New Story: Flames, Feathers, and Fangs (Patreon)

Kevin's pickup truck rumbled to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust on the dirt road. Finally, he rounded the corner, and pulled into the waiting spot at their campsite. He killed the engine and sat back; fingers still tight on the wheel.

He'd spent weeks planning this trip, coordinating schedules and gear lists with Sophie and LJ. It had seemed like a pipedream at first, meeting up with his online friends for an adventure up here in the Santa Cruz mountains. But here he was, and there they were, just a few yards away.

Kevin's stomach churned with nerves as he stepped out of the truck. He'd never been great at first impressions. What if he said something stupid? What if they didn't like him as much in person?

The campsite was tucked into a hollow of massive redwoods, their branches filtering the afternoon sunlight into a soft green glow. Someone had already set up the camp kitchen, complete with a folding table, portable fridge, and a box of various knives and utensils. Sophie stood beside an oversized solar panel, fiddling with the wires between it and a rugged looking box.

"Kevin!" she called out, waving eagerly. "You made it!"

He waved back, grinning. Sophie's energy was contagious.

LJ was perched on a log near the empty fire pit, hunched over a sketchpad. He glanced up as Kevin approached. "Hey man," LJ said, gesturing with the pencil. "How was the drive?"

Kevin chuckled. "Those roads are no joke. Pretty sure my GPS was just making stuff up half the time. But hey, at least I've got enough gas to get us into town if we need to restock."

LJ snorted, looking back to his pad. "Next time, try an actual map. Might save you some time."

"Yeah, yeah," Kevin said, waving him off. He walked around to the back of the truck, surveying the supplies he'd brought. Several large duffel bags were piled next to a cooler and a few cords of firewood. It had been years since his last camping trip with the Boy Scouts. If he'd forgotten something now, it would be quite the drive back down. Hopefully his friends had enough to make up the difference.

Besides, it was too late to turn back now. Kevin heaved a bag onto his shoulder and made his way back to camp.

Sophie darted over to meet him. "Kevin!" She pulled him into a quick hug. "I can't believe we're actually here, in person."

As they separated, Kevin got his first real look at her. She was a bit shorter than he'd imagined, with wavy chestnut hair that brushed her shoulders. She wore a loose, flowy top in a deep green, perfect for the hot weather.

"Feels like a dream," Kevin said. "I never thought we'd actually make this happen."

"This was all your idea. Without you, none of this would be possible. But every time we tried to bail; you kept pushing."

"You know me," he said. "Stubborn as a horse,"

Sophie giggled. "More like a bulldog. But that's why we're here."

"Which one of those is the guys' tent? I should probably dump this stuff before my arm falls off."

Sophie pointed to the tent cabin just past LJ. "That one's yours. But don't step on his subject on your way over. LJ will strangle you."

Kevin heaved the duffel over his shoulder and approached, slowing his pace as he approached the tent cabin. He ducked inside, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the gloom. The space was bare except for two cots, a wood stove, and folding wood table. LJ hadn't brought anything into the tent yet.

Typical, Kevin thought.

He set his duffel down on the sturdier-looking of the two cots, then turned back into the sunlight.

"Yo, watch it!" LJ pointed with his pencil towards the ground, just past Kevin's boot.

He froze, staring down. There, nestled among the fallen leaves, was a banana slug. It had to be at least six inches long, its mottled yellow body glistening with slime.

"Whoa," Kevin breathed, crouching down for a closer look. "That's what you've been drawing?"

LJ snorted, already back to sketching. "I'm trying to capture its majestic slugginess. Harder than it looks."

Kevin leaned over, peaking at LJ's sketchpad. Not a masterpiece, but not bad either. "Looks good!" Kevin said, nodding appreciatively. "You think you'll still have time to make dinner? I've got those burgers we talked about. Sirloin."

Kevin straightened, his gaze falling on his friend for the first time. LJ was all sharp angles and lean muscle, with a wiry frame that seemed coiled with restless energy. His hair was a mop of black, the longest strands brushing his collar. 

"Hmm?" LJ hummed. "Oh, yeah, sure. I'll get to it."

He made no move to set down his pencil or shift from his seat on the log. Instead, he leaned closer to the page, adding a few delicate strokes to the slug's antennae.

Kevin suppressed a sigh. He knew that look. LJ was in the zone, lost in his art. "No worries, man," Kevin said. "Whenever you're ready."

LJ grunted in response.

Annoyance prickled under Kevin's skin, but he tried to shrug it off. They had the whole summer ahead of them. LJ could make it up to him later.

Turning towards the truck, Kevin surveyed the remaining supplies. The firewood and coolers were the heaviest items, but there were still a few bags of gear to haul over to the tents.

"Need a hand?" Sophie called, making her way over. 

Kevin hesitated. He didn't love the idea of making Sophie lug around heavy bundles of wood. But if he said so, she'd just insist on helping anyway.

"Actually, yeah," he said, reaching into the truck bed to pull out the portable stove. "Could you grab this and the propane? If you can get them set up, that'd be awesome."

Sophie took the stove. "On it, boss." 

She hefted the propane tank onto her hip and strode off towards the camp kitchen.

Turning back to the truck, Kevin set about unloading the rest of the gear. He stacked the bundles of firewood into a neat pile beside the fire pit. Next came the rest of his crap, each hauled to the tent.

The next few hours went about how he expected. Kevin took advantage of the sunlight to get his stuff unpacked and the camp arranged. If he didn't, he'd regret it after dark.

Then came dinner, and a few cold beers. Just one for him and one for LJ—Sophie wasn't interested.

We just met. We all feel weird. 

Kevin watched as LJ stood from his seat across the campfire, stretching his arms above his head. "I think I'm gonna turn in early," LJ said, stifling a yawn. "That bus did a number on me. Maybe tomorrow we can break out that board game you were talking about, Kevin?"

"Oh man, definitely! I'm thinking it should be enough to keep us busy all summer. The campaign looks epic. There's a bunch of characters to choose from, and—" And LJ wasn't really listening.

LJ nodded, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "Sounds good, dude. Just don't expect me to wake up at dawn for it."

As LJ headed towards the tent cabin, Sophie stood up. "I think I'm going to call it too. Don't stay up too late."

Kevin poked at the campfire with the stick in his hands, sending a shower of red embers up into the air. "No promises. See you in the morning."

Sophie shook her head. "Night." She turned and followed LJ to the cabins, and vanished through the canvas flap.

Kevin sat for a long time, listening to the crackle of the flames and the gentle rustling of leaves overhead. He prodded at the embers, watching them flare and settle. He should be exhausted from the drive up here, but he just didn't feel it.

The wood popped and hissed as it slowly turned to ash, sending tiny sparks flashing briefly, then dying again. If he listened, he could just start to hear the sounds of the forest. Raccoons maybe. Hopefully not something bigger.

He tilted his head back, scanning the canopy above for any sign of movement. The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, parting in places to reveal the stars above. Then something moved, an abrupt rush of feathers on the air. 

Kevin squinted, trying to make out the creature against the leaves. Its wings beat heavily, like a raptor. But none of those should be active this late at night. 

Was that an owl? He strained for a better look, but already the feathered creature was gone.

The hair on his neck stood up. What if the animal was still watching him? Maybe it was hiding in the trees. He reached for his phone, thumbing on the flashlight app.

The beam lit up the campsite, reflecting faintly off the deep brown trunks. Kevin played the light over the underbrush, searching for any hint of life. He saw nothing but the gently swaying ferns. Maybe that was a rat scampering in the underbrush, startled by his flashlight.

Kevin let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. You're just imagining things. There's no one here. 

It was only natural to feel unsettled in an unfamiliar place.

Kevin leveraged himself up from his seat by the fire pit. He took a few stumbling steps towards his tent. Yet something slipped away from his feet as he moved, landing awkwardly on the forest floor. He turned the phone down, shining the flashlight onto his boots. How was that possible?

He lifted one foot to the light, and found his sock hanging limp, as though the front half of his foot just wasn't there. Kevin reached for it, but the sudden motion was too much. He gasped, toppling onto his back. The phone tumbled from his grip, and the flashlight beam went out.

Pain exploded behind Kevin's eyes, searing through his skull. He cried out, curling in on himself. Had he hit something? Or maybe stabbed himself? It felt more like something was trying to rip out of his skull. Pressure built until he felt skin split, and liquid trickling down his face. Blood?

He rolled onto his side, gasping for air. His fingers scratched at the ground, searching for purchase. Another jolt of pain lanced through him, this time from his tailbone. He stretched involuntarily, extending his body all the way. What could hurt like this? Could there be something wrong with the meat? Which meant that if he felt it, the others would be too.

Kevin's mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. Maybe he had a concussion? Whatever it was, it hurt badly enough that he was hallucinating. One of his socks had come off in the fall, and showed something that very clearly wasn't a foot where his foot ought to be. Like a goat's hoof, split down the middle? It was too dim to get a very good look. 

Kevin fought to stay conscious, blinking rapidly to clear the spots in his vision. The pain was overwhelming, threatening to drag him down into unconsciousness. But if he had a concussion, wasn't he supposed to stay awake? That was what people always said in the movies!

Kevin groaned, settling his hands under him again. Even that was a struggle, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated. He would go to LJ, or maybe Sophie. One of them would have the dexterity to call an ambulance.  One… two… three! He shoved up against the dirt, then stood.

His body didn't want to. His back shook, as though the muscles he usually used for standing had atrophied from years of disuse. He wobbled, throwing out both arms to keep his balance. Then he took a single step forward, and his foot caught on the sock.

He tripped, tumbling forward this time. He flung out his arms and managed to keep himself from faceplanting into the campfire. Instead, he smacked his arm hard enough that it went numb, then rolled backward into the dirt. Even his jeans were coming loose, far enough that something could slip out the back and onto the camp floor.

That helped with the pain, though not his confusion. There shouldn't be anything back there!

Kevin tried to yell for help, but even that didn't work right. His shout turned into a pained whimper. The world went hazy.

Finally, the darkness took him.