Hufff, pufff. Huffff, pufffff. Gasps.
The group of friends, or rather what is left of them. David, Ashe, and Ben were the only ones left. While, Vee was eaten by a fleshy bodied monster in a gruesome fate. They ran as if their lives depended on it.
David caught his breath faster than the other two and asked in caution, "Is everybody alright?" Then he turned to the direction they ran from, vigilanty.
Hearing that no one responded to back. He turned back once again to see Ashe was silent. Ben was still short of breath and wheezing for air.
David went to Ben and Ashe to tap their shoulders. Both jerked and tensed their shoulders in fright as they haven't recovered from what happened to Vee.
"How can you still be calm, David!?" Ashe answered in anger and disbelief that David was heartless on what happened to Vee.
Ben wanted to know how David felt about Vee's death too.
David looked at Ashe, "Do you think that I'm calm? I'm rather shook, but I could not just stay there to my death could I? Nor you two."
A heavy silence fell upon the group. There was no time to wait for the monster will to get them sooner or later. David had to break the silence and asked them in a commanding voice, "We have to get out of here now!" David started to slowly jog away from them without looking back.
Ashe and Ben looked at each other before picking up the pace to catch up to David.
....
The moon's light glowed dimly for the group to see their footing on the forest's path. The group have been jogging and taking breaks for roughly two minutes in between each jog for an unknown amount of time.
Ben and Ashe weren't in tip-top shape and were exhausted. They knew they had to continue otherwise, they will suffer the same fate as Vee.
To David this was nothing but a breeze. Though David notices the condition his friends were in. They wouldn't be able to last if they were to go any further and told them, "Let's rest."
Both Ashe and Ben were relieved that they could rest. They felt their legs going weak. Anyone would notice that they have cramps as Ben and Ashe have never exercised this much before. Not to mention they haven't been hydrated for some period.
That is not good in a situation like this. Still David asked, "Do you both think that you can walk or do both of you want to wait it out? If you both can walk we can manage for a little while. If not, waiting it out won't be good. Who knows when that monster will pop out at any moment."
Ashe and Ben looked very solemn. They knew that they had to push their limits, but their legs would not listen to them. They were helpless at a situation like this.
David could only sigh at his friends. It was important to be fit at all times with some rests in between. Your body might save you when you're a hair's breadth away from life or death.
"Okay, rest some more and you guys should massage your legs. I'll be the lookout." David walk a short distance, about three meters or so, from Ben and Ashe's position. The two talked to each other.
Ben started the conversation worriedly while massaging his legs, "Are we going to make it out of this forest?"
"Who knows what will happen, but do you think we can trust David with our lives?" Ashe slowly pushed her to touch her toes. She answered back with a question stating her displeasure of David.
Ben shook his head at Ashe and said with a determined look, "We can trust David. Can't you put a little bit of trust in David?"
Ashe was in deep thought and no one knew what she was thinking about.
David came back from his short lookout asking the two if they can walk, "Can you guys walk?"
Ashe and Ben stood up and walked a few steps around. They responded back, "We can walk just a little bit, but not run."
David looked at the both of them and nodded his head, "That's good. We got to go far away from here. We lost a lot of our precious time."
This time the group of friends walked away from their temporary resting place.
More and more time passed with them not knowing. The clouds started to roll in and cover the moon's light. Once again, the group were shrouded in total darkness. Everything became quiet.
Ben started to panic and his heart started beating faster at every second that past [1].
thump, thump. thump, thump, thump, thump. thump, thump, thump.
You could almost hear the sound of Ben's heart thumping in the tense silence.
Ashe and David were also tense and anxious, because of Ben's extreme reaction [2]. They became attentive towards their surroundings knowing that something was wrong.
The clouds moved with wind and the moon's light came down [3].
The monster was right in front Ashe smiling at her and said each word slowly, "There you are." Ashe shrieked in horror [4] as the monster grabbed Ashe's body.
"Hold on Ashe! Hold on to me!" With David's quick reaction he grasped Ashe's hand
Ashe was weeping and wailing for help [5], "David help me!! I don't want to die!"
"It's okay, it's okay." David tried to relieve Ashe's agitated emotions.
Even David couldn't save her either as Ashe's arm started to tear out from her shoulder's rotator cuff.
"Aahhha!!!" Ashe screamed in agony.
A familiar scene popped up in front of David's eyes. Blood surged out of Ashe's shoulder.
"Noooo!!! Nooo!! Noo! N. O." Ashe's voice became distant and inaudible to both of these men's ears.
"Damn!" David punched the ground in anger as he could do anything to save Ashe.
Ben couldn't take it anymore and fainted on the ground.
Roughly, four minutes seemed to pass by.
David calmed down his raging heart to wake up Ben. Tapping Ben's face and said, "Ben wake up. Wake up!"
Abruptly, Ben's body stood up straight and looked around for any signs of danger. His eyes laid onto David.
"Why did we have to go to this place!? I wished I just stay home." Ben was overcome by grief.
Not knowing what to say. David gave Ben a pat on the back to say that he was "sorry", he got everyone in this mess. Something broke inside of Ben's head.
"That's it. I had enough of whatever this sh!t is!! We are going to followed that son of a beach to it's lair. Even if we have to die!" Ben got up and looked at David with a crazed face.
Ben got his phone out of his pocket. On the screen it was little past 1 am and Ben had about 87% battery left. Just enough to travel quite a while.
Ben turned on the flashlight function and followed the bloody trail. David followed behind Ben in steady pace.
....
Ben who was leading the way stopped and David stopped as well.
"The trail ends here." As Ben turned his neck to David.
David nodded and walk in front of Ben and said, "Let's see where this monster has taken us."
The duo opens up the branches and clearing showed up in front of their eyes.
The trees and grass were withered, but that was not what caught their eyes. It was an Eerie House in the middle of the clearing. Only a single light was lit up on the front door. The house was unwelcoming.
The two bravely walked up to the house [6]. David opened the door.
Creakkk
David looked at Ben and Ben looked at David. They understood what will happen if they entered the house from this point on.
They walked inside. When they step foot inside of the house, the door slammed behind them.
Inside was the corridor with three doors on each side and one door at the end. It was dusty with cobwebs around as if no one took the time to clean up.
Walking to each of the doors on each side, David and Ben tried to open them. It was pointless as the doors wouldn't budge. The only the last door was left [7].
The both them walk towards the door. Each step making a creak or squeak.
Arriving in the David turned the door knob [8].
Creakkkk.
In front of David's eyes was a library with shelves that stack as high as the ceiling.
"Woah! This place is huge." Ben exclaimed how tall the shelves reach towards the ceiling. David nodded to show his agreement with Ben.
"Come on Ben, let's look around the place. Maybe we will get some clues on this house and the monster.
The two rummaged around for books with the answer to their questions. Surprisingly, there were also old newspapers here and there as well.
One by one books and some readable newspapers with titles such as: History of Witchcraft, Alchemy 101, Experimenting with Specific Combinations on People, History of Demons, Eternal Life, The News Daily: The Witch's Forest, and Strange Disappearances -- where some of the books and newspapers that caught their eyes.
For sure, there is a Witch living here in the forest and the strange monster must've been the Witch's experiment.
David and Ben were not surprised, but curious on why the Witch wanted to do the things she had done.
"Did you boys find the answer that you've been looking for?" Abruptly, a voice sounded behind their backs.
Chills went down their spines and they turned towards the sound of the person who chatted with them in a friendly, grandmother's voice.
In front of the duo, stood an old lady with pitch black eyes and a wrinkled but weathered face. She is also wore a white and black patterned dress.
Still with chills on their spines, Ben answered to the old lady, "You're the Witch aren't you!? Why did you do all of things to those innocent people?"
She chortled at his response before responding with a grin to Ben, "Didn't you read the books you've read before? The answer is obvious. I want eternal life. Experimenting on people was just a side hobby. Seeing them struggle with grief, agony, misery or any other types of emotion fascinates and pleasures me of my boredom."
David and Ben's words were stuck in their throats as they have no words to speak about how inhumane she was.
David still asked, "But why? Why would do all of that for eternal life?"
The Witch was silent before stating her reason of why she did the things she has done, "I didn't have time to live... [and] I wanted to live longer, but I needed power to do so. I made up my mind and created a ritual to summon a demon that will give me what I desire. The contract I made with the demon was by giving half of my soul as the price. Instead, I bargained with the demon by giving it souls of virgin girls. Your friend, Ashely, was the last person I needed to complete my end of the contract. I'm thankful to you boys."
David showed angered but disgusted look before saying to the Witch, "You sick , fu****g monster within a human's flesh."
Ben clenched his hands tightly wanting to give a punch or two to the Witch's face.
The Witch frowned at the two boys, "I don't like the look on you two boys. Let me change that."
With a two flicks of her hand, something appeared on her hand and a crack can be heard from one of the boys.
"Arrrggh!!!" David clutched his bleeding eye socket. While Ben right leg was bended forwards shaped like a 'V'. Both screamed in pain.
The Witch smiled like an innocent child, "This is so much better and music to my ears. Come you must see the last of process of my ceremony!"
With a snap of her fingers, the two boys and Witch were transported into the ceremonial room.
Ashe was in the center of the room on an alter- naked with strange symbols on her forehead and navel [9]. Her shoulder, where her arm use to belong, had no wound and was completely healed with no scar.
Ashe blinked her eyes and looked around and saw David and Ben. She exclaimed in surprise, "David, Ben! You came to rescue me."
"Hush child. No one is saving you." As the Witch looked at her in amusement.
Ashe wanted to talk, but she couldn't as the Witch put a spell on her mouth. Ashe could only cry.
The Witch grabbed a sacrificial knife and chanted as she begun to cut open Ashe's chest were her heart belonged.
Ashe wanted to struggle, but it was futile. Tears flowed out faster out of her eyes. The Witch ignored her struggle and continued chanting. A vague shadow appeared next to Ashe's head. The Witch saw this and became excited. She chant even faster to speed up the ceremony's process.
David still in pain from his eye being taken-- got up and rush towards the Witch. Tackling her down to the ground, the chant stopped abruptly and the shadow dissipated.
The Witch cough out five mouthfuls of blood before recovering her complexion. In anger, she stated, "What you have done!!! I was so close, but you ruined it all."
The Witch called her pet monster to the ceremonial room.
Rumble, rumble.
The door crashed open and voices could be be heard. The monster was here.
"Play! Let's play!!"
"Meat, meat!!! I'm so hungry."
"Come join us!!"
"David, don't you miss me?"
David turned around to see the monster. The monster flesh moved and Vee's face was looking David crying when she spouted those words.
"You're not Vee. You are not Vee!! You've taken her persona! You monster!" David's expression shifts from disbelief, then to denial and anger. David could only shout towards the monster in how he felt about it.
The monster's face smiled before grabbing onto Ben's leg and pulled on it.
"Ahhhhhh, f*** you!!!" Ben couldn't help but cursed out loud. He punched the monster towards it's face and hands that grabbed him. As you could see muscle fibers being slowly torn out of his leg.
David wanted to help Ben out, but Ben replied, "Don't worry about me just stop the Witch!!"
David gave Ben a painful look knowing that Ben could die at any given moment. Grabbing the sacrificial knife and he stabbed her in the heart.
"Ahhhhh!!" The Witch fell to the ground. Same for the monster, it too, fell to ground with it's master.
"Is it over?" Ben replied with a paled complexion and blood loss.
"I guess so?" David replied back bewilderment.
David walked to Ben, while wiping the knife with blood on it.
"Hey, Ben I have to amputate your leg." David asked Ben if he can amputate his leg. As Ben can die from infection and blood loss.
Ben gave nod that he's fine with it. He took off his shirt to make less painful.
He swung the knife in a chopping motion. It wasn't a clean chop.
Ben screamed in pained, but with a muffled voice.
"Sorry Ben." One more try, David cutted the muscle fibers normally this time.
The leg was fully amputated and David got one of the candles to burn and close the wound.
Ben screamed in pain, but with a muffled voice once again. "I f*****g hate this trip!" Ben exclaimed, while throwing a small tantrum.
David interrupted Ben, "Let me help Ashe as well."
Ben cursed a few more times before looking at David who was helping Ashe.
Walking up to the alter, Ashe was still bleeding from her chest and crying with snot going down her nose.
David asked Ashe in the eye, "Do you want me to burn your wound as well?"
"Yeah, I don't anymore. I just to get out of this place." Ashe was able to respond back to David as the magic spell casted on Ashe disappeared.
David did what she wished and used the candle to burn the wound.
Sizzle, sizzle.
Ashe cried some more, but it wasn't as painful from the time her arm got ripped off.
When finished David put his jacket over Ashe amd told them both, "Let's get out of here." David helped Ben put his hand around his shoulder. Ben jumped heavily off the ground and down with each step walked David. While, Ashe was holding a candlestick to light the way. David did not forgetting the knife as well for extra precautions.
The group steadily walk outside the ceremonial room and up the long stairs. David and Ben notices that they were back at the library.
The group continued to walk forward slowly and into the corridor.
"Hey, Ashe can leave the candlestick to burn the place?" David asked Ashe to burn the library, since he wanted to be safe.
Ashe nodded her head and said, "Hmm, sure."
The fire started to spread rapidly and the group were almost out of the house.
All of a sudden, they heard a wailing voice coming behind them.
"You're not leaving this house!!!" It was the Witch who was still burning and with a slightly charred face. She running straight towards the group with extraordinary speed.
David, Ben and Ashe's eyes dialated and David responded back in an agitated voice, "Come on, come on! We have to get out of here fast!!"
The Witch roared and was extremely close to group and jumped. David saw this and pushed both Ben and Ashe aside.
Just before David and the Witch were tumbling on the muddy ground outside the house. The clouds have started to rain. While, loud thunder and lightning can be seen and heard.
"It was you who ruined it!" As the Witch choked David with her hands.
David tried to gasp for air. With a last ditch effort, David had enough strength to stab the knife towards the Witch's heart.
The Witch paused momentarily giving David some time to kick her off of his body.
"You're going to die from a long, painful death. Along with your friends for an eternity." The Witch slowly walk to David while holding the knife.
Holding in a stabbing motion, the Witch stabs and cuts David with the knife onto David's left shoulder, right leg and left achilles tendon.
David grunted in pain.
Just before the Witch can stab and cut once more. Thunder descends down towards the Witch.
"AaaaHhHaaaAah" The Witch screamed as her whole body start to disintegrate.
David dropped to the muddy ground and panted, "It's finally over."
The other two cried in relief as well.
......
Years went by after the event that happened to the three friends.
They were rescued and started to recover in the hospital. The news media blew up telling that the two young men and women survived a disaster that happened in the Witch's Forest.
They couldn't do much with the injuries they have. Slowly, their lives got better over time. They still went to college and got their degrees; married to good people who loved them the way they were; and worked in their specific field before retiring.
Even though, they retired-- they still wanted to help out from place to place-- especially, they all got jobs at an orphanage by telling them stories.
"Hey, Grandpa David can you tell us the story of what happened to you, Grandpa Ben, and Grandma Ashe?" The child was new in the orphanage and was curious to what had happened to them.
David, Ben, and Ashe looked at each other with their wrinkled faces before David spoke, "It's a long story..."
[1 and 8] Sleep Sounds - 1 Hour: Heartbeat Sound of Human Heart and Pulse - Sleep Video. This was the reference I used, but you would have to speed it up to 1.5 or 1.75 to hear what Ben's heart sounds like when he is panicking. For (8) it's now David's heart beat at normal to 1.25 speed.
[2 and 3] Horror/Jumpscare Sound Effects [READ DESCRIPTION]. Look at Tyler Hader's comment for 1:33 time mark. Now using the 3:03 time mark
[4] Girl Horror Scream Sound Effects All Sounds at 1:24 time mark would be Ashe screaming.
[5] Woman Crying and Sobbing Sound Effect. Ashe is crying/sobbing for help.
[6 and 7] DON'T GO IN - Epic Intense Horror Music Mix | Dark Modern Hybrid Horror Sound Design. I used the 0:00 time mark to make it dramatic/scary. Using same time mark from 6, but it's more intensified.
[9] Belly button. If I said belly button it doesn't sound as serious.