So what have I got to do?
It was 12.00 at night. Mark and I stood across the field from the small shack, right now it was just a quiet speck on the horizon, but we both knew something much more sinister had happened there, just a few months ago. A body was found, no witnesses, no suspect, and no idea. Over time the shack had become a sort of legend among the people of this town, a haunted building that will bring great pain to anybody who dares venture there.
All you have to do is spend the night there! Mark said with a smirk. Do it and you get £50, you said you would do it, are you going to pussy out now?
Mark was an arsehole, but he was a manipulative arsehole. With a sigh of discomfort, I picked up the sleeping bag with all my stuff in it and started across the field, the bag slung over my shoulder like a bag of potatoes. If there are any problems, all you have to do is call me. Good luck! He shouted mockingly as he walked along the path back to his flat.
I wondered to myself on the way over. Why do I do these things? If I just turn back now then I won?t have to do it, but then he would know I was a coward and he would never let anybody forget it. I could just tell him I did it and then nobody would know. No, he will be up bright and early to make sure I don?t do that. It?s fine, right? I can do this, right?
I arrived at the side of the shack, it was a well know place for the homeless to kip, until that girl was slaughtered. Don?t know why it has not been torn down yet, it?s basically a arrangement of congregated metal, nobody had lived here for decades. I took a torch out of my sleeping bag and, reluctantly, I went through the doorway and into the shack. It was just one room, along the walls there were lots of different graffiti marks, made by people like me, no doubt. The most noticeable thing in the room was a large cupboard in the corner, large enough to permit entry to somebody my size. I wondered why it was here, it was in pretty good shape and I was surprised it had not been taken yet.
I put my sleeping bag on the muddy floor and extracted the supplies that I brought out with me. Two pillows, a water bottle and a few snacks. I opted to get to sleep as fast as possible so to end this soon. After I had emptied the sleeping bag, I laid it down flat on the floor in such a way that it would permit easy entry. I then pulled it over so I was facing the door; I did this under the assumption that if anything came through the door I would be able to see it and react accordingly, it was very naïve of me. I took the two pillows and laid them down next to the opposite wall from the door. After I had placed the pillows, I noticed something on the wall. I moved in for a closer look and I saw it.
Scratches, scratches that looked like they were made by an extremely angry person.
Or possibly an extremely terrified and desperate person.
No, I shook my head to get such a thought out of my mind. It was just an animal. After a quick bag of crisps and a drink, I got into the sleeping bag (moved a couple of inches to the right to avoid sleeping under the scratch marks) and turned off the torch.
I must have been laid there for about two hour before I managed to get some sleep. But no sooner had this relaxation arrived it was quickly snuffed out as I head the unmistakable sound of crunching leaves outside. I immediately sat bolt upright in my sleeping bag. I reached for the torch, my hand clumsily feeling it way around the floor before I finally grabbed it and shone it around. There was nothing, not even a whisper. I shrugged it off as just a passing cat. I took my water bottle and had a few more sips before I put it back down and prepared to get back to sleep. About ten minutes later, something woke me up.
Footsteps, but not ordinary footsteps. These were not coordinated, not balanced, not human, and they were approaching the doorway. I quickly and clumsily, kicked away the sleeping bag and jumped to my feet. The slouching footsteps were getting closer and a small choking rumble had begun to accompany it. In a panic now, I waved my torch around the room in an attempt to find somewhere to hide. My touch made out the cupboard in the corner of the room, without thinking I ran over to the cupboard, swung the door open crouched inside and slammed the door shut. For ten seconds that felt like ten minutes, silence reigned. But then I heard it, it was scratching against the door of the cupboard. Those horrific scratching sounds on the door, persisted for about fifteen minutes without letting up and I could hear the horrible groan of whatever it was. After fifteen minutes, it began to slow down, get weaker until it stopped altogether. I was curious, but not curious enough to open the door. I sat there with my head in my hands silently cursing myself. Why did I come out here? Why!?
It was probably about eight o?clock when I finally worked up the courage to open the door. Slowly, I applied pressure to the door with my foot. It would not move, as if something was blocking it. I was slightly frustrated and tired at this point so I just wanted to get out of there. I pulled my leg back as far as it could and kicked the door open, pushing whatever was stopping me to one side. Slowly, I emerged from the cupboard, and saw it. It was Mark, dead in front of the cupboard door, his throat cut. I simply stared; I did not know what to do The shock had made me go completely silent. In silence, tears welling up in my eyes, I edged around the room attempting to keep as much distance between me and Marks lifeless body. I noticed the scratch marks against the wall where I had been sleeping earlier. I then looked over to the cupboard, scratch marks almost identical to the ones on the wall. It was abundantly clear what had happened. Mark had been scratching the cupboard while I was in there, but I did not help him. He could have been saved.
And with that thought, I finally found the lung power to scream.