"Deathwish"

Based on True Events

What was that? Footsteps!

I point the flashlight in all directions.

Just trees and trunks. Nothing else.

I stop and the crispy footsteps are gone.

What an idiot; I am scaring myself.

Too many horror books I've read and way many horror movies I've watched. But that stuff's not real. I know so…

"Or do I?" I hesitate in a whisper as leaves rustle against my shirt.

Focus Bryan, focus.

How can I when this place is dark, dingy, and so darn cold? Why is it that darkness makes everything creepier? The flicker of a switch. A beam of light. The creaking of a door. Even the sound of nails scratching an arm. Intensified tenfold by darkness.

I pull the jacket closer to my torso.

It's a forest after all and…well…winter's approaching.

Nothing's coming to get you. You are here on a mission. You are here looking for...

"Deathwish! Come here boy!" I hear Dad's voice calling to him, and now more than ever I regret ever allowing Jamie to name the poor dog.

Now Jamie's away, spending a few days at Aunt Olivia's place, but Deathwish has to bear with the curse she placed upon him.

I don't even know why she chose that name. The puppy is just a few months old. With his raven-like fur and long ears, big brown eyes and cute pink tongue. How could she ever think of giving cuteness personified such a name? I keep telling Mom and Dad, Jamie needs to see a professional; she's seriously disturbed. She's psycho or something.

Like the time Mom and Dad went out for dinner and left her to "baby-sit" me. Yeah, since at fourteen you're still a baby. She invited over some of her friends to play a prank on me. They dressed up like on "Scream" and when I actually screamed Jaime just laughed at me, called me "a sissy" and said that I "scream like a girl".

"Anything Bryan?" Mom hollers from not too far away.

"No," I reply. "Maybe he found his way back home..."

"It's a possibility." I feel my insides jump as I hear a baritone breath almost on my neck.

I didn't expect him to be right behind me, but he was.

"D-Dad," I stutter.

"You looking a little pale there bud," he smiles.

"Sorry, you…sorta startled me," I chuckle nervously. "It's so cold out here and dark and…"

"I get it. You want to go back home, huh?"

"No. Not until we find Deathwish."

"Well, let's get moving. I don't think he can be that far."

Dad takes the lead, shining the flashlight's beam into every corner he finds, whistling and letting out a "Deathwish" here and there.

I follow.

I don't see a thing; not even a rabbit or a squirrel.

It's sinisterly lonesome.

I don't hear anything; neither a howl nor a hoot.

It's eerily silent.

What if Jamie planned all this? She probably talked one of her friends into kidnapping poor Deathwish.

Lost in my thoughts, I lose sight of Dad. Crud!

"Dad?" I call in a quivery voice that even I can't recognize as my own. "Mom?"

Gosh, what is wrong with me? I am acting like a five year old that's afraid of the dark.

Truth is, I might not be a five year old anymore, but I must admit, there is something about the darkness concealed in this forest that gives me the creeps.

Tiny footsteps crawl over the lifeless foliage. Deathwish?

Put your best face on Bryan. If one of Jamie's friends is somehow taping this and trying to sell it as the next "Blair Witch" you have to put up your best brave face. That way, even if they get you on tape Jamie won't get her laugh.

I press my lips tight and concentrate on nibbling them. That'll keep my mind busy for a while.

How come Dad left me behind? Why isn't he even calling my name? Why I can't even hear him or Mom calling for Deathwish anymore?

Am I, with every step I take, just walking farther away from them and closer to no man's lands? Let me paraphrase that. Am I lost?

Trying to find the silver lining out of this…maybe I'll make it out alive and my creepy night will become Stephen King's next best seller. Or maybe I won't make it out alive, but Stephen King will learn my story anyways and…no. No point if I am dead.

I laugh, but the chortle comes out so distorted that it just creeps me out even more.

"..yan…" I hear in the distance. Like the wind whispering to me.

Or maybe it is Mom.

Yes, please God, let it be Mom!

"Champ, I lost you for a minute there," Dad's face emerges from behind a bush and soon the rest of his bulky body follows.

"Ye-yeah, I'm sorry." You are the one that should be sorry!

"What was that?"

"What was wha…?"

I hear it now. Like a forlorn whimper.

At least Dad heard it first, so I know I am not going insane here.

"There it is again."

"Yeah, I heard it now. Maybe Deathwish is trapped or something."

"Hey you two," Mom's soothing voice comes from the right and in less than a second her flashlight's irradiance blinds me.

"Mooom," I complain while squinting my eyes.

"Sorry love, just making sure it is the two of you here. I heard voices a couple of minutes ago, but when I called no one replied. Maybe we're not alone."

I knew it! Jamie's good for nothing friends! Though, I rather not tell anything to Mom or Dad; I just know they won't believe my theory.

"What's that?" I ask as I point the flashlight toward a pile of branches that lays a few steps ahead.

"Looks like a beaver's dam," suggests Dad.

"And you think a beaver can do a dam that big?" inquires Mom.

And I have to agree with her. Unless six-foot-tall beavers live in this forest that is definitely not a beaver's dam.

"Man made perhaps?" Dad snaps back.

"What for?" Mom snorts.

"There doesn't have to be a reason. Maybe some kid was bored. I don't know Helen," he exclaims throwing his hands dramatically up in the air.

I hate it when they get like this. They fight over the stupidest things for a few minutes; then, try to make up and end up kissing and promising not to fight over stupid things ever again. At first I kept track of them, but after I reached about fifty, I just stopped counting. I realized that if everytime you break a promise you had to die they would've died hundreds of times now.

"C'mon Nathan," Mom whispers with a cunning smile. "It's nothing."

"You know, why don't we check that dam-like thing?" I suggest, sick of their routine.

"Good idea," Dad agrees as he carefully sets his flashlight on the damp floor.

"Alright then," Mom joins placing her flashlight on the other side, so that it brightens the back part of the pseudo-dam structure.

I hastily drop my light on the floor and begin to pull branches out.

"Remember to take the ones on top first. If we pull the ones that give support to the structure this thing will fall apart and I don't think I have to explain the rest," warns Dad in his be-careful tone.

I take branch after branch trying not to think much of what we might find. Yes, just "trying" because I can't help to think that when we find Deathwish, if we find Deathwish, he will be dead.

Like, why else wouldn't he reply after so many minutes…or has it been hours already? I've lost track of time. The forest can do that to you sometimes; fear and uncertainty too.

Just hoping that he won't pull a "Cujo" on us.

Just hoping that we find him safe and sound instead of finding a soft mass of fur and blood.

Talking about fur, I swear I just saw something.

"Boy!" I yelp as I bend down and the sleepy puppy crawls his way from under the twigs. "He's here!"

"Love," Mom lets out I relief.

I pick him up and hold him tight against my chest.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Sneaky," laughs Dad as he approaches to get a better look.

"I'm just glad that he's alright," Mom adds with a warm smile stretching her arm to caress Deathwish's chin.

He closes his eyes in an adorably sleepy way, like nothing happened; like he doesn't have a care in the world. Well, not like dogs really care about much besides barking, food, games and sleep...still, a thank you would be nice. Looking deep into my eyes, Deathwish wags his tiny tail at me and then buries his face on my shirt.

I guess that can count as thanks.

"Let's hurry back, my stomach is asking for a nice cup of cocoa," Dad announces as he wraps his strong arm around Mom's shoulders.

With every step we take we walk away from the dam and closer to home. It's a relief that we're getting out of this creepy place. It's not that it is really scary, but like is said before: I've just seen too many horror movies and read so many disturbing books.

We're not well out of the forest yet, but I realize that I've forgotten my flashlight.

"Oh, crud! I left my flashlight by the dam thing," I tell my parents. "Just wait for me, ok?" I say as I hand Deathwish over to Dad.

"We'll be right here honey." Mom waves at me with a nod.

"Don't take too long. Wouldn't like to have to get a search party for you too," Dad tries to joke, but I don't really see the joke in that. Mom doesn't laugh, so I guess she doesn't see it either. "Right, Deathwish?" The puppy sticks out his cute little pink tongue in delight as Dad scratches him behind his ears. "Attaboy!"

Deathwish is alright; everything is fine and dandy.

I turn on my heels and walk back to the dam, following the string of light that my flashlight creates.

When I reach the dam, something wobbles inside.

I grab the flashlight and look around; pointing it in different directions, trying to get a better look of the insides of the structure.

Nothing. Just my imagination.

A gasp of terror tangles in my throat as the…