Shadows in the Woods. When fear becomes reality

Alexander Skopintsev Cover designer

© Alexander Skopintsev, 2024

© Alexander Skopintsev, cover design, 2024

ISBN 978-5-0064-2103-5

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Annotation

Something terrible lurks in the Canadian forests. Two years ago the hero’s brother disappeared in the forests of Canada, and the authorities failed to solve the case. Now the hunter goes to the same forests to find and destroy the killer. But the forest is full of secrets and dangers, and the man will soon realize that his brother was killed not just by a beast or a robber, but by a clever and cunning opponent. In this deadly battle every step can be the last, and the hero must use all his strength to survive and take revenge.

Chapter 1: The Secrets of St. Helena

A black SUV was moving leisurely along the winding road winding among the majestic pines and fuzzy firs of the St. Helena Canadian Forest. The summer sun, breaking through the dense foliage, created a bizarre play of light and shadow on the hood of the car. The air was full of the scent of pine needles and wild flowers, and the silence was broken only by the soft rustling of tires on gravel.

After a kilometer the jeep stopped in a small clearing surrounded by mighty maples. The engine stopped, and two men got out of the car.

– My God, Jake, look at this beauty! – The first, a tall, blond man of about thirty-five, breathed in the fresh forest air.

– Yes, Mark, it’s really beautiful here,» replied his companion, a stocky brunette in his early forties. – But who knows what secrets these forests hide?

Mark looked at his friend curiously:

– What are you talking about, buddy?

– Same old thing,» Jake grinned. – Let’s make camp while it’s still light.

The men set to work. Mark started unpacking his backpack, pulling out the tent and sleeping bags, while Jake gathered kindling for the fire. Suddenly, as Mark bent over the bag, Jake crept up behind him and, with a loud growl, pounced on his friend.

– Aah!» Mark shrieked, jumping up in surprise. His heart was racing, and his eyes widened with fright.

Jake laughed, and a second later Mark joined in, realizing it was only a joke.

– What are you so scared of? – Jake asked through his laughter. – Don’t worry, he hasn’t been seen in this part of the forest.

Mark frowned:

– What are you talking about?

Jake smiled enigmatically and pulled a map out of his pocket without answering. Spreading it out on the hood of the jeep, he began to run his finger over the paper:

– Look, we’re here now. This is where our camp is. And this is the trail that leads to the Indian territories. We need to go a few kilometers this way and then turn to the river.

– Wait, Jake,» Mark interrupted him. – Is this even safe?

Jake raised an eyebrow in surprise:

– Did you really want safe? Then you should have stayed home instead of looking for him here. We have guns, we can defend ourselves. And he’ll never come here. We’ll go into his forests and his territory when we want to. And we’ll come out when we want.

Mark nodded thoughtfully, wondering what his friend was talking about, but decided not to ask further.

Evening was descending on the forest, and the friends, having finished setting up camp, were sitting by the fire, exchanging funny stories from life.

– Remember last year at Thanksgiving when my mother-in-law almost burned down the house? – Mark said with a laugh. – She was so engrossed in watching a TV show that she forgot about the turkey in the oven. By the time we smelled the burning, it was too late. The turkey had turned to charcoal, and the whole kitchen was filled with smoke. It took us a week to clean the soot off the walls! I could eat a turkey right now.

Jake laughed, slapping his knee:

– Yeah, that’s nothing compared to my story. Last week I came into the office wearing different shoes. Can you believe it? One black, one brown. And no one said anything to me until lunchtime! And when they did, everyone laughed so hard that my boss came out of his office to see what was wrong. When he saw my shoes, he laughed so hard he almost choked on his coffee!

The morning greeted the travelers with gentle birdsong and soft rays of sunshine breaking through the dense foliage. Inspired by the surrounding beauty, Mark and Jake decided to have a quick photo shoot before heading out on their journey.

Mark eagerly picked up the gun and assumed a heroic pose, squinting one eye and gazing into the forest. Jake clicked the shutter several times, changing the angle.

– Now it’s your turn,» Mark said, taking the camera from his friend.

Jake picked up a large hunting knife with a leather strap on the handle, and made as if he were cutting through a thick thicket. The glare of the morning sun played on the blade, giving the pictures a special atmosphere.

Having finished with the photo shoot, the friends packed up the camp and set off. The forest greeted them with a symphony of sounds: rustling leaves, woodpecker chirping, babbling brook. Mark stopped every now and then to capture animal tracks or intricate patterns in the bark of trees.

– Look, Jake,» Mark exclaimed, pointing to a huge boulder covered with moss. – It looked like it had been there since the beginning of time.

Jake nodded, running his hand over the rough surface of the rock:

– This forest holds many secrets. Who knows what we might find here.

– I hope we do.

They passed several signs that said «No Trespassing,» but Jake steadily led the way, checking the map.

– Are you sure we should keep going? – Mark asked hesitantly, looking at the warning.

– Don’t worry,» Jake answered. – The Indians said that a dweller never goes beyond his territory. The signs were just a precaution.

The day passed quickly. They paused several times to eat and rest. By evening they came to a picturesque clearing by a small lake and decided to camp.

– Why did we decide to look for him? – Mark asked as he helped Jake set up the tent.

Jake stood still for a moment, then answered:

– You know how many years there have been rumors about him. If we can get footage of him, it’ll be a sensation.

When they finished with the tent, they built a fire and settled down on the lake shore. Mark took out his fishing rod and cast the line into the water, shining the flashlight on himself.

– Hey, Jake,» he called out. – Did you have a contest to see who could throw a rock the farthest?

Jake grinned and picked up a flat pebble:

– You think I’m out of shape?

He swung the stone over the water. It bounced on the surface five times before sinking to the bottom.

– Not bad for an old man,» Mark chided him.

– Hey, I’m only five years older!

The friends continued throwing rocks, competing in marksmanship and distance. Then they took out the beer they had brought with them and sat down by the fire.

– You know,“ Mark said thoughtfully, looking at the starry sky, „sometimes I think that the whole world is just a reflection in the eyes of a dreamer…

– Wow, you’re a poet,» Jake laughed. – The beauty of this place seems to inspire you.

Night fell on the forest, casting a mysterious gloom around them. The friends decided to take a few more pictures, depicting scenes of hunting and fear of the unknown.

– Pretend you just heard a strange sound in the bushes,» Jake instructed, pointing the camera at Mark.

He feigned fright, eyes wide and shotgun clutched to his chest. A flash illuminated the clearing, revealing the silhouettes of trees for a moment.

Later, sitting around the burning fire, the friends unwittingly returned to the subject of their journey.

– The closer we get to his territory, the more I get a strange feeling,» Mark admitted. – It’s like someone’s watching us.

Jake nodded:

– I understand. But remember, we’re here for a great discovery. Imagine what a sensation our pictures will make if we do find him.

– Or her.

Mark raised an eyebrow and looked thoughtfully at the dark wall of the forest:

– I hope you’re right. And I hope our curiosity doesn’t take us too far.

Night had fallen thickly on the forest, shrouding it in a dense blanket of darkness. Mark and Jake, tense and wary, walked around the camp, peering into the blackness between the trees.

– Jake, look! – Mark whispered, pointing off in the distance. – Are there… eyes?

Jake squinted, looking in that direction.

– Relax, buddy. They’re just fireflies or glowing mushrooms. Don’t get any more scared than you are.

Returning to the fire, the friends continued their conversation about the mysteries of the world, gradually moving into the tent. Lying in their sleeping bags, they talked quietly, preparing for sleep.

– You know, Mark,“ Jake said thoughtfully, „sometimes I think we know so little about the world…

– Yeah,“ Mark agreed, yawning, „maybe that’s why we’re drawn to places like this.

Gradually the forest quieted, and the noise of the animals faded, and there was an unusual calm. The friends, lulled by the silence, began to doze off, and by midnight they were fast asleep.

Jake awoke to the subtle crunching of brushwood against the tent. His heart raced and a chill ran down his spine. He gingerly reached for Mark, shook him awake, and quickly clamped a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

– Shh,» Jake whispered, barely audible. – Someone’s walking around the camp.

Mark’s eyes widened with fear.

– What kind of footsteps? – He asked with only his lips as Jake pulled his hand away.

– I don’t know, but they’re heavy,» Jake answered. – And we’re too far from civilization. This is the middle of nowhere.

Suddenly Mark heard a branch crunch under someone’s foot. Fear gripped his body, and his heart seemed ready to jump out of his chest.

With trembling hands, his friends grabbed their shotguns.

– I’ll go out and check it out,» Jake whispered. – Maybe it’s a moose.

– No!» Mark hissed in panic. – Let’s stay here and wait.

The minutes dragged on for an agonizingly long time. Every rustle, every sound made them flinch. An hour passed, but nothing happened. The forest was silent, as if silent.

Tiredness began to take its toll, and without noticing, the friends dozed off. But an hour later, Mark woke Jake again.

– Look,“ he whispered, „that’s not a moose. Whatever it was, it scared the whole forest. Remember when we were taking pictures around the campfire? The forest was silent even then. The birds were gone, the animals were quiet.

Jake swallowed nervously:

– What if it’s a bear?

Fear came in a new wave. Mark tried to lighten the mood:

– You know, if I get eaten by a bear, I’ll get you from the dead for this idea of coming here.

He laid back down, clutching the shotgun to his chest.

– I don’t like it here anymore.

Not twenty minutes later, there was heavy sniffling and hoarse breathing outside the tent.

– What’s that? – Mark whispered in horror.

Jake gestured for him to be quiet.

– We should go out and check it out,» he said quietly. – Chase whoever’s in there away. You stay in the tent.

With those words, Jake, gathering all his courage, slowly unzipped the tent and stepped out into the darkness of the night, leaving Mark alone, trembling with fear and the unknown.

Jake stepped out of the tent, shining the narrow beam of his flashlight into the space in front of him. The dark forest around him seemed to hold its breath, only the faint crackle of the fire breaking the ominous silence. The smoldering embers cast reddish reflections on the tree trunks, creating a bizarre play of shadows.

The guide walked cautiously around the tent in a circle, feeling a chill run down his spine. The shotgun in his hands felt like a heavy weight. The cold night air burned his lungs, and clouds of vapor escaped from his mouth, disappearing into the darkness.

– Jake! – Mark called softly from the tent, his voice barely breaking the silence of the forest.

Mark sat inside, clutching his shotgun tightly in one hand and his leather-strapped knife in the other. The last embers of the fire barely illuminated the tarpaulin walls of his shelter.

Jake walked seventy paces deeper into the woods, looking around carefully. He mentally cursed when Mark’s voice came again, breaking the silence.

Suddenly his gaze fell on a strange structure of sticks and stones not far from the tent. It had clearly been made by someone’s hands – too right to be accidental. Jake frowned: he and Mark couldn’t have built it; they’d been fishing all day.

Who, then? A human? Impossible, they were too far from civilization. A bear? But bears don’t build such elaborate structures.

The guide moved slowly back toward the tent, clutching his shotgun tightly. Suddenly he heard a rustling in the bushes behind the tent. Turning sharply, he pointed the flashlight beam in that direction. A shadow flashed in the light of the flashlight.

Before he could take a step, something heavy came out of the darkness and knocked him to the ground. Jake fell, unconscious.

Mark, hearing the noise, flinched. He jumped to his feet, pointing the shotgun in the direction of the sound. But he saw nothing but impenetrable darkness. Panic came in waves, and he wanted to jump out of the tent and run for his life.

Suddenly something huge came crashing down on the tent, grabbing it with Mark. He felt himself being dragged along the ground. Struggling desperately, Mark tried to free himself, but in vain.

– Ahhhh!» he screamed, panicking and firing his shotgun.

The creature let go of him as suddenly as it had grabbed him. Mark lay on the ground, feeling pain throughout his body. The acrid smell of gunpowder stung his nostrils. He tried to get up, but couldn’t. There was pitch blackness all around.

Gathering his last strength, Mark decided to crawl to the fire. He clutched the knife, a gift from his brother Joseph. Every movement was painful, but he persevered.

When he was only a short distance from the fire, he heard heavy footsteps behind him. He turned around, but saw only a huge shadow looming over him. The next moment the world around him was dark.

Chapter 2: Ghosts of the Forest

Dawn had barely touched the horizon when Joseph opened his eyes. He rose slowly from the bed, stretched, and began his daily exercises. Each movement had been honed by years of practice, and his muscles responded obediently to the familiar strain.

Finished warming up, Joe walked over to the punching bag hanging in the corner of the room. The punches came one after another, rhythmic and precise. Sweat trickled down his face, but he didn’t stop, as if trying to beat out all the anxious thoughts.

After his workout, Joseph headed for the shower. The cool water washed away the fatigue, but couldn’t wash away the heaviness of the memories. After leaving the bathroom, he stopped in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. His eyes betrayed a sleepless night and the weight of the past.

Walking down the hallway, Joe stared at the pictures hanging on the walls. Here were he and Mark, just boys, smiling for the camera. And here were their parents, happy and full of life. These pictures were all that was left of their old life.

Joseph sighed, remembering how he had to grow up overnight when his parents died in a car accident. He had been just over twenty and Mark had barely turned sixteen. Since that day, Joe had been both father, mother, and best friend to his brother.

Joseph’s musings were interrupted by the doorbell. On the doorstep stood his friend Alex.

– Hello, Joe. How are you? – Alex asked, looking at his friend carefully.

– Hello, Alex. Come in, – Joseph let his friend into the apartment.

They went to the kitchen, where Joe started making coffee. Alex sat down at the table, watching his friend’s movements.

– So, is today the day? – Alex asked cautiously. – Will you look at Mark’s pictures?

Joseph froze for a moment, then slowly turned to his friend:

– I’m glad the stuff was returned. But… I’m not ready yet.

Alex nodded:

– You know, Joe, I’ve noticed you’ve become calmer. You seem to be doing better than you were a year ago.

Joseph sat down across from his friend, wrapping his hands around his coffee cup:

– Maybe. But it’s not getting any easier.

– Look, Joe,“ Alex leaned forward, „you couldn’t have been there, no matter what happened. You can’t blame yourself forever. Mark was always an adventurer, it was impossible to keep him away.

Joseph raised his eyes to his friend:

– What do you think happened there, in the woods?

Alex sighed:

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