The smokescreen-esque landscape was rough and harsh. The drooping jungle canopy did little to saturate the burning landscape, as the flames roared across the plant-life like a stampede. The black soot fell in clumps from the burning trees above, their embers masked by the thick black fog below.
Jacob’s eyes stung with intensity. He searched the surrounding area in a maddened panic. Erin had revived him from his shocked state of fear and confusion and together they had ran through the trees away from the lighthouse and crash-site, only to be rained upon by more and more debris from the sky above. The jungle itself was now ablaze with burning vegetation and in the turmoil and surreal aspect of the raining fire; Jacob had lost Erin in the thick and dense blackness.
He screamed out, only to realize that his voice was a squeak in comparison to the cracking thunder above and the torrential roaring fire below. He ran in circles, or what he thought was circles, trying to cover the area in which he had lost her. As he ran, something had caught hold of his feet and sent him spiraling down into a pit of black marsh. The leaves and muck sucked him in like a greedy child eating the last piece of cake after dinner.
He wanted to scream again, but knew that to open his mouth meant that the mud and rotten jungle flora would enter the second he tried. He managed to get his head above the surface, gasping slightly for air as he did so, but not so much as to lose his momentum in the cruel black pond. The water swirled like a gaping maul ready to swallow him whole.
He moved his arms slightly; attempting to move to the side and grab hold of something—anything he could get his hands on. The stagnant black pool enveloped him, and the stench of decaying earth and blackened mud resembled the smell of raw sewage. His fingers searched the muck for something strong and at once grabbed hold of something. He pulled with all of his strength and was moving up onto a surface with more density. The mud was still black and putrid, but it was thick enough to support his weight as he inched along the surface.
He turned and sat down, suddenly on ground solid enough to do so. As he turned and just for a brief moment, he saw what looked like fingers sliding back down into the murky blackness. His thoughts raced, settling on the idea that maybe that was Erin and he began to strip his clothes and boots, trying to reduce his weight as much as possible. If she had fallen in saving him, he would never forgive himself.
As he got his pants off, Erin’s voice sounded from behind him. “Perhaps we should worry about getting out of the fire before getting naked again.”
He turned and was at once relieved, then frightened.
Whose fingers were in the mud?
As if to answer the question he had just asked himself, laughter broke out through the torrential fires and booming storm above. It was a sinister, evil cackle that made both Erin and Jacob freeze in their tracks.
“What was that?” Jacob asked, searching in all directions for where the sound had come from.
“I believe that was our cue to get the hell out of here, and fast.” Erin said, anxiously searching for the best exit.
Jacob began to put his clothes back on, holding his boots in his hands for the time being, and they began their run once more. Erin stayed close behind him this time and soon the roaring fires began to diminish and they broke out onto a clearing of jungle that hadn’t yet seen the power of the fire close behind.
Erin’s labored breathing was loud amidst the quiet night air. Jacob’s lungs ached from the smoke, but he was not as out of breath as he thought he otherwise should have been. His chest rose and fell with ease and not at a rapid pace, though he could feel his pulse racing and his heart beating like a native drum line.
“So what did you mean that was…your plane?” Erin said, stopping in between words to catch her breath.
“I’m not really sure,” he said in return, plopping down next to a tree on the other side of the clearing to rest. “I got this weird feeling just before it fell, like something was about to happen or that I had experienced this moment before. It was very déjà-vu. Even when I saw the number of the plane, my mind still didn’t want to believe what I was seeing. Then the man…”
Erin could see that similar look of confusion and contemplation that Jacob always had on his face. She also knew that to pry answers out of him right now wasn’t going to happen. She wanted to prod him for as much information as she could, but she knew in vain that he knew little more than she did. The whole of the situation made little to no sense at all.
“…the man was on the plane. He sat behind me a few rows back. I didn’t recognize him from how he looked as he was obviously…” his voice trailed off, not wanting to form the words of that grizzly experience. Somehow he thought that saying them out loud made the event come to life, and if keeping them hidden inside would somehow keep the whole incident as nothing more than a bad dream. “The man was wearing the same shirt.”
Erin stared at him in disbelief. “So you mean that he wore the only shirt that was ever made by that designer? This could all be coincidence and the horror of what we just witnessed could have been playing tricks on your mind.”
Jacob’s eye shot up in anger. “Don’t you think I want to pretend I didn’t just see that? I would not make something up or try to drive more terror and confusion into this already fucked up situation if I wasn’t certain.”
Erin stood ready to argue and as she opened her mouth, her voice was trumped by another loud cruel laughter. The sound was coming from all directions, seeming to bounce off of the trees like a ping pong ball. Jacob’s heart lurched with each gruesome echo like a vehicle stuck in too low a gear. He stood, after putting his boots on, and after grabbing Erin’s arm, he pulled her into a jog once more.
They ran through the jungle, blind to any light shadowed by the canopy above. The moonlight only broke through in spots, making the entire flooring one giant obstacle course and one that must be traversed seemingly blindfolded. Jacob’s eyes still stung from the smoke and he could still hear the footfalls of Erin close behind him. It comforted him to know that she was so close and that he did not have to go through this nightmare alone.
As his thoughts provided him comfort, there came something else that broke his train of thought. There were more footfalls behind them. Erin’s breathing intensified and he knew she was also aware they were being followed. A low growl erupted from the trees and they at once picked up pace, now running for their lives through the darkness.
Jacob’s mind searched for some sort of plan, some action that might save his and Erin’s lives and get them away from their pursuers. There were eyes within the blackness that seemed to dart behind trees and appear once more from different areas; hundreds of tiny red spectacles in an otherwise complete blackness.
He heard Erin scream and as he stopped to turn, something had overtaken him and violently threw him to the ground. He could feel the weight of some creature pressing him onto the ground, the roots and rocks of the ground grinding into his body. He could barely breathe with the weight of the creature standing on his back. He felt claws gripping into his back, piercing through the skin and grinding deep into the muscle tissue. He wanted to scream, if only his face wasn’t buried deep within the dirt.
He heard Erin’ struggling behind him, assumedly in a similar situation. He felt a ping of guilt. He couldn’t help her and he wanted nothing more than to come to her rescue. He felt powerless and angry at letting this happen to them. The anger within him grew, and his heart beat slowed to a steadier more constant pace. He could feel the muscles in his arms tightening as he felt the stinking breath of the creature just inches from the back of his head.
Drool dripped onto his neck and the slime ran down his shoulder and onto the ground. The weight of the creature seemed to be less suppressive now, and it felt as though the creature itself were much smaller. His hands dug into the ground, his nails plunging into the hard surface for a good grip. He began to push with all of his strength against the earth and was soon able to lift himself an inch or so off of the ground before the creature pushed him harder back onto the surface.
He could feel teeth diving deep into his shoulder and he knew the pain must be extreme, but his mind blocked out the pain and only drove him onward. He tried once more to lift himself off the ground, this time doing so with ease. The creature, now evident in the darkness to be that same childlike demon he saw in the basement of the lighthouse, backed away from him. It turned its horrid face to the side, studying Jacob like a concerned parent. It walked around him, not taking its eyes off of him, as bloody drool dripped from its cruel and twisted mouth.
He could hear the creature growling and he suddenly felt less afraid and more in tune with his surroundings. He knew this creature didn’t stand a chance. He walked towards it as the creature once again lunged at him. The claws gripped his arms and he could hear his muscles ripping beneath the skin and the creature’s mouth was about to take hold of Jacob’s throat when it was caught by his hands. It struggled to break free to take another gruesome attempt only Jacob’s strength held it tight. Jacob squeezed and as the creature’s claws released themselves from his arms, he felt the bones snapping and popping inside of its head. He could see its eyes bulge, their tiny black marbles sliding down with black blood from its sockets and he pushed even harder. The creature was twitching, like a sick puppet under his strength and as suddenly fell limp and unmoving.
Erin screamed and he suddenly remembered there were more of them. He dropped the creature and ran towards her scream. He broke through some trees and saw what appeared to be a larger version of the creature he had just killed. It was toying with Erin like a sick game of cat and mouse. It circled her, swinging every so often to slice tiny gashes across her arm or abdomen. Jacob’s rage ensued. This time, catching the creature off guard, he twisted its head almost clean off before it even had time to notice he was there.
There was a howl that sounded at once all around them, and he could hear that same familiar sound of feet gripping the earth all around them. He could hear the growls and anger that emanated off of them. He was surprised at his ability to kill two of them, but knew there was no way he could handle that many. He grabbed Erin once more and off them went, running through the trees as their pursuers were only a few feet behind. Not daring to take a look, Jacob estimated by the sounds of their feet and claws gripping the earth that there were at least ten of them.
Like a light at the end of the tunnel, Jacob could see a fire ahead of them. He ran as fast as he could, his arms and legs burning under the strain and he only hoped that Erin had also noticed the fire and that she was somehow able to keep pace with him. He was unsure as to the extent of her injuries, but if adrenaline counted for anything, she wouldn’t fall behind.
As the fire came closer into view, Jacob jumped through the trees into the light, knowing the creatures would not be able to follow him. He landed hard against the rocky soil and rolled onto his knees as he did so. He searched behind him, but saw nothing.
Erin was gone.
His mind was a swimming pool of emotions. Fear stung his heart and guilt pained him more than the claws from earlier. He looked around for anyone but saw none. The fire burned in the middle of a circle of stones, but there was no one around to have started it. At least by what Jacob could tell.
He called out in loud screams for Erin, to hear some sign of her in the jungle from which he came. Only silence greeted him. He founded a stick and ripped his shirt into tiny strips, forming a tight bundle around one end of it and dipped it into the fire. Although he knew the shirt would only last a minute or two at most with no fuel source, he had to go back and try to find her.
He broke back into the trees, now having a light to guide him and he searched frantically. He could almost see his own footprints and followed them for what seemed like a couple hundred feet. The creatures had stopped pursuit, as was evident by their sudden turn in the dirt. He knelt down, searching low to the ground for Erin or any sign she had at least made it this far. He saw nothing. He could see the shirt was nearly burnt completely out and what little light he had was fading rapidly. There was no use in continuing to search for her in the dark, he knew this.
He trudged back to the fire, once more searching for anyone around that may be able to help or who had left the fire burning. That familiar state of confusion came back and the growing lump in his throat stuck there when he thought about Erin. How could they have been separated? It made no sense that he would have heard nothing behind him, no struggle or scream that would have alerted him to her being caught once more. Something didn’t seem right.
Jacob sat down beside a stump, which was within the light of the fire. He watched as the glowing embers danced and crackled. If only he had done something more. If only he could have fought the creatures while she ran and escaped. If only he could have saved her.
He closed his eyes as tears began to fall. He opened them once more and a familiar face greeted him with that same sinister and evil resonance.
“Did you think you could save her? Did you think you could save us all?”
The boy screamed in anguish and anger, his voice a deepened growl that did not suit him. It came from all around, like a wave of thunder that roared through Jacob’s mind. It echoed and bounced off of the surrounding trees.
“I don’t know what you are talking about!” Jacob said, for the first time his voice did not fail him. The pain and confusion and anger suddenly erupting from him like a tidal wave. He stood, noticing the boy was no longer looking at him with the expression of evil, but rather pity.
The boy stepped forward, and that familiar odor of death and decay once more reached Jacob’s nose. His courage now fading, Jacob stepped back coughing and dry heaving.
“I think your mind is not the part of you that is confused, but rather your soul. Nothing around you is as it seems. Open your eyes Jacob. Open your eyes and remember the truth. You are afraid, but you do not know of what.”
The boy’s voice was now one of pity and sorrow. He could hear the sound of pain inside the boy’s words like a hidden shadow in a bright room. He was no longer coming closer, but his booming voice was now only a whisper in Jacob’s mind.
“Who are you?”
That same evil grin reappeared on the boy’s face and that same rage filled his eyes. “If I was you, I would add some wood to the fire.”
The soft glow of the fire faded and everything descended into darkness. Jacob’s eyes searched for any source of light, anything to help him, but found only a thick blackness. He crouched low to the ground, feeling in the darkness. Soft wet grass and moist earth greeted his fingers. He began crawling around, attempting to find the stump that sat next to the fire. His breath was now loud and labored, as if he had suddenly remembered he hadn’t been breathing. The fear of the blackness had stripped him of his breath and only his natural instincts of the need for oxygen had returned the notion to him.
His hands felt something hard and rough, a root or vine of some kind. He followed it, hoping it would guide him to the stump, but as he crawled onward, it lead further and further away from the direction he assumed he should be headed. His arm bumped into something, another hard surface, but this time, after carefully moving his finger tips along, he realized it had been hand carved. It was not a tree or stump, but rather a smoother and squared post.
A fence?
Jacob’s mind played on the possibilities. Had there been a fence in the clearing? There could have been, but in the duress and panicked state of his mind, he could have simply not seen it. He only knew of the fire and the stump, and they both seemed to hold his attention from anything else.
He stood up, and using his hands as a guide in the darkness, he followed the fence along, hoping it lead to a house or possibly civilization of some kind. He inched his way along, careful not to run into anything and using his feet to guide him through the darkness, like an ant’s feelers.
Suddenly he broke through the dense jungle canopy and the light of the stars above and the moon cast a glow on the ground. He was in a field. It seemed to stretch along the upper valley and drop back down between two very large cliffs in a bowl-shaped fashion. There were lights, nearly a mile away, dancing between curtains of a large farm-style home.
He broke into a run, finally seeing some signs of life and as he did so, he was joined by something he had hoped he would never hear again. The silence of the night was broken by the horrifying growls of twisted and tormented creatures. They broke through the trees, running out into the field, following right behind Jacob as he ran. His mind was racing as fast as his beating heart and his lungs stung with exhaustion. Each breath was an onslaught of tiny shards of glass, ripping his chest apart.
He knew by the sounds of the growls and footsteps that there were at least a hundred of the creatures. They lapsed into a stampeding force of evil and were closing the short distance between them. The house drew ever closer as they were nearly upon him, he could feel their growls and he knew he wouldn’t make it. Their fowl breath of rotting meat and decaying flesh was as ever strong. He had found a road, which acted as make-shift driveway leading to the front porch of the house abruptly turned down it to make his way to the front door.
One of the creatures closest to him had tripped by the sounds of the snarling and growling and had fallen into a roll and as he thought this was his chance to make it, the growling stopped. He jumped onto the porch and the sound of his boots bouncing off of the ancient wooden boards was loud enough to be heard for miles in the echoing landscape.
He turned the corner, bursting through the front door and shut it closed behind him. As he turned, he noticed that the creatures had vanished. They were no longer hundreds of them chasing him down, but rather an empty field, overgrown driveway and a road that lead into the trees at the far side of the homestead. He turned around, finally away he may be intruding into someone’s home and met the eyes of something that made his heart stop.
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