Why I Won't Live Out by the Country-side.

We’ve all heard the expression, ‘If I were a fly on that wall,’ concerning some crazy, interesting or curious event we wish we were there for. I could even admit to it.

But I didn’t mean it literally when I stumbled into an old barn to avoid the heavy rain. My car broke down half a mile away and it was just my luck my phone had died too. I was on my way to visit my parents and meet my boyfriend in the next town over.

I never ventured out by myself, especially by the country side where there was no one that could help or hear you scream for miles to come. So, you could imagine how I felt when I had gotten inside from the cold and started warming myself in a strange place. I was going to wait until the rain died down and look for the owner to see if they had anything that could help me or at least a phone so I could call. I was such an idiot for forgetting my charger but I didn’t expect my car to break down.

The barn was rusty, run-down, and needed plenty of work. It was a safety hazard everywhere you looked. A couple of horses were sleeping and awoke from a loud clap of thunder that lit up the entire sky. It spooked me as well causing me to fall backward and trip over a wooden bucket with liquid in it. I angrily groaned, pushing myself and wiping away whatever it was. I couldn’t see that much due to the darkness but it wasn’t my concern. I fixed the bucket back to where I believed it originally belonged and left it alone. I saw a seat behind a few huge decrepit crates with dirty hay laying about and I decided to take a seat. It creaked and I sighed, laying my head in my lap.

I was not in the mood for this. I felt something nip at my head and I jolted up only to see a horse. I let out a small sigh, gently rubbing its muzzle. I picked up some hay and started feeding it.

“You’re such a good hors-“

“ROBERT PLEASE STOP!”

I jumped out of my skin and immediately froze. My blood ran cold. All at once, the horses started stomping around the barn and going completely berserk. I was confused but I was too scared to move from my spot. There was a small enough gap in one of the crates and to my displeasure, I saw a mature man with stringy grey hair dragging an equally mature woman by the back of her head. My eyes grew wide and I was at a complete loss for words.

I wanted to help. I wanted to intervene but my gut was telling me otherwise.

Another scream filled the air and I held my leg to stop it from shaking. Dark clouds covered the skies and the little light that entered the old barn was enough for me to see the old woman on the ground cowering for her life.

“Please,” She whimpered, dragging herself away from the towering man. “Why won’t you talk to me? Why are you hurting me?” She grabbed her head in pain. The man just stared down at her void of emotion, swaying slightly from side to side. He knelt beside her and I looked away to see the horses frantically neighing. I was confused about the entire situation and couldn’t do anything but wait and listen. I looked down at my hands and wiggled my toes in my boots.

The numbness from the cold was overwhelming, and my anxiety started to rise. I assumed the couple was talking until I heard the woman taking in a sharp haggard breath before blurting out in a raspy voice.

“Y-You’re not my husband! What are you?”

I raised an eyebrow, what she mean by that? I looked through the gap and covered my mouth. The sounds of squishy and wheezing rang loudly and a flash of red was displayed on the ground. The man held the woman's bleeding neck over the bucket. To my horror, she wasn’t dead yet. She weakly raised her arm and hit him, he didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

Why was he killing her? Why now? Why here? Why?

The man slowly stood up and...he didn't seem right. Nausea filled my senses because right in front of my eyes, it was something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.

It was terrible enough, I witnessed a murder but the man’s legs grew longer and longer. My mouth opened wide and I bit my tongue since I couldn’t trust myself not to start whimpering. His feet transformed into hooves and his arms blackened. I tore my eyes away and shut them. I bit down on my hand blocking out the grotesque sounds I was hearing.

I heard the cracking of bones and shifting of something I couldn’t quite place a finger on. I didn’t want to hear anymore. A putrid smell filled my nostrils and I hugged my shaking body. The horses went wild and I was sure I was going to piss myself.

All of a sudden, everything died down. There was no sound. There was nothing.

I finally found the courage to open my eyes. I looked down and there was a pool of blood gathered past my feet mixed with dirt and rainwater. My movements were slow. I looked through the gap, hoping whatever it was left but no.

I wanted to die right then and there. A loud crash of thunder and lightning illuminated the entire room to see the most horrifying thing I had ever seen in my life. It was tall, crunched over and its skeleton-like appearance resembled that of a decaying animal. Tears rolled down my face.

Its arms were longer than its legs as it walked like nothing I've ever seen before. Its eyes. Dear God. It had no eyes. It opened its mouth and thick saliva trailed down from it. I had to stop myself from hyperventilating. My chest was hurting to the point I thought my heart was going to pop out of my chest.

In one movement, it grabbed the woman by her head between its boned jaw and effortlessly picked up her lifeless body. I heard the sounds of bones grinding against bone and then it stretched upwards towards the ceiling and the sound of creaking metal above made me look up to see there were large meat hooks.

More tears fell. I couldn’t move. I needed to get out of here. It landed back quietly and stared at the ground. Why the hell is it doing? It seemed to be thinking. I was terrified. It turned towards the barn doors looking to leave. I leaned forward in the chair to make sure it was leaving.

Creaakkkkk.

The creature halted.

I unconsciously stopped once again. The creature slowly turned back to look in my direction and shook its head side to side. A clicking noise and guttural monstrous moans were heard. Its tongue protruded from its salivating mouth.

It shook its head again and took a step forward. I looked away, too afraid to look. It felt like an eternity with fear crawling into my very being.

“Is someone there?”

My head snapped in the direction of the voice. It sounded like the old woman...but she was dead.

I looked through the gap and the creature stood there unmoving cracking its jaw back and forth. Who the hell was talking then?

The creature moaned lowly with more intensity that I felt reverberate in my chest. I held my clammy hands together and waited to make my quick escape. I was terrified but I had better chances running than staying in here. The horse beside me made a whinnying sound that gave me a great idea.

“Are you lost?”

I raised an eyebrow in confusion turning back to see nothing but the creature. Who is that?

“There is no need to be afraid.”

My heart pounded and I covered my mouth. Another crash of thunder made the situation even worse.

Did that thing just talk?

My stomach pained me and when it walked closer to where I was hiding, I sank myself further into the darkness.

It shook its head with that disturbing cracking noise that seemed to dig it’s way into my ears. Lightning lit up the room and it looked even more terrifying.

Please, God. Let me get out of here alive.

It opened its mouth, “Maybe. It. Was. Just. My. Imagination.” It dragged out its words more hoarsely. Then it turned around and left. I waited for what felt like hours. Not moving a single muscle until I felt comfortable enough to at least stand up. My hands were shaking. I reached out to grab the gate and slowly helped the horse exit out of its paddock. It playfully nipped at my head but I was too scared to acknowledge it. We slowly came around the corner from the crates. I saw red, and a loud dripping that rippled into the wooden bucket. I refused to look up. I saw dangling feet and shoes that slightly hung off them. I closed my eyes and walked past it. The stench was unbearable. I stood by the barn’s entrance and looked out for any sight of the creature.

I’d never rode a horse before but I wasn’t going to try to outrun it-if it came to it, on foot. I struggled to climb the horse causing the horse to become frustrated with me. It knelt down and I immediately jumped up trying my best to properly adjust myself. I brushed my hand through its mane to ease my own nerves.

I listened for any sounds.

Any animals.

Any thunder or lightning.

But there was nothing.

I slowly eased the horse out of the barn. My heart pressed against my ribcage to the point I thought I might’ve been having a heart attack. There was nothing. No signs of it.

We slowly started moving again. I just needed to get to my parent’s house. I didn’t want to stop for anyone or anything. I tried my best to level my breathing. I looked back at the barn, and the thought of my death crossed my mind.

“Are you lost?”

What?

I immediately turned to the voice to see the creature was perched on top of the barn in a pouncing position. It looked even scarier than before. Its skin or rotten fur seemed to fall off its black skin and its eye sockets were darker than a predator ready to kill its prey.

“Let me help you.”

I let out a scream and kicked the horse so hard it took off running. I clung on for dear life because if I let go I knew I was going to die.

I heard it chasing us and muffled screams were beckoning me to turn back. When the screams died down, I had the chance to look behind me. We made it to the main road and the only thing I could see in the distance was the creature standing there staring at us. The old barn was far behind and the only thing ahead were trees and the next town.

I didn’t stop until I got to my parents, and tried to explain everything to the best of my abilities. I was trembling. Strangely, my parents seemed to know what it was and all they said was,

“Some things can’t be explained....just don’t go to the forest beyond the town borders.”

We eventually had to go back with the police to my now destroyed car. It was obvious that thing did it. I don’t know what it was. I don’t think I want to. All I know is that it was right...I was lost.