Chapter 4

Three moons ago.

Maxine knelt by the wet cabin floor. Her glove-clad hands gripped the brush as she scrubbed at a particularly thick, stubborn stain.

To the outside world, one would assume she was perfectly focused on the task at hand.

But her mind was barely there with her body. The past two weeks kept replaying over and over again.

The heavy breathing outside her window at night. However, when she looked outside, nothing was there. Just trees dancing in the wind.

Sometimes it would be the slow, deliberate, heavy footfalls circling the cabin each evening.

Like someone was scouting. Watching. Waiting.

A sudden chill slithers down her spine. She shudders. The shutters rattle violently as a gust of wind forces itself inside.

She freezes. Slowly, she turns her head in the direction of the shutters. Looking closely, she sees—

Nothing. Just the curtains flowing in the breeze.

She adjusts, “Perhaps it's… just all in my head,” pointing her attention back to the floor.

A sharp knock sounds at the door. Followed by a scraping sound. Like a nail being dragged across glass.

Her head snaps to the cabin door. A shadow lurks in the gap below.

Steady.

Unmoving.

Her breath catches.

‘We never have visitors here on weekends. Ever!’ She thinks.

Her heart thuds against her ribcage.

Careful not to make any sounds, she gets up. The heel of her foot catches on the bucket knocking it over. Water spills all over the floor.

The shadow shifts.

Maxine stills.

A low inhumane growl slips through the wood.

‘What. Is. That!’ Maxine's eyes widen.

Then—it moves. Fast!

Maxine rushes to the shutters.

Footsteps come from the top of the staircase.

“Hunnie”

Maxine flinches violently, spinning towards the sound.

Chest heaving and eyes wildly open she notices Kassy halfway down, so engaged in the magazine as she goes.

“Come have a look at this…”

Maxine's eyes drop to the floor.

The very wet floor!

“No! Stop!” She yells, rushing to the other side of the room. Her outstretched arms stop Kassy just before she takes the last step down.

Astounded, Kassy looks down, spotting Maxine's bare feet and the soapy, slippery floor.

Giggling, “Oh my!” she says, “my sandals would've slipped right away”

Maxine doesn't laugh.

Kassy looks closely at her, “Max,” she says softly “are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She sighs, “just….. shaken up.”

Kassy smiles, “Oh hunnie, I'm alright.”

Maxine leans against the wall, letting out a shaky exhale “You were showing me….”

“Yeah, something about this….”

“Shhh”

Kassy, uncertain, still follows suit.

Maxine's eyes move toward the shutters. “Do you hear that?” She asks.

Listening, Kassy shakes her head. “…..No?”

“Exactly”

The forest had gone completely still.

WAM!

Something slams against the cabin door. Both Maxine and Kassy jolt, sharply facing the door in unison.

Unnatural silence stretches between them. No one dares to move.

“What was that?” Maxine whispers, her voice shaky, like it might bring in whatever's out there if she speaks any louder.

Kassy frowns, glancing at the door then to her adoptive daughter.

“Maybe, it was….. just a squirrel?” Comes her response, sounding more like a question than an answer.

Maxine lets out a small breath. “Yeah. A squirrel.” She closes her eyes, bobbing her head up and down.

“Pesky little things,” she finally says.

But she still couldn't shake the gut feeling that something wasn't right.

They both turn away, taking one step, two. And then— A shadow passes by the translucent curtains.

Fast.

Too fast.

Maxine's breath hitches. Kassy freezes mid-step. They glance at the window and see nothing!

No movement.

No shape.

‘Just my imagination,’ Maxine thinks to herself.

Beside her Kassy places a hand on her chest. Breathing heavily.

And then.

BAM!

The shutters slammed shut.

They both flinch.

‘Or maybe not.’

“Okay, that's not…..” Kassy starts.

BANG!

The cabin door caves in. Wood splintering everywhere.

A shadow appears outside. It steps forward. The frame cracks with a sharp brutal snap as something forces its way inside.

Something huge!

Dust fills the air.

Suffocating.

For a moment, debris covers every angle. Ears ringing from the harsh sounds.

Then, it settles.

‘Holy shit.’ Maxine sees it.

But her mind struggles to catch up.

The thing stands tall before her. It isn’t human. But it isn’t fully beast either.

Its limbs are bent unnaturally. Sharp talon-like claws, curl from fingered paws scrap against the broken wood.

It breathes.

Slow. Heavy. Alive and real.

Her head tilts upwards until her eyes meet its cold, glowing, blue eyes.

In the same minute, the glowing orbs lock onto her mismatched eyes.

The world narrows to just them.

The hunter.

And the hunted.

Drool drips from its maw, as it bares its teeth at her. She braces her ears for a growl. But it never comes.

‘What’s going…’ Instead, she sees what can only be presumed as a sinister smirk.

It stares at her. Eyes narrowed. As if to say— ‘I know you’re scared.’

It lunges.

“MAXINE!”

Kassy moves.

Faster than normal, faster than Maxine's ever seen. She struggles to register it. One second Kassy’s behind her. Next, she's shielding her from the monster.

The creature halts. Its claws dig deeper into the floor. It's staring at Kassy now. Time slows, something crosses its features that has its eyes narrowing into thin slits.

Recognition.

Its chest rumbles.

Low and deep.

A warning.

Something happens— A noise resonates throughout the cabin. Raw. Feral. Ancient. And definitely not human.

Maxine stumbles backwards. Heart thundering against her ribcage.

“No,” she whispers, “it can't be.” Her eyes shift. Maxine stares at the source of the sound.

Not the THING before her. No. At Kassandra Earlington. Her adoptive mother.

At the way her body is poised.

At the tension beneath her skin.

At the sound that echoes in the room.

The sound of a beast that just rose from a deep slumber. Ready to pounce and eliminate whatever stands in its way.

Realization hits. Cold and brutal. Her heart sinks— blood roaring in her ears.

That sound. That shift in the air. That presence. This was no longer her Kassy. But someone. Something.

Completely inhumane.

The creature breaks eye contact, tilting its head skyward and releasing an answering guttural predatory rumble.

Maxine shudders.

Kassy answers.

Louder.

Sharper.

A challenge.

Maxine's eyes burn as she stares at the figure in front of her.

“Kassy…?”

No answer, but the stakes are clear. And in that moment, against all odds, Maxine swallows hard. And she makes a split-second decision, taking a stand behind Kassy. Or rather, what has become of her.

As if sensing her decision, Kassy lunges.