“Oh, Dylan...where are you?”

I stay still and deadly quiet. He tries again.

“C’mon...it’s me, Ben! Your best friend...”

That voice doesn’t sound like Ben’s. It doesn’t even sound like the one I heard back at the cabin, telling me to run. It’s a different voice, a cold, eerie and clear one. It sends chills down my spine. I can’t stay here, I need to run. But I can’t, I can barely even stand, let alone run. The best I can do for now, is hide until I have enough strength to run again. I crouch lower behind some bushes that are near the tree that I had managed to make my quick escape to. I peek through the brambles and he’s still standing there, motionless. Just listening. Waiting and listening. Waiting for me to mess up so he can kill me. I know he will. That creature there, isn’t Ben any longer. 

It’s someone or something else. I just don’t know what. Suddenly, he moves a few steps forward, his eyes locked in on something. I follow his gaze and my heart drops into my stomach. His eyes follow a trail of footprints that I had left in the snow that lead right to my hiding spot. That same eerie smile starts to spread on his face and he begins to move forward, following the crooked trail of footprints. With every slow step, my heartbeat grows louder, blood rushing in my ears. Suddenly, I hear his voice, soft but growing closer every second.

“Dylan...I know you’re here, Dylan...”

Ka-Thump...

“Oh Dylan...stop hiding, come out and play...”

Ka-Thump...

“I’m not going to hurt you, please come out...”

Ka-Thump...

“I’m sure that Ben would love to see you again, your little “meeting” got cut short, didn’t it? Now is your chance to...catch up...”

Ka-Thump...

“Just come out so we can talk...”

His voice is becoming more edgy and impatient by the second. I stay frozen in place. With my back up against a tree, I can now hear his slow, crunching footsteps coming closer on my right.