Echo Hill by W.H. Beswick

Author:W.H. Beswick
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W.H. Beswick
Published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

BEAR AND MUD

Heath stood at the doorway of the long hut, watching the rain. There was a look of concern on his face. Rivers of muddy water ran through the camp. He held his rifle in his hands. A loud scream made him jump, then he stared into the night. “Little brother, was that you?”

The big man almost stepped out of the hut but stopped with one foot just above the muddy ground. He watched and listened, then he stepped back and jacked a shell into his rifle. “I don’t know what you are, but I can smell and hear you.”

A low grunting sound came from the surrounding woods. It was followed by the sounds of rustling and more grunts. Every so slowly, something moved into the clearing. Its red eyes were the first things to appear, then the large black shape lumbered closer; it was a huge black bear. It reared up and growled with its paws over its enormous head.

“Damn if you aren’t the biggest bear I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of them,” Heath muttered as he brought up the rifle. “Why don’t you be smart and move on. I got no call to shoot you yet.”

The monster roared, then dropped to all fours and stared at Heath. The red eyes seemed to glow. Another roar, and it charged.

Heath took aim and fired one shot. The bear stumbled but kept coming. He fired off three more shots in rapid succession. The bear seemed hurt but kept coming. Heath took careful aim and fired. One of the bear’s eyes exploded. He quickly took out the other eye. Another careful aim, and that shot sent the bear’s head down to the mud. Its huge body followed. His hard breathing could still be heard. Heath quickly reloaded, aimed, and fired three shots into the bear’s head. The breathing stopped. He looked at the dead bear and then up at the sky. “You think I am going out there to check? It ain’t happening.”

Suddenly, a woman – who was nothing but bones and rotting skin – appeared behind him. Her skin was green and yellow, with black slime running down her thin frame. Long hair, drenched with more slime, fell down to her knees. The thing screamed as she pushed Heath out into the mud.

Heath hit the muddy ground but managed to roll onto his knees. He aimed at the ghostly form, but she vanished. A gurgling sound surrounded the hunter. He looked around as human forms began to push out of the muddy ground. It was hard to tell if they were man or woman with the mud covering the faces and bodies. They began to scream as they crawled toward Heath. He fired at one. It exploded like a balloon and was gone. Heath took out a few more as he moved back from the creatures. His rifle clicked empty. He patted his pockets and muttered a curse. Still moving back from the mud things, he started to use the rifle like a club.

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