The Return To Wayde Woods

Megan eyed the energy bar Dusty had given her for breakfast. Her stomach was upset, not hungry. She was regretting not leaving when she had the chance. She wondered if Dusty would let her have the oppurtunity to leave again.

She was sitting in the cabin, in the chair she had woken up in. It was so disturbing being back in here. She hated this cabin.

The door opened and Dusty walked in. He looked over at Megan.

"Better eat that," Dusty told her, "keep your energy up."

"What's the plan here?" Megan asked him.

"Well," Dusty sighed, sitting in a wooden chair opposite of her. "First I want you to take me to that house."

Megan shuttered. "And then?"

Dusty shrugged, "Then we look for Suzette and for The Hunter."

"And what if we find Suzette and she is...well, you know?"

"Then at least we know," Dusty said, "And we will get revenge. Now eat, you'll need the energy."

* * *

"I caught one! I caught one!" Timothy yelled, sprinting back to his grandpa with a fish in hand.

"Hey so you did!" Bob smiled as his grandson. He took the fist and looked it over, proud of what Timothy had accomplished.

"So do I get the silver dollar?" Timothy asked.

"Yes you do," Bob laughed. He pulled it out and handed it to him. "There ya go kid, you earned it."
Hearing the commotion, Tina walked over.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Your brother caught the first fish," Bob informed her.

"Yeah, it's a big one too!" Timothy beamed.

"Oh, I wanted the silver dollar." Tina frowned.

"Too bad," Timothy said, "I won it!"

"That's true," Bob told her, it was true but her frown saddened his heart. "Hey Tina, help me get some stuff from the truck."

"Sure," she replied.

They walked over to the truck. Timothy stayed behing and admired his coin. Once out of earshot, Bob reached into his pocket and fished out his wallet. Opening it he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her.

"What's this?" Tina asked, looking it over.

"It's a peso. Mexican money."

"It's really cool," Tina told her grandpa.

"You can have it," he told her.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Sure," Bob smiled. "Just don't tell your brother. Let him have the fish victory."

"Okay!" Tina hugged her grandfather.

* * *

After eating her breakfast, Megan joined Dusty outside. He was over by her car smoking a cigar. Two large backpacks were on the hood.

"You ready?" Dusty asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Megan sighed.

"Okay then," Dusty picked up one of the packs and handed it to her.

"What's this?" She asked him.

"Supplies," he told her, "Here." Dusty handed her a large hunting knife.

Megan looked it over. It seemed silly to think that the knife would in any way protect her from the monster that Dusty was hoping they would face.

Dusty pulled a handgun out from behind him. "Do you know how to shoot one of these?"

"Yeah," Megan answered, "but it's been a long time."

"Well if something would happen to me, and you can get to the gun, don't hesitate," he instructed.

"Got it," Megan confirmed.

"Okay then, let's go."

Megan and Dusty hiked through the woods. Megan's chest was tightening, she had to fight so hard not to lose herself to the panic that was creeping up on her. The woods seemed to be closing in. Her head was spinning a little, but she kept moving forward without alerting Dusty to her condition. She knew she had to shut up and keep moving.

Megan was walking ahead of Dusty, guiding him in the direction she believed the house was. It was difficult to know for sure, but she just kept moving. She was afraid if she stopped she would faint. If she tried to talk she might throw up.

Dusty followed close behind her. He held a hatchet in his right hand, ready to use it when the time came. He was feeling very guilty for bringing Megan here, especially against her will. He knew it was wrong, but what mattered most was Suzette. He decided he wanted to make this as comfortable for her as this situation possibly could be.

"Megan," Dusty whispered.

Megan's heart sank at the thought of talking. Still, she turned back and faced Dusty. "What is it?"

"Are you okay? Do you need to rest?" Dusty asked in hushed tones.

"I'm fine, let's just keep moving," Megan lied.

They walked for a long time. The brush seemed to be continuely getting thicker. Branches and thorns poked at their bodies. Slowly Megan began to recognize her surroundings more. She was on the right path. The house of her nightmares was just ahead.

"Stop," Megan instructed Dusty, who listened.

"What is it?" Dusty asked.

"The house is just up ahead there," she informed him with a shakey voice.

The two crouched down and walked over to where they could see the house through a clearing in the brush. Megan's heart stopped when the old house came into sight. It was just how Megan remembered it, how she saw it in her nightmares. Farm-style house, chipped faded green paint, busted second story window.

"That's it?" Dusty asked.

"Yeah," Megan sighed. "That's it."

"Okay then," Dusty pulled out his gun, ready for whatever would be waiting for them on the other side of those walls. "let's go."

Megan and Dusty walked cautiously toward the house. Every second, every heartbeat was intense. Megan knew what The Hunter was capable of, Dusty only had his imagination. Neither was a pretty picture.

They reached the front porch and climbed the stairs. With every step they took the boards creaked loudly under their feet. Dusty checked through the dirty windows. It seemed to be safe, only dust and darkness filled the rooms that were visible.

"Time to go in," Dusty whispered.

The door was unlocked and opened for him with no resistence. Light flooded into the room from the doorway. The wind blew leaves across the floor. The house had not seen any kind of maintaining in a long time.

"That's the way into the basement," Megan told Dusty, pointing at a silver door handle sticking up from the floor.

"Better check around first," Dusty replied. "Make sure it's safe."

The two walked slowly and quietly through each room on the first floor. Danger was potentially hiding around each corner. All the rooms were the same though, dust and the occasional piece of old furniture. Nothing too strange for an old, abandoned house, but the vibes of that house was anything but normal.

"I think we're alone," Dusty said.

"What about upstairs?" Megan asked, "We didn't check upstairs."

"If he was in this house, we would be fighting him right now I think," Dusty answered. "Let's check the basement then get the hell out of here."

Dusty opened the trap door. He pulled out a flashlight and shined it down the stairs, everything seemed clear. Motioning for Megan to follow, they began walking down cautiously. When he could, he shined the flashlight around the room. He stopped walking when he shined the light onto the bars that made the cell.

"Is that..." Dusty started.
"Yes," Megan said with a choked voice.

Dusty walked down the rest of the steps at a quicker pace. He moved toward the cell without saying a word. Reaching it, he stopped. Slowly he extended his hand out and touched the metal. The effect was complete coldness running throughout his body. He shuttered and a tear ran down his face, this was where his daughter had been locked up like an animal. Vile things ran through his mind, all the possabilities of Suzette's fate.

"There's nothing here," Dusty muttered, wiping a tear from his face. "Let's go."

The two of them walked back up the steps and shut the trapdoor behind them. Dusty didn't want to alarm Megan, but he moved as quickly as possible. He had to get out of that house. They walked out the door, back onto the front porch. Dusty turned to shut the door behind them, then he felt Megans hand grasp his shoulder.

"Dusty..." She muttered.

Dusty turned and followed her gaze. Standing at the edge of the clearing was a man. A very tall and massive man who was holding a makeshift weapon. A mask covered the man's face. He just stood there and stared at them.

"Is that...is that him?" Dusty said, almost speechless.

Megan could not speak, she only nodded.

The Hunter still stood in the clearing, waiting and watching. The weapon in his hand was a long wooden pole. One end was sharpened to a point like a spear, the other end had a saw blade bolted to the side.

"Listen carefully Megan," Dusty whispered into her ear. "When I give the signal I want you to run to the right, jump over the rail and sprint as fast as you can into the woods. Don't look back."

"I'm not going to leave you Dusty," Megan told him with a quivering voice.

"I'll be right behind you. I promise," Dusty assured her.

The Hunter slowly moved his free arm over to the weapon and spun the saw blade.

"NOW!" Dusty yelled.

Megan sprinted as fast as she could, leaping over the porch rail. The Hunter spun the pole around to the pointed end and through it like a spear at Dusty. It flew with great speed, and Dusty moved just in time. The spear stuck into the front door.

Dusty held up his handgun and began firing at The Hunter.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The first three shots missed, and The Hunter was now walked toward Dusty. It was clear the gun did not scare him at all.

BANG!

The fourth shot hit The Hunter in the stomach. There was no cry of pain, but The Hunter did stop and bring a hand to his stomach.

BANG! BANG!

Another shot hit his stomache and the sixth went into his chest.

Megan had reached the woods, but stopped before she went in. She turned to see Dusty shooting The Hunter, who was barely reacting.

"DUSTY, COME ON!" she screamed, unwilling to follow his orders.

Dusty's gun only held eight shots. It was clear that this was not very effective. He used the last two to keep The Hunter busy as he ran down the porch steps and over to Megan. He turned to face her.
"RUN!" he demanded. Both Dusty and Megan fled into the woods as fast as they could go.

The Hunter was standing straight again and watched his prey fleeing into the woods. When they were no longer visible, he walked up onto the porch. He gripped the handle of his weapon and pulled it effortlessly from the door. Again he mannually spun the saw blade.