by Lora Darc
Natasha’s brothers cowered and hid under Natasha’s arms. Even at that moment, Natasha got a strange chill down her back, remembering the cave entrance to her secret place.
The ranger ended there and looked smug to see she got a few faces to turn pale at her stories. Some people murmured softly, a few even laughed, and many gazed over at the dark forest nervously. As Natasha grabbed her brothers, she found them oddly quiet.
“Do you really think there’s a monster out there, Nat?” Dillion asked in a squeaky voice as they walked back into camp.
Natasha was tempted to say “yes” just to scare them but knew that would be cruel.
“No. They’re just tales, Dillion.”
“Yea, but the ranger said they were true,” said Tyler.
“She said that a few people saw something. And make up stories to go with what they think they saw. Even the ranger said it might just be a bear.”
“But she also said it might not have been,” Dillion’s voice rose.
Natasha sighed. “People see things all the time and make up crazy explanations. Especially when it’s at night and it’s really hard to see anything.”
Just then a hand grabbed Dillion’s shoulder and they heard a growl. Dillion screamed and jumped in the air.
“Gotchya.” Ben laughed as did his friends behind them.
“Not funny! Not funny!” Dillion shrieked.
Natasha wanted to put her hands over her ears and run away.
“Ben, seriously,” Natasha hissed.
“Hey, just playing,” Ben said as he came up beside them. “So, Nat, you coming out to the woods to, uh…” Ben looked at her brothers, “ya know, take a little medicine?”
“You mean drugs?” Tyler said a little too loudly. A few people looked over at them with a frown.
“Quiet little man, damn,” hissed Ben.
“Not tonight,” Natasha replied.
“Ah, come on, just a little? We were thinking of going near the caves too. See if we find anything.”
For some odd reason, Natasha was tempted to take him up on his offer. Not by the drugs, but by the caves. She thought for a moment but then quickly shook her head.
“No, thanks. Maybe next time.” She didn’t need to be with her pervy cousin and his friends to go check out the caves that everyone had seen a dozen times before and were clearly open to the whole camp. She had her own personal entrance to discover on her own. One that was likely off limits.
Ben grumbled but said goodnight as they parted ways. He and his cronies disappeared into the dark while she and her brothers reached the camper.
“How’d it go?” Her mom asked as she and Natasha’s father sat by their small fire pit, glasses of wine in their hands.
“Oh, just fine. They got good and scared. Probably won’t sleep a wink tonight.” Natasha let the boys go to race over to the picnic table where a hefty bag of marshmallows sat. “Anyway, I’m going to take a shower then go to sleep.”
Her mother raised her glass in thanks. Likely grateful for the one hour she got to spend without having to worry about her sons.
After Natasha took a nice long shower, she put on her favorite silk pajamas and crawled into the tent where she was relieved to see it vacant of any action figures or toy handguns. She spread out on her sleeping bag and sighed, eternally thankful to have the tent alone for once. She lay in the dark and closed her eyes but after a half an hour found she couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned and tried to clear her head but it was useless. Her thoughts began to wander until she was suddenly thinking about the ranger’s story of the monster in the caves. A vision of the cave face brightened in her mind and she couldn’t help wondering what really was inside. She didn’t believe in monsters, didn’t think there could possibly be one in those caves but, regardless, a curious fantasy suddenly struck her.
What if there was, and it had been watching her?
She thought about how she had completely exposed herself to the cave, how she had taken her pleasure right before it, wet and hot and wanting, and the idea of someone (or even something) watching quickly made her grow hot. She imagined and her hands slowly slipped under her silk shorts and pressed to her center. As she touched her core, rubbing her fingers around in slow circles, she visualized someone in the cave gazing on her, wanting to take her. She pictured them bursting out of the cave, grabbing her, and pulling her inside. Taking her under.
This faceless person began to grow fangs and claws and morph into some strange mix of man and beast. It ravished her, hungry to possess completely. It ripped and tore at her clothes, lusting for her flesh, plunging into her and pounding deep, growling and snarling.
Natasha thrust her fingers into her center and stroked hard, imagining them as a thick monstrous cock beating into her. As her center clenched tightly around her fingers, she gasped as the spasm hit her more intense than usual and she had to quickly cup a hand over her mouth to stifle her loud cry.
As she pulled out her hand and lay limp, she became shocked at her sudden strange fantasy. Usually, she stuck to just plain vanilla men; this was the first time she ever thought of something so dark. And it had her burning quicker and more fiercely than ever before.
As she lay breathless, Natasha decided that she was definitely going to re-envision that fantasy again when she got back to the cave tomorrow and maybe after she’d even take a peek inside.
The camp grew quiet after a while and Natasha eventually was able to fall asleep. Some time in the middle of the night, however, she jolted awake by the shaking of her tent.
“Can’t they just let me sleep,” Natasha groaned. Sitting up, she grabbed the flashlight laying beside her and was ready to tell her brothers off when she froze. Outside her tent was the silhouette of what looked to be a man. Or was it a bear? No, it definitely looked like some kind of man crouching beside her tent. Even with just the dim lamplight outside warping the figure’s shadow, she was sure it was someone.
Natasha thought to call out but her lips wouldn’t move. Instead, she slipped out of her sleeping bag and quietly shuffled toward the entrance of the tent.
It’s Ben. He’s playing a prank on me.
She lifted her hand toward the zipper and hesitated. The shadow’s head seemed to tilt and she heard a strange low growl. Natasha went still. With shaky hands, she tilted her flashlight towards the tent door and, with one swift motion, flipped on the switch. The light shot through the darkness and in an instant she heard whatever was near her tent hiss then bolt away quicker than any human or even animal she’d ever seen. She tore down the zipper to her tent and burst out, her light swinging in every direction. She stumbled to her feet and directed her light toward the treeline behind her tent.
The tall grass and bushes just barely moved but she couldn’t say whether it was from something running through them or if it was just the wind. She tried to listen closely, waiting for the noises of branches snapping and leaves being crushed, but there was nothing. Only silence.
Natasha stood there for a long time staring out into the dark, her heart pounding, her eyes searching wildly.
It’s just stories. They’re just getting to my head.
Despite trying to reason with what she saw and heard, Natasha shivered. She crept back into the tent and made sure the entrance was closed completely and kept her flashlight on.
***
The day was overcast but still hot and even more humid the usual. Natasha was already beginning to sweat as she climbed up the hill path toward her secret place. Her parents had wanted her to join them and her brothers down at the lake with the rest of the family for a little picnic, but she had refused. Almost the whole campsite would likely be there wanting to get their spots early for the fireworks that evening. She had slept in late enough and, though she couldn’t see the sun, she could tell by its light it was already starting to lower in the sky. She promised she would be back before dinner but she was going to enjoy her hike first.
No one was on the path and she was
thankful. Natasha always feared she’d run into someone (even worse a family member) or that, when she got to her little hideout, she would find others there. So far, she didn’t have that problem, but she had a feeling it was only a matter of time.
As the trail started to curve away to the right, she broke from the path and headed a little way into the woods until she stopped at a pair of large rocks that looked down the short hillside to the cave face below. Carefully, Natasha climbed down and flopped to the ground. She went over to the pair of rocks she liked to sit on and dropped her bag on the ground. She grabbed her water bottle from her bag and took a generous drag then tilted the bottle over her head and let the water trickle down her face, neck, and down to her chest. She placed the bottle back and wiped her face with her arm.
Natasha looked around one last time then took off her shorts, not bothering to remove her sneakers, and began to peel her bathing suit bottom down her legs. She let the bottoms fall to her feet and lifted out one leg so that the bottoms hung around one ankle. She sat down on the shaded rock which was still warm and reclined against the rock face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath then let her hands find their way down to her center.
She touched her core and dipped two fingers into her center, feeling them turn wet and slick. She spread out her legs, placing one foot higher on a rock and began pleasuring herself. She moaned and moved her hips and felt the heat coil around her lower belly.
A shout in the distance made her cry out and jump. She removed her hands from her center and leaped from the rock, quickly putting her swim bottoms back on. Heat rising in her neck and face, she stepped away from the hillside, closer to the cave face, and looked up.
She didn’t see them, but she heard a group of people walking on the path nearby, heard the crunching of their feet and their laughter. Natasha waited to see them reach the top of the hill to look down, only to sigh in relief when no one appeared and their voices grew distant.
“Just my damn luck,” she whispered to herself.
Sudden scrapping of rock and a puff of air at her back made Natasha gasp and spin around sharply. Heart racing, Natasha stared at the cave opening, into the darkness beyond.
“Hello?” she called again softly.
The lightest sound of clattering came back in response and Natasha squinted her eyes and stepped closer, trying to peer inside.
“Who’s there?” she asked in the quietest whisper.
Nothing.
Natasha frowned. Quickly she went back to the rock where her backpack sat and went to pick it up. She paused and instead reached into a side pocket and took out a flashlight. She turned back to the cave and stared at it for a long moment before approaching once more.
Turning on her flashlight, Natasha directed it into the cave face and saw a short, narrow tunnel that curved to the left. Cautiously she stepped in then looked back at her bag.
I’ll just go in a little way and see.
She turned back to the cave and headed down the tunnel.
The way was narrow at first but when she came around the first bend, it began to widen considerably. The natural light faded rapidly but Natasha was too curious still to turn back just yet. She climbed over a few rocks and had to crouch through one portion; her little light now the only glow allowing her to see. When she reached a taller passage, she went straight down until she turned left and came upon an impressively large cave chamber so tall her light barely scratched the surface of the roof above. There were several passages, some going lower, others she would have to climb to. A narrow beam of sunlight shot down at one end of the chamber but wasn’t enough to allow her to see without her flashlight. She heard the trickling of water nearby and, when she directed her light, saw a small pool of water in one corner with a little stream falling from one small tunnel. Stalactites, slick with condensation, grew down from the ceiling, water dripping steadily from their points. With the small glimmer of light reflecting from the pool and the wet ceiling, there was a dim glow about the chamber that made it look almost otherworldly.
Mesmerized by the scene before her, Natasha took a step in and didn’t realize until too late that the ground dropped off all of a sudden, causing her to stumble and fall. Crying out as a sharp pain burned through her ankle, Natasha rolled down into the center of the chamber, her flashlight clattering beside her.
Groaning she curled into a ball and then sat up, her hands touching around the cool ground. She grabbed the flashlight and clicked it on and off and the light fluttered and flickered but didn’t stay steady. Cursing, Natasha bent her knees up toward her and touched her burning ankle. Carefully she removed her sneaker and turned her foot. Though she hissed in pain, she determined it wasn’t broken, just a little sprained. Slowly she stood up on one foot and hobbled over to a nearby rock just below the small beam of light. She sat back down and lay her head back, taking deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. She was able to relax well enough to clear her head, telling herself she was fine and that she knew the way out and could crawl if she had to. She laughed a little at her own stupidity and began to sit back up when a clattering and scraping of rock came yet again making her nearly leap out of her skin.
She fumbled for her flashlight and directed it in front of her, but the flickering light revealed nothing.
“Who’s there?” she called.
There was no response at first then something shifted just at the edge of her light. She cried out, then directed her light all around until she finally caught her target.
Then she screamed.
The thing before her rose with wide eyes shining and bared its sharp teeth. It backed away quickly from her as she screamed and scrambled away.
“Fuck, what are you?” she cried.
The thing didn’t respond. Nor did it attack her or even come near though she knew it was still in the room with her.
“What do you want?” she shrieked. It said nothing. “Oh god, please don’t hurt me.”
Panting, Natasha grabbed her light firmly and directed it around the cavern until she once again found the creature crouching in a corner. She whimpered, terrified at any moment it would come lunging for her. Instead, it only turned away from her light, its pupils shrinking to pinpoints in its large golden eyes.
Though her light flickered annoyingly, Natasha forced herself to get a good look at it. She was sure what she was seeing had to be the very monster the ranger had spoke of last night. Though crouched, she could tell it was very tall, with eyes glowing brightly, reflecting the light. It had the body of a man though its legs were longer and its torso thinner. White claws scratched at the rocky ground on both his toes and fingers. His skin was light grey—with darker shades around his arms and legs—and his hair was white and thick like dog fur; starting at the top of his head then going down the center of his skull like a short mane, reaching down to the back of his neck. His spine was prominent as he arched and his muscles strained and flexed along his arms, legs, and down his stomach, showing a powerful build. Sharp curved fangs protruded from his mouth and, for a moment, she thought he had horns but, looking closer, she saw they were actually his ears, long and pointed. His nose was bent slightly giving him almost a permanent snarl, but he had a surprisingly sharp jawline.
The monster glared back at her as if sizing her up as well. There was a curious intelligence in his eyes that shocked her. He turned toward her and Natasha pushed back against a rock. She turned her leg and the sharp pain in her ankle made her wince.
The monster seemed to notice her grimace of pain. His eyes flitted down to her ankle which was beginning to swell.
With slow cat-like movements, the monster shifted closer. Natasha shrunk away, trying to bury herself in the rock behind her.
When the monster was only a few feet away, he focused his sights on her ankle. He stopped just short of the beam of light and glanced up, baring his teeth. Cautiously he put out his hand, letting his fingers graze just along the edge of the light as if it were some sort of barrier. H
is skin seemed to blacken as the light hit the tips of his fingers and he flinched away as if struck. He looked back over at her with a perturbed expression and growled softly.
Shaking, Natasha watched him as he moved in a semi-circle around her, not daring to enter the light. She looked up at the small opening above then back down and understood.
He can’t go into the light. Or at least he won’t. It hurts him.
Natasha only felt a tiny bit safer at the notion. He might not be willing to go through the light to get to her, but she was still trapped, and the light was fading fast.
She glanced down at her flashlight and noticed it didn’t affect him the way sunlight did. Before, he had cowered away, but now, it was nothing more than an irritant in the background.
The monster’s growls turned into soft whines as he knelt close by, his head tilting over at her then down at her feet. Beyond her fear, Natasha stared at him in puzzled bewilderment. She lay still for a long while just studying him. The more she observed his unusual movements and strange mannerisms the more she realized just how self-aware he really was; more than just some mindless animal.
Slowly, she began to understand that, unbelievable as it may seem, the monster didn’t actually want to hurt her. It was impossible for her to comprehend at first. She saw a vicious creature and immediately assumed it would attack her. After all, that was the natural way of things for all predators. They always went for their prey.
But this one was different. In his eyes, there wasn’t the hunger to rip and tear and consume. No lust for blood or for flesh. Instead, there was concern. Yes, concern as if he saw her pain. And, in the quick flicker of a dark glance, a different kind of hunger. A hunger she didn’t yet understand.
Natasha shifted. Her body was still incredibly tense but her mind started to calm. “What do you want?” she repeated more softly.
The monster glanced up and they locked eyes. Then, with a slow movement as if afraid to scare her more, he pointed to her ankle.
