The End Foreseen

chapter four

When I open the door I see that the storm subsided to a drizzle. It's darker than usual outside because of the still dense cloud cover combined with the approach of dusk. I step out, taking a deep breath of the crisp, fall air, the smell of the rain making me feel a little more relaxed than I was. I walk aimlessly, my flip-flops slapping against the wet pavement. Electricians are working on the blown transformer a few blocsks down, their floodlights casting eerie shadows on the otherwise empty street.

I continue past them, the hum of their equipment fading, replaced by the rhythmic patter of rain and the occasional rustle of leaves. In the distance, a dog starts barking and I think nothing of it. The quiet is both soothing and unsettling, giving me too much space to think.

The image of the green-eyed woman flashes in my mind, burned into my memory, her words echoing: “Beware of the signs.”

What signs? What the hell is going on?

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts away, and focus instead on the sound of my footsteps. They’re steady, deliberate, grounding me in the moment.

The memory of my mom and my last visit with her at the mental ward intrudes on my thoughts. She was so drugged up she didn't recognize me at first. I could feel my chest tightening at the memory. The houses thin out as I wander farther, giving way to a dense forest on one side of the road. The smell of wet earth and moss fills my lungs as I pause to take it all in.

A distant bark cuts through the quiet, followed by another, closer this time. My unease grows, but I tell myself it’s nothing. Probably just neighborhood dogs being dogs.

I start to wonder how long I've been walking. At least an hour now. I didn't look at the time when I left but I'm figuring it's probably about 5 o'clock. Especially with how fast the light is fading.

'I should probably start heading back.', I think, as drops of rain caress my hair and face. I rest my hand against one of the trees, feeling its rough surface and look up at the sky and closing my eyes and let nature release me from my anxiety, if only for a moment. I lower my head again and open my eyes. Things aren't so bad with moments like this. I’m grateful to the gods for this small gift and I take a quick moment to thank them.

I still feel restless and as I look over at the treeline, feeling a strange pull, like the trees are calling to me. Before I realize it, I’ve stepped off the road and into the woods. The ground is soft and damp beneath my feet, muffling my steps. The air feels heavier here, charged with something I can’t quite name. I push through low-hanging branches, the leaves brushing against my skin like whispers.

Eventually, I stumble into a clearing. Wild mint carpets the ground, their purple flowers appear luminous in the dim light. The sweet, sharp scent fills the air, a stark contrast to the tension knotted in my chest. For a moment, breathing in the tranquility of the space, I feel at peace. Then, the barking returns. It’s frantic, desperate, and much closer now. The sound is joined by the snap of branches and heavy footfalls some distance away, my unease returns quickly. My heart races as I scan the tree line. Someone—or something—is barreling through the woods, heading straight for me.

A figure crashes into the clearing, falling to the ground before scrambling to its feet. Its movements are jerky and unnatural, like a puppet with tangled strings, contorting and snapping with every move it makes. Its eerie movements make my spine tingle with tension. The sound of snapping bones echoes across the clearing as its body continues to move mechanically, one spot shifting into a grotesque form while another snaps and shifts into a nearly human appearance. I could see long claws at the end of its fingers and jagged teeth filling its mouth.

I freeze, my breath catching in my throat as the figure turns toward me, its head snapping sharply to look at me. Its face is wrong—deformed and inhuman. The skin stretches and twists as though it doesn’t quite fit. Black eyes, bloodshot and glistening, lock onto mine. The thing lets out a guttural growl, its jagged teeth bared in a horrifying grin and charges toward me at full speed, the saliva foaming at its mouth flying away with its movement.

I stumble backward, tripping over my own feet and catching myself against a tree. My arm suddenly starts to burn where the rune is etched, the pain sharp and searing. Before I can comprehend what’s happening, a surge of energy erupts from the mark, flooding through me like liquid fire.

The creature lunges, but it never reaches me. An unseen force slams into it, sending it hurtling backward into a tree. It slams head-first with a sickening thud and a snap that I assume is its neck. The thing crumples to the ground, twitching violently before going still. I stare at its lifeless body, my chest heaving as adrenaline surges through me. The burn on my arm fades to a dull ache, and I cradle it against my chest, shaking.

I turn around quickly and start running out of the woods wanting to leave the creature far behind me. The trees and bushes grab at my hair and clothes, scraping my skin as I run. Breaking through the tree line back onto the street, I stop for a moment to catch my breath. The neighborhood dogs are still barking wildly. I look around frantically but other than the dogs there are no signs of life.

“What the f**k…” I whisper, the words barely audible over the pounding in my ears. The sound of an animalistic scream pierces the air coming from the direction I just came. It's not dead. Panic takes over, and I turn, running as fast as my legs will carry me, another feral scream echoing behind me.

I run for what feels like an eternity. My lungs start to feel like they're going to explode and my legs start to feel like giving out but I keep going. Forcing myself beyond my limit.

'Not far now.', I think. Looking over my shoulder expecting to see the thing's twisted, shifting face behind me. But there is nothing. I don't even hear the dogs barking anymore. I'm a few blocks from my house now and I stop running.

I lean forward, putting my hands on my knees, panting heavily. Sweat drips down my face, mixing with the rainwater and stinging my eyes. Everything is still so calm and quiet as if that thing never existed. The sun is almost fully set now and it's getting dark quickly. I straighten up and look around again then I start walking the last few blocks home.

I question the world internally,'Could I have hallucinated that whole thing? Maybe even the whole day...' Thinking about that abomination and the green eyed woman, I start to seriously question my sanity. The street lights flicker on as I turn down my street. My heart finally slowing down to a reasonable pace, letting me breathe normally again. The rain is starting to pick up and I begin to shiver as the temperature drops.

I see the porch light like a warm beacon of safety. I stumble up the walkway and pull open the screen door, creaking as I do so. Stepping into the warm house, I allow it to bounce shut behind me.

“Ana!” I call out, my voice shaky. “I’m back!”

From the kitchen, Ana’s voice rings out. “Right on time. I decided we’d have tacos tonight.” The smell of carne asada fills the air, momentarily distracting me from the chaos of the last couple hours. My stomach growls, but the anxiety bubbling in my chest refuses to ease.

I walk into the kitchen, drenched and shivering. Ana looks up from the stove, her brow furrowing. “Jesus, Izzy, you’re soaked! You’re going to catch a cold.”

I reach for a piece of sizzling meat from the pan, popping it into my mouth. It burns, but the flavor is worth it.

“What are you doing?” Ana swats at me with the spatula. “Get out of here!”

Grinning despite myself, I retreat. “Alright, alright. I’m going to take a shower.” I head down the hallway to my bedroom, grabbing dry clothes before disappearing into the bathroom.

The shower is scalding, the water washing away the grime of the forest and the lingering fear clinging to my skin. The scent of roses from my favorite body wash fills the air, calming my nerves. But no amount of heat or soap can erase the memory of the creature—the way its body twisted, the sound of its bones snapping, the raw hatred in its blackened eyes. I press my forehead against the cool tile, the water streaming down my back.

“What the hell is happening?” I whisper to myself. The rune on my arm tingles faintly, almost as if in response.

After my shower, I slip into clean pajamas and wander back to the kitchen, water dripping from my damp hair leaving faint trails of water on the floor. A plate piled with tacos waits for me on the counter, and Ana is already on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV.

I grab my plate and join her, curling up on the other end of the sectional. For a while, we eat in silence, the TV droning in the background.

Ana breaks the silence first. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah,” I lie, though the food does help settle my stomach.

She eyes me but doesn’t press. Instead, she changes the subject. “So, are we just going to pretend you didn’t come home looking like you saw a ghost?” I hesitate, considering whether to tell her about the creature in the woods. But the memory feels too raw, too surreal to put into words.

“Yeah,” I finally say, forcing a smile. “Let’s pretend.”

Ana shakes her head, chuckling softly. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

We spend the rest of the night watching cheesy horror movies, cracking jokes at the characters’ bad decisions. For a little while, I almost forget about the rune, the woman, and the creature. Almost.

At some point, Ana calls it a night, leaving me alone with the flickering glow of the TV. I stretch out on the couch, getting more comfortable. The storm outside is finally quieting down again, and the steady hum of the gentle rain lulls me into a fragile sense of peace.