HAUNTED PARK

Chapter 3

MAURICE

The moon is clear in the cloudless sky, it's unbelievable that heavy rains had pounded the park just a few hours ago.

The bizarre scenario I have just witnessed left me in shock and I can't think, I really fear for my life as I hold tightly to the tree branches. I have worked in this park for many years and what I have just seen is inexplicable. Wild animals never attack humans without good reason and when they do it's not for food but mostly to protect their territory. But then what I have seen are not wild animals but humans who can transform into some weird creatures.

From the tree top I can't see any signs of leftovers where they feasted on my client. Everything was eaten, even the bones.

Josh is dead, I can't belief it but he has brought it to himself. He refused to run away in the face of trouble, defying the basic rules of survival.

The night is so young and I don't know what I will do in case the animals come back. We deliberately left for this expedition without phones so any kind of communication to the outside world is ruled out. I have to get out of here alive and explain to the authorities what happened to Josh.

The temperatures start dropping and I start freezing in my hideout. In the clear moon I can see animals moving around at random, uninterested in me. These are the ordinary game that is unharmful to humans, not the animals that ate up Josh.

I need to get down and dash to where our tent was to look for warm clothing. I can still see the bags in the clear moonlight and I only need to rush there, grab a heavy coat and head back here.

The forest is engulfed in heavy silence, no sound from any animal or bird and the moon is so clear it looks like daylight and I start descending from the tree. I look around again just to make sure that there's no dangerous animal around, I am not ready to be eaten.

At the base of the tree I look again, then sure that no animal is nearby I dash out quickly. My mission is to open my bag and remove a coat then rush back to the tree.

I sprint through the open ground, now clearly illuminated by the moon and in a few seconds I am rummaging through my bag looking for the heavy cloth when someone pats my back and I freeze. I sense danger as my nerves shrink inside my spine. I turn my head slowly and look behind and what I see puzzles me to the core.

Behind me stands a slender woman beautifully dressed, her hair fluttering in the mild wind. Her face is white, like chalk and I can see her teeth protruding from her lips. I know that I am dead already, this is the same woman who was chasing Josh uphill earlier. My heart is tearing my chest away and I am taking deep breathes and I notice that I am sweating in this cold night. I know that I can not out sprint her so I remain in my squatting position, awaiting my fate. I only hope that it doesn't take long because my heart is now aching inside from excessive beating.

She is in no hurry to harm me and I stand up to face her.

It's at that juncture that she is joined by other human looking forms who have materialized from nowhere. Could they be spirits?

They seem to be waiting for a signal from her to attack me and I am now ready for it. I have said my final prayers and I am ready to depart from earth. But she does nothing, just staring at me. I stare back and I can see her clearly now. She is beautiful except for the teeth that make her look like a bloodsucker.

After a minute she gives a signal and her troops close on me, making low pitched grunts, their mouths oozing of a viscous liquid and their tongues out loose. I notice the same protruding teeth and right there I close my eyes and hold my breathe. I am as good as dead.

Nothing happens.

When I open my eyes again her friends are gone, vanished. She beckons me to get closer and I wobble towards her, all my strength is gone. She smells awful, like rotten eggs. I don't fear her now as I am resigned to whatever she has in store for me.

She whispers something that is quickly blown away by the breeze. Then she says it again and I hear a few words.

“Josh.. had to die.....go away and never come back.”

I can only assemble that sentence after much thinking because she's barely audible. She points towards the forest, indicating the way I should follow to get me out and away.

Wasting no time I put on the jacket I had removed from my bag and as I strap the bag on my back she gestures for me to leave it there. I comply but as I place it down I grab Josh's camera and start moving.

“Run."

That command is more audible than anything else she has said. Then as I look back to her I see nothing. She has vanished. I get some strength and get into motion. I run down the slope into the forest and as I negotiate my way around trees I hear a loud laughter echoing through the forest.

I keep running for about an hour until I emerge from the deep woods. I can now see the city's lights a distance away and I estimate that there must be a road leading through the forest. I have a feeling that I am being followed and I don't want to encounter those creatures again. I had heard about ghosts in these forests and ignored them but now I know better.

I spot vehicles lights about a kilometer from where I am and as I resume running I see something slivering through the trees. I don't wait to find out what it is, I keep running till I reach the tarmac road and turn towards the general direction of the city.

Darkness has increased as the moon is now covered by heavy clouds but inside the trees there's some light. I don't give much attention to that as I am busy running for my life.

A vehicle emerges from the other side and I get in the middle of the road, hands raised up. It's a small car and the driver screeches to a halt only a few inches from me.

“Please get me out of here.” I beg.

The door opens and I get in and the car moves towards the city. I can see the creatures now, running after the car but it faster than them. I heave a sigh of relief.

I am in the back seat and the driver has not said a thing when minutes later the car pulls up in the outskirts. I hear the locks clicking open and the driver looks back to face me.

She is the same girl in the forest, I can see that,but she gives me no time to think.

“You're safe now. Get out.” Her voice, now guttural,says.

I grab the camera and move out. Then the car makes a u-turn and speeds back towards the forest.