《Prey of Beasts (HIATUS)》


 Prologue

    Rapid footsteps echoed frantically in the dark, carelessly squishing and slipping dangerously on the wet autumn pine needles. Rain poured in from the bare trees, allowing water to smack heavily on Evan, frequently dripping into his eyes and rendering his vision blurry.


    Not that it mattered. Evan had no idea where he was even though he''d lived in this part of the woods for years.


    Evan blindly ran through the condensed trees, hoping for any signs of life or a break in the action, but he knew it was a long time coming for either of those. He panted laboriously, his lungs begging for air, but he forced himself to keep running until they burned, he tasted iron on his tongue. He was unsure how long he''d be running for, only that he''d been running from something that clearly wasn''t human.


    Behind him, the footsteps fell to match his staggering pace.


    When Evan stepped, the footsteps behind him would step. If Evan sped up, the ones behind him kept a steady pace behind. The only exception to these patterns was when Evan stopped and the footsteps would inch closer, anyway.


    And Evan was getting tired.


    He slipped and fell forward into one of the thick pine trees, smacking his head with a painful thud. He fell to the ground as he clutched his head, praying that this wouldn''t be his end. Tears pricked the corners of his clenched eyes, but he pried them open to survey his surroundings.


    The footsteps had stopped.


    He strained his eyes to listen but struggled to hear anything over the heavy, sporadic hammering of his heart.


    Did he lose it?


    "Doesn''t this remind you of how humans used to hunt their prey?" a voice called from nearby in the thicket, almost singing the words with a sickening glee.


    Evan''s breath hitched and the footsteps turned slightly as a cool breeze blew past carrying a dreadful silence. Too silent. He heard subtle sniffing.


    Almost like someone was listening for him or tracking his scent.


    Evan''s arms pricked with goosebumps as he slid quietly up the side of the tree, angry splinters lodging themselves neatly under his skin.


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    He fumbled around in his pocket, digging for the Swiss Army pocket knife his dad had given him when he turned 15. He wished that he had used it earlier, maybe even as early as when he first met the monster. But he could use it now.


    "Think about it, animals are too fast for humans to catch on their own, so what can they do? How can they outwit their prey?" the voice asked rhetorically from Evans left, still searching. "It''s very fortunate that the humans had something that the animals didn''t: endurance."


    Evan flicked the pocketknife, holding it up to the light of the moon to glare at his reflection. At his red, ruddy-cheeked face, at his hand that was clasped firmly over his mouth to cover his gasping. He hated it all. He hated seeing himself like this, desperate and afraid.


    "Endurance, man''s ever-lasting spirit! This was their savior. The humans could use it to tire out their prey and finally catch up. And then..."


    Something fell onto Evans head, and he ducked furiously, dropping his knife to shield his head. When he patted the ground a moment later, however, it was no longer where he had left it.


    "...they would eat them."


    Half a heartbeat layer, something small and metal was being pressed against his Adams apple.


    ''My knife!'' Evans head screamed in realization as he struggled uselessly to push off the arm that wrapped itself tightly around his neck.


    The harder Evan struggled, the firmer the knife was pressed into Evans neck. He gurgled furiously.


    "Aren''t humans clever? But they seem to have forgotten that they''re prey just as much as any other creature. Why do you think that is?" the beast whispered into his ear, pressing the knife deeper as he struggled. He felt a thin cut form where the knife was digging into his neck. His stomach twisted frighteningly.


    "Arrogance? Sophistication? A false-sense of security, maybe?" it offered, Evan felt it''s twisted smile curl against his ear whenever he grunted with a sudden burst of adrenaline.


    Evan tried to scream, tried to remember why he had ever even decided to invite this devil onto his land.


    But he couldn''t remember.


    A sob threatened to spill out as his hits and struggling weakened.


    "You look tired, Evan." the being breathed, its nausea-inducing breath filled Evans lungs and head, making him feel light-headed and dizzy.


    Everything around him swayed and had a chromatic glow to it. Like he was stuck inside a 70''s television set. He knew he was about to pass out.


    Before he did, he tried to get a glimpse of the unusual pale eyes his captor had, like a piece of the moon that was hidden in the night sky. He wanted to defy his fate, to show that even now he wasn''t prey.


    But he couldn''t.


    "What are you?" Evan choked out into the darkness, gagging as he felt blood rushing to his head.


    The beast let out a low, drawn-out laugh. And didn''t stop.


    "Don''t you recognize an old friend when you see one?" he heard as his eyes shut. And darkness prevailed.


    As Evan drifted through the darkness in his head, everything became clear. He remembered now. And like he originally thought, things weren''t going to be alright.


    Where were Alex and Clay? His two other friends, were they still looking for him?


    Or did this creature masquerading as a human already reach them?


    Would they even go looking for Evan, after everything that''s happened?

 Chapter 1 - Skepticism

    Yesterday...


    Four boys stood facing each other. Two them Evan had known his whole life. They were inseparable, from their earliest memories of wrestling and tumbling roughly down on the dirty, rocky grounds of their decrepit playground, to now, ten years later, planning their Halloween function together. It had always been these two. Even the sun seemed to shine particularly luminescent on his two friends, illuminating them, like a silent message that proved to Evan of their innocence and dependability.


    However, stood beside his tall and robust friend, Clay, stood another unfamiliar boy awkwardly shrouded in Clays shadow. Evan had never met him prior, nor ever seen him in all his years of attending school. Evan would have thought that in such a small community, he would have met - or at least seen almost everybody.


    But not him.


    However, Clay vouched for the boy''s likability, and that that was enough for Evan.


    "So, what school did you say you went to?" Evan asked Clay''s silent friend politely, curiosity getting the better of him.


    The boy considered for a moment. A beat longer than any honest answer should have taken.


    Evan disliked this immediately.


    "Pine State Memorial, I guess." the boy responded with nonchalance as he shrugged, not meeting Evan''s gaze. Ivory hair slipped into place over his eyes, which were trained to the ground.


    Evan shot Clay a skeptical look. Clay smiled sheepishly in response, worry flickering briefly in his eyes.


    "You ''guess''? How are you not sure where you go to school?" Evan echoed flatly, crossing his arms. challengingly.


    The boy finally raised his head to meet Evans eyes and gripped him with them.


    Evan had to stop himself from getting goosebumps from their cool and steely analysis, that raked through Evan strong enough for him to physically feel. His eyes were pale - colorless. Void of any love or emotion except for a strange, pure animalistic element that shone and reflected nothing but Evans'' appearance back at him.


    Upon seeing Evan tense up, the boy''s pupils dilated.


    "Well, what do you want me to say?" he questioned unnaturally. Like another, truer question could be hidden in it.


    Evan felt frozen to the spot, as though the boys gaze was holding him to the spot through sheer force. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face as he clenched his fists harder, his fingernails making arched grooves in the palms of his hands.


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    "I wanted you to tell me the truth." Evan spat back, trying to keep his voice from shaking


    "Alright, that''s enough, you two." Clay interjected stepping between them, no doubt sensing the tension between the two.


    Evan felt himself release an involuntary sigh of relief.


    "We need a place to get up to our shenanigans at." Clay initiated light-heartedly, his brown eyes dancing with the potential of hope and excitement as they met Evan''s. "Any suggestions?"


    "You guys can come to my house." Clay''s friend immediately suggested, picking at his fingernails and turning his gaze downcast once more.


    "No one will be home tomorrow night."


    Evan''s face radiated alarm, and he swore that spotted an upturned smile playing at the boy''s lip''s from in front of Clay. When Evan felt his neck prick with unease, he knew there was definitely something odd about him, and he knew that he couldn''t be caught dead at his house.


    ''It''s probably not even a house, it''s probably some shoddy shack in the middle of the woods with no signal or civilization for miles. I don''t want to be alone there,'' Evan mused worriedly


    ¡°Nah, Evan¡¯s dad runs a tree farm, don¡¯t he?¡± Evans'' other friend, Alex, suggested, shifting unwanted pressure onto Evan, "That''d be perfect for playing hide n'' seek or anything of the sort."


    Evan rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. He certainly wasn''t thrilled about inviting a complete stranger over to his house, a creepy one, at no less.


    "My parents are going to be out of town taking Cecilia trick-or-treating." Evan said, hoping they''d buy it. The lie slipped easily off his tongue. He silently thanked his younger sister, Cecilia, for her unknowing sacrifice.


    He didn''t think his family had any actual Halloween plans, but it was worth a shot.


    "Evaaaan," Clay groaned, "Your parents know us, and we''re old enough! We''re practically family, I guarantee they wouldn''t care if we came over while they''re not around." he punched Evan''s arm encouragingly


    "Just ask!"


    Evan grimaced contemplatively. Meanwhile Clay''s friend leaned to the side to peer at Evan from behind Clay''s back. Watching...waiting for Evan''s reaction. The smile flickered away momentarily only to be replaced with a frown.


    Evan dug some rocks from out of the dirt with his shoe, feeling the eyes from all his friends bore into him expectantly. Evan set his jaw and clicked his tongue agitatedly, the way he always did when he was stressed.


    "Fine." he said at last, "I''ll see what I can do." temporarily forgetting all his doubts and qualms as his friends cheered and slapped his back heartily. Evam looked between them, rolling his eyes and smiling softly despite himself.


    He looked up and saw the other boy leaning backwards with his hands jammed into his pockets, an unreadable expression plastered onto his face. When the boy noticed Evans'' gaze, he grinned wolfishly, revealing a set of jagged and yellowed teeth.


    But he couldn''t focus on it for longer than a moment as Clay and Alex excitedly exchanged activity ideas and made plans for the following night.


    ''Maybe it won''t be so bad,'' Evan thought, glancing between them as Clay stuck his tongue out at Alex as they argued and bantered, ''I''ll just stick with these guys, and I''ll be fine. Maybe I could even talk Clay into keeping it small with just us.'' he reassured, finally giving into his friends'' enthusiasm.

 Chapter 2 - Unkept Promises

    Evan sat at his family''s ornate circular dinner table while their overhead light flickered and buzzed wearily, threatening to consume the room in darkness at a moment''s notice. The only distraction from the incessant little noise being his little sisters excited prattling.


    Her chatter fell on death ears, though. Evan was a million miles away from her conversation, picking at his pasta and scrutinizing it as turmoil roared within. The pasta''s paleness was eerily similar to the hair pigment of the boy he had met earlier. Or was he reading too much into things?


    Whatever the case was, it wasn''t doing much to alleviate his nerves or satiate his appetite.


    It wasn''t necessarily that he was afraid of the boy and his malicious, primal eyes boring into Evan, so much as he was unnerved. Evan had repeated this, among other mantra''s, frequently in his mind since he''d left the park, assuring himself that there was a difference between the two.


    "You''re bound to meet creeps wherever you go." He consoled himself. But why Clay had chosen to make friends with one was beyond him.


    His mind flashed to Clay''s hostile reaction to the request Evan had made before his departure when it was just the two of them. Evan had privately asked if Clay''s friend could sit the get-together out.


    "He''s just...well, he''s your friend and I can respect that, but I just don''t want him at my house. Which I hope you can respect." Evan had explained, maintaining an empathetic but firm disposition. He would not be swayed.


    "Huh? Why? You don''t like him? I thought everything went well!" Clay asked with genuine surprise


    Evan clicked his tongue, picking his next words delicately,


    "Well, I''m sure you noticed how uncomfortable the atmosphere between us was," he elaborated, "he''s kind of...weird. Sorry. I''m not trying to insult your taste in friends or anything, but I''d rather we just keep it small."


    Clay looked dumbstruck and peered at Evan like he was missing some piece of an elaborate scheme. "That''s just his humor, Evan! He''s joking! Learn to take a joke, man! He''s fine!" he insisted, irritation lacing his words and pricking Evan like a thorn.


    Clay had been irritated a lot more recently, and Evan had tried to be conscientious of it, but he hadn''t expected such a defensive reaction. The last thing he wanted was to anger Clay the night before they hung out, though. He had to make amends. He had to pull out his fool-proof last resort.


    "I was also just missing how things used to be between us, like how the three of us celebrated Halloween, before all the parties and stuff, y''know? Just a good time." Evan added, trying to appeal to Clay''s nostalgic side.


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    It was true, they hadn''t been seeing much of one another recently, and he was bound to have noticed. He hoped against hope that Clay had felt enough of the same feelings for Evan''s persuasion to work.


    It didn''t.


    "Alright," Clay sighed, "I still don''t see why Ryan can''t join us. But it''s your house so it''s your call." he relented exasperatedly


    ''Ryan.'' Evan made a mental note. How could someone so strange have such a normal name? He shook the thought out, refocusing on his moping friend.


    Evan smiled gratefully at him as they walked to his car. "Thanks, Clay. We''ll invite him next time, I promise." he lied, hoping there wouldn''t need to be a ''next time.''


    "Yeah, yeah." he accepted, still no doubt insulted by Evans reluctance to play nice with his new friend, Ryan.


    "I''ll tell him we cancelled or something, so you don''t need to worry about it anymore."


    Now that Evan was certain he had nothing to worry about, he could finally allow himself to forget his interaction with Ryan.


    "Evan." his mom''s stern voice cut through his thoughts, "Did you hear me?"


    "No, sorry. Repeat it?"


    "Your father and I are taking Cecilia to the next town over for trick-or-treating tomorrow night." she repeated slowly, emphasizing her words as though she thought he might stop listening half-way through. "Are you okay with that?"


    Evan took this opportunity to ask HER a question instead.


    "Actually, I was wondering if Alex and Clay could come over tomorrow? Just to hang out." he requested hopefully, slightly surprised that the excuse he made up actually had some stock in it and came to fruition.


    His mother rubbed her arms, thinking.


    "I don''t know," she said at last as Evan deflated, "It''s Halloween night and you know how reckless other kids can be, especially when no one''s home." she mulled


    "Alex, Clay and I would be home!" Evan protested, "we wouldn''t let anything happen!"


    "Come on, love. Alex and Clay are practically our own. They''re good kids. And most importantly, they''ll keep an eye on each other." his dad chimed in, arguing in his defense.


    He shot Evan a wink. "Besides, since when has Evan ever done anything reckless?"


    "That''s true," she conceded, skeptically rubbing her cheek thoughtfully, "Alright. Fine. They may. You know what''s expected of you, don''t make me regret trusting you." she warned, waggling a stern finger that did little to hide her worried eyes.


    "Awesome. Thank you. I''ll be good, you can count on that." Evan promised appreciatively. Though he was confused by her hesitation. When had he ever given them a reason to not trust him otherwise?


    "See? There''s nothing to worry about." his dad restated confidently, reaching across the table to take one of her bird-like hands in his.


    The rest of dinner came and went smoothly. After Cecilia had declared that she was retiring to her room, and just as Evan was beginning to excuse himself as well, he heard the quiet whispers of his parents conversing in the kitchen. He slid and eased his way quietly against the wall to eavesdrop.


    "Why were you so worried earlier? Yes, Evan''s not like most other kids, but he still needs to fit in and socialize. It''s just Clay and Alex."


    The soft clinkering of plates slowed as the soft voice of his mother replied,


    "That''s the issue. He ISN''T like most kids." she sighed, "I just can''t shake the feeling that something will go wrong. Call it mother''s instinct, if you will."


    "Evan''s changed, darling. He needs to know that we can trust him. WE need to know that we can trust him. But if you still feel this way tomorrow, then maybe we could take Cecilia somewhere more local."


    "Alright."


    Evan cringed and slipped away to his room, not wanting to hear what else they thought of him.


    Once Evan had settled into bed, he pulled the covers over him, excited for the big night.


    Except, he couldn''t sleep.

 Chapter 3 - Night Terrors

    When Evan finally managed to shut his eyes, an image persisted and burned into the back of his eyelids. A memory of Ryans thousand-yard stare, wide open, staring right through a gasping Evan. Something intense bubbling beneath the conceptualized surface of his pale iris membrane.


    Something hungry. Something that fought to be let out.


    Evan tried blinking away the scene to no avail.


    He thought he could finally be past his initial impressions of the other boy, but as the unsettling image flashed alive between blinks, every pleading hope for a good night''s rest vanished and his thoughts returned to his mind''s greatest mystery.


    Evan tossed and turned for what felt like hours, clenching his head, applying pressure to his eyes, taking melatonin - ANYTHING. Anything to sleep.


    After a dozen fruitless more attempts, the melatonin at long last kicked in and Evan couldn''t fight back, even with the long road to sleep being haunted the entire way there.


    Suddenly, just as quickly as it happened, Evan was awake again. Or at least he thought he was, tree''s resembling real ones surrounded him, but stood tall with enough differences that Evan inherently knew something was amiss, that this couldn''t be real. He stood on ancient brick that crumbled and that dug in vain into the soles of his feet. He couldn''t feel it, but he still peered curiously down at the jagged pebbles as he heard approaching thudding of determined footsteps. He looked up.


    Even more unbelievable was the still image of a smiling Clay standing before him.


    "Hey, man!" Clay greeted, his familiar ever-present grin drowning his features pleasantly. His demeanor betrayed his expression. His smile was wide enough to simultaneously conceal and reveal his feelings at once, like a wolf in sheep''s clothing, he threw polite, unsuspecting smiles to the sheep to stay below the radar. Never allowing the sheep enough time to question it''s sharp, blood-stained teeth before it personally adds another coat of fresh red to the enamel.


    Evan could instantly sense that...


    Clay was pissed.


    And he was coming right for Evan.


    "Hey..." Evan replied nervously, unsure of how to interpret the newfound array of foreboding energy. As Clay approached, less than 2 feet away, Evans legs felt like buckling. Something about the way Clay regarded him, like he couldn''t compare, dared to confirm Evan''s superstitions and fears about their friendship.


    Clay stood, the wind bouncing through his black curls playfully. His hands were jammed in his pockets boyishly.


    "You didn''t cancel our plans for tomorrow," he asked cocking his head slightly, looming over Evan, his smile never faltering for even a moment, "did you?"


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    Evan let out a shuddering sigh. So that''s what this was about. He was subconsciously worried that Clay still held a grudge against him from his earlier request.


    "Yeah, dude. What kind of friend would I be to let you miss the best night of your life?" Evan replied coolly as his shaking legs slowed. He placed a friendly hand on Clays shoulder, Clay didn''t even flinch as Evan''s hand slid right through down to his abdomen.


    Evan recoiled. Clay stood still before proclaiming, unacknowledging, as if on a script timed to perform certain gestures and to say certain words


    "That''s what I like to hear."


    Evan shivered as a gust of wind blew through them. He looked up to examine the weather and watch as the sky morphed into a cluster of dark thunder and red danger.


    "Uh," Evan panicked. The faint shrills akin to a balloon deflating cut him off and screamed in his ears. It rang against the trees, passing above the branches and through the leaves like a haunting tune.


    Evan covered his ears, squeezing his eyes to drown out the noise. Liquid soaked through into his shoes. He squinted to investigate the source and found the dream man standing before him to be melting grotesquely, the stilts of legs sinking lop-sided into the concrete like it was quicksand.


    Evan instinctively reached to grab his friend''s shirt, to slow the mortifying process, only to result in a sinister thin, murky liquid to run down his forearms. He stared in horror, eyes wide mouth agape in a scream that didn''t come out.


    Clay leaned more into Evan''s grip, soaking Evan with the opaque liquid as his distorted voice offended his ears, predicting ominously, "There''s a reason why the best parties start at seven."


    Evan peered at Clay as he continued sinking, confusion zapping through him at the sudden forecast. He wracked his brain trying to remember any significance for the number seven. When he couldn''t find any, he inquired, his fingers curled and his grasp of Clay''s shirt tightened, "What does that mean?"


    Clay smiled and became rigid as he stopped sinking at once. "Don''t you know? The number seven belongs to the spirits. You didn''t think you''d be the only one enjoying yourself on Halloween, did you?"


    Evan immediately released, sticking his hands slightly up in halfhearted protest,


    "Clay," he objected, "you know my mom freaks over that sort of stuff. I''m not about to get grounded so we -" he was cut off by the firm pressure of a thumb pressing against the center of his forehead. It lingered, imprinting itself like papercut. Clay held it there momentarily before removing it. It burned.


    "Shhh..." a voice commanded


    Evan''s hands flew instinctively to his head to clasp the burn as he fell to the ground, startled. He glared up, unsure of what Clay had done to him, but mainly because he immediately recognized a silky voice not of Clay''s speaking to him.


    Clay had morphed into an entirely different person, who now crouched with an air of triumph before him. Platinum albino hair trickled down the man''s shoulders, reflecting the warm red of the sky. He evaluated Evan, taking him in with his unmistakable blank eyes, unaffected by the fictitious world around them.


    "Don''t you get tired of being worried all the time?" Ryan asked.


    Evans face contorted into fury. He shot up, sputtering indignantly. Rubbing his head as clouds of darkness met the corners of his eyes. He flailed expressively at the man while he tried to piece together a sentence the same way you''d piece together a jigsaw puzzle with no image. An effort with no reward.


    "Ah, well." Ryan continued, shrugging to himself nonchalantly as he gently pushed Evan to lie on his side against the ground, "It doesn''t really matter, I guess. Maybe I made you like this, or perhaps some people are just born this way. All the same."


    Evan squirmed as he felt pebbles roll beneath him. Ryan stayed in front of him waiting as Evan''s eyes struggled to remain open, until Evan''s very last blink where Ryan stood, muttering cheerily, "See you soon."


    When Evan jolted awake, he still felt the heat from Ryan''s thumb linger on his head.