October had come and gone, and it was becoming harder to convince Shalley Falls that there was still a possible threat. Children began to once again play within the forest- however still avoiding night fall, as did everyone- and people once again began to thrive within the town, confidence growing and fear relenting.
That was until the night of the full moon dawned once again, beckoning its monster.
Mary Jane, a young teenager, had been stumbling down the street this night. Bottle of vodka in hand, heeled shoes in the other, tears streaming down her sobbing face, her makeup distorted. She was returning from Kurt Ronald's house after spending the night with him previous and giving up her virginity, but had later discovered his secret second girlfriend's erotic messages on his phone.
Her falling tears splashed down onto the leaf covered pavement beneath her, each one in mourn of her stolen virtue.
A sudden crunch of dried leaves averted her attention and she turned to look to her right, towards Shalley Forest. Between her and the shadowed confusion of trees was a mere several metres. She was down the road from her street, currently stood on the country road, surrounded by only two buildings, one was a fishing hire store and the other a bus shelter. Swallowing, she hesitantly turned back towards her path and progressed on, but the prickling feeling of unwanted company persisted.
Another couple of steps and rain began to fall, beating heavily on her shoulders, she paused momentarily to sling a coat over herself, dropping the glass bottle as she did and shattering it.
Rain drops fell over her eyes, blurring her vision. She wiped her eyes furiously, paranoid of undistinguished creatures around her.
Over the drumming of the rain she swore she heard a footstep splash in a puddle somewhere behind her.
Her heart began to race uncontrollably; her blood pounded in her ears; her breathing became quick and erratic; her bare feet slapped down on the pavement as she ran. The immense amount of alcohol she had consumed this night began to weigh her down, spasming her muscles, shaking her limbs, rattling her thoughts until she knew nothing but the terror all around her.
It was dark and late, no one would be up, but she could make out the distant shapes of houses maybe a quarter of a mile away. Hearing a loud rustle of leaves as they were disturbed by something big, Mary knew she couldn't run all the way home, she immediately thought of the fishing hire store and turned to head for there. But her drunken haze suddenly shook her balance and she slipped on the wet curb. Her heart was in her mouth and she couldn't swallow as she tried to leap out of her sprawled position and dive across the road to the little wooden shack. Flinging herself at the small door she slammed her arms at the window, beating in time to the rain. Screaming, her voice was stolen by the frosty air, swirling in white before her. Her throat burned, her insides ached. The inside of the small shop was dark and empty.
She stopped.
Her body froze.
Her breathing halted.
Her heart became iron.
Something hard snapped on the ground behind her. Big footsteps padded along the dead, wet leaves. In the reflection of the window she saw two glowing red eyes. She felt warm breath on her neck, accompanied by a quiet snuffling- which was immediately replaced by a growl.
Mary Jane's head whipped around too late. Her blood curdling scream echoed for miles.
The remnants of Mary Jane found early next morning, were nothing more than bloody handprints against the wood of the small shop and a bodiless head. Lips parted in an eternal scream and tear-dried skin forever in grief of her stolen virtue.
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