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The next morning, I was the first to awake in the early morning light. My tongue felt dry and almost fuzzy. There was a bad taste in my mouth that I’d never experienced before. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I glanced around. Everyone was still asleep, the sound of their soft breathing filling the tent. Glancing down I saw Kit’s arm thrown across my waist, his body cuddled up against mine from the night before. Gently I lifted his arm and placed it off to the side before sliding out of my own sleeping bag. As quietly as possible I slipped on my shoes and pulled the tent fly open. The leaves surrounding the camp were damp and water droplets clung to the fabric of the tent. After stopping for my canteen to rinse out my mouth I made my way off a few yards to relieve myself in the chill morning air.
When I returned, Kit had pulled his sleeping bag out near the still smoldering fire and was sitting with it wrapped around his shoulders. He looked up at me as I crossed in front of him, digging through the now damp wood pile for some dry twigs. Using what I could find and some dry-ish leaves, I was able to convince the fire to pop back into life. Sitting down next to him, I slowly added more fuel to build it up.
Without prompting, Kit tossed the end of the sleeping bag over my shoulder and sidled up close to me. “What do you think that was last night?” he asked, staring into the growing fire.
I paused for a moment, thinking it over. “I’m not sure... I’ve never heard anything like that before.”
“That was the freakiest noise I’ve ever heard... I could have sworn someone was being murdered...”
I tossed another small log into the fire. “It was probably just some weird animal,” I said, trying to convince myself more than Kit.
“Do you think... it could be the Snatcher?” he asked, scooting closer.
“Definitely not,” I lied. “I don’t think there’s anything to be worried about, Kit.”
Kit sighed, still staring into the flames that licked the edges of the log. “You’re so brave.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I just stayed silent.
It wasn’t long before the others made their way out of the tent into the cold morning air. Both went off to find a tree and then came back to the fire, thankful for the warmth. None of us had packed warmer clothing, assuming the heat of the summer was far from over. We were silent for a while as we dug into our packs for breakfast. The previous night was still fresh in our minds, but none, save Kit, was willing to admit that he was scared. Kevin left the circle to break down the tent. We rolled up our sleeping bags and packed most of our things away before coming back to sit at the fire. Silence stretched on until Chris could stand it no longer.
“Well...” Chris announced, “let’s get going.”
“Where are we going?” Kevin asked, without missing a beat. His face dropped as soon as he realized he’d given away his position.
“To the Snatcher’s house of course!” Chris cried. “Unless y’all are too chicken shit to go now.”
“No, I want to go!” Kevin replied, trying to recover. He pushed himself to a standing position. “Which direction are we headed?”
“Should be northeast from here,” Chris responded, looking back to Kit and myself. “Are you two coming?”
“Yeah, of course!” I said enthusiastically, nudging Kit with my elbow. “How about you, Kit?”
“Sure... yeah...”
“Well, then get up you lazy fucks! Get the lead out,” Chris called, zipping up his pack and shouldering it.
I stood up, pulling the canvas straps over my shoulders once more, muscles still sore from carrying it the day before. I was fairly certain there were bruises forming, but I didn’t want to check. Brushing the dirt and leaves off my jeans, I saw Kit still sitting on the ground, his arms wrapped around his knees.
“Hey Kit,” I said, holding out a hand. “I’m right here. We’ll go together.”
The other two were already walking away as he looked up at me. Pausing for a moment, he reached out and took my hand. Pulling him to a standing position I patted him on the shoulder, “I’ve got your back buddy.”
“Thanks Ry,” he replied and hefted his bag to his shoulders.
***
The day's walk was longer than expected. The last of the cool morning air had burned off by noon and the sunlight seemed to pierce through the leaves, turning the forest underneath into a sauna. The humidity made it feel like swimming instead of walking but we pressed on, Chris now in the lead with help from Kevin’s compass. The terrain shifted as we walked from leaf-strewn forest floor into rockier terrain filled with pine trees. We slipped and tripped over the moss covered boulders along the way. Even though the pines let the sun shine through, it also allowed forest to breathe. A light breeze swept away the humidity, making it easier to keep cool as we clambered through.
By the time we stopped for lunch, each of us was growing exhausted and irritable. Chris could feel the tension and assured us that the house wasn’t much further off. Candy, thankfully, regenerated our spirits as we sat on the rocks under the towering pines. It wasn’t long before we were trudging through the trees again, each of us beginning to regret going on such a ridiculous trip on foot. Before we set out we knew there would be some hiking involved, but not even Chris had expected the abandoned house to be so far away. It was nearly two hours later when we finally crested the top of a small hill and it came into view.
Leaning against a large moss covered boulder at the top of the hill, we stared down at the crumbling old house surrounded by forest. It sat near the bottom of a valley between two large hills. A small creek ran within a few yards of the structure. About halfway through the valley, it widened out, creating a small pond-like section that seemed to have been purposefully dug out. The house itself was built mostly of stone, except for the wood shake roof which would have collapsed inward if not for the large tree that grew up and out of it. The branches seemed to hold the moss-covered rafters aloft, although it looked as if it would take nothing more than a stiff breeze to bring it crumbling inward. A low stone fence created a small garden-like area in front of the house. Even from our position, we could see the front rotten front door hanging sideways off the hinges, the smallest hint of what was once red paint still on its surface.
“Holy shit...” Kit whispered, keeping low to the boulder, his chin resting on the thick green moss that covered its surface.
“Do you...” I gulped, “do you think anyone’s in there?”
“Nobody would be living there,” Kevin stated. “You could find better shelter under a tree than in that heap.”
“Are we gonna stand here all day and jerk off or go down and look around?” Chris interjected.
“We h-have to go inside?” Kit looked terrified.
“We didn’t walk for two fuckin’ days to look at it! C’mon you buncha pussies! Let’s go!”
Slowly we came around the boulder and began our trek down the hill. We stayed on the slope and skirted the edge of the creek. The water was cloudy and made me uncomfortable. Something in the back of my mind convinced me that if I got too close, I’d be snatched below the surface never to be seen again. There was probably nothing more than a couple catfish, but with the house in sight, logic no longer held a place in my brain.
As we drew closer to the house, I could see that portions of the stone fence had crumbled away or collapsed entirely. Trees and shrubs grew tight against the house, obscuring the majority of the walls from view. Kevin was the first to notice what seemed to be a game trail that passed right in front of the house, crossing through the gate and then over a crumbled section of wall. There were fresh hoof prints in the mud and a few other prints even he couldn’t identify. And then there was one set of prints that we recognized immediately. Boots, larger than our own feet and definitely belonging to a man. There were a few of them that created a very clear trail into the house itself, stepping over the rotting door that hung off the hinges.
“I thought you said no one was here!” I aggressively whispered to Chris.
“Shut the fuck up!” he snarled back, holding his finger to his mouth.
Slowly he crept forward towards the front door. Placing both hands on the rotting door frame, he leaned forward, just his head poking into the house. He looked from side to side, and then motioning to us to follow, stepped inside.
“Fucking christ!” I hissed. “What is he doing?”
“I... I don’t want to go in there...” Kit stammered, taking a step backwards.
Kevin was squatted down next to the boot prints in the mud. Reaching a hand out he pressed a finger into the dirt. “I don’t know how fresh these are. The mud is still soft, but a couple of them have already been walked over by the deer.”
A few moments of silence passed before Chris walked back to the doorway. “You needle dicks comin’ or not? You gotta see what’s in here!” he said and disappeared back inside.
I stood there for a moment, rooted to the spot, Kit inches away from me. The birds were calling in the trees and the sun was still shining. The house looked more whimsical than anything, like the ruined remains you’d hear about in a fairy tale. Against my better judgement, I took a step forward. Curiosity had won me over.
“C’mon Kit,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. “It’s just an old house.”
Stepping over the rotten door and beyond the threshold, I entered a new world. In the center of the house, growing through the remnants of a wooden floor, was the base of the massive tree. Overhead the decomposing trusses of the roof were held up by many branches that splayed out and pierced through the underside. Sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting a golden green hue across the interior of the one room house. Around the base of the tree were mosses and green plants thriving in the small amount of dappled sunlight that made it to the floor. Against the walls were a few pieces of wooden furniture long past their prime, some of them no longer able to stand under their own weight. Fabric hung limply off their edges, like tattered skin left on a skeleton. Here and there I saw bottles and broken glass strewn about. As the others stepped inside, I made my way over to one corner that had a small pile of blankets.
As I walked across the squishy floor, I could hear the others gasping as they stepped inside. Stepping up to the pile of blankets, I used my foot to kick them off to the side. Under the pile were a couple of bottles with amber liquid sloshing inside of them, their modern labels clearly visible. As I flipped the blanket a little further away to get a better look, a small cylinder fell out and rolled across the uneven floor. Squatting down to examine it, I could clearly see the plunger at one end and the sharp shining needle tinged with rust at the other.
“There are needles in here, be careful where you step!” I called out over my shoulder.
Everyone immediately looked around their feet. Chris pulled his hand back from a pile of bottles he was sifting through. Glancing around I noticed a number of animal bones hidden among the debris. The house seemed an odd place for such a big collection of bones. Some of the bones were rather large in fact, possibly belonging to a deer. I watched as Kit gingerly made his way over to the opposite wall where there seemed to me some markings I hadn’t noticed before. Across the wall were flashes of red spray paint, creating symbols I didn’t recognize. In the dim light they almost looked like something I’d seen in my fantasy comics.
“What do you think thi-” Kit was cut off as his left foot suddenly fell through the floor.
A harsh scream erupted all around us, piercing the air. Kevin and Chris clapped their hands over their ears as I rushed toward Kit. He was struggling to get free, as if something had his foot from underneath the floor. I wrapped my arms around his torso and yanked him out of the hole, shattering the wood as his foot came free. Without a second thought we bolted out of the house. Kevin was the last out, tripping over the rotting door as he crossed the threshold. Another cry pierced the air as he laid on top of the now broken door, the wind knocked from his body. Digging his hands into the mud, he clawed his way forward until he was back on his feet and sprinting towards the hill.
We crashed through the trees, heedless of our direction, but keeping somewhat together. One last wail echoed through the trees as we ran, fueling the adrenaline that was pumping through our veins and driving our feet forward.
I don’t know how long we ran, but by the time we stopped my lungs were on fire and my heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst. I collapsed on the ground, the leaves crunching too loudly around me. A few feet away Kit lay on his back, panting heavily with the pack thrown off to the side. The others were close by. Chris was on his knees, sitting back on his heels, head turned toward the sky. Kevin was leaned up against a small poplar tree nearby. It was some time before we were able to catch our breath enough to begin forming words.
“What... the fuck... was... that?” I gasped, unable to get enough air.
“I have... no idea,” Kevin replied, clutching his chest.
“I can’t believe... I slept there... once,” Chris said, all his bravado gone.
“You guys...” Kit panted, “are the worst... fucking friends... ever.”
For a brief moment the three of us forgot how scared we were and turned our heads towards Kit. As if someone had wiped away everything that had just transpired, I burst out laughing. Kevin was the second to break and Chris followed suit. Kit looked confused for a moment, but couldn’t resist the temptation for long. We belly laughed like hyenas who had just escaped a poacher, taunting him from afar with their cries. We laughed until our ribs hurt from the strain and tears streamed down our faces. We laughed because we had cheated death.
“Where... where the fuck... are we?” I called out between gasps.