I don't fully know the story I'm about to tell... All I remember was the main details, being trapped in this nightmare with my three best friends. My memory has become flawed. But I'm writing this as a warning, I can't let innocent people get hurt anymore. I won't allow it. Not due to this... creature. This monstrous, evil, horrible creature. My name is Henry, and this is my encounter with it...

It all started a nice Sunday evening. I was on my usual daily run. I ran past Cooper Street onto State Avenue. I froze as I saw the woods, the leaves falling off the trees as they do in fall. Those woods always freaked me out, I hated the wolves in there. Always barking and groaning, but then I heard the occasional whimpers of the wolves. I never knew why they always did.

There was really nothing interesting in the town. Other than the recent disappearance of that 12-year old. He went into his schoolhouse. Poor kid never came out. Some suspect he was kidnapped. I honestly believe that as well. There was really nothing that proved otherwise. Other than some shredded clothes. I realized I was soon gaining on that weird, abandoned house. 24 State Avenue. It had been abandoned for years.

I shivered as I continued my run. I have to be honest, I've never liked that house. It always felt like something was watching me. I just wanted to get away from that house as fast as I could, so I ran faster. I don't know how I should feel about the house, it's abandoned, right? I sighed and found myself shivering even more as I ran past the yard.

I walked the rest of the mile I was supposed to run. I never really cared for these runs, just needed some extra credit for P.E. class.

"Henry!"

I jumped at the sudden voice and turned around to notice it was a friend of mine, Zack. "Hey, Zack, what's up?"

"Not much. What about you?"

"The usual, earning P.E. credits."

"Yeah... Hey, are you going to the school event next week?"

"What event?"

"You know, the pep rally this Saturday!"

"Oh, right! Uhh... yeah, I am going..."

The truth was, I had no idea this pep rally was happening. I knew Zack was a football player, so this was super important to him. "Thanks, man, I knew you would!" Zack replied, giddy. "Alright..." I said, staring at Zack, who I now noticed was dressed in a jockey shirt. "Alright..." He said in the same tone, before smiling like a little kid. I rolled my eyes, but then heard a small bark.

I turned toward the noise pretty quickly and saw something in the shadows. I quickly noticed its gaze was locked on mine as it stared. "Hello?" I called, as Zack turned toward the figure, too. It fled quickly. I didn't mean to get so interested. It happened so quickly. I ran after it, but Zack suddenly pulled me back. "Hey?! What the heck, man?!" I asked. "Henry, don't get so foolish. All horror movies end up with this when you follow the strange shadow into the woods. It means DEATH. Just think before you act, alright?" Zack explained. "...Alright, Zack, whatever you say," I said, a bit disappointed, but knew where he was going with it.

I slowly made my way back to the main path then continued running, Zack on my tail. He caught up to me with relative ease. Made sense, the kid ran nearly 10 miles a day, of course he'd be fast.

I still felt like I was being watched, I could still feel the gaze of whatever that thing was.