A Monster’s Favor

I've never been one to talk about myself but today I'll make an exception. You’ll understand after I tell you what happened.It all happened months ago. I was at the worst point in my life so far. “I’m leaving you.” is all my ex said before grabbing her bags and walking out the door.After losing my job and being confined to my house for weeks and struggling to catch up on bills i just need some time to clear my head. I packed a bag , a hatchet and my .38 special and drove out to what I believed to be a remote part of my state. “Fucking idiot! Can’t do a damn thing right!” I said to myself as I realised I grabbed a box of tracer rounds by accident.

Not wanting to go back home I loaded my revolver and headed into the thick woods, making sure to mark my path with tape. Always good to know your way back. While hiking through the signs of life seem to be all around me. From birds chirping to leaves rustling under small animal feet.”It’s actually kinda nice out here.” I say just before hearing a sound that makes my blood run cold. What sounds like a scream seemingly forces all of the noise out of the surrounding area. Reflexively grabbing my gun I scan my surroundings trying to determine the source of the scream. Scanning every tree for anything out of place but finding nothing.

Eventually finding a clearing with what looked like a burnt out fire pit flanked by two logs I took a break. “ What am I doing?” I thought to myself while looking for firewood. Wondering if things will get any better. That's when it happened again. All of a sudden it was like someone hit mute in the forest. An anxious feeling creeping all over my body. Looking around, hatchet in hand, I prepared for the worst. But again nothing happened. At this point I was a little uneasy but not scared. I mean if anything came at me I could be an American and shoot my problem away. Relaxing by the fire that night I enjoyed the sounds of the night life.

That's when not just one but two screams erupted from the tree line. One sounding like a distorted voice being played back. The other sounded like an animal and a human screaming at the same time.shooting to my feet flashlight in one hand pistol in the other i scan my immediate area. Hoping to find nothing, I was disappointed to see a mass of black fur.” What the fuck?” is all i could get out before the thing turned its head toward me.i was two seconds from shitting myself. Its head was a deer skull, its skinny form almost unfolding as it stood. Then it spoke. This monster spoke, it was unnatural like someone's voice was recorded underwater and played back through a broken speaker. “ starving please help.” is what it said as it approached me. The instant it reached for me I shot it. The red light of the tracer hitting its chest. The thing screamed so loud I thought my ears would burst.The creature dropped to the ground writhing in pain. Not wasting a second I bolted into the tree line not caring about where I was going just trying to get away. The monstrosity wailed behind me before hearing what I could only think were its footsteps. It was gaining on me.

Looking back I could see it reaching for me when out of nowhere something hit it like a freight train.It was suddenly flung like a ragdoll into a tree next to me. I looked back in shock only to be met with darkness. Not paying attention I slammed into a tree knocking myself out. I awoke next to my fire gun laying on my chest and a broken flashlight next to me. “ What the hell happened?” I said, rubbing my head. Jolting up I scanned my immediate area trying to peer into the darkness around my fire.finding nothing. Taking a moment to breathe I soon realized that I fired one shot.With my heart furiously pounding in my chest every second feeling like an hour I checked. one used round.” Shit!” a pair of glowing eyes suddenly caught my attention. They were low to the ground, whatever it was it was on all fours. “Okay i can deal with this.I can’t deal with this.” Was what I thought when it moved like the thing in the darkness just stood on its back legs. I lost my shit. Take a werewolf but replace the wolf parts with a mountain lion. That's what stepped into the light of my campfire.i thought i was gonna die for sure. I pointed my revolver at it. it threw its hand up as if saying” don’t shoot!” Confused, I backed up as it sat on the log across from me.

At that moment I was both terrified and curious. If it wanted to, it could have killed me. However the thing just sat there as if waiting for me to do something. Then it moved its hand paws whatever they were. In a familiar way, “ Hello” it signed. This thing just used sign language.” H hi” After picking my jaw up I began to relax a bit.I was Glad I learned sign language in high school. “ What are you doing here?” It signed as it stared at me curiously. “I’m stressed and just trying to clear my head” I said absolutely dumbfounded as to how this thing knew ASL. It’s hands ended in pointed tips like pointed bone covered with skin and fur with no nails. The longer I stared the more uneasy I got. “ I won’t hurt you, it's okay.” It signed frantically. It was aware of how uneasy I was.

“W what are you?” I said nervously part of me did not want the answer but my curiosity just couldn’t take it. “ Walker'' is all it signed but I didn’t need anything else to know what it meant. Remembering my mother’s love of folklore and mythology especially of the Native American variety. Stumbling backward and falling off my log anxiety gripped me like an anaconda. I then realized what the thing that attacked me was. “ Was that thing a Win?” Before I could get the word out the monster shot to its feet and jumped over the fire and log that I was just sitting on. It landed right in front of me before covering my mouth, not allowing me to finish my sentence.

I could see fear in it’s eyes. As if it was begging me not to say what I was about to. It put one finger up as if it was going to shush me. As I give a quick nod it moves it’s hand. “Okay names are a no no.” I say trying to calm down. It picked me up and gently put me down on the log like a toddler. “Wait til the sun comes up then go back to your car.” It signed. “Okay but what if old skully comes back?” It let out a sound I could only assume was a chuckle as it patted its muscular arm and pointed at itself with a clawed thumb.” Can you kill it?” Shaking its head no it’s ego seemingly deflated.” Don’t know how.” It signed while disappointingly looking down. As weird as it sounds it reminded me of a sad puppy with that look.

“Alright then we can figure something out.when in doubt kill it with fire. ” I said, trying to reassure my new beastial friend. If only I could remember the stories my mother told me. Unfortunately she was more concerned with scaring me more than anything else so defense methods didn’t really stick. In the woods at night with one monster trying to help me and the other wanting to eat me. That’s when the scream cut through the silence of the night. Walker closed the distance between us and. We stood back to lower back while scanning the area beyond the light of the fire. Something at the edge of my sight zipped by faster than I could perceive. Before I could warn Walker they ran into the darkness after it.” Wait it’s trying to. Damn it.” Is all I could get out before Walker completely disappeared into the dark.

I could hear what sounded like two huge masses slamming into each other. I caught a glimpse of skully getting close but Walker intercepted it. Each hit was devastating. Both monsters where interlocked in mortal combat. I was a mere mortal while two beings of myth and legend slugged it out. Each struggling for the upper hand. Both fighting to kill the other. If only I could have fucking seen the fight!! Suddenly the thing screamed again. I couldn’t tell if that was a victory cry or if Walker really messed it up.

With my flashlight broken I couldn’t do much. Searching my bag I found the lighter fluid I used for the fire. After dousing a nearby fallen branch I was able to make a torch. I stepped out into the darkness, torch leading the way and pistol in my free hand.” Walker I swear to god if you jump scare me I’ll slap you with this torch.” I said before quickly turning around to find. That there was nothing behind me. Then I heard two things slam into each other followed by another scream. This scream was different; it sounded more animal-like. Running in the direction of the scream I was soon met by the sight of Walker struggling with that thing biting into their shoulder. The sight of Walker in trouble triggered something in me. I could have run but something in me shouted “ FIGHT!!” In an instant I tucked my pistol into my waistband, grabbed my torch with both hands and hit the thing with it as hard as I physically could. Somehow the torch remained lit and the instant the thing let go of Walker I hit it again. Walker’s clawed hand sliced at the thing's chest. It swung at me just barely missing. Walker went berserk. They were on the thing ripping its chest open. A jet black heart pumping in plane view. I shoved the lit torch into the open wound. It started writhing around on the ground. Just to be certain I grabbed my pistol and shot it several times lighting the area up with the glow of the tracers.

Walker dragged the thing back to my fire, kicking and screaming before pulling its head off and throwing it into the flames followed by the body.” Come here. Let me check your wounds.” I said pointing at the bite marks. Walker timidly crouched down, almost embarrassed that they messed up.Their wounds seemed to heal quickly.” Look, we're alive and that thing is dead.so don’t stress out about it.” Holding both sides of their face and looking them in the eye.” You’re still the big strong monster in these woods. Now let’s get some sleep. In the morning I’ll head to my car. If you wanna come with you’re more than welcome. I’m not just gonna leave you out here. Not after you saved my ass.”

In the morning I woke up to a naked Native American girl cuddled up to me.” Okay Walker is that you? Or am I about to be attacked by something else?” “ It’s me.” She signed before holding on to me in an attempt to keep warm. After cleaning up my campsite I piggie backed Walker to my car where I reloaded my pistol and threw her a hoodie and sweatpants. “Welp looks like we’re Wendigo killers aren’t we. Oh fuck!!” I realized what I just did before seeing the shock on Walker's face. Before either of us could think we heard a familiar scream and something barreling through the woods in our direction. This one sounded bigger. “Get in!!” I shouted to Walker as I hoped in the driver's seat. My car picked the worst time to be dramatic. When it finally turned over a second thing was just outside my window. As I put the car in drive a huge black furred hand punched through my window. Walker grabbed my pistol and fired several shots into the thing causing the arm to retract. This gave me enough time to hit the gas and floor it out of there.” You okay?” Walker just gave me a disappointed look.” Look, I'm sorry. I forgot.” Suddenly something slammed into the back of my car causing us to spin out.

Gaining control I straightened the car on the road to see. This one was huge. It stood almost as tall as the trees around us. How the hell had no one seem this before. “Hey Walker. I have an idea.” I grabbed the container of lighter fluid and hoped that this wouldn’t be the last thing we do. Walker climbed on top of the car and began to transform. Once she was finished I handed her the lighter fluid and floored it toward the thing. The moment we got close enough Walker jumped up and slammed the container into the things chest. A backhand sent her flying.” Oh shit!” It was on her.

I knew this was a bad idea, a really bad one: ” Wendigo!” Just like that it’s attention was on me. Getting out of my car I hauled ass into the woods weaving through the trees. It was on my ass. As soon as I reached a clearing it Bent down and nearly grabbed me. I took a sharp right turn. But before I could get any further it’s hand wrapped around my torso and lifted me up to eye level.” Why grandma, what big eyes you have.” Hoping those weren’t my last words. I prayed for a miracle. My prayers were answered by a seven foot bipedal mountain lion. Walker slashed the back of its leg and slammed into it. This caused the things grip to loosen just enough for me to get a shot at the lighter fluid.”Walker I fucking love you.” I took the shot and it’s chest exploded into flames. The thing dropped me but Walker caught me.” My hero.” Walker and I stayed until it was completely burnt to a crisp.

On the way to my apartment Walker explained that those things killed her family and she had nowhere to go. “Well you saved my ass back there, why not come stay with me.” She quickly accepted the offer. Stopping to get some food, six burgers later and Walker decided to ask me something.” Why were you out there?”she signed. “ I was trying to clear my head. I thought camping might help.” She gave a judging look before started signing.” No tent and a loaded gun.” I sighed, pulled my revolver out and took the last bullet out.” You got me.One of these was meant for me. Life’s been kicking me in the balls with no sign of stopping. I wasn’t expecting all of this. But now I’m not ready to die just yet. ” She leaned her head on my shoulder trying to comfort me. It was a nice moment until she stuffed a bunch of fries in her mouth.

We’d been back at my place for a few days when there was a knock on the door. Opening the door I saw an Amazon of a woman.” Hello there.” She said, staring at me. She was dressed like the men in black. I stupidly said “ General Kenobi.” She stepped into my apartment and looked around.” Nice place you got here. A monster killer like you can do better though.” I don’t.” Before I could finish my sentence she grabbed me by the collar with one arm and lifted me up.” Don’t lie to me. I know what you did. Now where’s the girl?”giving her a smile I responded with.”These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” In an instant I did a move that would make Black Widow Proud. I wrapped my legs around her arm and flung my body weight in one direction. We landed on the coffee table breaking it.” That was impressive.” She said as we both groaned on the ground.

“ Look lady, I don’t know who you are but you’re not getting shit from me.” My confidence dipped when she started laughing.” Cute, cute. So Tyler Wilson. Would you and your friend like a job?” I looked at her confused before asking.” What are the benefits like?”