She was sure this is where she left him...

          The trees were dense and continued for miles in thick forest. They came up until they hit the clearing of someone’s backyard and went far back, far enough that if someone were to commit a murderous act; no one would hear a scream. That is what made these woods perfect. A young girl who lived in one of the houses that backed up to the darkened woods had invited some friends over, her soul purpose was to scare them, and that is exactly what she did. There were many legends of beasts that lurked in the woods, people who have gone missing; they created the upmost setting for any horror story. There were many stories that floated between the locals; not that any of them were true of course. She took them outside and they surrounded a fire. She told them the story of the Black Hollow.

         It is a large white creature, vaguely human, with hollowed out eyes. It is unrealistically thin, its body no thicker than a spine. Its arms and legs are the same way. It moves almost dog like and crouches at the top of trees. It makes no noise as it moves across branches, following you. Its presence is felt not seen. The only time it jumps down from the trees is once it has you cornered. Her friends seemed unmoved by the story, so she decided to take it elsewhere. She grabbed a single hand held lantern and led them into the forest. She would continue her story beneath the treetops. She led them down a well-worn path that cut through the trees, but the farther they got the less defined the trail was. It was hard enough to see by the light of the flame.

          She began to continue her story of times the Black Hollow had taken its victims, but is cut short. She had lost the trail. Feeling they were lost at night, her friends began to worry. She was undeterred by this though; she knew which direction to go to reach her backyard again but stalled a little longer to amuse her friends. As she started the story again, she got an awkward feeling but continued anyways. As the story went on it is interrupted by a high screech, and one of her friends had disappeared. Panicked now, the remaining friends circle her. She runs back towards her backyard as more screams follow behind her. Looking behind her shoulder, she sees there is only one friend left. Terrified they race through the trees but he trips on something and falls. She turns around but he is not there. She runs back the way she came. She looks down but sees no tracks, no marks at all behind her. She was sure this is where she left him. She looks around and calls but none of her friends’ answers her. Her gaze reaches the treetops. There is a white sticklike figure with gorged out eye sockets, yet it watches her. It is the Black Hollow. 

 

                                                                                                                 - Alyssa Schnell