Short Story: The Thing

As I, Tracy Boardman, run across the forest floor, it chases me. It is as tall as five men, and as wide as a bear. I remember how it all started...

I was going to a cabin with my family in the woods of Ontario, Canada.

It was a brisk summer morning and my dog, Trainer, had just before past away.

My dad had told me "when you breathe in the pine forest air, you forget all your troubles." I had told him I did not want to go about 50 times but he insisted.

When I got into the cabin, it looked like something from a horror movie. Spider webs hung from the ceiling and there were blood stains EVERYWHERE. A big machete lay on the floor, covered in pus and blood.

"Here we are!" My mom says as she lands her bag down on the floor. "Great spot, ain't it?" My dad says. "More like death spot" my little brother murmurs. I laugh.

That night something rattles the door. My parents are asleep. "What do you think it is?" My brother asks. "I don't know" I say.

The wall bursts down. My brother screams. "Mom! Dad!" I yell.

I see a big figure push through the cabin. A bear? I think. No. It's too big. It approaches my parents. My brother and I both scream. It eats them whole. I grab my brother and run towards the door. 

Once we're in the woods I tell him to run. "I'm not going to leave you," he says, his words shaky. 

"I'm going to lead it away," I say. Then I will come back for you. Hide in that bush over there." 

After a while of arguing he goes into the bush. It bursts out of the cabin. I run. I am panting. It's still there. 

As I, Tracy Boardman, run across the forest floor, it chases me. It is as tall as five men, and as wide as a bear. I remember how it all started. Then I remember my brother. I can't die. Not now. I make a turn. And another. And another. I am running in zig zags. My plan is working. When I turn, it turns. Left, right, left, right, left, right. I see a rock ahead to my left. This is it. I keep going. Past the rock. I hear a loud crumble. I look behind me. It smashed into the rock. I am safe.

I make my way back to my little brother. We will have to walk home. There are no phones around. Who knows what that thing was, but we are safe... for now.