Terror at the Gate
by Dawn Short
As they drove back from
Emily looked out at the deserted county road , her eyes sliding past the miles and miles of forest and fields searching for any sign of civilization and finding none.
Then she looked at Dan. "Don't tell me you ran out of gas!?" Grinning Dan said ,"I promised you on our first date that would never happen again, I always keep my promises." He pointed to the gage and said, “Look Em, it is still half full." Emily smiled at him as she peeked at the gage ."Just checking."
"There is an old graveyard up ahead, on the other side is the road leading to the Jenkins' house. I'll walk up there and use their phone. My Dad won't mind coming to get us. “Dan said as he opened the car door. Emily involuntarily shivered as she realized she was about to be left alone in the car, in the dark, a stone's throw from the Caddo Creek Woods. "I'll go with you , I have a tiny flashlight in my waist pack." She replied as she climbed out and caught up with him.
"Don't worry Em, the monsters don't come out until
They had grown up hearing the Old Timers in town tell stories about the Caddo Creek Monster , in fact, Emily remembered her parents used to tell her that if she did not behave they would call the monster to come and get her .She remembered laughing as her mom teased her into behaving with that tale.
Emily was about to say something sarcastic about people who believed in the boogie-man, when some animal howled deep in the woods. The sound struck her as lonesome and threatening at the same time. She stood in silence, her cold hands clasped together, Dan quiet beside her. Their eyes met , their hands touched and they began to walk together in the darkness.
The full moon illuminated the headstones in the graveyard ,making them appear ghostly. As the walked past, Emily asked Dan if he remembered Tony Jenkins. Thinking back to last summer, Dan replied, “He disappeared the night before we were all going to go and take our driver's tests. His parents had to identify him by his pinky ring because the police never found anything but his left hand."
The hair on the back of Emily's neck rose as she shivered at the thought, but be fore she could speak a pack of coyotes began yipping excitedly, just a little too close for comfort. She couldn't control the tremor in her voice as she whispered ," Is the Jenkins house closer than the car?" Knowing what she was thinking Dan said , "Yes, let's run for it !" Looking over her shoulder as she ran Emily exclaimed "Dan, the coyotes are chasing us!"
They ran for what seemed like ages then suddenly a tall wooden gate loomed in the darkness. They headed for it wasting no time , they scrambled up the gate. Panting and gasping for breath Emily looked back the way they had come and said between ragged gasps of air , "The coyotes.... are gone!"
They straddled the gate until they had caught their breath. "It's too quiet, something is wrong " whispered Dan, reflecting her own terror. She almost screamed when he spoke again ."The coyotes are gone , let's go and use the Jenkins' phone." Emily swallowed hard and jumped down from the gate with him.
The house was shrouded in darkness; no lights could be seen in any of the windows. Emily watched as Dan reached out and rapped on the door. It creaked open slightly with an eerie sound. "Anyone home!!??" Dan called out uncertainly as he pushed the door open wider. It was then that they noticed the condition of the house. Everything was covered in dirt and there was trash and debris everywhere. It looked as though no one had used this house in a long time . Emily whispered, “I don't remember hearing that they moved ."
She was interrupted by a fierce growl coming from inside the house. Slamming the door closed Dan exclaimed, “One of the coyotes must have gotten inside!" But even as he finished speaking the door began to shake and rattle as something threw itself against it repeatedly ! Wide-eyed, Emily cried "RUN!"
As one they turned and ran just as the door gave way with a loud crash! Running like the wind they reached the gate and leaped up and scrambled over tumbling to the ground. Something screamed and collided with the gate. Emily heard scratching sounds as the thing clawed its way to the top. "Let's get to the car! “Emily shouted , frightened. Dan grabbed her arm and said , " Wait ... it cant possible get over the gate."
Just then an odd shaped head with red glowing eyes appeared above the gate, then was gone! An instant later a very high pitched scream sounded from behind the gate as the tall wooden structure rattled and shook . Emily and Dan stood transfixed, staring at the gate unable to move.
Abruptly the tortured shrieking stopped and the gate stood still in the moonlight. Emily realized she had been holding her breath and exhaled in a loud whoosh ! Dan tried several times to speak before finally saying in a small whisper, “That monster got hung on the gate when it slipped." As he spoke Emily began walking toward it, retrieving her small flashlight she moved the beam of light up the wooden planks.
A cold chill trickled down her spine as she heard Dan exclaim, “What’s that?" The flashlight beam illuminated the gate revealing something stuck between the boards. Emily whispered, “One of us should go up and see what that is don't you think ?" Dan looked at her as if she were insane and said ,"You're joking , right?"
Very quietly Emily said ,"I want to know what that is .If you wont go up, then I will." Dan reluctantly climbed the gate. Emily gave him the flashlight and he shined the light all around making sure the thing was gone . Then he turned his attention to the gate.
"No one will ever believe us!" Emily declared. "Everyone will think we made up a story because we missed curfew!"
"Don't worry about that Em, we have evidence." He reached out and with great effort wrenched something from the gate.
"What evidence is that Dan? What was in the gate?" Emily asked impatiently. "You will have to see for yourself , but i will tell you this: that thing was definitely caught on the gate!" And with that Dan jumped to the ground, the flashlight slipping from his grasp and shattering on the rocky road, plunging them into darkness.
Suddenly, they heard the rusted lock on the gate begin to groan softly and then there was a loud --CLICK-- CLICK--as something ,slowly and with great effort, turned the handle of the gate.
They turned and ran down the road towards Dan's car. Emily heard the sounds of pursuit as they got to the car and leaped in slamming and locking the doors.
Before they had caught their breath, headlights appeared in front of them on the county road. Dan quickly flashed his headlights and turned on his emergency flashers. The oncoming vehicle slowed as it approached , its headlights temporarily blinding Emily and Dan. Right before it got to them it suddenly swerved violently to the left as something ran onto the road!
Emily heard a horrid crunch as the trucks front tires ran over something. As the truck screeched to a halt Dan exclaimed ," Thank God it's my Dad!"
Mr. Benton leapt from the truck with his flash light to see what he had run over but there was nothing but a bloody splotch on the road. "I was worried when you didn't come home , " Dam's Dad said ," so i came out to look for you . Are you both all right?"
Emily told him everything that had happened to them while he attached a tow chain to Dan's car. Mr. Benton listened in silence until she finished then in his most serious 'Dad' voice said ," I know imaginations run wild in on a full moon but you don't seriously expect me to --" " Look at this Dad," Dan interrupted, " I pulled this out of the gate."
Both Emily and Mr. Benton gasped in horror! There in Dan's outstretched palm lay a very long , very hairy , bloody, razor tipped finger!
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