2538 words (10 minute read)

The Thing From Mist Lake


Still holding the axe in my hands, I could still hear the screams of my Father and Brother echoing in my mind. Their blood still dripping from my face. I can’t believe I killed them. I had no choice. They asked me to do it. It started out like any other night at the lake. We always liked fishing in the snow. Enjoying a few beers with our father. Talking about how college classes were going. That’s when we say it. That figure hovering over the lake surrounded by mist. It’s cloak looked almost alive moving with what appeared to be blood.

It’s hands moving over the water. A bright red glow came from the lake. Letting out a horrible sound from the water. Black tendrils surrounding the hooded figure. It stopped and looked at us. It had no face just two red eyes. It’s head jolted to the side as one tentacle wrapped around it’s neck. That sound from the water gave out a painful cry.

That was the last thing I remember before falling to the floor. My body felt like it was on fire, every bone and muscle felt sore. I was the first to wake up. Flashes of fire, bones, and death filled my mind. We were covered in black ooze. I swear it was moving. Looking out the window I couldn’t see the cloaked figure, but it was still fresh in my mind.

Kill them.”

I could hear the voice clearly. I somehow knew it was the hooded figure.

Kill them now!” It yelled

They awoke with the last cry. Their eyes filled with ooze, black tendrils wrapped around their bodies. My body remained free. The shack cracked as a black mass emerged from the floor it’s body or what appeared to be a body covered with teeth. The sounds of bones crunching drowned out their cries. Those teeth chomping, ripping away their flesh. So much blood. “Kill us!” They cried.

Their cries. Pulling the axe from the wall. I swung it into their heads. The blood. So much blood. Once they were dead I swung at the creature. It let out the same cry that caused me to fall. It was the same feeling I had just before blacking out.

Even if I make it out of the cabin. I know people won’t believe me. How could they. Trying to keep balanced I ran into the snow. Holding the axe tightly in my hand. The roar followed behind it was getting close. I ran for our cabin. The air was still. Just the sound of those chomping teeth filled the air. The sounds shook the woods. Not an animal in sight.

Was was that? Its face covered with cuts from others who fought for their lives. Those milky eyes still staring at me.

Reaching our cabin I closed the door. Looking out the window, nothing but snow. Each shadow moved just like the beast. Holding the axe, I waited.

The Sun was gone. The wind came back to life, the branches moving in a dance. I could still hear that howl curtailing through the water. Then I saw them those eyes, were outside my window. It’s body was moving like a school of piranha fixed on their meal. It’s moth opened, rows of teeth. In the center my Father and Brothers face looking at me. They were apart of it now, their features slowly absorbing into it’s body. Two new sets of teeth now were their heads were.

They are free. You need to fight.” I don’t know how, but I knew it was the hooded figure speaking to me. Fight, fight what?

The door broke open. The sound of teeth chomping. It held my leg as my father and brothers former faces bite into my leg. Raising the axe I hit the beast. Letting out another cry I kept swinging.

I felt light headed, trying to stay awake. Then I saw him. The red hooded figure standing in the doorway. Raising it’s hands a blue light filled my eyes. Then darkness.


“Son. Son I need you to wakeup!”

I opened my eyes. I saw policeman standing over me. My leg was missing. A belt wrapped around the stump. Teeth, blood, flesh, and those eyes flashed in my mind. My Father and Brothers bodies were in the cabin. In the exact position as the ice shack. Their heads missing. Axe in my hand.

I tried to tell them what happened. I knew how it sounded. How could they believe me? All they found was a boy covered in blood. They searched the ice shack, not one drop. Only a small hole remained.

Every one staring at me. Their faces pale. The next thing I remember was waking up in a hospital handcuffed to a bed. Not like I could go anywhere with one leg. But I guess they thought I would try anyway.

They asked me the same questions over and over. “Why did you kill them? What did you do with their heads? Did you hide them with your leg?” No matter how many times I told them my story, they grew even more frustrated.

Lying in the hospital bed. I yelled for anyone to listen. It felt like days. I could hear the cries of my family being consumed by that creature. The lights started to flicker when I heard the howl again.

The monster was at the foot of my bed, holding my leg. It’s mouths moving at once. “So tasty. So frightened.”

A single black tongue licked the severed end of my leg. The room shook as it growled. Those teeth.

Get it over with! Do it! Eat!

It’s body covered the room. I cried. A nurse passed by the window. Taking a quick look inside. “Don’t you see it!” I yelled

She smiled and waved her eyes milky white. It’s mouth opened behind the teeth, I could see more faces frozen in terror. My Father and Brother dead eyes stared at me.

God! Help me!”


I AM YOUR GOD...

I closed my eyes when I heard another scream. The room filled with a blue light. The red cloaked figured remained. It’s red eyes staring back at me. “I’m sorry about your family, but it was stronger than I thought.”

It’s blood red cloak started to lift. The room filled with Mist. I started to drift off. Trying to hold on I cried out. WAIT!

He floated over my bed. It’s face covered by a strange mask with markings of symbols. “I know what you want, but as powerful as I am I can not bring back the dead.”

They’re going to put me away. Possibly kill me.”

I know Kevin. That’s why I’m going to help you.”


I awoke in my hospital room. Two officers sitting beside me. They told me how they found a large bear covered in my family’s blood. Bone fragments from my leg in a cave not far from where they killed the bear. The doctors figured my story was just a way of coping with the loss of my family. But I know what happened was real. The red cloaked man was real. He saved me. Even though I’m safe I still see those milky eyes of that nurse staring at me. I only hope I don’t have to use the surgical blade I lifted on her.It’s hands moving over the water. A bright red glow came from the lake. Letting out a horrible sound from the water. Black tendrils surrounding the hooded figure. It stopped and looked at us. It had no face just two red eyes. It’s head jolted to the side as one tentacle wrapped around it’s neck. That sound from the water gave out a painful cry.

That was the last thing I remember before falling to the floor. My body felt like it was on fire, every bone and muscle felt sore. I was the first to wake up. Flashes of fire, bones, and death filled my mind. We were covered in black ooze. I swear it was moving. Looking out the window I couldn’t see the cloaked figure, but it was still fresh in my mind.

Kill them.”

I could hear the voice clearly. I somehow knew it was the hooded figure.

Kill them now!” It yelled

They awoke with the last cry. Their eyes filled with ooze, black tendrils wrapped around their bodies. My body remained free. The shack cracked as a black mass emerged from the floor it’s body or what appeared to be a body covered with teeth. The sounds of bones crunching drowned out their cries. Those teeth chomping, ripping away their flesh. So much blood. “Kill us!” They cried.

Their cries. Pulling the axe from the wall. I swung it into their heads. The blood. So much blood. Once they were dead I swung at the creature. It let out the same cry that caused me to fall. It was the same feeling I had just before blacking out.

Even if I make it out of the cabin. I know people won’t believe me. How could they. Trying to keep balanced I ran into the snow. Holding the axe tightly in my hand. The roar followed behind it was getting close. I ran for our cabin. The air was still. Just the sound of those chomping teeth filled the air. The sounds shook the woods. Not an animal in sight.

Was was that? Its face covered with cuts from others who fought for their lives. Those milky eyes still staring at me.

Reaching our cabin I closed the door. Looking out the window, nothing but snow. Each shadow moved just like the beast. Holding the axe, I waited.

The Sun was gone. The wind came back to life, the branches moving in a dance. I could still hear that howl curtailing through the water. Then I saw them those eyes, were outside my window. It’s body was moving like a school of piranha fixed on their meal. It’s moth opened, rows of teeth. In the center my Father and Brothers face looking at me. They were apart of it now, their features slowly absorbing into it’s body. Two new sets of teeth now were their heads were.

They are free. You need to fight.” I don’t know how, but I knew it was the hooded figure speaking to me. Fight, fight what?

The door broke open. The sound of teeth chomping. It held my leg as my father and brothers former faces bite into my leg. Raising the axe I hit the beast. Letting out another cry I kept swinging.

I felt light headed, trying to stay awake. Then I saw him. The red hooded figure standing in the doorway. Raising it’s hands a blue light filled my eyes. Then darkness.


“Son. Son I need you to wakeup!”

I opened my eyes. I saw policeman standing over me. My leg was missing. A belt wrapped around the stump. Teeth, blood, flesh, and those eyes flashed in my mind. My Father and Brothers bodies were in the cabin. In the exact position as the ice shack. Their heads missing. Axe in my hand.

I tried to tell them what happened. I knew how it sounded. How could they believe me? All they found was a boy covered in blood. They searched the ice shack, not one drop. Only a small hole remained.

Every one staring at me. Their faces pale. The next thing I remember was waking up in a hospital handcuffed to a bed. Not like I could go anywhere with one leg. But I guess they thought I would try anyway.

They asked me the same questions over and over. “Why did you kill them? What did you do with their heads? Did you hide them with your leg?” No matter how many times I told them my story, they grew even more frustrated.

Lying in the hospital bed. I yelled for anyone to listen. It felt like days. I could hear the cries of my family being consumed by that creature. The lights started to flicker when I heard the howl again.

The monster was at the foot of my bed, holding my leg. It’s mouths moving at once. “So tasty. So frightened.”

A single black tongue licked the severed end of my leg. The room shook as it growled. Those teeth.

Get it over with! Do it! Eat!

It’s body covered the room. I cried. A nurse passed by the window. Taking a quick look inside. “Don’t you see it!” I yelled

She smiled and waved her eyes milky white. It’s mouth opened behind the teeth, I could see more faces frozen in terror. My Father and Brother dead eyes stared at me.

God! Help me!”


I AM YOUR GOD...

I closed my eyes when I heard another scream. The room filled with a blue light. The red cloaked figured remained. It’s red eyes staring back at me. “I’m sorry about your family, but it was stronger than I thought.”

It’s blood red cloak started to lift. The room filled with Mist. I started to drift off. Trying to hold on I cried out. WAIT!

He floated over my bed. It’s face covered by a strange mask with markings of symbols. “I know what you want, but as powerful as I am I can not bring back the dead.”

They’re going to put me away. Possibly kill me.”

I know Kyle. That’s why I’m going to help you.”


I awoke in my hospital room. Two officers sitting beside me. They told me how they found a large bear covered in my family’s blood. Bone fragments from my leg in a cave not far from where they killed the bear. The doctors figured my story was just a way of coping with the loss of my family. But I know what happened was real. The red cloaked man was real. He saved me. Even though I’m safe I still see those milky eyes of that nurse staring at me. I only hope I don’t have to use the surgical blade I lifted on her.