The Malevolent Road

Tales Of The Apocalypse: Book II - The Rift

Curiosity finally got the best of us, well at least me and I went over to examine the beast. Andy would not approach the creature, and sat nursing a bruised shoulder where it had impacted her.

I have taken creative writing in school and I am mostly at a loss for words to describe it. I will attempt to use earthly comparisons to give an accurate description of such an un-earthly beast.

The nightmarish creature on the trail resembles a 6 foot high Toad with the horns of a Texas Longhorn steer, with lower tusks and upper fangs. It's short, crooked arms end in what resemble the talons of a bird of prey. The lower legs are large and powerful, with a large foot and 6 inch or so clawed toes. It has a short, thick tail with a series of ridges running its length, reminiscent of that of an alligator. It's skin looks like an armor plating; smooth and hard. It is a mottled grey color much like the color of fog. A fetid stink permeates the air around it.

A more eldritch horror I cannot imagine. It reminds me of something that could be from the Cthulhu Mythos. Only Lovecraft could describe it better than I could. I wish I had a camera that worked, but my digital camera and cell phone camera are both toast. I have watched many a horror movie and have never beheld such an awful visage!
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I have escorted Andy around it, guiding her so that she would not have to look at this nightmarish creature and suffer it in her dreams forever more. As for myself, I fear that its taint will haunt me forever!
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I wonder, did it come from that shimmering thing on the horizon? Looking out from upon the mountain side, it appears to have grown larger and nearer. It looks to be engulfing our hometown and is moving toward where we struggle up this mountain path.
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This is our first real rest stop since early morning, and I am damn glad for it! The trail has gotten steeper and it looks like we will be climbing another 200 feet in elevation according to our map. Today is day 6 on the path to the cabin. 2 miles ahead is the next cache point according to the markings on the map.

I think we shall camp there for the night as it is getting late and the sun is working its way behind the mountain range behind us.
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Once again we are hearing sounds in the forest that are alien to the norm. Crashings and thuds mark the otherwise stillness. The birdsong's are replaced by the sighing wind and a strange sort of humming at the edge of our hearing, but it seems to be located in the direction from which we are traveling.
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We have reached our cache point and have set up camp in a small glade with a clear field of fire all around us. We will build 3 fires tonight and one of us will remain awake to listen for problems and to keep the fires burning. I worry about this, about one of us being alone while the other sleeps, but there is no way around it. We must have sleep to restore our energy after the grueling hike. We will keep 4 hour watches, and in that manner we will each get some rest.

Fortunately there was an adequate wood supply near our evening camp, so we did not have far to go to retrieve it. Regardless, Andy stood overwatch while I gathered it and piled the wood at camp. I fear that if I were alone, I would curl in a ball and wait to be taken as was Dad.

As the world darkens around us, I wonder about the rest of the planet, about people in faraway places and if they are going thru what we just have.

Far off in the darkness, I hear that awful hooting, followed by the howling. It is far away but it gives me the shivers nonetheless. Dinner was sparse, the only luxury was the main course of freeze-dried Teriyaki Chicken. We had some Gatorade powder to add to our water, which was pretty good. There was more food in the cache, food for 4 persons, but we want to economize our consumption until we get to the cabin. The added food will slow us down what with carrying along dads pack and all but I will not willingly leave it behind. Once we reach the cabin I do not wish to leave until necessary to reach the supplies that dad hid near there.
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The night passed for us as it will for those who are exhausted upon the trail. The conversation that ensued between us after dark consisted of me telling Andy to wake me in four hours, then giving her my windup watch to mark the time. I crawled into the tent and once in my bag, was out like a light. I slept a dream filled sleep full of nameless horrors that grinned out at me from behind monstrous edifices that populated a ruined lakebed, in which the water had receded to mere puddles. There were thousands of the toad-like creatures there with hundreds of human captives, none of whom I recognized but all beseeching for to help with their sad and tired eyes.

Luckily I was awoken from this unfortunate dream by Andy, telling me it was my turn to keep watch. The morning came shortly after, and the need for 3 fires dropped to 1, which in the cold morning air of the mountain felt very nice. I was determined to let Andy sleep a couple more hours but she woke and got up anyway. We had a hot breakfast of freeze-dried scrambled eggs and sausage which was quite good, and several cups each of Dad's cappuccino coffee mix. Damn that stuff was good! We then broke camp and prepared to move. Day 7 was upon us now!
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An hour on the trail and the path ahead appears like some malevolent road; strewn with debris, jumbled with boulders, pools of water and mud, grasping roots and small trees scattered along its visible length, along which we are forced to travel. It is as though it seeks to tax us of our remaining strength and mire us permanently in its mud.