Bedtime Tales of Horror: The Trail

  Bedtime Tales of Horror:

  THE TRAIL

  By

  Bradley Poage

  Copyright 2015 Bradley Poage

  Kindle Edition

  The early morning sunlight beat down on the prairie grass as Steven pulled the trail closed sign out from the back of his white park ranger truck. His partner Luke continued to pound the t-stake into the trail behind him. “You about done pounding that stake in? Steven asked as he carried the sign over to him.

  Luke frowned as he huffed under his breath. “You have the easy part in this. The ground is pretty stiff.”

  Steven chuckled and waited as Luke pounded on the stake a couple more times with the hammer. “Well if I remember right you said you’d pound the stake in if I bought the coffee?”

  Luke grinned. “Yeah, don’t think you’re getting out of it either.”

  Steven chuckled. “Yeah, I know you’ll hold me to it.”

  “Exactly,” Luke returned as he finished pounding the stake. He then grabbed the green stake and threw his weight on it to test the footing. “Perfect. Okay, bolt the sign and let’s go get that coffee.”

  Steven nodded and quickly bolted up the sign. He then gazed up the trail that they had just closed. “I sure hope hikers stay off this trail Luke.”

  Luke gazed up the trail as well. “Well hopefully we will figure out what is going on soon. If anyone does go up, good luck to them.”

  Steven paused for a moment, thinking about the other day. “You know I will definitely be interested in what conclusions are drawn by the Division of Wildlife.”

  “Me too. Let’s go.”

  The two returned to their truck, started it up and headed out back to the main road. They’d be back in a few days with the Division of Wildlife, hopefully with some answers.

  Coming up the asphalt trail, Amanda slowed as she reached the junction. She then turned down her favorite trail that ran along the ridge. It was the perfect trail to run in the morning. She always had a soft breeze, sunlight to scare away the shadows, and plenty of sight so she never had to worry about being ambushed by a bear or mountain lion. Today though she was out running to release stress. Work had been getting to her recently and now with her personal issues at home with her husband Brian, she just wanted to run her favorite trail and relax.

  As she reached the top of the hill she prepared to make her next turn toward Sunset Loop. It was there that she suddenly saw the sign that read Trail Closed. “Seriously? Seriously?” she shouted in frustration.

  Stomping back and forth for a moment she frowned and then shrugged as an angered fluster emerged on her face. “Fuck this sign, I’m running it anyway.”

  She began down the trail, letting her dark brown shoulder length hair dangle in the breeze. It was a perfect morning. But as the sign grew distant behind her, she began to notice something very different in the air. Birds that were once chirping were quiet, and now the farther she went the more eerie the feeling.

  Crossing the top of the trail and heading deep into the valley, Amanda tried to dismiss the chills she suddenly felt running along the crest of her spine. It almost felt as if she wasn’t supposed to be there. The feeling was very odd. But she abruptly paused as she heard a rustle in the scrub oak. She took a moment to collect herself. The rustle stopped as she stopped. She scanned the brush with her eyes to verify no bears or mountain lions were lurking there. Nothing was there. Her heart sped up as she dismissed the noise and began running again.

  Heading further down the trail she started approaching the prairie dog colony. This part of the colony was always busy with prairie dogs, snakes and hawks. She hated the snakes.

  She suddenly stopped as she realized the colony was dead quiet. “What the hell?” she sputtered.

  There was a rustle behind her again in the scrub oak. She turned as she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. As she felt her throat begin to choke she watched as a deer emerged. A cloud of ease swept over her as she turned back to the trail.

  Continuing again, she abruptly stopped as a strange creature emerged on the trail in front of her. She didn’t know what to make of it. It looked similar to a prairie dog, but it was much larger. She cautiously approached it. She knew she should probably turn back, but she was intrigued by it. She had never seen a prairie dog like that. The fur was dark brown, almost chocolate colored. “That’s so weird,” she uttered under her breath as she pulled her cell phone out to take a picture.

  The prairie dog’s eyes were bloodshot red. She had never seen anything like that before. The creature was perched, sitting dead center in the middle of the trail. She could feel her pulse throbbing in her veins as the adrenaline surged in her veins. “I am going to make money on this,” she whispered as her thoughts focused on the strange creature in front of her.

  The prairie dog suddenly barked at her. But he remained stationary. Amanda was fascinated by the prairie dog. She slowly approached the prairie dog. The eyes were fixed on her as she approached. It was so odd since they would normally run when approached. But this one just sat there, as if it was waiting for her.

  Amanda took a deep breath as she tried to control her anxiety as she approached the creature. She steadied her hand as she pressed the screen to snap the picture. The phone clicked as the picture snapped. “Oh man you are one ugly prairie dog,” she mumbled.

  The prairie dog suddenly brandished its teeth. She suddenly stopped as she felt as if she might have come too closely. The teeth were sharp. In fact, the teeth seemed more like teeth belonging to a predator.

  The prairie dog barked again. Amanda felt her heart jump. She swallowed a thick lump in her throat. She quickly turned to head back the other way. There in front of her was another. It looked just as ugly as the other one. She felt shivers run along her back as she caught a glimpse of the claws. The prairie dogs had oversized claws, and they looked like they were as sharp as razors.

  There was more barking behind her. Amanda looked behind her only to find another prairie dog. She was trapped.

  The three prairie dogs all started barking. Amanda gasped as several more converged on her. She was now surrounded by the strange looking prairie dogs. They were all barking eagerly at her.

  Feeling the anxiety well up, the prairie dogs barked louder and louder, as if they were sensing her fear. Amanda never felt so alone at that moment. She never felt as if she was at the mercy of something out of her control, until now.

  Listening to the barking, she knew well enough what this was. She was about to be a meal. She closed her eyes as she knew what was coming next. The calls were getting louder and louder. She began to cry. She wanted to run but either way she knew she would be dead. The prairie dogs were surrounding her. She opened her eyes and now saw dozens. The teeth were brandished, and the claws were extended. She whispered a prayer under her breath as she stood there before them, as if she was waiting to be executed.

  Amanda took a deep breath and decided that she had to try to get away. She bolted, heading back the way she came.

  The prairie dogs wasted no time attacking. As she passed the first ones in her path they leaped up on her legs and sank their long canine teeth into her flesh. Amanda screamed as they tore mouthfuls of tissue from her. She dropped to the ground as the prairie dogs ripped through her tendons with their razor sharp claws. She screamed as other prairie dogs leaped onto her back and ran their claws through her running suit. Blood poured from her wounds as they began gnawing at her muscles.

  Gasping from the pain as her nerves burned and ached, she felt the teeth and claws as the other prairie dogs began feasting on her. Blood dribbled up from her mouth as she exhaled for the last time.

  The pa
rk ranger truck pulled up to the trail closed sign. Luke got out and tested the sign by yanking on it. “Good and secure,” he commented as the sun began to set.

  Steven nodded. “Time to head home?”

  “Yeah. Don’t forget we have to take the Division of Wildlife officer up tomorrow?”

  “How could I forget? Maybe she can tell us what is going on with those prairie dogs.”

  “I hope so,” Luke returned.

  As the two returned to the truck they listened to the prairie dog calls echoing from the valley. “They fed again today.”

  “Yeah,” Luke said. “Some poor deer or elk?”

  “Maybe. We will figure it out tomorrow.”

  “Yep.”

  The rangers pulled away as the sun set on the western horizon, while the calls rippled along the valley.

 

 

  Bradley Poage, Bedtime Tales of Horror: The Trail

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