'I believe it was Bret Easton Ellis who once said, "It strikes me profoundly that the world is more often than not a bad and cruel place."
He was not far off from the truth, was he?
If we look around there are plenty of monsters in this world, ones that take on the form of humans.
They believe that doing the most horrifying things makes them the greatest.
In reality, they are nothing but monsters, monsters in human clothing.'
Even at his young age, Abril Herrera had become a private investigator. He didn't have a reason nor did he want a reason but he got one when his missis was murdered.
She was an elegant lady that had high spirits and beautiful nature. He loved her with all his heart, well with what was left of it.
She'd make him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He was appreciative for all the things that she'd do, but with every passing day, he'd fall deeper and deeper into despair he feared not being good enough for her.
The day that she was murdered he felt his world cave-in, the 'love of his life' had just vanished before his eyes he didn't even get to say goodbye. He swore every day that when his time came that he'd see her again.
His determination drove him crazy, he tried with every passing day to dig up information on her murder. Checking databases followed by background checks, he even broke into a couple of places.
Nothing came up. Not even the police announced her murder. He called and called the police but no one responded. He was alone.
The conditions in his house changed altogether. He thought about moving to a more... disclosed area, away from people. Less noise equals more concentration and a change of environment would do him some good, or so he thought.
He sat down to browse houses, one piqued his interest. It was a cabin that had 5 bedrooms and 4 baths, built in the 1970s, 3 car garage, built-in A/C, electric heating. It was perfect for him and only for $130,000.
He openly bought the house. With plenty of excitement added, he packed his things and moved in.
When he entered something felt off like something was watching him. He thought that maybe the people who last owned the house had security cameras placed around.
Something in total about his assumption felt one-sided.
As he unpacked his things one by one he then began to have second thoughts about the house. But in the end, he didn't want to move into another house at the time, he was also broke from buying this house.
He peeked around the cabin for the master bedroom, opening every door never shutting them. He wanted to be able to tell where he has been, leaving them open was his only choice.
After some time he finally found the bedroom, when he entered he felt all eyes go to him even though he was completely alone.
He would walk over to the bed and only for a split second he felt a hand wrap around his neck. He panicked running out of the bedroom, he looked down the hall every single door he opened had shut right in front of his eyes.
He told himself no matter what he was not staying there tonight.
He gathered up the things he'd need for the melancholic night until he came back in daybreak to get the rest.
He grabbed his keys then headed for his car, when he went out his car was gone. "What the hell." He'd mutter, "A car can't just disappear like that. This place... what's wrong with it." he stepped to the end of his driveway.
With reluctance or another option, he started to walk to the nearest town on foot. After an hour or so he finally made it. He examined around the town for a bit before entering a pub.
"Welcome sir what can I get for ya?" The bar tendered welcomed as he gestured at the alcohol behind himself.
He sat down at the counter on one of the barstools, "I'm a minor not here for drinking." He let out a sigh before continuing. "Do you know of any hotels in the area?"
"Hotels? Are you new here?" He grabbed a water bottle from under the counter handing it over to Abril.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," He was surprised at the kindness of the man and took the water bottle. "I moved into a cabin near this area."
"Cabin you say." There was a moment of silence between the two, "Is it possible you moved into the one that's near Deer Lake?"
"It's by a lake, don't know the name of it."
"Shit, you actually live there."
"No, well actually I do. I don't wanna though. Place is creepy as hell, pretty sure it's haunted."
"You wanna know something kid."
"Go on."
"Rumor has it that an entire family was murdered."
"How were they killed?"
"Strangulation, the father was a drunk. One night he went nuts and murdered everyone while they were sleeping then himself."
Abril glanced at the water bottle in his hand then up at the man, "Murder-suicide, those are mercifully rare."
His heart started to beat rapidly, he was nervous but it didn't show on his face. He himself didn't understand why he was like this. "Back to the topic, where is a hotel?"
"Well, you see there isn't one in this town. The next one has a hotel but that'd be a 3-hour drive."
"How long of a walk?"
"Are you crazy? That'd be like a 6-hour if not even 8-hour walk!" When he looked down there was a menacingly calm look on Abril's face. "Do you actually plan to walk there?"
"Yup, unless you have someplace for me to stay."
He took a moment to think, there really weren't any places that would take a person in for the night. The area was heavily filled with crime, nobody trusts anyone there.
"How bout my place? I'll let you stay there till you go back."
"That does sound like a good deal although I have no money left."
"That's fine, free of charge."
It was oddly pleasing to hear that from of stranger. On the other hand, he understood what could happen if it turns out that the man is a convict or some sex trafficker. He was nonetheless cautious of him but he still took him up on his offer.
When he was done with his shift they both walked out to his vehicle, it was an 8 Aston Martin DB5.
He was the type of person who loved old vintage vehicles, his wife had one it was passed down from her father, she sold it when they got married. She said 'We have no use for it, it'll just rust in the garage.'
Even though he wanted to hold onto the car, going against her would end up in a fight and it could have destroyed their marriage.
He opened the door and sat in the passenger seat, "How'd you get this kind of car, they're quite expensive and rare." He'd ask, fastening his seat belt.
"My father, he's a filthy rich man. On my 16th birthday, he tossed me out with this car."
"How old are you now?"
"21 or 20."
The conversation ended there as they both didn't want to continue with it. Abril watched out the window as the man drove to a place.
"Hey, kid I gotta ask you something."
"What is it?"
"What made you trust me?"
"I don't, I just had nowhere else to go besides that shit show of a cabin."
The conversation once again ended as he turned onto a random gravel road. Abril was not familiar with the town he'd never been there even as a private investigator no one had him do work here.
There were a few houses that they passed that made him feel better since there were people out this far.
He started to feel more and more uneasy as they went further and further into the remote area.
They were approaching a house, just one. As they got nearer he checked to see if the door was unlocked and it was. When they were right at the house, Abril vaulted out rolling into the ditch that was filled with water.
Abril now saturated in river water ran up to the house pounding on their door. The door opened and somebody stepped out.
It was an old couple, maybe around their 70s. "O'Deary me, are you okay?"
He was shivering cold, slipping up on his words. "C, Can I please come in."
"Of course, of course." She held one hand on his back building him over to a chair, "Theodore make up some hot chocolate."
"Hey kiddo, can you tell us what happened?" He said carrying over the cup of hot chocolate, the aroma engulfed the air making him feel more relaxed with them.
After he told them what had happened the look of pity ran across their faces, "I tell you what we have a spare bedroom on this floor, want to stay for the nig-"
She was cut off by the impulsive banging on the door there was a muffled voice behind it, "My car died a couple of houses down from here can you help me!"
He recognised the voice, it was that man. "Don't answer, I don't think he's a good guy."
"What makes you say that?" She asked, taking a sip of hot chocolate. Before she could even swallow a loud thumping sound that vibrated throughout the entire house made itself from behind the door.
"Come here kid," She wrapped her boney hand around the back of his head pulling him closer to her, "Theodore get the gun." she'd whisper.
There were no indications that they were in there since they had no lamps on, the only light came from the moon shimmering in through their windows.
The old lady grabbed him by his hand leading them into a little room. She bent down rolling up the rug revealing a hatch, she grasped onto the handle pulling it up. "Hurry climb down. We'll follow after." She said whispering harshly.
The old man came back with his gun in hand, "Found it." it didn't take him long to realise what was happening. "You think this situation calls for this?"
"We're too old to fight 'them' off, and he's just a kid." After she said that, he helped her climb down, then he climbed down.
They soon reached the bottom, the couple was pretty fit for their age. There was a loud crash then followed by that was a thump. He broke the door down. It was muffled but they could all tell what had happened.
There was loud noises coming from everywhere, thumps, shattering of glass, and bangs.
The couple along with Abril followed down the path. Soon there was another door, a wooden one this time like the ones that lead into haunted houses. "What do we do now?"
"We go through the door, we have a spare vehicle back here. We'll drive you to a safe place." She'd say as she grabbed the keys from out of her pocket. "There's a town nearby an hour or two away we'll go there."
When she opened the door, there were men surrounding the exit, they shot the couple in the head. Their blood splattered everywhere, "Abril, you're coming with us." One of them said tugging him out by the arm.