The Forest of Death There once was a town that was built beside a forest, a dark- evil forest, anyone who went in never came back. You could hear screams, crying, and evil laughter. No one has ever went towards or near the forest since 1823, for kidnapping small children, teens and adults, who stayed near the Forest of Death.


The trip
We were on our way to our new house, Mom and Dad had found on the Internet for a low price. I never did like moving because I had to make new friends, then we’d move while I got transferred to another school in the middle of the year.

“This time how about we settle down and not move for a while.” I said, with a frown on my face.

Surely my parents aren't that stupid to keep moving, their excuse is work. Then my mom groaned and looked back at me. She turned her body to where we were face to face, the car wasn't big, but Mom sure did make it look bigger. She gave me the look that she always has when she’s upset.

“You’re upset.”
“Damn right I’m upset.”
“Why just because of my complement, it is true so leave me alone fat ass!”

Dad pulled over on the interstate at a rest area.

“Don’t call your mother that, have some respect.”
“Why, I already had to leave my girlfriend and friends behind. Well, now that I think of it I’m glad I ditched her, she cheated on me anyway.”
“Well you keep acting like you are now, you’ll get girls like that!”

I turned away and looked at my little sister.She just sat there like nothing happened. As we got closer to the house she acted scared.

“Mom, Stacie is scared, look she doesn't like it here.”

“She’ll get use to it.” said Dad as he got out of the car and looked at the house.
“That is one ugly freaking house.”
“All it needs is a little life, that's all.”
“A little life, I hate it here already.”

Mom picked Stacie up and gave her to me.

“Take her inside while your father and I get everything out of the trunk.”
“When will the movers get here?”

Dad looked at me.

“Around six o’clock, that’s the earliest time.”
“Six o’clock at night or in the morning?”
“Morning.”

Great just what I need, to sleep on a hard wooden floor. I looked at the house next door, no one was there only darkness and the forest. I put my sister down, when I looked up a girl around my age was standing in front of me.

“Hello?”
“Hi, what’s your name, mine is Allison Greyson, you?”
“ Samuel Rushton, this is my little sister Stacie.”

Stacie smiled a big smile that she hardly shown, she only smiled like that if she really liked someone. Allison picked her up and held her.

“Where do you live?”
“Next door two houses down.”

My Dad looked up and walked over. He shook her hand.

“What’s your name?”
“Allison Greyson.”
“Well I’m Sam’s father, Mike Rushton.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Oh, and that is my wife over there, Melissa.”
“Well I just told Samuel that I live two houses down the street.”
“So where is your parents?”
“Well they died two weeks ago they wondered off in the forest and never returned, that’s why they named the forest The forest of Death.”

Allison looked at me and put Stacie down.

“You wanna walk around with me?”
“Sure.”

She grabbed my hand and we walked down the street, turned right, and headed for a playground that was run down.

“Where is everyone?”
“They’re dead.”
“What?”
“The people in the forest take innocent people in their sleep and drag them in the forest where they kill them, my family was the last, but I got away before they killed me, my......parents..were....murdered.”

She was crying, I looked at her.

“If you want you could stay with me and my family.”
“That’s very kind, thank you.”
“No prob.”

We walked back to my house and she helped unpack everything in the morning. She slept in my sister’s room on the mattress on the floor, I got up in the morning to take a shower.

“Mom, where is the hot water?”
“We won’t get it until next Tuesday Sam!”
“Great, now I’m living in a dump.”
“Sorry, I can’t change the house.”
“I hate it here!”

Then I took a cold shower, which made me feel like I would catch hypothermia, I had to go in my room after I got dressed and pull the covers over me. It took awhile to get warm but it was worth it.

“ Samuel are you up?”
“Yeah Allison, I’m up, come in.”
“Alright!”

She came in a sat on my bed. She then turned towards me sitting crised-crossed and stared at me.

“So, how did you sleep?”
“Great, you?”
“ Mm mm, not very good.”
“Aww, that’s not good, clear your mind then sleep, it helps you dream.”
“I’ll try that.”

She got up, looked out the window and glared at the forest, she sighed and looked sad.

“So, why is the forest dangerous?”
“I told you yesterday, they come for you, it won’t be long before they come for your family.”
“Where do they take you?”
“Anywhere, they just....”
“Kill you.”

She looked at me, then sat back down she leaned against the wall and was quiet.

“Sam, Allison dinner!”

We were silent and stared at each other, then there was a scream from outside, my sister was gone.

“STACIE!” I said while running downstairs, I got outside and looked around, no sign of her anywhere.

“Where is Stacie?”
“Mom, she.. she’s gone, the people of the forest got her!”
“ Samuel Rushton I will not stand for this nonsense, where is your little sister?!”
“I told you, why don’t you believe me?
“Don’t you talk back at me young man!”
“But.”
“NO BUTS!!”

I gave her a mean look and ran into the forest. I had to find my little sister, she was my only sibling, and I cared about her a lot.

“ Samuel, Come Back!”

I couldn't give up and listen to Allison she wouldn't understand, she may of lost her family, but I’m not losing mine. She might understand, but there is no turning back, I have to save my sister.

“STACIE!!”

I yelled her name but there was no reply, was she dead, murdered, I shook my head to remove my thoughts but they kept coming back. Was she? I had to find out.

“Stacie, can you hear me!”

Still no reply, I ran faster, jumped over logs, then stopped to the sound of laughter.

“Hello, is someone there?”
“Hehehehehahah.”
“Come out and show yourself.”

Then a high pitch voice that sent tingles up my spine when it spoke.

“As you insist.”
Then a little creature with sharp claws, teeth, and a hideous face, with glowing red eyes came out of the darkness, my sister was on his back with sharp horns that went through her, she was dead.

“You bastard, you killed my sister!”
“She won’t be the only one, you’re next, then your parents, it’s been a long time since I've ate something so delicious.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“Well to you I am but to me it’s a way to survive.”

I looked at the creature as disgust covered my face, ‘what the hell was this thing’ I thought, it wasn't normal, it was a monster on the forest, Allison was right, now I was lost in the middle of the forest and had no idea how to get back. I felt tears run down my face.

“You killed my sister, you BASTARD!!”

I picked a sharp stick up and stabbed it in the head until there was nothing left of its skull and brain, I had killed it, but my sister didn't make it, I then buried her and walked through the forest to find out how to get out. I walked and walked until I started to walk in circles, I was lost in the Forest of Death, and my parents were probably worried sick. I heard a shuffle in the bushes and a big creature like the small one I had killed stood in front of me, glaring into my eyes, its eyes glowing red, its body black as night. It was drooling green goo, and had a high pitch scream that made my ears hurt. It ran towards me, I dodged it and when I glanced at its back my mother was lying dead like my sister on its back with blood seeping out of her chest and mouth.

“Mom?”

I whispered, I had to get home to Dad and Allison, I got up and ran the direction it had came, I was home, my father still in the backyard like nothing had happened.

“Dad!?”

He turned around and smiled.

“So did you find your sister?”
“Well, ye-a-no?”
“Son?”

He said while raising his voice.

“Well I found her, in the forest but these creatures killed her and Mom.”
“Your mother is in the house.”
“No, go check.”

Dad and I went in the house and there was a blood trail leading through the door and into the woods.

“I told you.”
“We need to leave now.”
“Alright, I’ll pack important things.”

I packed up and we got in the car, then Allison ran towards us, she got in the car and was panicking.

“Drive!”
“Why?”
“Do it!”

Dad pressed the gas making the tires burn rubber, and off we went, we drove to the next town that was two miles away, but the woods were still there. We rented a hotel room and went to bed.
“Allison, what were those things?”
“The ones I told you about before your sister went missing, well they are the creatures of the forest, they sense fear.”
“So what if you’re not afraid?”
“Everyone has fear all the time, even if you don’t show it, they still sense it.”

I turned and looked at the ceiling, ‘ Great, I knew we shouldn't of come here’ I thought to myself. Allison, was in the bed beside me, I heard it thunder and lightning outside, my father in the next room sleeping, all of a sudden Allison jumped in the bed with me and hugged me.”

“What are you doing?”
“I’m scared of thunderstorms, it was like the day my parents were killed.”
“Fine, but do you have to hold on to me?”
“Does it bother you?”
“ Never mind.”

I said as I mumbled. I finally fell asleep, and woke up to a sound of someone scratching the walls down the hall, and then a loud high pitch scream. Allison woke up and held me tightly making my breath get pushed out of my lungs. I whispered to her while my lungs were getting no air.

“Allison I can’t breathe.”

She looked at me and released her arms, while I took a silent deep breath, we got up and tip-toed to the door, was that thing in the house, and if it was, was dad alright? I had these questions circle around in my head, then my Dad screamed. We ran into his room, and there he was holding a butcher knife he got from his bag, with blood dripping from it, and the same creature I saw on the floor with a decapitated head.

“Dad?”

He was breathing hard, and turned around, with a big evil smile. Allison and I ran to my room and locked the door, as we panicked in fear I looked at her confused.

“What is wrong with him?”
“That creature he killed, the blood absorbed in his skin making him turn against us.”
“Then why didn't the creature I killed do that to me?”
“The one on the floor in there was white, the white ones have the blood that does that to a person, the black ones are dangerous but their blood is harmless to humans, that’s why.”
“ So he’s turning?”
“Yeah, he’s going crazy right now, but by tomorrow he should be a white creature like the one on the floor in his room.”

I was still surprised that he had a butcher knife and was standing there like a mad man. He was just standing there like nothing was there, he gave me the look like he was going to kill me, was he not there anymore, was the creature already taking control over his brain, was Allison right about the white creature, will he try to kill me? I mean he was my father we can’t die, because then when I graduate high school who will pay for my college? I know I can’t. Allison stared at the door as if she was waiting for the door to slam open and be killed by my dad who was now just a monster, I looked at the door, waiting as well.

“Do you think he’s gone?”
“I doubt it, he’s probably just waiting there for us to unlock the door and leave, he can sense our fear, he knows we’re here.”
“Great, now we are in trouble, this is how I’m going to die, huh, well it was fun while it lasted.”
“Listen to yourself, you’re giving up, you’re not being yourself, when your sister went missing you didn't stop until you found her, and now you just decide to stand around and give up.”

She was right, I had to change my point of view back to my original self, I had to go out there and deal with him myself.

“Where are you going?”
“ Going to fix this.”

I unlocked the door and ran to the kitchen where he was, he just stood there looking out the window, and spikes starting to come out of his back, he was changing.

“Dad?”

He turned and looked at me, he swung his arm back then forward making the butcher knife dig in my upper right side of my chest, my blood seeping out on the floor while he walked up to me, and from his sleeve came his left hand with sharp long claws, he brang his arms back, before he swung forward I mumbled one last thing to say to my dad.

“You were the greatest Dad I could ever ask for but now forgive me, it’s time for you to leave and live on.”

I grabbed the knife’s handle and pulled it out of my chest, stood up, swung my hand backward then forward with strong force, cutting the creature who had took my father, it’s head off, it fell to the ground and I stood there. I picked it up and the body and threw it in the fire pit I had made outside, I watched as the dead corpse burned into ashes, my father was free. Allison came outside and I just stood there with no emotion on my face and no fear.

“ Samuel, are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You seem...emotionless.”
“So?”
“What’s wrong?”

I made my hands form a fist and raised my voice.

“I just killed my father, you think I wanted to go through that, my mother is dead, my sister is dead, and now I’m alone!”
“But...”
“But what!?”
“You’re not alone, I care, how do you think I felt when my parents died.”
“Yeah, but you didn't kill one of them!”
“Lower your voice, you’ll attract their attention.”
“You’re worried about their attention, cause I sure don’t!”
“ Samuel.”
“It’s SAM!”
“Alright S...A...M, I just don’t want anyone to get hurt..”
“You should worry about yourself.”
“I also don’t want you to get hurt.”

I turned away and was surprised, was she actually saying this, I couldn't believe my ears, did she like me?

“Why?”
“Why, well you have been there for me, and try to stay calm and tell me to be alright, you may of killed your father, I had to kill the whole town.”
“What?”
“You heard me, the white creatures came to the town two weeks ago and attacked every adult, my parents were killed by the black ones, but everyone else was killed my their parents, and after I escaped the ones that killed my parents, all the adults came after me when I found my way back, but some are still alive in my basement.”
“Why would you keep them?”
“I didn't they crawled through the window by themselves, I just acted like I wasn't home.”
“You know what.”
“What?”
“You are the craziest person I've ever meet, that’s what I like about you.”
“Well you are the strangest boy I've ever meet, that’s what I like about you.”

Then the bushes moved making the leaves make sound, then a loud deep scream. A white figure jumped out behind the bushes, and charged at me. I pushed Allison out of the way as it’s claws dug into my belly, I could feel my intestines get cut and bleed as pain shot up and down my body, then it pushed me against a tree and screamed in my face, it’s breath making me want to hold my breath, I knocked out.

“Sam... Sam!”

I could barely open my eyes, and saw Allison, she was blurry and blood covered my body, the creature had left, it wanted to kill me.

“Sam you’re bleeding badly, we need you to get to a hospital.”
“All..is..on,... I feel ….w...w...”
“Feel.”
“weak.”

I coughed up blood and my hands were covered in blood, I was bleeding to death.

“All..ison...help..me.”
“Alright, I’ll use..”
“Here..us.e ...my..c...ell...ph..one.”
“Okay.”
She was crying and called 911, she was stuttering and shaking, she told them where we were, and what was wrong with me, she got off the phone when they told her they were on their way. When they got there, there was blood around me.

“Kid, are you alive.”
“Y...e..a...h.”
“Quick, get him in the ambulance, he’s lost to much blood!”

They put me on a bed thing and put me in the ambulance. Then gave me oxygen, as I breathed the oxygen they worked to stop the bleeding, Allison held my hand, and was crying, then everything went black. I had died in the hospital, then watched as they tried to revive me, finally on the fourth try I entered back into my body in a blink of an eye, I was brought back to life.

“You are a lucky boy.”

The doctor said as he patted my back.

“Where is Allison.”
“She’s in the waiting room, you died in the last minute of finishing surgery, you’re lucky we were sewing you back together, or you would of been dead, you are one strong boy, you’re a fighter.”

I lifted the hospital cover up, and saw a big bandage around my waist and belly, they had saved my life. Allison ran into the room to see me, her eyes filled with tears of joy.

“You’re alive!”
“Yep, and if you didn't call them I would of died by that tree.”
“I’m just happy you’re alright.”

She hugged me gently and sat in a chair by my bed, then a nurse came in.

“ Samuel Rushton?”
“Yeah.”
“I”m here to see how you are doing, need to take your blood pressure and heart beat, to see if it is regular, you've lost a lot of blood, so we need to change the bag to new blood, and your blood type is AB positive, very rare, we need a blood donor.”

Allison stood up.

“I’m AB positive, I’ll do it.”
“Well alright go with Nurse Stacie, while I finish up in here.”
“Alright.”

She walked with Nurse Stacie while the other nurse worked on me, then they came back with a bag of blood twenty minutes later, then hooked it up and to my vein in my arm, I fell asleep. I woke up at six o’clock in the morning, Allison was asleep, I got up and unhooked everything from me and unplugged the machine that tracked my heart beat so she wouldn't think I died, but I left the IV in my arm and held the handle and walked with it down the hall. I heard drilling in the surgery room, I looked in and saw a doctor cutting a man up as he was alive, he had a gag in his mouth, while the doctor cut his limbs off one by one. I backed away and ran down the hall, then a nurse passed in front of me with human limbs and their organs, she pulled a knife out from underneath the cart and tried to stab me, I grabbed her arm and forced the knife back at her direction, the knife cut into her skin until all you could see was the handle. I then ran back to my room where Allison woke, I covered her mouth with my hand and forced her in the closet with me. Then released my hand, we whispered.


“What’s wrong?”
“Shh, this is a fucking killer hospital.”
“What?”
“The doctors are crazy.”
“Sam you’re going crazy.”

Then a man walked in the room and had a knife in his hand, he screamed with anger and threw equipment around.

“WHERE DID THEY GO!”

Allison and I waited for the doctor the leave then before we jumped out the window I unhooked the IV, then ran to the parking lot and high jacked a car. Then went down the interstate. We went back to the town to where this all started and a group of adults were in the street, before we entered I turned the car lights off, and the car. We walked the rest of the way. We went in my house.

“What do we do now?”
“I don’t know?”

I looked at Allison as she looked down at the ground at a picture of me and my family, she knew exactly how I felt, she’d lost her family, and I've just lost mine. She picked it up and put it in my dresser, then turned toward me, she stepped forward, and hugged me. I didn't know what to do, she was crying and my shirt was getting soaked in tears, I lifted her head, making it face me, I wiping her tears that ran down her cheeks. Then a sound of a window breaking filled the house. We looked at the door as footsteps filled the halls and stopped at the bedroom door. The handle moved back and forth, the door was locked, but somehow the door unlocked making the door click, and open. There was no one there.

“Hello?”
I looked confused ‘ Wasn't there someone here?’ Then I flew back into the wall, it felt like someone was holding me against it, I couldn't move, the stitches in my chest were getting loose, then blood covered my shirt, ‘Was this it, was I going to die?’ ‘No’ I put my hands on the wall then applied pressure on the force pushing me, until it left. I lifted my shirt and with amazement covering my face, my stitches weren't even loose, they weren't even pulled apart, but how was there blood on my shirt?


“Sam are you alright?”
“Did you see what happened?!”
“Yeah, you were pushed against the wall by....”
“By what?”
“By the leader of the creatures, it’s marked you and will try anything to kill you now.”

I looked at my shirt then looked at the door, I walked down the hall, and a huge creature that had long claws, long sharp canines, and horns going down it’s back stood there breathing slowly, I couldn't tell what color it was, it looked like a shadow. It’s eyes glowing green while the others glowed red, this creature was powerful, I've been marked.

“Weak human.”

The creature said in a low deep voice.

“Weak human, you may of killed my servants but this is just the beginning, I will kill you and you will fall, this town will be mine.”

‘What the f*** was this thing talking about?’

“What do you mean?”
“You will fall, after this town my servants will spread throughout the world and take control over every single human in the entire universe.”
“Oh yeah, well you’ll have to kill me first before you go around any other human.”
“We’ll see once you’re dead.”

It disappeared into the darkness, a battle between a human and thousands of creatures has begun. I wasn't going to fail at keeping innocent lives in the hands of a monster, the world is in danger, and lives will be lost but I’ll have to try really hard to over rule this, bastard.

“Allison?”

I called down the hall. She walked down the hall slowly.

“Allison are you alright?”
“Is it gone?”
“Yeah it just left.”

She grabbed my shirt forcing me to her, then we kissed. I waited for her to move away then looked at her in shock.
‘What the hell just happened?’ I thought.
She then moved slowly into the living room, and sat down on the couch. Ever since I almost died she’s been acting strange, I've noticed she’s been quiet and her nails were getting long, did the creature get her as well, it stabbed me, but did it get her, making her turning into one very slowly. I went to the bathroom and put soap in my mouth and lips, then rinsed with hot water. It didn't swallow my saliva when she kissed me, I kept my mouth shut. I just had to make sure all the germs were gone. I didn't want to become one of them. I had to get away from her.

‘I could go out the bedroom window.’ I thought to myself. I went in my bedroom window and climbed out silently, she was still on the couch, I checked before leaving, I jumped off the roof and ran into the forest.
I ran into a valley in the middle of the forest and stopped. I saw at least fifteen creatures, I was surrounded. I closed my eyes as they all jumped then a bright light flashed and all the creatures screamed, I opened my eyes and saw them as they turned into ashes, I turned to see a man with a a staff and an ancient uniform. He looked up at me and smirked.

“You know wondering in the woods is dangerous.”
“Yes, but I came in here on purpose.”
“Well, come with me.”
“Why?”
“To get out of these woods.”

He turned, walked to a house, and I followed.

“So, who are you?”
“The question is who are you?”
“ Samuel Rushton, call me Sam though, you?”
“Master Cato, from over 400,000 years ago.”

I starred at him in awe, I’m with a man who was ancient, maybe even history, but I've never even heard of the man. ‘What did he want with me?’ I thought as he went over to a fire in the middle of his house, he then used a slotted spoon to scoop soup, into a bowl. Then gave me it, it had carrots, peas, corn, beef, and green beans. It tasted really delicious, my mouth watered and he gave me some juice that tasted even more wonderful.

“This taste great, my taste buds are having a party in my mouth.”
“It’s an ancient recipe from when my people walked on earth, but what brings you here?”
“Well see, my family was...”
“Was killed by the creatures, I know I've been watching you.”
“Allison, can you help her before she changes?”
“I don’t know if her mind has already tooken the virus it will be to late, but there is still hope, make her follow you into the forest and to the river, the one behind my house.”
“Alright.”

I got up and ran back to get Allison, ‘what was she doing?’ I shook the thought away then kept going. I got to the house and she was still on the couch. she turned and looked at me, then ran toward me. She tackled me and held me down, her nails were long and sharp now and they went right through my arm and into the ground, she whispered things in my ears, things very nasty.

“ Allison snap out of it.”

She dug her nails in more and then relief filled my arms when Master Cato hit her with his staff making her fly backwards into a trashcan. She was knocked out and Cato carried her to the river as I followed leaving a trail of blood behind me, he set her in the river and said a chant then she turned back but we had to put her in the shed with chains to make sure she didn't change back.

“How long until we know she’s changed back to normal?”

Cato looked at me as he sighed.

“Two to three days maybe, it depends on if her mind was already tooken over.”
“Can you bring my family back?”
“I’m afraid I can’t bring the dead back to life, I guess you’ll just live with a fake family.”
“A fake family?”
“Yes, a family that is identical to yours but they are not real, they look alike and act alike, but they are simply not the family you would know.”
“So how do I get this so called family?”
“You earn it.”

A questionable look crossed my face, ‘What was he talking about, earn it?’ I shook my head to clear my thoughts and went to check on Allison.

“Allison, are you alright in there?”
“Sam is that you, what am I doing in this dark room, I can’t see anything, where are you?”
“Outside, you’re in the room to keep you contained, you were turning into a creature, how do you feel?”
“Normal, get me out.”

I looked at the lock, then ran back into the house to Master Cato.

“Can Allison come out yet, I think she’s back to normal.”
“She’s only at stage one, it will take two days, give it time, I know because I used to deal with this all the time when my people were alive.”
“But, she sounds normal.”
“It’s a trick, she may sound normal but does she look normal, trust me.”

Master Cato was right she may of sounded normal but she still could have the formations of the creature, I just had to wait two days, she had to wait two days, and the creatures, were everywhere, the city a few miles away wasn't safe. My mind focused on those creatures, those killers, innocent people would die and I had to stop them.

“You seem troubled, what’s bothering you?”
“Nothing.”
“The city, the people, the creatures?”
“Why do you saw that?”
“I read your thoughts, you’re worried, I can feel it.”
“Can you tell me where the nearest group of creatures are I feel like hitting something.”
“You’re not strong enough to fight the creatures yet, they will get stronger, they are made for that, but a human- no.”

‘What the hell was he thinking, I could do it.’ I thought.

“So you think you can do it, alright, fight Allison.”

He swung his arm back as power from the staff unlocked the shed door outside, letting Allison out.

“Allison is easy.”

I ran outside and she stood there starring at me.

“I told you I was normal.”

She was normal, ‘now what was I suppose to fight?’

“Allison, prove you are normal.”
“Sam I’m normal, I don’t remember what happened to me, what did I do?”
“Well, first of all you kissed me, but I knew you were trying to turn me as well so I didn't kiss you back, and then you tried to kill me.”
“I kissed you?”
“Yeah, let’s just pretend it didn't happen.”
“How?”
“Well first of all stop mentioning it.”
“Okay, but...”
“Don’t mention it.”

She stood there, her face blank and walked past me and sat down on a log.
“It’s hard trying not to think of it though.”

I looked at her, then sat down beside her, she was feeling embarrassed.

“I know how you feel.”
“No you don’t.”
“How do I not know how you feel?”
“Because, I guess when I was turning I was thinking of you and... I must of kissed you...because... I really...like...you.”

I was shocked of what she had just said, she had feelings for me, my mind went blank I didn't know what to say.

“You like me?”
“Yyyeess, I know what your thinking, guys just don’t like me, I knew you’d want to get away from me.”

I felt bad so, I put my hand under her chin and leaned in and kissed her, I don’t know why I did it, but I guess I did because her feelings and I wanted to show her I would never leave her.

“Why did you do that?” she said with a soft voice.
“Because I feel the same about you, and I would never leave you, the other guys, well they don’t know what they are missing.”

She smiled after that and hugged me, and I hugged her back.
Master Cato came outside and stood there.

“Well, you were right Sam, she was normal, I can see you two are getting closer to each other each day you’re together.”

Master Cato smiled and we all went inside to sleep for the night.

The next day Allison was laying beside me and faced the wall, she was in a deep sleep, I got up and ran into Cato.

“What are you doing up so early?”
“Thought I’d help you.”

He looked delighted when I said that.

“Well you could help me pick berries from my garden.”
“Well, let’s go those berries aren't going to pick themselves.”

He giggles and shook his head.

“You know kid, you’re not that bad.”

After we picked berries he taught me about the history of the town and of how the creatures were created.

“The creatures of the forest weren't always killers, they were on the humans side until Rye Sakato turned them against us.”
“Who was Rye Sakato?”
“He was a very evil man, he didn't like people, so he went in the forest and killed fifteen creatures making them turn on us, ever since they've been killing the human race.”
“But the creatures are only in the forest.”
“No, that is not true they are everywhere, except cities, they don’t like the population of them.”
“So they attack towns?”
“Yes, but the leader the one you saw is planning to attack the city and won’t stop until everyone is dead, then spread throughout the world and kill humans until we are all gone.”

I looked at him with confusion.
“You are confused, everyone is.”
“So, what happened to your people?”
“They all died by a massive explosion, the people bombed us and blamed us for what Sakato did, because Sakato was our leader’s son.”
“That must of been hard to see everyone die.”

He looked at the sky them back at me.

“I survived the explosion and when the people found out I turned myself to stone in the forest where they never would go in, it’s the only thing that saved my life.”
“Did you ever have a family of your own?”

He looked at me with confusion as if he didn't understand the question.

“What are you talking about?”
“You know a family, wife and kids.”
“Oh, no I never married nor did I have children, I wasn't allowed to marry.”
“Why?”
“Because where I became a master and was the leader’s general, I couldn't marry because that would of been a distraction.”
“But you would of been happy.”
“Family or no family I would still be happy, my job was my life, and now look four hundred thousand years later, I’m still here with no one who is related to my people.”

Now I was really confused, the people of the village would of had kids, then they would do the same for generations.

“I know what you are thinking.”
“Would you stop doing that, that’s creeping me out!”
“ I can’t help it, but after the explosion the creatures saw a chance to kill the people because they had no protection and made a mistake, so everyone was killed, it is to horrible to explain to what happened to the children, but I’ll tell you, the little black creatures you saw in the forest were the children of my village.”

My mind was blown, that meant that the creature that killed my sister was a child that I had killed.

“Don’t worry if you killed any black creatures they are not children anymore they died a long time ago the creatures turned their bodies into the things we see, the children rest in peace now.”
“So when I killed the one that killed my sister?”
“You killed the creature not the child, the child had left a long long time ago, a few years after I turned to stone, don’t worry I've killed the creatures too.”

I felt relief and took a deep breath, it took pressure off my chest.

“You feel relieved, I can tell by your actions.”
“So Cato, how did you get out of the stone?”
“I froze myself until I heard a little girl cry,your sister, her blood unfroze me.”
“Why didn't you save her?”
“By the time the stone cleared up she was dead and the creature had her in his back and had already left before I could do anything.”
“So about the fake family?”
“Oh, that was to calm you, there is no such thing, I tricked you.”
“Well I didn't want them anyway, that would just freak me out.”

We went back inside and Allison woke up she stretched and jumped out of bed, then went to the bookshelf and read a book about the Yukota village, the village where Cato was born but raised in another village after his mother had passed and lived with his grandmother.

“Cato I never new that your famous, your name is in this book.”

Cato turned his head and looked at Allison.

“My name was never in a book, I’m not part of history and even if I am I’m not in that book, because no one knew about my village except me, it’s impossible.”
“Well according to the book it’s not, look.”

He walked over to her and read the chapter, he then looked at the book in amazement, ‘how would anyone know about Cato?’ I thought.

“Well just stab me in the chest, and set me on fire, my name is in that book and describes exactly how I grew up, the only people who knew about me was my grandma, my leader, and Sakato.”

He froze, as anger covered his face.

“Who wrote that book?”
“ Shouldn't you know it’s your book.”
“Just tell me, I never even knew I had that book.”
“Rye.”
“Rye what?”
“Rye S...A..K..A...T..O.”
“That’s Sakato, so he is alive.”
“No this book was written in 1490, he died 1520.”
“When does it say he was born.”
“I says birth date, unknown.”

He sat down crissed crossed, and laid on hand on his knee and the other tapping his chin as he thought for a moment.

“I don’t think he died, that same year the leader of the creatures appeared in a near by town about eight miles form here, and in 1960 the old leader was challenged to a battle, and lost so had to be killed, so that means that Sakato is possibly the leader of the creatures now.”

I looked at Cato, ‘What was he thinking, Sakato couldn't of fought a creature if it was stronger than him, but if he died then there is no telling who the leader is.’

“I know what you are thinking Samuel, and don’t worry about it, I know what Sakato is capable of because we grew up together, he was a nice kid, but it changed when he got older, he stopped being sociable, and always stayed in his room, never leaving like he was trying to figure out something.”

I turned and looked at Allison, she was looking at the book and saw a sign of some sort, I saw it when she turned the book a certain angle.

“Allison what’s that sign?”
“Oh this, it’s a sign with a map of the forest and a town circled in red ink.”
“That’s not ink that’s blood.”

Cato got up and grabbed the book, and looked at the sign with the map in the middle.

“He lived in that house, and used his blood to send a sign of something, he would always use his blood if there was something he wanted me to find, maybe he is dead, or this is a message for me to go find him.”

Allison and me looked at Cato as he walked back and forth, looking at the map, studying it, then a smiled covered his face.

“Sam I’m sending you to the house, I’ll know when your in trouble and Allison will go with you, when you go in the house look for something marked with blood and bring it back to me, or if their is danger I’ll come to you.”
“Okay, but what if there is nothing marked with blood ,then what?”
“Then look for a clue, he’s trying to tell us something and I want to know what it is.”

We left and looked at the map while walking through the forest, we found a house that matched the one on the map and went inside, it was dark and gloomy, everything was covered in dust, the walls were splatted with blood, then we came upon a study room, we looked for a clue and finally came upon a chest that was located on a shelf it had a sign of an ancient letter or name, The key was in the desk drawer, and the room smelled like something was rotting. We opened the closet door, when the door opened a man who’s face was scratched open and guts were hanging out fell to the ground his necklace also had an ancient letter of name.

“Is that Sakato?”
“I don’t know.”

Then Cato came in.

“Hey, you said you’d come if there was danger.”
“Yeah, but I sensed you have found a body.”
Yeah, look on the floor Sherlock.”
“Right.”
He turned the body over so the face was facing the ceiling, Cato looked at the necklace.

“The symbol on the necklace means brave warrior, the one on the chest means truth.”

“So what happened to him?”
“It looks like the creatures slashed him and hid him in the closet, get the chest and key before danger comes, I have a feeling we are not welcome.”

We heard a high pitch scream and then the little black creatures at least thirty came in, one of then stepped forward.

“Our master would like to speak to all of you.”

We looked at each other then back at them. Cato started to talk.

“Why would he want to speak to us?”
“You’ll see, it’s a surprise.”

I looked at them with an evil stare, they then turned and four of them forced us to follow.

“Welcome, my enemies, I believe I've met all of you.”
“Yeah smart ass, you did.”
“No talking back Samuel Rushton.”

One of the black creatures came up to me and put a cloth in my mouth and around my head to prevent me from talking. Then the leader of the creatures, spoke to Cato.

“Cato I believe we've meet along time ago, I see you found my friends body, oh that man was a betraying bastard, and now I found you, you are going to have a miserable death.”

He then turned Cato into a statue and put him with the others. Then turned to Allison.

“You beautiful thing will be my servant, and then I will turn you into the same thing as me and you will be my bride.”

I was annoyed and untied the cloth when they weren't looking, and ran out into the cave’s hallway and into a dark corner. I waited for one to come into the cave hallway, then a black creature came down the hallway, I grabbed it and pulled my pocket knife out and stabbed it in the head until it stopped moving. I then gutted it, pulled the bones out and cleaned it with a puddle of water then dried it with my over shirt, then wore it like a costume. I used the slime I kept to the side to shut it closed so they wouldn't know that it was me inside the creature.

“You there come here.”

I walked up to the creatures leader and had to bow and show respect to him. I looked at him as he spoke.

“You will help me kill my betrayers and show this young beauty what her job is.”

I looked at Allison and then back at him and nodded my head, we wen t out and killed all his betrayers, then me and Allison got to be alone.

“Allison.”

She looked at me as if she was confused.”

“How do you sound like Sam?”
“I am Sam, I’m wearing this corpse as a costume.”
“Get out of it.”
“I can’t or they will kill me, it’s safer if you pretend for a while, but I won’t let him marry you.”
“What about Cato?”
“I’ll get him after I drop you off, his staff isn't stone, it fell out of his hand when he was placed with the other statues.”

I went to the stone valley where the statues were, then looked for Cato, I walked up and down the isles until I came upon him, his staff was in front of him and was glowing. I picked it up and thought of spells that I've heard him say when he turned from stone to being alive again.

“Astil, no, Likos, no, I know, Ataos!”

The staff’s magic went around him and turned him back, then gave the staff back to him.

“Your in a dead corpse of one of the creatures.”
“Yeah, I smells really bad.”
“I bet.”

We walked secretly down a long narrow hallway of the cave leading to a red door, with torches on the walls for light, Allison came out from behind the door.

“ I've been waiting for you, like forever.”
“Yeah, only thirty minutes.”
‘Smart mouth.”

We then ran out of the cave and Cato and Allison went to the house, while I went back in the cave to find out what the leader’s plans were.

“Hello, master.”

I made my voice a high pitch whisper.

“Come in my friend, I have a plan to kill all human kind, they will suffer and then we wil rule earth, well we might keep some as slaves.”
“All humans?”
“Yes, all humans, is your head full of stones, I hate humans.”
“Why?”

He looked at me with curiosity, so I changed the subject.

“How will we kill the humans?”
“Easy, we...we..”
“Umm, attack them and make them suffer one by one.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“Yeah.”

I turned and looked at the exit, I couldn't leave now.

“So, how about we gather everyone up, and plan to attack tomorrow.”
“ Tomorrow, that sounds to early, yeah, how about we wait a month or two, and let everyone train for a while.”
“You are right, you know, you’re not so bad after all, I like you.”

Now that I changed his plans I had to find out a way to leave.

“Listen, I’m going to find Sam, for you and bring him back, so don’t worry about a thing.”
“Alright go.”

He signaled for me to leave. I left, and tried to find something sharp.

“Allison?!”

I yelled to see if she was around to help me cut the creature open to get out.