The Beast

I... I don’t really know what to do anymore. Being a farmer down in the rural end of Missouri, life gets a little lonely. I only had three friends, all farmers. My wife died ten years ago of a disease, and it's hard to combat the loneliness alone. Income hasn’t been so great lately; something has been attacking my livestock. They are my main source of income, and I’ve been going in debt. I met up with some of my friends at the local bar, the only place that really still runs in this dump of a town.

“What do you mean killed?” asked Joseph.

“I don’t really know what you're talking about," said Paul. "Animals don’t just die for no reason."

“I swear, they just died out of no where!!" I exclaimed. "They have deep, saw like cuts on their head and the rest is just whatever is was that it didn’t want to eat. I have no idea what it is.”

“Well, we can’t help you," said Josiah. "We have our own to keep some group of coyotes out of our farms too."

“Thanks for the help, guys,” I said and stormed out of the bar.

I never realized how late I end up being out at some nights, I swear. I got home around 12:00 A.M. and walked into my house. I ate some chips then I walked up to my bedroom and just passed out.

Howling, not like any animals I’ve ever seen. It sounded... unworldly. Like it was from a different planet, maybe even a different universe. It sounded like six thousand screams from the lowest pit of hell echoing through my ears. I smashed open my gun cabinet and pulled out my rifle. I ran over to my barn and climbed the ladder. I sat on the roof waiting for that little coward to attack my animals. I heard the howling again. It was tearing up my prize cow. I climbed down to get within range of whatever was killing my animals. I would have no mercy against what has made my life a living hell for the few months.

I walked up to the gates of my cow area. I shouted out cat calls towards it, and I heard the howl again. Closer, at least ten feet away from me. It flew with amazing speed, making ten feet look like ten inches in a second. I saw it. It was a huge, black beast that easily towered ten feet crouching. It twitched naturally, and very frantically. It had mangled, pitch black fur covered in blood and entrails. The musky smell of blood ringed throughout the air. The beast's claws easily reached two feet. His blue eyes flared like headlights; I was the deer caught in them. I looked down the barrel of the gun, and got a clear shot towards its head. I was trembling, the sweat coming off my head like a waterfall. I shot it directly in the head, and it got smacked to the ground for a second. It stood up, and the bullet left no damage. In fact, it barely tore the skin. I looked in horror as the beast lunged at me. I ran, as fast as I could. I was tackled, and clawed across the face.

I grabbed my gun two inches from me and I shot it again, at close range. I felt the shell fall back down on me as the creature stared at me, unharmed and fully aware I’m trying to harm it. It took its giant palm and smashed my face in, then clawed it. The monster picked me up with his teeth, and I blacked out.

I don’t know where I’m at now. It's dark, and the smell of dead animals is intense. I see multiple bloody carcasses on the floor, ranging from raccoons to foxes. I tried to stand up, but then I looked down. A huge, gaping hole on my side was visible and I couldn’t describe the pain I was currently in. I inched towards what I thought was light and I saw freedom, but I was deep in the woods.

I had started to slide down an incline, and then a slide went from just sorta sliding to flying down the incline at 20 mph. I slapped a tree with my face then laid down on the ground on pain. I continued to slide, then I heard the beast from Hell's call again. It was close. This time, I was sure I was going to die.

The creature hovered over me, and just lifted me up and threw me against a tree. I slid, trying to escape, but I was just lifted up and thrown on the ground, then stomped on. I was praying for death, but the creature wouldn’t let me go out the easy way. The beast reached down, and screamed in my face. I watched as three more monsters walked near me. I witnessed in fear as they howled, and more showed up. At least now I know there isn’t only one of those things.

I tried to stand up and run, but as soon as I tried to stand up I was smacked in the back by one of the monsters. I was rolled over, and I stared into the eyes of the animals that planned to murder me. I stared into their eyes for three brief seconds. The light flooded my eyes, my god the light was bright. They took their sharp, two feet long claws and dug them into my eyes. I felt every single twitch, push and tingle. I screamed, and then nothing. I felt absolutely nothing.

I shouldn’t have messed with these things, I know I shouldn’t have. My vision was restored, but I felt all the pain I felt back when I was alive. My body stung, everywhere. I don’t get how people got the idea of clouds and golden gates and all that. It's just pitch black forest. There’s nothing up here. Only the constant howls of The Beast in the distance. For those who meet death, get prepared. It’s just a hunting game. Welcome to Hell.