Alone With a Monster (Manifest Destiny Short Stories Book 1) Read online

  Tap Tap Tap

  "Ugh what is that noise," Jonathan complained rubbing his head, his mind muddled making it hard for him to concentrate.

  Tap Tap Tap

  There it is again, he thought sitting up in his tent. Why is it so dark?

  "Who ever that is..." he began to shout but soon he realized something was wrong. His eyes were open but he couldn't see anything, that's when he realized he wasn't in his tent. With a start he tried to get to his feet but a searing pain ran through his right leg causing him to collapse to the ground with a thud. Reaching down he felt around his leg and to his horror he felt a large painful bulge right above the ankle. He screamed out in agony as he again tried to stand but he just collapsed into a ball on the ground.

  As he lay crying on the ground panic started to creep into his mind, he began to franticly look around but to no avail as it was still pitch black with absolutely no sign of light anywhere. Holding back tears he slowly regained his composure trying to keep himself from falling apart. Trying to think rationally he began to feel around on his hands and knees looking for a sign as to where he was. The ground was rough and cold to the point he wasn't sure if it was wet or just that cold. The little noise he did make seemed to echo slightly. To his best guess he was in a cave of some sort.

  But how did I get here? The teenager asked himself.

  Tap Tap Tap

  "Hello? Is anyone there!" He cried out his voice cracking as the little composure that he had gathered quickly disappeared. To his dismay there was no answer. Slowly he started to crawl in the direction he thought he heard the sound come from. "Tommy is that you? This isn't funny Tommy, where am I?" There was no way his brother could be the one behind this but he still hoped that it was his younger brother's doing.

  Tap Tap Tap

  The sound answered back confirming he was going in the right direction. Continuing on Jonathan tried to remember how he had gotten here, where ever here was. He recalled that he was camping with his parents and little brother. It was the same camping trip they have done every year in the fall up by Lake Superior. He remembered how much he used to love coming here when he was younger but now he was more annoyed that he was out in the middle of no where with little cell service. They had just gotten the tent set up when him and Tommy had gotten into a big fight.

  Just then pain shot through his head like a nail as he tried to remember what they had gotten into a fight about. It was so excruciating he cried out and then collapsed to the floor where he writhed about like a dying snake until the pain subsided. Laying there tears began to run down his face and then he heard it again.

  Tap Tap Tap

  What's going on, why is this happening to me, he asked himself.

  Afraid to visit the thought of his brother he moved on to how he had gotten himself here. He vaguely remembered that he had gotten in a screaming match with his father before running off into the woods. Even though he couldn't remember what they had said to each other he was sure that it had something to do with the fight he had with his brother. His father had followed after him but Jonathan thought he'd pull a fast one on his old man and hid in an old hollowed out log. Truth of the matter was all he wanted was to be alone to cool off. In this pitch black prison he found himself in now that's all he knew he had, he was alone. Again the searing pain returned, this time worse than before. The boy's world began to sway and even though he knew better it felt like the room was spinning. Feeling as though he was going to vomit he did indeed empty the contents of his stomach before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

  Tap Tap Tap

  The sound woke Jonathan again. Rubbing his head he wondered how long it had been. His stomach grumbled and a new sensation reared its head; hunger. He remembered he hadn't eaten since this morning and that was now a puddle on the ground around him. Was it still the same day, he wasn't sure. Peering around he was unsurprised that it was still pitch black but something seemed different. It was ever so faint but he could of sworn that there was something there with him, though he couldn't hear anything, it just felt like there was something hanging in the air. It was cold and unfeeling whatever it was that was there with him. Lying there he tried to discern what it was but to no avail. Waiting he hoped to hear something that would give him a clue as to what was there, if anything really was there.

  Tap Tap Tap

  The sound called off in the distance, echoing through the cave. Getting back to his hands and knees Jonathan decided to continue to follow the sound. Carrying on his stomach churned and twisted begging for some sort of nourishment. He couldn't think of a time when he had ever felt so hungry. Trying to keep the hunger at bay he kept his mind busy. He thought back to after he had hid in the log, not wanting to go back to camp he started to wander through the woods. When he was younger he used to be terrified of the woods, thanks to the ghost stories that his father would tell, but now he was to old to believe in ghost stories. Those were for little kids to make sure they didn't get lost, just another way for adults to control them. Farther still he had ventured into the forest, he remembered how he wasn't really looking for anything in particular just that he didn't want to be found. Oh how he regretted that now. .

  In his memory the sun was starting to set and the shadows of the forest seemed to be growing larger with each passing minute. On the wind he swore he heard someone call his name, and though he was still angry at his father he didn't want to worry his mother more than he was sure he probably already had. Not exactly sure of where the sound came from he decided to get his bearings straight and see if he could recognize anything from on top of the rocks. He hadn't wanted to admit it then but he had gotten himself lost. As he climbed to the top of a rock in his memory he recalled something he wish he hadn't, scampering up the rocks he again heard his name. It was soft and seemed to just float gently on the October breeze. He was sure he heard it that time but he wasn't sure who it was that was calling to him.

  As he neared the top the stench of something like rotting flesh filled his nostrils causing him to gag. It smelt like the old cow him and his uncle had found dead one summer in the middle of a field. The image of the bloated maggot infested carcass filled his mind nearly making him throw up. Pressing on he finally reached the top but noticed something had already beaten him up there. It was huddled at the far edge of the plateau and seemed to be looking out over the forest, like some sort of grotesque gargoyle. What it was Jonathan didn't know, he could barely tell if it was breathing or living for that matter, from the stench he'd have guessed it was dead. It took his brain a moment to fully comprehend what it was that he was looking at. The creature looked some what like a person but its limbs were long and stretched out while it's torso looked sickly thin, like a person just liberated from a concentration camp. It's skin was sheet white almost translucent in tone making Jonathan swear he could see its bones while its head was covered in thin patches of hair. Suddenly it turned it's head and was staring directly at Jonathan with piercing yellow eyes filling his body with terror.

  Back out of the memory the floor underneath the boy gave way and he began to tumble down the sudden slope banging against stony out crops along the way, one such hard stone collided with his head. With a loud thud he hit the bottom of the slope hard, his body aching and screaming with more pain. As he laid there he felt his eyes begin to get heavy and the cold presence returned and seemed to wrap around him like an ice blanket.

  "Rest, I just need to rest," he mumbled to himself before drifting off to sleep.

  Tap Tap Tap

  Moaning Jonathan sat up for a moment annoyed, until he reali
zed that that meant he was still alive. This did give him some joy for a moment. A cold shiver ran through his body as he looked about but still the darkness was impenetrable. For several moments he sat there doing nothing, his only company was pain, the pain in his stomach. All he seemed to feel now was the throbbing in his stomach urging him to find food. For a moment all he could think about was how he needed to find something or someone to eat.

  What am I thinking, Jonathan silently asked himself realizing what he had just thought.

  Calming down he tried to find anything to distract himself with other thoughts. How long had he been lost, was anyone looking for him? Was there anything to eat down here, where was here exactly? How did he get here?

  The last thought took him back to atop of those rocks with that forest beast. The creature stared at him with those piercing yellow eyes. Painfully slow it turned its body to face him, drool trailing out of it's mouth that was filled with razor sharp looking teeth. With an unholy scream it charged after him with unbelievable speed. Stumbling Jonathan made his way down the rock formation, tripping and tumbling down most of the way. Reaching the forest floor he took off through the woods with the creature right behind him, it's howls urging him faster forward. To his dismay the creature was closing in on him quickly and just as it was nearly upon him the ground gave way. That's when he remembered falling into this forever darkness.

  The growl from his stomach brought him back to the present. The hole had saved him from the creature but now he was afraid he'd starve before he found a way out. This one thought caused him to shutter whether from the cold or from the realization that he may die here, he wasn't sure.

  I don't want to die, want to go home, see my friends, be with mom and dad, he whimpered to himself. It's his fault, stupid Tommy, it was just a dumb Iron Man toy. Anger slowly replaced fear bringing some welcomed warmth.

  Tap Tap Tap

  Angrily he turned to the sound. "Shut up!" he snarled. Then there was a new sound near him, something had moved.

  Fear had returned a new as Jonathan looked around hoping to catch the faintest of glimpses of what had moved. Though his surroundings hadn't changed he had hoped that by some miracle his eyes would work, he wasn't that lucky. He couldn't see whatever it was but he could hear it crawling across the floor slowly inching its way towards him. It moved ever so slow as if it wasn't sure what it was moving towards either.

  Tap Tap Tap

  The movement stopped just short of Jonathan and to his horror he recognized the stench from before. It was just as grotesque as he remembered. Then without explanation he heard it turn and leave but not before dropping something on the ground. Jonathan held his breath, to afraid that even the sound of his breathing would bring the creature back. Had his luck finally start to turn around?

  After several stressful moments he couldn't hold it anymore and gasped for air. He waited to hear the wails of the creature coming back for him but there was nothing. Why did it leave and what did it drop? These questions hummed in Jonathan's head. Soon curiosity got the best of him and he began to crawl towards where he believed the creature had been.

  Just as he reached where he believed the creature had been he touched something causing him to recoil with a start. It was wet and soft, drastically different from the rest of his surroundings. Tentatively he reached out and felt for it again. When he found it he paused, it was soft and yet there was something hard in the center of it. Picking it up he realized that it was the limb of something. Going to drop it he paused as hunger took control. This was meat, food and he was starving how could he throw it away? But what was it, was it safe to eat. These two thoughts conflicted with each other in his head consuming him for the moment.

  Tap Tap Tap

  The sound called out pulling Jonathan out of his trance. He began to follow the sound as if it was beckoning him to come, the piece of meat still clutched in his hand. Moving forward on the thought of the other creature left his mind completely. Again he felt he was being wrapped up in a blanket of cold air, so cold that no matter how hard he shivered he couldn't warm up.

  It's cause I'm hungry, he thought to himself, I need to eat, just have to...feed.

  The temptation of the meat in his hand became irresistible.

  If I eat a little it'll be fine and I'll be warm. He told himself

  Before he knew what he was doing he had already torn a chunk of meat off the bone. The meat was moist and sweet and as he swallowed he hoped for a relief to the hunger, but it never came. No instead he felt a bigger hunger take its place. Grumbling he stuffed the meat into his pocket as he traveled farther into the cave. The void in his stomach growing wider.

  As he ventured through the darkness whenever the stabbing of hunger got to much he would reach into his pocket and tear another piece of meat off.

  How long have I been here? He asked himself. I've always been here. He answered, No I'm from Duluth, not some cave, I've got a mom and a dad and...and a... Shaking his head he carried on quietly, unable to remember why he needed to be quiet. His stomach grumbled, Must be quiet to catch the food.

  Tap Tap Tap

  The noise, that's right find the noise find my way out, he told himself, because that was what he was doing wasn't it?

  Taking a step forward he realized something, when did he get to his feet and why didn't his leg hurt anymore? Did he just imagine hurting his leg? Walking slowly he held close to the wall only stumbling slightly over the stones he still couldn't see. Rounding a bend he was hit by a gust of fresh air. He hadn't noticed it before now but the air had been stale and stifling. Moving forward he faintly could see what looked like light filtering through the dark.

  Moving towards the light Jonathan soon found himself in a cavern that was just barely lit by the cave's mouth. Surveying the area he saw nothing of note, it was the normal cave with stalactites and a stalagmites. There was a small pool of water in the middle of the room surrounded by three stones. Besides all this there was nothing else he could see.

  I can leave, I can finally go hunt meat...no no I want to go home. Glancing one more time at the two rocks by the pool he then made his way to the entrance. After taking two more steps he stopped and looked back at the pool, but there was three.

  Tap Tap Tap

  Turning he finally saw where the tapping sound he had been following was coming from. Sitting near the pool was the creature that had chased him before. How had he not smelt it. Nothing smelt different everything seemed...normal. In the creatures grotesque hand it held a rock while in the other was a skull. In the dim light Jonathan could have sworn it was a human skull. With a swift movement it slammed the rock against the skull.

  Tap Tap Crack

  The sickening sound of the bone finally giving way shook Jonathan's mind into clarity. In contrast the creature greedily tore into the soft brain matter it was finally able to get at.

  After regaining his composure the boy began making his way towards the cave entrance. As he walked he soon realized that the ground was littered with the bones of victims past. He only hoped that he wouldn't be joining them. Reaching the exit he began to leave when the pain of hunger revisited him. Doubling over he cried out in pain. The feeling didn't last long as the howl of the creature drove fear like ice into his veins.

  Stumbling out of the cave he could hear the creature was following him, fear urged him forward as fast as his feet would carry him through the dead leaves. He wasn't sure if it was day or night as everything seemed to just be different shades of grey. As he ran he could hear the sound of people shouting his name. A burst of hope filled him as he ran for the voices, if he could find them then they could save him from this monster chasing him.

  Crashing through some bushes he stumbled out into a clearing before falling into mud. Getting up he looked around but didn't see anyone. This had to be the place, he knew he heard the voices coming from here. A snapping twig drew his attention behind him. Out of the trees the creature crawled into the clearing stalking slowly to
wards Jonathan. More twigs snapping revealed that there wasn't just one but several more creatures. Collapsing to his knees he covered his face and began to sob. The creature towered above Jonathan and he knew that it was the end of the line. At least he'd be rid of this hunger. Leaning in it began to sniff and nudge the boy before giving an angry huff.

  "One of us," the beast hissed before turning away as the others began slinking back into the forest. Jonathan couldn't believe his ears, did it just speak?

  In tears and disbelief Jonathan tried to rationalize what had just happened, he thought it was going to eat him...eat...the pain of hunger ravaged his body again. Then he remembered that there was still that piece of meat in his pocket. Grabbing the food Jonathan held it in his pale white hand, each long thin finger wrapped tightly around it. Around the one end of the meat was a small watch with the logo of someone or something. Jonathan couldn't remember all he could think about was food. He was hungry, so very hungry.

  Just as he was about to bite into his food someone else entered the clearing. Looking up he saw two men standing there staring at him. The taller of the two had short hair and piercing hard eyes while the shorter had darker hair with softer eyes. Both looked at him and shook their heads.

  "Looks like were too late for this one." The tall one said pulling out a pistol from his side. "And it looks like we know what happened to the other one." He nodded towards the meat in Jonathan's hands. Jonathan growled clutching his food to his chest.

  The shorter one shook his head, "Hold on a moment Markus it might not be to late for him. You shouldn't be so quick to want to destroy everything?"

  Markus shrugged, "It's the fastest way to get rid of monsters. Besides Jean if there's one there's more."

  Jonathan started to stammer, it was as if speaking was a foreign concept to him now, "I'm...no...monster."

  "Holy hell he can still talk," Markus exclaimed.

  Jean knelt down next to Jonathan, "I know son, but you're going to have to give that to me." He said point to the forearm the boy was clutching.