A group of sheriffs left their cars, accompanied by their dogs, and ventured into the woods. With flashlights in hand, they trudged forward, the dogs' loud barks echoing through the trees. The officers seemed to be searching for something, their gazes scanning the surroundings as they approached the woods.
Meanwhile, in a beautiful house nearby, Scott was busy with his morning routine. He made his bed, then headed downstairs to pump some iron for a while. Feeling refreshed, he walked over to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Suddenly, he heard a creepy sound outside. Cautious, Scott stepped out into the yard, gripping a stick tightly in his hand, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Just then, his friend Stiles emerged from nowhere, shouting "Boom!" Scott startled, almost hitting Stiles with the stick due to the sudden fright. "What are you doing here?" Scott demanded, still catching his breath.
"I called you, but you didn't answer your phone," Stiles replied, chuckling. "And why are you holding a bat?"
"I thought you were a predator," Scott said, relieved but still wary.
Stiles said, "So, I saw Dad leave about 20 minutes ago. There was a dispatch call - they're bringing in every officer from the Beacon Hill department and even the state police." Scott raised an eyebrow. "For what?" Stiles replied, "They found a body in the woods."
"Dead body?" Scott asked, his curiosity piqued. Stiles climbed over the stairs, grinning. "Yes, dumb ass, dead body. Nobody knows yet, but there was a girl, maybe in her early 20s." Scott frowned. "If they found the body, what are we looking for?" Stiles' eyes sparkled mischievously. "That's the best part - they only found half of her body."
Without another word, they headed to Stiles' Jeep and drove to the woods. As they arrived, Scott hesitated. "Are we seriously doing this? I was trying to get a good night's sleep before practice tomorrow." Stiles grabbed Scott's arm, pulling him into the woods. "Sitting on the bench is such an effort." Scott protested, "No, I'm playing this year. In fact, I'm going to make the first line." Stiles chuckled. "That's the spirit."
Scott's curiosity got the better of him. "Which half of the body are we looking for?" he asked Stiles. Stiles hesitated, "I didn't even think about it." Scott's eyes widened, "What if the person who killed her is out here?" Stiles' expression turned serious, "I didn't think of that either."
As they climbed a small hill in the woods, Scott struggled to catch his breath and pulled out his inhaler. Suddenly, flashlights flickered, and dogs and officers emerged from the darkness. They lay flat, observing from afar. Stiles whispered, "It's okay, come on," before taking off running. Scott followed, inhaling deeply from his inhaler.
A dog barked, and Stiles fell. Scott hid behind a nearby tree. "Stay right there!" an officer commanded. But then, a familiar voice intervened. "Hey, hang on. This little brat belongs to me." Stiles stood up, grinning. "Dad, how are you?" His dad smiled back. "Do you listen to all my phone calls?" Stiles chuckled. "No, well, just the interesting ones, not the boring ones."
Stiles' dad asked, "So, where's your usual partner in crime?"
"You mean Scott?" Stiles replied. "He's home, resting for the first day of school tomorrow. It's just me in the woods."
His dad swept the flashlight around, calling out, "Scott, are you out there?" No one answered. He shouted again, "Scott, are you there?" Still, no response.
"I'm going to walk you to my car, young man," his dad said sternly, "and we'll discuss something called invasion of privacy."
Scott, hiding behind a tree, waited until they left before walking back into the darkness. The owl's haunting hoots and wolf's howls filled the air. Suddenly, a creepy sound sent shivers down his spine.
Reaching for his inhaler, Scott shook it, put it to his mouth, and took a deep breath. Just then, a group of deer thundered toward him, startling Scott. His inhaler slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground.
The deer rushed past, surrounding him for 40 seconds, before vanishing into the darkness. Shaken, Scott stood up, fumbling for his phone to use the torch. He desperately searched for his lost inhaler, his heart racing with fear.
Scott's search through the woods had been fruitless until that moment. Suddenly, he stumbled upon a gruesome sight: the upper part of a girl's head and shoulder, severed from her body. Overcome with fear, Scott lost his footing and tumbled down the small hill. His phone slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground.
As he struggled to stand, a searing pain shot through his body. But he refused to give in. Just then, a rustling in the underbrush caught his attention. He turned slowly, and his heart sank. A wolf emerged, its eyes fixed on Scott.
The wolf pounced, pinning Scott to the ground. Its jaws snapped, biting deep into Scott's flesh. But Scott managed to break free, sprinting out of the woods as fast as his legs could carry him. Finally, he reached the road, gasping for breath.
A car careened around the corner, narrowly avoiding hitting him. Scott's relief was short-lived, however, as a sharp pain stabbed at his stomach. He lifted his pullover to reveal a bite wound. Panic set in.
The next day, Scott rode his bicycle to school, his mind still reeling. As he parked, a car door swung open, striking him. Scott turned to face the driver, Jackson, who merely said, "Watch out," before speeding off.
Scott's anger flared, but he bit back his retort. Instead, he locked up his bike and joined the stream of students flowing into the school.
Scott met up with Stiles and revealed, "I've been bitten." He lifted his shirt, showing Stiles the bandaged wound. Stiles' eyes widened. "Wow, sorry, man! A wolf beat you? Nah, not a chance."
Scott insisted, "I heard wolf howls. It was too dark to see much, but I'm pretty sure it was a wolf." Stiles chuckled. "No, you didn't.