He whined, They'll eat me. You're sinking, dopey.

1:52:13 Marlow shouted, now get off the bloody boat. Automatic rifle fire masked any reply Keith might have given. Hector sprayed from his hip at the charging bull. The barrage did nothing to slow the beast. Hector fumbled a fresh magazine. The hippo swiped its head, once, impaling the soldier with its tusks. It raised Hector's screaming body into the air, crushing his torso like an aluminum can. Marlowe knelt and fired a shot through the hippo's eye. The hippopotamus collapsed, with Hector wheezing his last breaths still trapped between its teeth.

1:53:00 Everybody run, Marlowe barked. Keith put a foot on the railing and leapt for the shore. Ella reached out for him, and so did a hippo. The jaws closed around his legs, swinging him to the shore. Ella grabbed him by the wrists. The hippo tugged on him. Ella dug her heels into the muck and tried desperately to pull him free. The hippo gave a slight jerk, ripping Keith's legs off with ease. Ella cried as she dragged him up the embankment to her.

1:53:42 She was torn away from him. Suddenly. She landed on her back, expecting to see tusks closing around her face. Instead, she saw Marlowe dragging her away by the collar. No, she shouted, She clawed at the hunter's hands. We have to help him. There's no help for him. Marlowe struggled to get her up. Get on your feet, Keith cried out. Ella wrestled free and scrambled to the edge. The big female that capsized the boat rushed out to meet her.

1:54:24 A hoof came down on Keith. His rib cage collapsed in one wet crunch. Jaws snapped shut in front of Ella's face with enough force to blow her auburn hair back. Marlowe blasted a chunk from the beast's snout and worked the rifle bolt. Now can we bloody leave? Ella used Marlowe's belt to pull herself up. The hunter swung her by the arm. Despite the uneven start, she gained her footing quickly and broke into a full sprint with marlow on her heels. The giant female charged out of the jungle, uprooting trees in furious pursuit of the humans. Shoot it.

1:55:15 Ella plaied, I only have one more shot. Marlow answered, you said you had more on the boat. Marlow snarled, what is that? Look up ahead? The jungle broke open, giving way to a sun drenched clearing full of tall grass. On the far end stood something as out of place as the cocaine hippos themselves. Is that a mansion? We're not going to live long enough to find out, Marlow growled that Sheila's right on our ass. The hippo let its jaw hang open, ready to chomp through them. Marlowe knew he wouldn't have time to line up a kill shot.

1:56:05 He threw himself into Ella, sending her careening into the lush flora. Marlow leaped the other direction. The hippo slid and stumbled as it tried to correct course. It wheeled around, turning its head between the two possible victims. Its black eye focused on the rifle that had mauled its face. It snorted and scratched at the earth with its hoof. There was no time to aim Marlowe's bullet went wide, striking the hippo in the neck. Blood spurted from the crater. The monster fell on a bent knee. Ella walked towards it, cupping her hands over her mouth. The hippo dragged itself along.

1:56:56 Its jaws snapped weakly as it tried to get close to marlow for one final go finish it, Ella sniffled. Put it out of its misery. I told you I'm out of ammunition now, Marlowe laughed. As the hippo collapsed. He watched its struggle for breath. Even after all of this, he're still on their side. You still have my bullets. Ella reached to the pocket on her vest. The brass rattled as she shakily fished out a single bullet. That's a good lass. Marlowe walked to her and shoved the rifle into her chest. You got the ammo. Now you have the rifle too. Marlowe leaned against a tree trunk and gestured for her to finish the wounded animal. Go on, he said, do it. End it's suffering. Ella loaded a bullet into the chamber and closed the bolt. You heard the calls, Ella, We're surrounded by them. Marlowe continued, I can keep you alive until help comes. I'm the only chance you have, and you haven't even got that until you show me you're worth saving. Kill the fucking thing.

1:58:29 Ella raised the rifle to her shoulder. She tried to sight through the scope, but tears obscured her view. A long, plaintive wine came from the hippopotamus before it fell still. Ella watched for signs of life, but none came. It had bled out. She let the rifle hang limply in her hands. How's that for principles? Marlow snorted and walked away. Such an animal lover, But you let one die like that, I reckon, that makes you a damn sight worse than me.

1:59:14 Fuck you keep shouting, Ella, it'll distract the others while I make a run for the hacienda. Ella kept her finger on the trigger as they crossed the clearing. If there was another attack, she'd be ready, ready to put her one shot right between Marlowe's shoulder blades before she died. Nearby, a hippo bellowed. Ella listened to the number of responses and shook her head. The calls were coming from across the POD's entire range. She tried to guess at how many animals were out there. The number she came up with was entirely to too large. She'd assumed the hippo sidings were a secondary herd that had migrated away from the original. She'd anticipated a colony of a dozen at most.

2:00:13 The female that attacked them was fully matured and larger than average. A pungent stench disrupted her thoughts. Ella paid attention to the grass for the first time. Hippo shit clung to the long, swaying blades. It had smeared across her shorts and bare legs. Ella stared at the small mansion beyond. It looked like a private getaway and had clearly been abandoned for quite a while. Pablo Escobar had many homes across the country. This one looked special, a place where he was a father and not a drug lord.

2:01:01 She froze in her tracks. Hippos were her daughter's favorite animal. Looks like Pablo was a regular. P T. Barnum Marlow said, coming to the same conclusion. He waved a hand at the expansive retaining pond. A rusty fence lay in ruins around it. Red algae formed a thick layer, concealing its murky depths. Guess they're more effective than guard dogs. The authorities definitely never found this place. I bet there's a ton of cocaine inside. You won't find out, Ella said, Oh, why is that? Marlow put his hands on his hips.

2:01:49 I'm perfectly safe as long as you have the gun. Ella aimed the rifle. Marlow followed the barrel to the pond and the bubbles popping on its surface. She fired. The stagnant water erupted in a geyser that showered the hunter. The bull sprang up. Marlowe watched the small fortune of ivory stretch open wide. The pink gullet rushed towards him. Darkness enshrouded the poacher. His feet kicked helplessly as he descended whole down the hippo's throat. The four ton bull let itself slide off the side and sunk back to the bottom of the lake to digest its meal. Ella walked to the mansion steps. A baby hippo ran from the porch when it saw her coming. The door was long gone. Inside, she found all the furnishing still in place.

2:02:58 It seemed as though Marlowe had been correct about no one finding the property. The local wildlife certainly had, though. Ella flopped onto a couch, freeing thirty years of dust. If she was never found, at least she'd die in style. Ella ejected the empty casing from the rifle and rummaged for another bullet. She wondered if any canned goods would still be edible, or if she'd find some way to call for help. Ella pressed a bullet into the chamber and closed the bolt. There may have been things she could use, but she needed to search while there was still daylight coming through the dingy windows. She begrudgingly gave up the comfort of the sofa. The door frame crashed inward, showering the imported marble with debris. The bull looked around slowly.

2:04:04 Ella ducked behind the couch and risked a peak at the animal. Years of battle scars ornamented its flesh. The bull stared back at her and snorted, its jaw hung open. Ella swore she could hear Marlowe crying deep inside its belly. She'd been so adamant about preserving the Colombian hippos, but she didn't want to die either. She raised the rifle, steadying it on the back of the couch. Tears welled up.

2:04:46 She thought about killing it to save herself, only to be killed by another one later. It would all be worthless. Then she broke down, sobbing and choke for a breath. She heard the marble cracking under his hoofs. The room shook. All she could see was the blurry mammoth form charging at her. Someone was crying out for help. Maybe it was Marlowe slowly digesting inside, or maybe it was her own voice begging for another solution. Heaving, stinking breaths assaulted her.

2:05:35 As it drew closer, Ella squeezed the trigger. The Hell Howler by Joe Solmo from the files of James Becker, Case number six zero two three, The Hell Howler. It was on April fifth that I was first contacted by the client, one Marlene Kraus. She came to my office on Church Street just after lunch. I had just eaten a pastrami sandwich hard roll mustard. I could tell by her gorgeous green eyes darting around in fear that her lunch had been of the liquid kind. A woman after my own heart. However, it seemed to not have helped her nerves. I offered her a drink from the small fridge by the side of my desk for emergency purposes only.

2:06:42 She said yes, so I popped the top of the bottle and handed it over to her before getting one for myself. Mister Becker, I know this is going to sound weird, she started. If I had a dime for every time I heard that sentence, I could retired years ago. I don't know who I need to see to get paid, though, Please call me James, I said, I found it makes me seem less intimidating to be on a first name basis. I got a mug only a mother could love on a body that exercise has forgotten. My face might have been handsome once, but when you tussle with the paranormal like I do, you get the shit beat out of you a lot. I'd have to take my shoes off to count how many times I've had my nose broken by some cryptid. I subconsciously tugged my shirt down to make sure my beer belly was hidden from view. I could tell from her looks that something has gotten her scared.

2:07:49 She stared at the bracelet on her wrist. It had a Celtic shield not used for protection, but I doubt she understood the significance. Not all of these cases end up with an epic showdown with the undead or bigfoot. Sometimes it's nothing, regular old bad guys doing bad guy shit. I haven't gotten a read on her at this point, so I sat back and let her tell her story as I enjoyed my post pastrami beer James, she said, and took a long pull from the bottle. She looked down at it. I could tell she wasn't used to slumming around with beer. She was a fine, brandy kind of gal. She took a moment to collect herself and looked up at me. I think I'm going to die.

2:08:47 We are all going to die, I said, with the infamous Becker charm. That's how I get all the ladies. My compassion and the power to speak the wrong thing at the wrong time. Women love assholes, and I am a fucking catch. I mean soon, I think I'm being hunted, she explained, and pushed a lock of her wavy brown hair back behind the cutest ear I've ever seen. I bet her shampoo smelled amazing. Hunted by what, I asked her, taking a drink myself from the bottle. I didn't notice anything off with the flavor. People of her fine taste have no taste. You know what I mean? I don't know.

2:09:41 I don't know how to explain it. Last night at home, my husband and I, she started, Husband, I should throw her out of my office. I thought, I couldn't be that cruel, could I? I mean, don't you go looking into my past for that answer. The answer I'm giving you now is a reluctant no. I guess I won't find my true love on this case either, maybe the next. What's the address address? She asked? Where do you live? I inquired with a raised eyebrow. Oh, we're over in Heaven's Hills, the new development, she answered, Of course she was.

2:10:30 That was big money. I didn't think the places were open yet. Only the developer lived up there. It was a town over in Union. I haven't been that way in a while. There really isn't much else out there. I'll come out tonight, missus Kraus, just before dark. I'm guessing you are safe until nightfalls, I asked. Nine times out of ten, whatever paranormal issue, the cases have only operates under cover of night. Some are stronger after dark, some die in the sunlight, others just like the esthetic.

2:11:12 I won't know which I'm dealing with until I get out there and can snoop around a bit. How did you know my name? Don't you want to hear the details? She asked, confusedly. Is anyone else living over there yet? Or is it just you and your husband the developer. I'll get all the details tonight when I get there. I'll interview you and your husband. Once I have both stories, I can figure out what we're dealing with here. I am terribly sorry, but I have a very important client. I have an appointment with I kind of lied, kind of of course. Forgive me for barging in like this.

2:11:53 I should have called and made an appointment, Marlene said, as she stood up. I tried not to get caught gawking at those legs of hers as she made her way to my office door. Seven O K. I called out after her, perfect, she replied, and when I looked up at her face, she was watching me. Damn it too slow on the eye withdrawal. It's been a while since I've been caught gawking. She was sharp, I admired that in my women. Thank you, mister Becker, I mean, James, I already feel better knowing you are on the case.

2:12:36 I gave her an award winning smile until she closed the door. I finished off my bier, sat down and put my feet on my desk. Time for that appointment, I thought, and drifted off for a few hours. I needed my beauty sleep. I know what you're thinking, what an asshole, But let me explain. Since I was a kid, I could kind of feel the paranormal catch glimpses of the things that lurk in your bedroom at night. Most people go their whole lives without seeing any of that shit. I've pretty much seen it all, and let me tell you it's fucking frightening. I don't get much sleep at night when those things like to do their business. I catnapped during the day just to get by. Oh and once those things know you can see them, they don't leave you the fuck alone. Even friendly ghosts get lonely and you are the only thing that can see them other than cats. Yeah, not a lot of down time.

2:13:49 Don't get me started on the darker beings. After my nap, I hunted around for more info on the crouses. Sometimes good old detective work gets me all the information I need for a case, but in this instance they seemed squeaky clean. I don't like my rich people to be good too. Makes the world not fair. No Fauscian deal with the devil or stepping on the backs of others to get there. Sometimes life just doesn't make sense. I grabbed my keys and a fresh bottle from the mini fridge, with a mental note to restock that I know I won't remember until it was too late, and headed out the door. It was still cold out, not the frozen tundra of a Northeast winter, but a transition towards spring.

2:14:46 I regretted not grabbing my coat about four seconds after getting in the car, but I refused to go back on principle. I drove up the long, steep dirt road leading to the de development, past the field of stumps that used to be a forest, and up and up I went until I was nearly at the top of Heaven's Hill's namesake Hill. There stood the only house that had actually been built up there. It was large and white and had columns, so you knew it was from money. It had a circular driveway, a two car attached garage, and a fountain in front that wasn't working yet. A well maintained frontage greeted me as I exited my ship box nineteen seventy eight Dodge Omni. People ask me how it still runs after all these years. It's part dodge engineering, part owner love, part incantations, and the blood sacrifice of the mice that tried to winter in it or steal the dropped fries from under the seat. I tell them that usually makes them go away and talk to someone else.

2:16:04 To be honest, I have no idea why it works, and I'm not questioning it. It's been paid off for a long time and still starts when it needs to. The door opened as the last sputters of the mostly replaced Mopar engine died out. A man stood at the entrance wearing a tux. I suddenly felt underdressed in the same stained t shirt I met Missus Krausen earlier. Could you tell missus and mister Crouch that James Becker has arrived, I asked the butler. He gave me a particular look and motioned me inside. In the foyer, Marlene Krause waited, wearing a cocktail dress and holding a wineglass in her hand.

2:16:55 Her brown, wavy hair surrounded her beautiful face and hung half way way down her torso it took me a moment to take my eyes off her. I could see the curve of her lips as a hint of a smile crossed it. She was amused by me. Dear, mister Becker, is here, the man in the tuck said. I turned toward him. Oh you're mister Krause. I saw the tucks and thought I started to explain that I was the butler. He asked, a little annoyed. Well, yes, I said, unabashedly.

2:17:36 I am sorry. We have an engagement we must attend tonight. We can give you about an hour, mister Becker before we must leave, he said. I was going to tell him to call me James, but fuck him. I didn't like him from the start. Oh, James, come sit with us and hear missus, Krause said, and entered a room off the hall. It held several comfy looking sofas and a table with a bottle of booze. Make yourself a drink, she finished. I walked over to the table and eyed my choices. Some of these I had never heard of, and the ones I had I had never drunk. I chose one at random, something called knob Creek. I poured half a glass and joined them on the sofas. I had never sat on something so soft. I pulled a notepad from my pants pocket. I like the old school feel of writing down everything myself. I remember facts better that way. Cell phones are spotty at best out here anyway.

2:18:47 I took a big gulp of the knob Creek and gave them a smile as they watched me. I'm pretty sure they didn't see my eye tear up. Let's start with names and occupation, I said, Marlen Kraus, housewife, John Krause, land developer. They said, okay, John, Marlene, can you tell me what happened last night. Let's start with John. I asked, sure, John said, and straightened his tucks. We were walking on the nature trail after dinner to see the scenic beauty of Heaven's Hills. John began, you don't have to sell it to me, I said, did your company make the trail?

2:19:37 Not exactly. We found the trail when we were surveying it and made it wider and more accessible, so the residents of Heaven's Hills would enjoy it. Anyway. It was after dinner and not too far from sunset, and we were near the top of the ridge to the south when a cold wind blew and we both felt like we were being watched. I stood up as I listened to John's story and walked over to the mantle. There was a small wolf figurine there, looking freshly carved. I picked it up to examine it. Did you hear anything branches breaking or grunts? I asked, as I turned the figure over in my hand. Tell him about the roars, Marlene interrupted, not so much a roar as a howl, like a dog or a John explained, wolf, I interrupted, showing them the figure. Yeah, it carried on the wind, but it was faint. I had stepped off the trail to take a quick leak and I heard it. It's hard to say for sure which direction it came from.

2:20:58 John continued. There hasn't been a wolf around this area for one hundred years. I explained, and set the figure down on the mantle. I'm just telling you what I heard, Marlene said with a pout. Sorry, I didn't mean to indicate I thought you were lying. I apologized. She still sat there beautifully poudy. John was a lucky man, continue, I said to John. Soon after that, we decided to head back, but we both kept looking over our shoulders. We realized we were walking faster than normal. Both of us felt like we were being followed. It was most unsettling.

2:21:46 John said, Still no grunts or rocks being thrown, trees being hit by other trees in the distance. I asked, thinking I had an idea of what it might have been. What do you think it is becker? John asked, Well, sometimes there are things in nature that don't like man's encroachment, things that can be territorial. I've seen a dozen Sasquatch cases that start like yours, but they usually have rocks being thrown or other aggressive behavior. So far, you haven't actually seen anything, correct, I asked, No, nothing, James, Marlene said, ah, she remembered my name. I may have floated off the floor just a little bit. I'll tell you what, Why don't you two head out to your event that you're so dressed up for, and I'll take a walk down this trail and see what I can find. We can reconvene in the morning. I told them be careful, James.

2:22:58 Marlene said, oh, if you fancy that figure, go ahead and take it. I don't want to think about wolves right now. I picked up the figurine again and told them thanks, and slipped it into my pocket. Where did you get it? If I might ask, from a shop in town, A woman carves them herself. When we were driving around looking for a land to develop, we stopped in and thought it was a charming little shop. We picked it up as a souvenir of our faith in our investment and future, John explained, and then excused himself.

2:23:41 Marlene walked up to me so close I could smell her shampoo. This time it was apple scented. I was glad. I was wearing glasses to keep my eyes from popping out of my head as I snuck a glance at the cleavage in front of me. Thank you, James. I feel better knowing you are on the case. Please, if there is anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask. It gained about one thousand degrees in that room. I swear I'll get this whole thing figured out. You have nothing to worry about. I'm a professional, I said, and down the rest of the knob creek and placed my glass on the table. I'll have the butler take care of it, Marlene said with a sultry smile. My face reddened, which I didn't think was possible since all my blood was differently located at the time. I found my way back out to the car to get some supplies. I grabbed my on the go pack, which included such occupational necessities as holy water, silvered blades, rods not the kind used for water, and various other stoppered bottles of various concoctions, and more modern day toys like a drone and a kindle.

2:25:13 Why an e reader, you may ask, Well, when you need that one ancient tome to save the world and you have mere minutes left to do so, you do not want to have left it behind at home base, do you? Besides, all these old books were heavy and not to mention a fire hazard. It sure is a pain in the ass to digitize some of those tones, but it has saved my ass more than once when dealing with ancient pseudo deities and prophecy. I didn't expect to need it on the trail, but I tucked it into the front pocket anyway, I slung one of the straps over my shoulder, then the other, shifted the weight around until it was as comfortable as possible, and groaned.

2:26:02 At the incline of the start of the trail, it looked like it crested the hill behind the crousehouse. Ah. It didn't take long for me to get to the wooded part of the trail. Most of the development was happening further down, with the Crouses building their mansion to lord over all below. I did notice that the path was wide and smooth, and saw skid steer tracks on the pack dirt. The occasional uprooted tree lay next to the path and gave me a great place to sit and catch my breath, even if it was just a modest incline I had vanquished. It was quiet up here, and I could feel a slight breeze, even though it wasn't much above freezing. It was welcomed on my sweating skin.

2:26:54 Occasional bird chirps and small sticks breaking I could make out through my own laby bird breathing, typical woods noise. Nothing to be frightened about. I have spent many a night in the woods hunting the paranormal, and I don't spook easily. Once I could concentrate, I closed my eyes and focused in on my gift, looking for signs of anything out here in the woods that might be from another realm or a cryptozoologist's dream. But felt nothing. I decided I would go down a bit further, at least to where the Crouses had said they got the eerie feeling.

2:27:38 Before I headed back to the car, I took a sip from the half empty water bottle I found on the floor of the dodge. It was mostly refreshing and not gross at all. I shouldered my pack and moved a little further along the path. It had mostly flattened out. To my relief, I found the hike actually enjoyable, even if my body was wondering why I was putting it through the torture. I decided to ignore my lungs and beating heart and just enjoy the view. That's when I crossed it. What it exactly was, I didn't know a boundary of sorts. I could feel the creepiness fixating on me as I scanned the woods for any sign of life or even unlife. There are many boundaries in the world.

2:28:37 Some are easily defined, like rivers or the Great Wall of China. Others only certain people can perceive, like thresholds and lay lines. I gave myself a moment to try to identify the energy. Was it natural? Was it a cult related? It was slippery, really hard to get a bead on. Just then I heard feet crunching the sand on the trail. I saw an older woman coming towards me. She had one of those taco bell dogs on a leash. Its bug eyes looked up at me and it started to bark. d'Artagnan. Stop it, She called out to her pet, giving a gentle tug on his leash. It gave a little growl, making eye contact with me, before sitting next to her leg. Could this be the howl the crouses had heard? Hello there, Thanks for calling him off, I said, with a smile. My name is James Becker, I said, and held out my hand. The woman looked down at one hand holding the leash and the other an old, gnarled walking stick, then back to me. My hand retreated into my pocket in embarrassment. Tera The woman responded, are you from the development Heaven's Hills? Heavens, no, I joked.

2:30:12 She didn't think I was funny. I wish I was back at my office with another pistrami, sandwich and beer. They took the nature trail and widened it. I've been walking it for years. It was always wide enough for me and d'Artagnan before. Don't see why they had to improve it, she said, I don't know either. You walk this trail often, I asked, for years, she replied coldly, So, you said. I didn't feel anything coming off of either her or her dog, at least nothing that stood out more than the boundary, which was still making my senses go haywire. The trail used to lead to that lake down there, through the woods. I used to go and feed the ducks, she explained. I thought bread was bad for them, I said, trying to engage her, I said, nothing about bread. If you're not from the development, then why are you on the trail? She asked. The crous has hired me to investigate a possible dangerous animal on the trail. They said they felt like they were being followed the other night. Do you think d'Artagnan here might have gotten off his leash and came after them with all the fury of a crunch wrap supreme, I asked, he never leaves my side, Terror responded, she was a real talker. Say how much further does this trail go

2:31:47 before turning back toward Heaven's Hills. I asked about a mile. It dips down the other side of the ridge for a bit, then climbs back up behind where they built their house. She answered, more uphill. Great. I think I'll just turn back, I said, and slipped a crystal just off the trail. I didn't think she noticed. I'll come back for it tomorrow and see what kind of energy it absorbed. It might help me figure out what kind of boundary this is and what exactly I am dealing with. Have a good one, I said, and gave the woman a wave. I turned to go back to my car.

2:32:32 I felt a hundred times better after crossing that boundary again. Just as I turned a curve in the path, I caught the woman in my peripheral. She had not moved from that spot and was watching me. What a weirdo, I thought. I gave her another wave and a smile before starting the descent down to the krausehouse. She never waved back. She probably thought the same of me. Could she be the culprit? Maybe it wasn't a cryptid that chased them, Maybe it was some witch that marked a piece of land to chase off developers. She sure was crabby enough. Well that's not fair. There are plenty of witches I know that are pleasant to be around. I got back to the car and through the pack in the hatchback of the Omni. I had some leads to start, like what is that boundary? Will the town property records show me something there that might help? Do my spiritual friends know this, Terra? Did the figurine fit into the equation?

2:33:45 Do I have any chance with missus Kraus? Sadly, I already knew the answer to the last one, a resounding no. Maybe when I write my memoirs, though, maybe then I can pencil it in. I slept in the next morning, my head felt like it had been kicked in. I searched around for my glasses, which happened to be on the top of my head, not sure how they didn't get crushed last night. I made my way through the empty bottles and open ancient texts to the bathroom and took a piss in the dark. My eyes weren't ready for the daylight yet. I made my way to the fridge and found a gatorade in there. It looks like drunk me was thinking of the future. I thanked myself and drank it down, hoping it would curb the hangover a little bit. On my desk I found the drunken scribblings of a half crazy paranormal investigator. Good thing I could read my own handwriting. I picked it up and commanded my eye to focus. It took a few minutes for them to listen find answers to case. Sometimes I really am proud of myself. I popped on the TV volume on mute as I waited for the hangover to subside.

2:35:19 I woke up again about two in the afternoon and realized it had been a day or two since I had showered. I went into the bathroom and cleaned myself up, made myself human again, even took the time to shave. It had been at least a week since I'd done that. I read over my notes taken at the Crouse's and headed out the door. I had a few stops to hit this afternoon, and the day was getting away from me. Once I had gotten a fresh sandwich in beer from Herschel's Deli, I drove over to Union to check out the shop that sold the figurines. I didn't realize get a sense of anything from the wolf, but it was better to be safe than sorry. I sat in the Omni, finishing my sandwich and beer before heading over to the shop, Casey's Curios it was called. I opened the door and a little bell rang. Every step I took on the old wooden floor creaked ominously, and I wondered how far a fall into the basement actually was as I scanned the cluttered room. In most of these kinds of places, you will find some kind of artifact giving off energy.

2:36:39 People who aren't perceptive to that kind of thing might still feel uneasy and decide to donate or sell an item without knowing the why. A few hit me right away, but nothing that seemed in any way related to the case. I found the display of carved figureenes and gave them more scrutiny. As I heard the creaking coming from behind me, Find something you like, came the voice from behind me. I turned and was surprised to see a familiar face. Tara. Was it I asked, it was, and still is, she said, as she passed me and went behind the counter. Where is d'Artagnan not a great watchdog? Eh, I joked, or at least I thought I did. You couldn't tell from her reaction. At the vet found a tick on him.

2:37:42 Getting it checked out, Tara replied, with all the warmth of the Arctic circle. Well, I am sorry to hear that. Anyway, as I said yesterday, I was looking into some wild animals up in Heaven's Hills for the crouses, and I found this in their study, I said, producing the wolf figurine. And you think that was following them? They could probably outrun something so small. She asked me, what a comedian? Well, I found it curious that they had a wolf figurine on their mantle, and said they had heard howling on the wind. I thought I would check out where the figurine came from. I replied, let me know if any of these make a sound, I'll charge another five bucks.

2:38:33 Tara said, and opened a shipping box that had been on the counter. She pulled a locket out and set it down. I could feel the energy emitting from it. That's a nice locket, I said, focusing more on it. Sometimes it was hard when there were other things around, like the boundary. Last night, I put the other items out of mind, using an exercise I learned when I was little, and focused my attention in front of me. I was surprised to find two distinct aurs. One was from the locket and it screamed of divination magic. It was used recently to find someone. I caught glimpses of a woman's face, but it flashed by too fast for me to see. Wonder who sent that to Tara. Usually when someone with the talent finds an item, they don't let it go, unless they were asking a huge favor of someone and they traded a magical item for said favor.

2:39:42 The other aura was coming from Tera herself. I tuned into that she was a dabbler. She wasn't very powerful, but she did indeed dabble in magic. There was some residual magic coming from her, now faint, it had been a few days since she had tried anything. It had the smell of summoning magic. With dabblers sometimes they get the idea, but not the nuance of what they are doing. She could have been trying to summon a demon or a lost loved one in a seance, even though that isn't the proper way to do it. Did they give you that to return? Tara asked, No, they loaned it to me. I replied, do you remember when they were in here, mister? I get a lot of people coming and going weirdos. I remember, like people asking me if my figurines can howl, but a tourist couple A thousand of those walked through my shop every summer. Tara explained. Ouch. Well, thank you for your time, I said, and headed for the door, not going to buy anything. She called after.

2:41:01 I knew she was just trying to guilt me into buying something, and I am a sucker, so it worked. I remembered her story about the ducks in the lake and picked up a duck figurine. I slipped a crystal under the display, covering the move with my back to Tara. Fifteen bucks, she said, as I placed the figurine duck on the counter and put her hand out open palm. I reached into my wallet and slapped her at twenty. Keep the change in case it quacks, I said, and turned back towards the door nothing. The woman has no sense of humor. The day had really gotten away from me.

2:41:46 The sun was going to go down soon, just enough time to go get my crystal on the trail and head over to Kraus's. I set the duck figurine on the seat next to me and headed up to Heaven's Hills. I got to the boundary just as the sun dipped behind the hills. It hit me like a ton of bricks again, and in the fading light, I had to use my cell phone's flashlight to find the crystal. It was clear when I dropped it in the leaves. It was now striped red and black. That's not a good sign. Red and black are the dominion of the abyss. All the levels of hell from any religion you can think of, belongs there. You add that to summoning magic aura from earlier and you usually get yourself a demon. Why couldn't it have been a sasquatch. I had a bottle of pheromones on me to get a wild, horny teenage squatch to follow me farther from humanity and deeper into the woods primordial. That would have been an easy job. But nope, it has to be a goddamned demon. The thing about demons is they are tricky. Was the summoning magic around Tera because she was summoning a demon? Or was it because she was summoned? Did the aura being faint mean it was strong on an object in her shop and

2:43:17 rubbed off? Either way, the boundary had hellish energy, and I needed to step out of it to think without its negative energy bombarding me. I made my way down the trail about seventy feet or so, far enough to think straight, but still within sight of the boundary's position. I twirled the crystal in my hands as if looking it over for answers, when truly there was no more information it could give me. I pocketed it and headed down the trail toward the crouses. I could see the porch light through the trees. When I felt a twitch of magical energy, then heard a I ran as fast as my out of shape bulk could move, and it was only thirty seconds or so before my foot hit the boards of the porch. Marlene was laying on the floor, clutching her arm. I could see the crimson flow from between her fingers just above her bracelet. John was in an Adirondack chair. He too was clutching himself as blood flowed.

2:44:27 What happened, I asked, looking over the scene. It attacked us, John called out. I pulled his hand away from his left forearm. There were deep punctures there and scratches, defensive wounds from an animal attack. I could feel the heat coming from the wound, and steam rose from the crimson ribbons of flesh. It didn't feel that cold out to cause steam from the warm body. I grabbed my handkerchief and flask from my bag and wrapped his arm, then turned my attention to Marlene. What was it? I asked them.

2:45:07 It was too dark to see, but it definitely was some kind of animal. We heard the howl again just before Marlene came out with the drinks, John said, pointing at the spilled tray and glasses on the porch floor. Interesting. I didn't hear anything, and I was just up the trail over there, I said, I as sure as hell felt something, though it was too quick to get a fix on. More scares to come weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back. Those cuts would scar up severe. I treated her wound the same way and looked around for evidence it hit me from behind and landed right on John.

2:45:55 I got my arms up to protect my face, Marlene said. As I surveyed the scene. On the railing, I found a tuft of black hairs. I quickly grabbed a baggie from my pack and collected it with tweezers. I dropped the baggie on the porch and bent to pick it up. When I did, I noticed the prince on the wood. I took out my phone and snapped a few picks. What is it, Marlene asked, Prince of our suspect, I said, looking at the canine footprints burned into the wooden porch. How many in the universe could leave prints like these?

2:46:37 You ask, there is a very short list. A hell hound. Well, now we know what was summoned. The question now is why what did Tara have against John and Marlene Krause The development would be my first guess. Usually that's all the guests I need. I'm not being conceited here, I'm just good at my job. Summoning a hell hound takes a specialist, a long time practitioner, not just some curious teens like you see in a horror movie. This person would need years of training from knowledgeable people, a cult or sect hidden away, and I didn't know of any around here. That doesn't mean they don't exist, just that I was unaware. So is Tara my hell Howler the person that brought this beast here? Or is there another player I haven't met yet? I would say intriguing, But what I really would be thinking is, for fuck's sake, why can't these cases ever be easy? The next day I slept in sensing a pattern. This time I wasn't just up all night drinking. In fact, last night I was up all night drinking and reading up on hell

2:48:09 hounds and how to stop them. There was surprisingly limited documentation on them, even though myths of them have been around since antiquity. Before starting my binge a hem reading, I dropped in with an old friend to learn more about the hell Howler. Madam Stacy made most of her money telling fortunes at renaissance fairs, psychic fares, and craft shows, as well as other events. But she was the real deal, unlike most of them on that circuit, since she had been around and seen a lot of things, and much like me, found steady work here with all the conduits of the paranormal that seemed to intersect in our little slice of America. I pulled out my phone and opened the picture I took of one of Madame Stacy's books.

2:49:02 She wouldn't let me touch them, let alone borrow them, which, to be honest, is probably a good thing. That is the other reason for the kindle. I can't keep a book's binding intact for more than a week, no matter how careful I was with them, they just disintegrate under my care. I pinched the screen and zoomed in on the left column of the page. Hell howler a specific spellcaster with a knack for summoning from the abyss. This person can imbue their emotions into their magic, asking for help from the lower planes. Powerful hell howlers can summon up to Class five demons. If they work in tandem, a coven of hell howlers could summon even more powerful entities.

2:49:54 There is a rumor of a shadow mass that can be conducted with ninety nine hell howlers to draw a Prince of Hell to the summoning circle to answer three questions. As with any summoning ritual, if done incorrectly or without the right amount of power, control of the summoned entity will falter, and in most cases, it will turn on the summoner. Found in several cultures, many use their powers for political assassinations or shows of power. Cultures with blood rituals and human sacrifices are commonplaces to find hell howlers.

2:50:36 Known hell howlers have been found among the Aztecs, Canaanites, Celts, and Germanic peoples. For example, below was a picture of a woman in an open robe with her arms in the air, in the center of a magic circle. In front of her was a tornado of flames with sinister eyes looking back at her. Her. Well, that didn't really tell me what to do to stop one. I guess I'll have to throw the kitchen sink at it. When I confronted. The kitchen sink is what I call a concoction of all the usual monster killers. Holy water, wolf's bane, iron supplements, and minced garlic are the main ingredients. Smells like shit, but it gets the job done most of the time. I rifled through my books on ways to protect Marlene from the summoned beast, made a quick list, and headed back to Madam Stacy for the items I didn't have myself. Having hair from the beast provided us with some material to make a charm out of. In a perfect world, that should be enough, but since we don't know who summoned it, there really was no telling.

2:51:55 Madam Stacy and I worked on the charm for most of the afternoon before I realized I had not eaten anything today. My stomach groaned its displeasure. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I asked Madam Stacy as she looked up from the charm. My stomach had interrupted her spell. You go grab us a couple of sandwiches so I can finish this in peace, she said. I had only interrupted her a few times with questions. What do you want? I asked the mystic as I watched a woman at the front window peeking in. Madame Stacy put a closed sign up so we could get this done before tonight.

2:52:39 PASTRAMI hard roll mustard, she said, and went back to work. I should propose right now, if only she were a little younger. She was older than the omni. I slipped out of the side door, not only because that was where the aforementioned shit box was parked, but this way I didn't have to confront the customer at the door. I'd much rather confront an angry ghoul feasting on corpses in the local cemetery than deal with living, breathing people. They're so much harder to get a handle on, what with their schemes and lies. I pulled out onto the street and headed the few blocks west to the deli. Yeah, I could have walked, but this was more efficient. I walked into the deli a hero. They thought something had happened to me because they haven't seen me yet today.

2:53:36 That says a lot more about me than it does their friendliness, I think. When I told them I needed two they all made mocking faces, which to me said, whoe, look at the big boy getting two sandwiches. They didn't believe me when I said one was for a friend, even when I got two drinks. Maybe I'll see if Madame Stacy can put a minor curse on them, maybe make all their wives grow mustaches or something. I grabbed the bag and was back at the shop. Within twenty minutes. Stacy had finished the charm for Marlene to wear a necklace.

2:54:18 It also had the Celtic shield, not like Marlene's bracelet. We finished our late lunch as we went over the defenses I was going to put up in the Krause's home. I was running out of time. I wanted to stop over at TERA's shop again to get a better feel on her and what talent she might have with the magical arts. With a reluctant hug the only payment beyond the sandwich Madam Stacy wanted. I was on my way to Tara's shop. I should get there in time to ask her some questions. I got to start setting an alarm, so I don't sleep the days away. I usual fight the evil at night, but the day's crucial prep time.

2:55:05 Maybe I should just stock up on caffeine pills, since I'm not one for coffee. I had a few hours of daylight still when I parked in front of Terra's store Casey's Curios in Union. Her sign said they were open to five, just enough time to get home around dark this time of year, you know, maybe to give directions to your pet hellhound, who was somehow disguised as a Chihuahua named d'Artagnan. Although that would be a funny scenario, it was very unlikely. I didn't detect any camouflage magic on the dog when we first met, and if I was dealing with a football sized Helmut, the scratches would have been on the krouse's legs, not arms. How would it have reached trampoline or a poucha pult? I opened the squeaking door of the Eye and made my way inside the building. Tara was behind the counter polishing what looked like an antique tea set. If she could see the spirit attached to it, I couldn't tell. The apparition turned towards me with the kind of hatred only the eyes of the dead can show, and whispered curses at me.

2:56:23 I wasn't impressed. I've dealt with tougher ghosts. I ignored her, and it made her angrier by the string of curse words coming out of her mouth. My father was a trucker and my mom was a whore, and I think they both would have blushed. No refunds if it didn't quack, Tara said dryly, before putting the teapot back in an old leather case. As soon as she did, the apparition disappeared. No, it quacks, just fine, a satisfied customer, I said back at her. She raised an eyebrow, then lowered it. You want a different animal, perhaps a whale song to put you to sleep, she said sarcastically, while putting the case on a stack of other boxes behind her, under some wooden shelves with various products on them. I wanted to check up on d'Artagnan, I explained. She raised the other eyebrow.

2:57:25 She was eyebrow dexterous. She nodded. Towards the back of the store. Sitting on an antique Bergerie chair was the canine in question, sleeping away. He was wearing a red and blue superhero costume complete with cape glad. He's doing okay, I said, Hey, I have a question for you. Oh yeah, she asked, opening another cardboard box that had arrived with today's packages. Yeah. Have I come to the right place for athame? Her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the sincerity of my inquiry. What do you need it for? She asked, for a blood ritual? I lied over by the cauldron's last table on the back wall. She explained, My wicked mom would kill me if I ever used Atham to draw blood. Tara doesn't know shit about fuck when it comes to proper use. I think my original assessment was correct.

2:58:31 She was a dabbler at best. Well shit, then, who is the hell howler? I glanced through her product. She did have some decent stuff, and wherever she's getting her shipments from they are top notch. Too bad she doesn't know what to do with them. She could take over the county with the amount of spiritual firepower in this room alone. I wonder what she keeps in the krouses. I started turning over a blade in my hand. It was too polished, too finished for me. I prefer the old world craftsmanship with my ritual implements. What do you know of them? Nothing? Really. They came in here boasting how they were going to change our town for the better and all the local shops were soon going to have lines out the door. They bought that figurine and told me they were about to make a deal to make my life better. Usual out of town snobs, Tara replied, who is Casey? I asked, as it just now occurred to me that this place wasn't named after her. My husband been in the ground ten years. She said. He used to handle antiques and the like here. He liked to fix up older stuff to make it shine again.

2:59:59 He let me tell my stuff here too. He knew you practiced, I asked. I told him I did, and that was good enough for him. He didn't want to know any more. Gave me my space to do what I wanted. Tara replied. I found an older looking bowline and grabbed some candles. Sometimes these things come in handy. I made my way back through the rows of items to the counter. I placed the crescent bladed object down, then set the candles next to them. Anything else, Tara asked, as she rang me out and put my items in a paper bag. Do you have anything for summoning spells, wands, stuff like that? Tara narrowed her eyes at me again.

3:00:51 I could tell she really didn't like me poking into her business. Summoning magic is dangerous. I would leave that the professionals, she answered, true, but if one was going to try, I hinted, I would suggest they don't, was her reply point taken. Thank you again, Tara, my condolences for Casey, I said, and paid for the bowline. I now had all I needed for tonight. Some shop owners make it hard to want to support local business, though Tara was a downright miserable person. But I don't think she is the hell howler. Who else could the crouses have pissed off? I wondered as I fired up the omni.

3:01:42 I got to the client's house about two hours before sunset, just enough time to prepare for the impending attack. When I pulled in the driveway, John was out front, so I had him help me unload several of my musty Duffel bags from the hatchback. What do you have in here, becker decade old Jim clothes, he said, as he got a whiff of the contents you got me. I was hoping to get some laundry done while we wait, I joked, but it went right over mister Soerpuss's face. I guess I would be serious too if there was an infernal beast hunting my wife in a few hours, I gave him a pass this time. Where's Marlene? I asked, missus Kraus will be home shortly. I advised her to get a hotel tonight, but she insisted on being here. I don't know why I would prefer she was out of danger.

3:02:45 John said, don't worry, John, we won't let anything happen to her. I reassured I could tell by his face though, that I failed. I began rummaging through the stinky bags to get set up. I grabbed a baggie of red brick dust and began to scatter it in the doorway. Are you going to clean that up afterward? John asked, honestly, probably not, but I am sure you have a maid come in at least once a week, I said, and grabbed the baggie with a mix of garlic, sage, and lavender. Why have the smells spread out through the house when I can combine them all together right here. Once I profoundly stunk up the joint, I started to use the bowline to carve some cymbals into the candles. I had just picked up standard protection stuff, nothing too crazy. I wanted a bastion of protection in case I needed to bide my time with the creature once I face it.

3:03:52 Sometimes I'm not the fastest thinker on my feet. But give me a month to prepare, and I'm fucking ba. I placed a hamsa hand above the kitchen sink and sprinkled a little more of the brick dust. I didn't have enough dust to give the house a good redding, but I got most of the first door. John mostly followed me around, sighing at everything I was doing, until he heard Marlene come in through the garage. That reminded me. I ran over to the door to the garage and sprinkled my protection magic cocktail. Marlene watched me with both interest and amusement. It seemed or she was smiling at me for another reason. Nah, she wasn't interested in me.

3:04:44 That was only in my dreams, no one else's. She was the client and I had to be professional. I told myself that was why we could never be together. Focus, Becker, Focus. I snapped out of it and continued to work around the house. An hour later, I was just about done when Marlene came to me in the kitchen by the garage door. How are things progressing, she asked in that sultry voice. Almost done here? We got the house on lockdown. No way that creature is going to find its way in here, I said, not past all the protection I put up. I was rather proud of myself. Hungry, she asked, and went to the fridge. She pulled out a pound of pastrami and set it on the counter. Next to some hard rolls. She knew me I could eat. I understated, here, have a seat. I'll make you a sandwich, she said, and pulled a knife out of the block to cut the rolls. I took a load off and realized I had been working right along pretty good. I mentally checked off items on my list and realized I was done.

3:06:03 I looked at my watch. I had twenty two minutes until sunset and the chance of attack. With everything I read on these hounds, they are usually spotted over three days. The summoning only lasts that long. If they fail, they don't go back to Hell, they simply cease to exist. So there is the motivation for escalation of attacks. The final one should be tonight. I just had to make sure it wasn't a fatal one. I looked over at the other smelly duffel bag in the hall, the one I haven't opened yet. It held the best line of defense, basically a holy rolled up newspaper to hit it on the snout with and say bad dog or bad hell hound. Well, that sounds more appealing than what it actually was. Supernatural beings aren't always pretty, and neither are the tools and weapons used to fight or subdue those beings. I know what I had in the bag wasn't going to win any craftsmanship awards. It looked like total shit, But none of that matters as long as it gets the job done.

3:07:20 Here you go, Marlene smiled warmly and sat down next to me at the table. I could smell her perfume. Thank you, I said, and looked down at the sandwich. She must have given me half of the meat I saw her take out of the fridge. Wow, now that is a sandwich, I said, and held it out at arm's length. Admirably. Don't drop it, she said, as it started to slip from my hands. She grabbed for it and ended up putting her hands around mine. Her skin was soft and warm. Very warm. You feeling okay, I asked, under the circumstances, Yes, she replied, and gave me an award winning smile. I melted in my chair and puddled on the floor to bask in her glory. I snapped out of it when I realized I had spicy brown mustard on my shirt, humbling, Oh dear, she said, and grabbed a paper towel. She wet it in the sink and returned to me. Rubbing the damp paper product on my shirt. She was so close I could smell her hair.

3:08:40 What's that, I asked, and backed up. As her husband entered the room, he carried the rest of the candles I had carved protection runs in and a box of matches. I could smell the sulfur of the matches wafted by my nose. If he cared I was that close to his wife, he didn't let on, man, I would be furious. I finished placing them on the second floor. I had these left over. Where do you want them, John asked. I pointed to the next room. Most likely the creature will come to one of the doors. I'd placed them near the front entrance. The door is made of glass and vulnerable, I told him. He nodded and headed out to the foyer. If you will excuse me, Marlene said, I have to go powder my nose. Consider yourself excused, I said, and gave her a bow. As I stood up, I think I heard something crack in my back. I am getting too old to fight monsters. I realized I had forgotten to give her the charm we both worked so hard on earlier. I guess it can wait until she's out of the bathroom. I used to imagine rich clients like these would be so grateful that they would throw handfuls of cash on me, And if I just stuck with it, I could retire in a few years.

3:10:09 But those few years have doubled and doubled again, and I'm still living one Pastrami sandwich at a time. If I can stop this hell howler from completing its goal and killing Marlene, then I know they would pay. That wasn't the question. I just know from previous experience it's never enough. While Marlene was out of the room and no longer distracting me, I went over my list again to make sure I had all the bases covered. As I was mentally checking off the last of the list, I heard a commotion from the foyer and ran out there.

3:10:52 John had dropped a candle and it had broken. What happened, I asked, I burnt my I should have waited to light it until I placed the damn thing. He showed me his finger. I tried to remember what compassion was like and did my best to show him. The sound came from everywhere at once. The howl rang through my head, sending flashing images of my own gruesome death at the claws of the beast being summoned. I caught glimpses of the animal's point of view as it closed in from the forest path. I heard the snort of its nostrils, trails of smoke rising from the nasal orifices. It covered ground fast and would be here in seconds. Where's Marlene, John asked, with a scared expression, powdering her nose, I responded, I'm right here, she said, entering the foyer with us, while looking over her shoulder. I glanced at the door to make sure we had enough protection coverage even with the broken candle. We were good. We should move to an interior room, if possible, barricade ourselves in until I can assess the situation. I explained this way through the kitchen, Marlene suggested, and we followed. I grabbed my bag on

3:12:25 the way through. As we passed through the kitchen, another flash of the beast's point of view entered my mind. I could see Marlene's car sticking out of the garage. She had left the door open. It was a good thing. I reddened the kitchen door that led to the attached garage, I thought, as I double checked my work. Ah fuck, I said elegantly. There was a break in the dust, as if someone was dragged through it enough to break the pt Just then, a bang struck the door. I watched it move from the impact get behind me. I called out and reached into my bag of tricks. I pulled out a shaleala infused with protection magic and faced the door as it began to splinter. I ran over my movements in my head and couldn't figure out how I scuffed the red brick dust rookie mistake, screwing up your own circles and lines. If I survived this, I told myself I wouldn't put that part in my report.

3:13:36 A moment later, a large black and red furred paw pierced the wooden door. Its claws had to be four inches long. I whacked it with the shalala and heard a sizzle and a howl from the other side. It wasn't the same howl as earlier, which means the hell howler had to be close, after all, I had heard its call. No time for window peeking to see who might be outside right now, though I turned my eye from the door for just a second to see John and Marlene still standing there. Get in the room, I yelled out. That was all the distraction the unholy beast needed, as it launched its mass through the door and barreled into me. I landed on my ass on the hard tile floor, the beast's jaws inches from my throat. The only thing that stopped it was the Shaleala held in my hands across its slobbery jaws. Definitely not the damned Chihuahua, I thought, Did I see any stray saint Bernards around?

3:14:49 In reality, it didn't resemble any dog breed or even wolf. It was larger, smelled like brimstone and death, and had tigers stripes of black on a body of short red fur. It was at least the size of a mastiff, if not bigger. It had three black eyes staring at me. As I pushed up with all my might, trying to keep that maw away from my face, I could hear the protection magic sizzle its flesh, but the beast was in such a state of rage it didn't seem to notice. I spoke a word I learned a long time ago, a word of power. I was told not to use it lightly, to use words of power like this drain sum of your life. But I didn't see much more life in me if I didn't use what I had.

3:15:44 For the safety of anyone reading this file, I won't include the word here. Trust me, it's for your own good. I spoke the word, and the magical force created within rushed through my hand and lifted the hell into the air, throwing him into the island in the middle of the room. It bought me enough time to get to my feet and see Marlene pull shut the sliding door to the den. Good keep some distance while I figure this out. The beast growled behind me, and I turned to face it, tapping the saleila in my left palm as I made eye contact with it. The old blood was pumping. Now, come on, Susy, let's dance, I said, bravely to an animal that couldn't possibly understand my words. It launched at the wall. Its great muscles flexed as it pushed off the sheet rock and passed overhead. I gave a wild swing, but missed it completely as it crashed into the den door, breaking through and passing into the darkened room beyond. I heard a scream and raced into the den behind it.

3:17:00 Inside it was dark. I could hear the beast snarling from the right, but my out of shape ass was blocking most of the light from the door. I patted the walls next to the door until I found a light switch and flicked it on. Marlene was backed into a corner by an old looking record player. The beast was sizing her up for an attack. John laid on the floor. Bloody ribbons of flesh hung from his arms and torso he wasn't moving. He must have gotten in the way of the beast's prey. I hoped I would fare better. I charged the beast with a primordial roar of my own Shalela overhead. I launched off the automan and saw myself in slow motion, like they do in the movies when two warriors leap and meet in mid air.

3:17:56 I brought the hardened blackthorn down on the beast's snout, using the word again as I placed my other hand on its skull. The combination of the protection spells in the Shaleala and the magic force pushed the beast's head down to the luxurious carpet. I hoped people that can afford that kind of carpet can afford to get blood stains out of it. I brought the Shalala down again and again on the head of the beast, each strike leaving marks on his body from the light energy of the protections from evil. I tried not to give it time to recover and hoped I could just beat it to death or submission. After the fifth blow, I told Marlen to get out of the corner, and she ran towards the kitchen. That proved to be a bad move as the beast's eyes tracked its prey. It pushed past me and knocked her literally out of her shoes to the carpet below. I stepped over the motionless body of John, the sting of losing a client hitting me harder than the beast had so far. I couldn't lose another. I struck the beast on the back, but other than the sizzle and welt it left. The beast paid it no mind.

3:19:19 Its own survival depended on the kill. I had to take it up a notch to get its attention away from Marlene. She screamed as it gripped her forearm with its jaws. I didn't have much time to make an impact on the beast. If I blasted it with magic. It just might rip her arm off as it gets flung against the wall. I needed a new strategy, something it wouldn't expect, and then the idea hit me. My mind dismissed it almost as fast as I thought it up. I heard a bone break in Marlene's arm, followed by another scream. There was no more time to debate. There are certain places, whether you are a beast, a man, a cryptid demon or angel, that are very sensitive to pain, one being the eyes. But I wasn't on that side of the beast. Oh no, I was on the other end.

3:20:25 I looked down at my Shalela with a tear in my eye. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend. Because if this worked and I survived, I knew I wouldn't want it back. I spit on the end and gave it a shove where the beast was least expecting an attack. When there was resistance, I pushed harder and harder. Half the Shalela disappeared before the beast even reacted. I don't know how to describe the noise it made. It didn't belong to beast or man. It was almost a surprised muling with a hint of betrayal and a bit of how dare you? Instantly, it let go of Marlene, who scrambled on those beautiful legs back against the wall.

3:21:18 As I got the whole beast's attention, it began to turn on me, and I knew if it did, I was dead. I held up the end of the magical Shalela suppository in my hand and uttered the word one more time, letting the magic flow through the wood and inside the digestive tract of the unholy beast. As the magic reached the tip, it reacted to the protection magic infused there, and the force was pushed away from the Shalala in all directions. The wood was wrenched from my hand as the beast twisted and made eye contact just to second before the force was released. Starting with the intestines expanding, the beast began to bloat with the magical force pushing through its body. Its sides expanded out until it was shaped more like a hell hippo than a hell hound. I saw the anguish in its face a moment before the hell pinata burst, raining hell hound flesh down on a shocked Marlene. It hit me too, but I wasn't as shocked. This was the outcome I had hoped for. I looked down at the blood and unmentionable material covering my shalela and sighed, well, I guess if I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.

3:22:49 There wasn't too many ways more rewarding than an exploding Holy suppository in a hell beast. It should be proud for its contribution. I popped down on my knees and took a few breaths. I was still in fighter flight mode and had to let myself calm down. Marlene sat on the floor, crying, holding her arms. She didn't look that bad off once you cleaned the hell hounds insides off of her. I tried to get to my feet and placed my hand on something. It was Marlene's shoe. I rose and walked to her. She was getting up as well. I handed her the shoe. Thanks, they are really expensive, she said, pushing her hair from her face. Funny, I thought you had green eyes, I said, looking at her face. She looked back at me with eyes the darkest brown, almost like black pools. You must have been mistaken, she said. I looked down at my hand and saw red dust on my fingers. How did that get there?

3:24:04 I checked on John, but like I feared, he was dead. There was nothing I could do for him. I called an ambulance and tried to figure out how I was going to explain what happened. Marlene sat quietly in the kitchen while I did so. I grabbed all my mystical objects and threw them in my car before the authorities arrived. They tend to ask a lot of questions from the kook on the scene, and I just didn't want to put Marlene through a media frenzy and shit show. She had just lost her husband, for Christ's sake. I made it down the driveway just as the sirens reached my ears.

3:24:48 I drove the other way. I had left her with what to say. Tell them it was an animal attack. Tell them a bear came in the house and killed your husband. Tell them the chunks are from blasting it with the shotgun. While distressed about John, they owned a shotgun. Seemed feasible. If she gave them no reason to doubt her story, then she should be fine. A few days later, I came to the wake. I was surprised to see Tara there. She stood outside the church as people came and went to pay their respects to John. I hesitated to go in and walked up to the woman. Have you been inside, I asked, not yet, she replied, Watching a couple exit the funeral home. You know them, I asked, Nope, But I'm guessing they were some of John's investors. They drove up in that BMW, she replied, pointing down the street.

3:25:52 In fact, I haven't recognized a single person coming or going since I got here. I don't think he had any friends in town. He didn't, came Marlene's voice. She had come out the side door to sneak a cigarette. She wore a skin tight black dress, barely containing all the lovely curves. Her brown hair spilled over her bare shoulders under a black hat. She was wearing the same black shoes she had been wearing that night. How are you, Marlene, I asked. Did the cops give you any trouble at first? But I'll manage, she replied. I saw a construction crew headed up your way, Tara said to the widow, going to finish your husband's work. No, I couldn't stand the sight of that house after what happened I'm having it torn down. Besides, with the news of my husband's gruesome death, the investors are all pulling out. There won't be a development at Heaven Hills after all, Marlene explained. I'm sure it's for the best. Tara said, and turned away. She began to walk down the street back towards her shop.

3:27:14 I'm sorry about John, I said to her. Thank you, it means a lot. I was hoping you would be here, she said, and handed me an envelope. Inside was a ton of bills. I rifled through it quickly, all hundreds. I never gave you my fee, I said, I did my research before hiring you, mister Becker, she explained, you will see there's three times your normal fee in cash. Why the tip your husband died, I asked, nodding at the church. For the next part, she said, a chill ran down my spine. Hush money, I asked, how did you figure it out? Well, most novice summoners get in over their heads. I wasn't sure until it attacked us, but I know you are the hell hower. You summoned it to kill your husband, and you lost control of it and feared for your own life. I'm guessing you had no desire to live here in our podunk town and be away from high society. A girl has grown accustomed to such things, even if her husband yearned for a simpler life, she explained, and instead of taking half his money in a divorce, you could summon a demon

3:28:45 dog and have it all. Did Tara know what was happening? No, She gave me a name of some one I could talk to about summoning magic, and that man gave me your name, she said. I still wasn't sure it was you until I heard the howl while you were powdering your nose. But I didn't want to believe it. But when I found the red brick dust on your shoe so you could let your pet demon in, I knew. And your eyes they were green when we met my favorite color. What are you going to do now, mister Becker, tell the police that I summoned a demon to kill my husband or take my money. I've learned from my mistakes, but not in a repentance way. I would do it a bit more carefully if I had to do it again.

3:29:43 Don't worry, my lips are sealed. It's a shame about old John. He seemed all right to me. Towards the end, I doubt our paths will cross again. Just know if they do, I won't be able to look away again, I said. I felt like an asshole letting her go, but there was no way the police would believe my story anyway. I get enough strange looks around town. I had to trust that karma, in one form or another, was coming for her and let it do its work. I've seen worse people get away with more. She only murdered once, as far as I know. Oh uh, I got you something too, I said, and handed her the charm I had made for her. It's a little late now, though.

3:30:39 She took it in her hand and looked it over before looking at me with the same green eyes. I remembered. Good day, mister Becker, Marlene said, finishing her cigarette. She turned back towards the funeral home. Call me, James, I replied. She didn't hear me. The air grew warmer, the sun a little brighter. After she left, I decided it was time for a pastrami sandwich, hard roll mustard. Well, my spookies, if this episode did its job, you are now personally rethinking hiking camping and ever trusting a hidden gem location shared online. We started at the falls with pretty views and bad vibes. Then we chased a mythical flower that should have stayed a rumor. Then we went into the water where the hunger is older than fear. And we finished with a howl that sounds like it was made to be the last thing you here. So tell me what got you the worst, the waterfall, the plant, the river,

3:32:09 or the hell hound. And if you're about to go to sleep after this, just remember when you hear something outside, don't check. If you hear it again, don't check harder. And if you hear it breathing right up against the window, well you already know. Sleep tight, my spookies. And if you're heading into the wilderness anytime soon, maybe stay on the trail, or don't