‘Everyone ready?’ Tim asked them theatrically.
Ashley saw that Craig looked to be feeling as apprehensive as she was. Even Kim’s resolve seemed to falter, if only for a second.
‘Fuck it,’ she said, ‘let’s go.’
‘Like I said,’ Tim replied with a laugh, ‘you’re a natural at this.’
Ashley took a breath, which caught in her throat when she felt something on her hand. Tim had taken it in his own, engulfing it with his large paw. He gave it a squeeze and smiled at her.
Her apprehension began to dissolve and Tim led her over the boundary, out of the open wilderness and into the woods.
It was a stupid notion, and obviously one born of a tired and slightly unnerved mind, but it felt like they had crossed over into something. She couldn’t put her finger on it exactly, but it felt like a different kind of place.
But then they had just passed into another kind of place, hadn’t they? They had stepped into a more enclosed forest area that had a completely different feel than the open hills they’d spent the past day hiking across.
That’s all it was.
Twigs snapped under her boots and the moss that covered a lot of the ground was actually quite slippery underfoot. Ashley lost her footing more than once, but Tim was sturdy on his feet, effortlessly keeping his balance and allowing her to use him for support when needed. Kim and Craig moved up beside them, holding hands themselves. Ashley had a feeling it was more for support than any show of affection, something that she had seen less and less of between the two recently.
They had been together for so long Ashley had wondered if the spark had just gone. Was this it for them now? It led her to wonder if the same thing would happen with her and Tim over time, and if he would eventually grow bored of her and cut her loose? She hoped not; he seemed genuine, and God knows she wanted him to like her. Everything seemed to be going the right way, and he’d even opened up to her about something very personal from his past, something that broke her heart when he had told her. As a boy, Tim had escaped his family home when it had been set ablaze one night.
His parents and brother had not been so lucky.
So, when Kim had sparked up a cigarette earlier and he’d told her to be careful, that wasn’t just idle chastising; Tim was actually deathly afraid of fire.
And with good reason.
She took it as a good sign that he’d been comfortable enough around her to divulge that sort of personal information, painful as it must have been. Surely that meant he trusted her? And that, in turn, meant he liked her?
She hoped so, but that little, nagging voice that was a permanent resident in her head wasn’t so sure.
Ashley tried to ignore her doubts and concentrate on the surroundings. Visually, the tall, tightly bunched trees were in stark contrast to the wide-open hills and fields they’d spent the previous day on. The air wasn’t as fresh in here; it seemed dirtier somehow, more earthy, as if stained by the bark of the trees and the earth of the floor. It felt heavier, if that was possible, more musty. The sounds were different too; the chirping and chattering of wildlife, though sparse, echoed more in here, making the trees feel infinite. Like these woods were a place they would never get out of.
That wasn’t true, of course, it was her mind running away with itself. Tim had promised there was a trail through here, and so it was. They found it shortly after crossing into the trees. And if there was a trail here, that meant people came through from time to time, meaning it wasn’t totally removed from civilisation. It also meant that by following the trail, you couldn’t really get lost.
As long as you stuck to it, of course.
‘So will we make it through these woods before camp?’ Craig asked. ‘It’s getting dark as it is.’
‘We should,’ Tim said, ‘but there are clearings farther in where we can camp if we need to.’
Craig nodded, though he didn’t appear entirely satisfied with the answer. ‘And then tomorrow we’ll hit town?’
‘Yup, tomorrow we hit town,’ Tim answered. ‘There are some really nice pubs and bars there. Hell, there’s even a good coffee shop so Kim can get her latte. Plenty to look forward to.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ Kim said. ‘Though I may have to forgo that latte for a big glass of wine.’
‘I like that idea,’ Ashley agreed.
‘Just imagine how sweet it will taste when you get there,’ Tim said.
‘I don’t doubt it will,’ Craig said, ‘just seems a bit of a slog for a glass of wine. We could have gotten that back home.’
‘But you have to see past the slog,’ Ashley said, feeling the need to back Tim up. ‘It’s really nice out here and totally different to what we’re used to. Let’s be honest, it’ll do us all good to get out of the city for a few days, to see this side of the world.’
Tim gently squeezed her hand.
‘Fair point,’ Kim said. ‘Craig, stop complaining, I think we should all try our best to enjoy this.’
‘I guess,’ Craig said. ‘It’s just so creepy out here.’
Tim gave a conspiratorial wink to Ashley. ‘It would be even more creepy if you knew the stories.’
Craig stopped in his tracks. ‘What stories?’
‘Relax, they aren’t real, just urban legends about this place. These woods, specifically.’
‘Oh great, this place is haunted, isn’t it?’ Craig asked, and the others stopped too.
‘Not exactly,’ Tim replied, ‘but if you believe the stories, there are things out here. Things waiting to prey on hikers and people who wander in uninvited.’
Ashley caught eyes with Kim and give her a sly smile, letting her in on the joke. Kim nodded her understanding.
‘Things? Can you be more specific?’ Craig asked him.
‘Do you want me to be?’
Craig sighed. ‘I’m not sure, to be honest.’
‘Don’t stress about it, Craig,’ Kim said. ‘It’s not like you believe in anything like that.’
‘I don’t, but—’
‘Exactly,’ Tim cut in. ‘Like I said, it’s just an urban legend. They exist everywhere. I’m pretty sure the Webb family isn’t real. At best, they’re a twist on a family that maybe lived here years ago.’
‘The Webb family?’
‘Yeah, a family that is supposed to live out here in the woods. Not nice people.’
Ashley was struggling to keep from bursting into laughter, though she did feel bad for Craig. She could see the story, as outlandish and bare bones as it was, was beginning to unsettle him a little. The whole thing was made worse by the fact that Kim was ever-so-stealthily making her way behind Craig as he was engrossed by the wild yarn Tim was spinning.
‘Let me guess,’ Craig said, ‘a family of killers?’
‘Bingo,’ Tim said, poker-faced. ‘Not just killers, though, they are supposed to be twisted, demented deviants. They don’t just kill, they torture. And they eat people while they’re still alive.’
‘Ah, cannibals as well, then. How very cliché.’
‘Yeah,’ Tim said, nodding in agreement, ‘most legends are. They say that this family has a specific reason for doing what they do. Well, other than enjoyment, that is.’
‘And what reason is that?’
Kim was directly behind Craig now and Ashley was amazed he hadn’t seen her. She had to bite her bottom lip to keep the laugher from erupting out of her.
‘Story goes that there is something else in these woods, too. Something kind of old, ancient evil. Something that has found its way up from the-devil-knows-where. Maybe hell itself. This thing is, apparently, what the Webb’s serve. And in return, they are granted special privileges.’
‘Such as?’
‘Can’t say for sure, but it sure fuels their hunger for human meat. It’s why they kill whoever comes through here. Hell, they could be out there somewhere right now, watching us.’
Kim chose that moment to throw her arms around Craig and scream in his ear. ‘Craiiiiig!’
Craig nearly jumped out of his skin and threw Kim off him. He even let out an audible scream, something Ashley knew would only embarrass him further when he had regained his composure.
‘Get off,’ he said, his face going beet red. ‘You bunch of dicks.’
The rest of the group were almost doubled over in laughter, especially Kim, clearly proud of her role in the prank.
‘Oh Craig,’ she said through teary eyes, ‘you jumped like a scalded cat.’
‘It wasn’t funny,’ he said, trying to calm down. His ego had obviously taken a knock. Ashley did feel bad for him, but that wasn’t enough to stop her laughter.
‘Sorry, Craig,’ Tim said. ‘It was just a joke.’
‘Well ha-ha. Very funny. The story was stupid anyway, why would anyone believe it was true?’
‘You seemed to believe it when you squealed like a girl,’ Kim said, digging him in the ribs with her fingers. He batted her hand away.
‘Oh, it is a true story,’ Tim said. ‘Well, maybe I misspoke, it’s a story that people around here have actually told over the years.’
‘Well, it’s still stupid,’
‘I agree,’ Tim answered.
‘Let’s just keep moving,’ Craig decided, walking off ahead in a sulk and leaving the other three behind. ‘The sooner we’re out of this place, the better.’
Kim rolled her eyes and mouthed the word, baby, before going after him. She fell in line with him and Ashley heard their muted talking. She and Tim set off behind, giving them a little room.
‘I didn’t go too far, did I?’ Tim asked. ‘I was only trying to lighten the mood.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Ashley said. ‘He’ll get over it before long. He’s just not the best at handling being the butt of a joke.’
‘I can understand that,’ Tim said. ‘I’ll apologise later.’
‘You don’t have to.’
‘I know, but I will. No need to give anyone a reason not to like me. They’re your friends, so I’m trying to get them onboard.’
‘They will like you,’ Ashley said. ‘Just be yourself and they can’t not fall in love with you.’
‘Is that right?’
‘I did,’ Ashley said. As soon as the words had left her lips, her body seized up.
Shit, shit, shit!
Ashley realised she’d just told Tim she loved him. They’d never discussed it before, and she had no idea she felt that strongly, but after saying it, it didn’t feel like she had misspoken. The problem was that it was out there now, hanging over them like a bad smell. Ashley felt a knot tighten in her stomach. How would he react?
Would he tense up, pull away, murmur how he thinks she’s nice? She looked away, wanting the ground to swallow her up, but felt his hand cup her chin and pull her gaze back to him.
He was smiling.
‘You beat me to the punch,’ he said.
‘Really?’
‘Yeah, I was planning on telling you tonight, maybe snuggled round a fire. Something romantic.’
‘I… I don’t know what to say.’
He laughed. ‘Well, you can apologise for ruining my best-laid plans.’
He then pulled her towards him and kissed her, with passion. The knot in her stomach freed itself, and a burst of adrenaline rippled through her. She kissed him back and ran her hand through his hair. She pressed her body against his, overcome in the moment, and she felt him growing excited.
‘Well then,’ she said, whispering in his ear, ‘I think we can still make tonight special. But you’re going to have to control yourself for a little while longer.’
‘I can try,’ he grinned. ‘But you don’t make it easy.’
She shrugged and skipped off ahead, trying to play the tease. Not a role that came naturally. ‘You’d find me boring if I did that.’
Ashley felt elated.
It was the first time she’d ever told anybody she loved them. And worse, it wasn’t planned, it had just slipped out with barely any thought. Those few moments where she was twisting in the wind felt like an eternity, but hearing him say that he felt the same way made it worth it. She felt him catch up to her and take her hand again, his goofy grin as big as hers.
The moment was then ruined by Kim.
‘What the fuck is that?’
Just up ahead, Kim and Craig had stopped dead in their tracks, their bodies tense.
‘What is it?’ Tim asked.
Kim didn’t answer directly. ‘Is he…?’
‘Can’t be,’ Craig said, his voice quiet. Scared.
‘What?’ Ashley asked as she and Tim jogged over.
Ashley shrieked when she saw what they were looking at. A cold feeling crawled its way up her spine.
A man lay on the ground beyond them, tied and bound.
He was, without a doubt, quite dead.
And he had also been stripped of his face.
Chapter 4
That was unexpected.
It seemed the group he was following had stumbled upon a little surprise. One that lay motionless and bound on the floor. Skin torn from the face.
That must have been painful!
But the development concerned him.
It could ruin everything.
He had been following the group undetected for a while now, but out in the wilderness he had to keep a good distance. Now, under the cover and darkness of the trees, he felt even more sure of himself, with more places to hide, and was able to stay closer to them.
He was the wolf and they were little, vulnerable sheep, ripe for a messy slaughter.
But the sight the group were now looking at in the small clearing certainly mixed things up a little. Though maybe not in a bad way. It would certainly raise their fears and tensions, which was good. It got them scared earlier, and it would make playing with them that much more fun. He just hoped it wouldn’t make them turn back on themselves, because then the trap would turn into a hunt.
Not that hunting them down didn’t have its appeal. Chasing them as they ran for their lives, squealing like pigs. But it’s not how things were supposed to go. There was more risk that way, if only a little.
He watched as one of them began taking tentative steps towards what they had found. He kept his eyes on the redhead, who didn’t move at all, and focused on her nicely rounded rear. He debated pleasing himself again; certainly the mood was rising, he could feel the stirring again. But he knew he couldn’t, things could change quickly given the current turn of events and he needed to be ready.
If he failed and the family were denied their food, Father and Mother would hold him accountable and there would be hell to pay.
He did not plan on letting them down.
Chapter 5
Ashley couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing.
Tim and Craig slowly approached the body, but Ashley didn’t want to move; she wanted to keep as far away from it as possible. When Kim began to walk to the body as well, Ashley was left with no choice but to follow. She didn’t want to look—she had no desire to investigate such a morbid scene—but she didn’t want to be removed from the group, even by a few feet. Her legs wobbled as she took tentative steps. The closer she got, the clearer the horrific sight became.
At first, at a distance, the man’s face just seemed like a red smudge, like it had been covered in crimson paint, but the closer she got, the more detail she saw, and the more nauseous she felt.
The face had been torn off completely and Ashley could make out lumps of flesh and tendons still attached to the grinning skull beneath.
‘Oh God,’ Kim said.
The group stopped as one about ten yards from him, sharing a seemingly telepathic agreement not to get any closer.
‘What happened to him?’ Ashley asked.
She looked to Tim, who just shrugged. ‘I have no idea.’
‘His face…’ Ashley went on, but felt herself trail off.
‘What could do something like that?’ Craig asked. ‘Maybe an animal or somethi
ng?’
Again, Tim shrugged. ‘Could be, I suppose. If he was already dead. Though I’m not sure what kind of animals around here would have done that. A hungry fox, maybe?’
‘I don’t think that’s what it was,’ Ashley said, pointing. ‘Look at his hands.’
They all saw what she was seeing. The man’s hands were bound together in front of him with what looked like thin wire wrapped tightly around his wrists, cutting into the skin.
‘Fuck,’ Kim said.
‘Someone killed him?’ Craig asked.
‘I don’t think so,’ Tim said.
‘So he just lay down, tied himself up, and let the animals eat his face?’ Kim said, with no small amount of sarcasm.
Ashley looked around, feeling an uneasy sensation crawl over her. Then she saw it, a few yards from them, hanging from a branch, swaying in the gentle breeze like a rag.
She began to scream, horrified at the sight. Her instinct was to huddle down to the floor and cover her eyes.
‘What is it?’ Kim asked, panicked. She crouched next to Ashley and put an arm around her shoulders. ‘What’s wrong?’
Once again, Ashley pointed, and the others followed the gesture.
Hanging from a nearby branch, jagged and bloody—like a macabre mask—was the flap of skin that had been torn from the man.
Kim wanted to scream, just like Ashley already was.
It was there, lodged in her dry throat somewhere, but she refused to let it out. Instead, she looked on, horrified, at what was hanging in front of them. It was a surreal, terrifying sight.
The face before them obviously belonged to the poor man who lay dead only feet away from them, but Kim’s mind ran to more urgent thoughts.
It was clear that someone had murdered him.
Whoever it was, they had killed the man for reasons Kim didn’t know—would probably never know—and that was bad enough, but they’d also saw fit to leave his face on display like some kind of warning.
Or taunt.
So, the question was, who was it meant to taunt?
The smell of blood was strong and fresh, so Kim was acutely aware that whoever had killed the man was probably still out there in the woods somewhere.
The Extreme Horror Collection Page 2