The Murky Depths

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Keston dumped his belongings at the cabin, then took a quick trip to the local grocery store to stock up on food and a few other items. He spent the remainder of the evening getting settled, watching reruns of a popular sitcom.

Little did he realize he was being watched, had been since the second he turned down the barely two-lane road that wove like a scar through the mostly untouched landscape. It wasn’t just one set of eyes that monitored his movements, keeping tabs on his coming and goings, no, it was a handful, the forest abuzz with the arrival of a human. There was a ripple of concern on what he planned to do, how long he’d stay, and if he knew. Those who remembered him as a youngster questioned if he recalled any of the events that transpired when he was a child.

Minds were more easily manipulated back then, more willing to believe in the magic that tried its best to remain hidden. Adults…Well, they tended to panic when the unusual happened, and that always came with a high risk of discovery.

“Think we’ll be okay?”

The question earned a shrug from a set of very hairy shoulders. “Only time will tell. Maybe he’s only here for the weekend.”

“I don’t know,” chimed a third voice, “he had an awful lot of food in those bags.”

“Which he can take with him when he leaves,” Hairy Shoulders pointed out. “Let’s just monitor things, and stay out of sight. The sooner he leaves, the better.”

The trio melted back into the shadows across from Keston’s cabin just as he approached the window that looked out in their direction. He sipped a chilled beer. He tinkered with the latch and pulled the window up an inch or two, letting the fresh air filter in. If he heard the snap of a twig, he likely played it off as a deer, none the wiser to being watched.

As he polished off the remainder of his beverage, Keston considered his plans for the following day. He could sleep in, there was no reason to set an alarm clock and rush to shower and shave, find something for breakfast and brew coffee before dashing off to work. Heck, if he wanted, he was free to roll out of bed at noon.

But Keston knew better.

He was a morning person and he’d be up with the sun, likely out enjoying the crisp fall air as he went for a jog. Even just entertaining the thought sounded lovely. He tossed the empty can into the bin and shut off most of the lights before heading for the second floor. Halfway up the stairs he paused, backtracking to make sure he’d locked the front door.

With all the horror movies currently populating the theaters and the crimes playing out in the news, it never paid to be careless these days.

Satisfied he’d be safe, Keston made it to the bedroom. He was out moments after his head hit the pillow, unaware of the hunched figure standing on the roof of the front porch and peering into his window. Had he seen it, he would have certainly been startled, perhaps even be frightened. But he was lost to the land of dreams and the curious creature sneaked away.

Keston slept peacefully, his dreams pleasant, not that he’d be able to recall a single detail when morning rolled around.