Evil Lurking Within

by Matt Shaw

  “I wish you were my uncle, though,” he said out of the blue.

  I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know what to say.

  The door opened and the old man came in, gun tucked under his arm and a glass of water in his hand. “Everything seems quiet out there,” he said. “I’m not sure if that’s a good sign or not...”

  14.

  Tom was in the bedroom. I had shut him in there in the hope he’d get some sleep even though I knew the chances of that were slim to none. The old man and I were sitting in the lounge, looking out of the window from what we considered to be a safe distance. I’m not sure how long we had been sitting there, in silence, but it felt as though it had been hours. The only reason I knew it hadn’t been was because the moon had barely moved in the night sky.

  “So what are they then?” I asked.

  “Of all the questions you must have - you want to start with one which you already know the answer to?” he said. He shot me a look and fired me a wink. “You know what they are. You just don’t want to admit it. You don’t want to believe the horror stories are real...I was the same when I first heard about them. Didn’t even believe the people who told me until I saw one for my own eyes. I’ll never forget that night. Didn’t sleep for weeks...Maybe even months. Made my blood run cold it did.”

  “Yet you stayed.”

  “They had my scent. No where to run once they have that. They always know where you are. And we were told - by the owner of the land - if any of us dared speak a word about them to the outside world...Well...Let’s just say it wouldn’t have a happy ending for us, the people we told and any of our family. Not sure how exactly but we all just managed to get along. We don’t go to their territory, they respect our territory. That’s what it’s all about...Respect. Oh, and the fact that, occasionally, we send someone over the fence for them to play with for a night or two but it’s a small price to pay to keep the camp going.”

  “Has everyone lost their mind? What the fuck...Human sacrifice?”

  The old man snapped, “You’ve seen them. You know what they are. You’ve seen what they’re capable of - without even trying - and you expect anything different? We run and we’re as good as dead. We tell anyone...We’re dead. All we can do is do as they say and live by the rules they set out. In the great scheme - considering how far up the food chain they are - it’s pretty fair, don’t you think? Besides,” he continued, “everything was going okay until you showed up and ruined it.”

  “Maybe they’ve gone,” I said, “maybe you scared them away?”

  “Do you believe that?” he asked. I didn’t say anything as I didn’t believe it. “They’re out there,” he continued, “watching, waiting...”

  “Before tonight - you said you had seen one before...” I said to try and change the conversation a little.

  “Was in the woods once, with my dog, just going for a walk. I knew of the stories but didn’t know whether to believe them or not. Regardless, I kept away from the fence though. It’s like walking under a ladder, isn’t it? Some people think it’s unlucky and avoid it. Other people...Well....They don’t think it’s unlucky as they don’t believe in any of that superstitious bullshit but...They avoid the ladder anyway. Not because they’re scared. They just don’t want to invite trouble. That’s what I was like. I didn’t necessarily think they actually existed but, at the same time, I didn’t go out of my way trying to prove it either way. Didn’t need to. Anyway, my dog slipped the lead and made a run for it - not sure what it was running after but I chased. We went off the path and ended up by the fence and that’s when I saw the creature for the first time...”

  “Yet you survived. It let you live...”

  “I didn’t cross the boundary. I didn’t go into its territory. I just stood there for a moment. I was scared. I didn’t know what I was looking at. I wanted to scream but the sounds didn’t come out. Eventually it disappeared into the thicket...” the old man paused. He was looking out of the window as though something had caught his attention.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  He didn’t answer straight away. After a slight delay he shook his head, “Thought I saw something,” he said. “Anyway...Damned thing...Ate my dog.” We both fell back into a silence. “A strange feeling though, isn’t it?” he suddenly piped up.

  “What is?” I asked him.

  “Realising that these monsters actually exist. Makes you think - if these things are real...What else from our childhood nightmares are real too? Ghosts? Poltergeists? Vampires? Could all be real for all we know.” I didn’t say anything. I hadn’t actually given it much though, if I was going to be honest. “Flip-side of the coin? It means there’s a chance Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny actually exist too. Silver lining, hey...” He smiled at me - as though his little quip was supposed to make me feel any better about the situation we were in. It didn’t. I guess part of me was hoping for it was all some kind of elaborate prank, organised by the park. Some kind of late Fright Night type of experience - the likes of which you’d normally find in an amusement park come Halloween whereby the people running it try and scare the crap out of you. Wishful thinking.

  “What do you think they’re doing out there?” I asked. “Why don’t they just come and get us? Are they really that scared of an old man with a gun - even if you did manage to kill one of them?”

  The old man laughed, “They’re not scared of us. They’re not scared of the gun. They’re just toying with us. They like the idea of you sitting in here, panicking about when the attack is going to come. To them - this is all a game. You might as well make yourself comfortable because it’s going to be a long night.”

  * * * * *

  Frank looked back at me. I was sitting in the back of the van checking my watch for what must have been the hundredth time. And for the hundredth time Frank asked me what it said, “Time?”

  “They should be coming out any minute now,” I told him. I took hold of the werewolf mask which was on the floor next to where I was readying myself and put it over my face.

  “A vast improvement,” Frank sniped. I shot him a look, not that he noticed behind the latex of the mask. “Don’t forget...Anything out of the normal routine and we stop everything. We just drive away.”

  “I know the plan,” I hissed - the stress of the situation slowly getting to me. “I’m the one who brought you in, remember?”

  We had been watching the school for a while now. Not from this van I hasten to add. This was the first time the van would potentially be seen waiting outside. There was always one child who was the last to be picked up. A boy. He looked young but, if anything, that worked out better for us as it would make him easier to snatch and the parents even more desperate to get them back again. From experience of my own family - when you’re young they seem to care more about where you are. The older you get, the less they seem to bother asking questions. One afternoon we followed the boy, after he was picked up. He was taken back to one of the biggest homes I had ever seen. It was huge but then we knew it would have been. This school was for the privileged children only; the one where the parents’ would be able to afford the extortionate bills. More importantly - the one where the parents’ had the potential to afford a high ransom note. Today’s plan was simple. We had discussed it over and over, whilst we were serving out the last of our days. We’d wait until most of the children had been collected. The boy, if the routine stays the same as other days, will be left there until there were hardly any other people floating around. We’d drive up, I’d open the back door, lean out and snatch the boy into the van before closing the door. Simple.

  Another twenty minutes went by in what seemed to be a flash and just like the other days it was the boy who was one of the last children standing. I adjusted the mask with the strap at the back. Fucking thing is hot. I turned back to Frank and gave him a nod. He responded by firing up the van’s tired engine.

  “Make it quick!” he said.

  “You worry about what you ha
ve to do and let me worry about what I have to do,” I hissed at him. It’s funny how, as the scenario plays out for real, we get more and more stressed at each other as our patience dwindles despite how calm we were when we originally laid out the plan.

  Frank slammed the gear stick into reverse and sped, backwards, towards where the boy was waiting to be collected. My hand was ready on the door handle. As soon as we were close enough the van screeched to a halt and I opened the door and...

  Quicker than anything I had ever seen before, a large black shape flew into the van. I spun around to try and see what it was. Before I could turn my head all the way, Frank let out an ear-piercing scream - the likes of which I had never heard before. A scream which was cut short as the creature, next to him, twisted his head around with a quick snapping motion. Frank’s lifeless eyes were staring directly at me despite the rest of his body facing the other way. A bone protruded from the side of his neck. The creature turned to me. A large dog-like beast. A cross between bear and canine. Long incisors sticking from its mouth. Drool hanging from them. It growled - a deep growl which seemed to vibrate the van - and then, quick as a lightening, it turned back to Frank and ripped out his throat with an out stretched...Hand? Paw? What is that? It turned back to me with a glint of satisfaction in its yellow, gleaming eyes. I wanted to scream but I couldn’t. I wanted to call for help but the words were absent. The beast growled again and suddenly darted towards me with its mouth wide open.

  15.

  I woke with a start. My heart beating so hard that I felt as though it were going to explode, or just suddenly stop entirely - too tired to continue pumping my blood through my body. I felt sweaty. Jesus. Must have dozed off. How, though, I do not know. What I’ve seen these past few hours, I felt sure I’d never sleep again. My heart skipped a beat when I realised I was alone in the room and - not only that - I could see that the front door was wide open, banging against the wooden wall of the lodge because of the gentle winter breeze blowing in.

  I sat up and checked the time.

  December 23rd.

  It had just gone midnight. One minute past to be precise. Still dark outside, sadly. Well - as dark as the moon’s illumination will permit. I guess I couldn’t have been asleep for very long. I rubbed my eyes, head groggy from the unscheduled nap, and stood up before walking over to the front door to close it. Outside was eerily quiet. The wind was clearly moving the nearby trees but not so that you could hear it. Everything just looked as though it was nothing more than a vivid picture. Everything still. A quietness I wasn’t used to. I went to push the door shut and stopped suddenly. There, on the floor, a few feet in front of the lodge was the old man’s shotgun. Shit. I glanced, quickly, from side to side. I couldn’t see anything waiting for me nor could I see any sign of the old man himself. I took a few deep breaths and ran from the front of the lodge, over to the gun which I grabbed, and back to the lodge again - closing the door behind me. My heart was racing from the fear of the unknown. I knew they were out there. I knew they were probably watching. I just didn’t know from where. Had I known - I’m not sure that would have made it any easier mind you.

  With my back against the door, I checked the gun still had ammunition in it. Both barrels were full. I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to the old man. Had he ventured outside to investigate something? Had something come in and snatched him away? Either way - whatever happened to him - it must have been fast. So fast that he didn’t even have the time to take a shot? It doesn’t take a second to squeeze a trigger. My heart suddenly skipped another beat as I remembered the boy. With the gun, I hurried through to the bedroom where I had left him. Momentary relief as I realised he was still laying on the bed in what appeared to be a peaceful slumber. I closed the door behind me and walked over to the bed. He stirred as I sat next to him, despite my best intentions not to wake him.

  “Is it morning yet?” he asked. Technically it is but I shook my head.

  “Go back to sleep,” I said. I tried to make my voice sound cool and calm in the hope that his groggy brain would think everything that happened tonight was nothing more than a nightmare - a bad dream which would soon be forgotten. Hopefully, if he is that tired, his brain will accept it for the brief time required for him to doze off again. He hadn’t bothered to open his eyes, which was a good sign. His breathing changed pattern again as sleep took over once more. I felt jealous of the peace he had managed to find, despite the situation we found ourselves in. I wish I could fall asleep so easily - well, I wish I could fall asleep, so easily, and stay asleep without the unnecessary bad dream. I rested my back against the headboard of the bed and placed the shotgun in my lap with the barrel pointing towards the doorway. If the door moves, I’ll pull the trigger and ask questions later. I’d barricade it but I realise there’s little point to that. If they want in, they’ll come in and it won’t matter what I put in front of the door. They’ll just go through it. I looked down at the boy - it’s strange - despite the situation I find myself in at the moment, I don’t regret how I got here. Sure, for his benefit, I wish I hadn’t snatched him away from his family but - on a selfish level - it has been good having him around as he’s made me realise that I’m not actually the bad person I once believed I was; I’m just a regular guy who has made far too many silly mistakes. Well I can change. I’ll get the boy back to his parents - in time for Christmas Day no less, just as he had originally wished - and who knows, maybe he won’t say anything about me. He said he wished he was my uncle so maybe he’ll keep my existence a secret from his mum, dad and the police? Maybe we can all have our happy ending and go on with living our lives? He’ll be with his mum and dad and I’ll be...Well I don’t know. Maybe try and make contact with my parents again? See if they’ve forgiven me? I’ve served my time, surely that’s enough for them to accept me back into their lives? But then...perhaps it is all just wishful thinking and the real happy ending is looking at us from the wrong end of a shotgun barrel? I turned the gun around and stared down the barrel. My hand was gripped firmly on the butt of the gun. My finger was stretched towards the trigger but not actually touching it. How easy would it be? A blast to the kid and a blast to me. Seconds. That’s what it would take. And then there’d be nothing. At least - certainly no more struggling to make ends meet. No more worry about going back inside. No more worry about whatever those things are...Just blackness and eternal sleep. I turned the gun back to the door - scared to leave it facing me any longer due to the temptation of squeezing the ever-beckoning trigger. I can’t do it. Not whilst we still have a chance of getting out of this place.

  A noise distracted me from my own thoughts; the sound of something scraping across the back wall of the lodge. It started on one side of the lodge and ran across the wall, slowly, until it reached the other side. Less than a second later it repeated itself until it, whatever it was, was back to where it had originally started. Instinct made me want to call out to see if anyone was there but I fought against it and remained silent, refusing to take my eyes from the only door to the room. I know their game - they want me to be distracted. They want me to look at the wall and then - and only then - they’ll come in through the door. Well I’m not playing. I raised the gun with both hands and kept it pointed towards the door as best as my shaking hands would permit and I held my breath - both to ensure I remained silent and also to try and ease the shaking a little. The noise stopped just as quickly as it had started. I braced myself for more but nothing came. I exhaled and my hands began to shake again. Come on, you fucks, stop toying with us. Let’s get this over with. But nothing came.

  When I think of the werewolf films I’ve watched, the werewolves are always violent creatures hellbent on destroying anything they come across - whether it’s someone they may love, when they’re in their usual human form, or a complete stranger - these things kill without a thought yet here they were actively toying with us just as a cat would toy with a trapped mouse. If they were coming for us, I think I’d have preferred
them to just get it over and done with. Having seen what they did to the old lady in the other lodge, I know what they’re capable of and I know that when the time comes, if the time comes, at least it would be over with quickly. I shifted my weight on the bed. Holding the shotgun, as I was, was starting to hurt my back. Jesus - all this because I crossed a fucking fence? I shook my head...No. All this because I kidnapped an innocent kid. I knew that I wouldn’t be in this situation if I hadn’t gone through with the kidnapping in the first place but I couldn’t help but wonder whether we’d still be here if I hadn’t had to make the lie up about his parents and their non-existent accident. There was a good chance, I guess. After all - the boy seeing my face wouldn’t have changed what happened when Frank went to make contact with the parents.

  I remember the whole sorry incident as though it had happened today. Tom screamed as I pulled him into the van. That was okay. We knew that he would and, to compensate, Frank revved the engine of the worn-out van a few times to try and drown some of it out. He struggled in my grip, my arm around his body, as I slammed the door shut. I had turned to Frank and shouted at him to, “Drive!” and that’s when Tom had managed to pull the mask off - although I’m still not entirely sure whether it was something he had planned to do or whether it was an inconvenient accident. Up until now it never really crossed my mind - I just did what I had to do.