Skinwalker Stories #22

Story One:

I never believed in Skinwalkers before the night. That horrible night. West Virginia has been home to my family for generations, ever since the first settlers came here in the 1700’s. In fact, I’m the first of my family to live outside of Virginia since coming here and my son is the first born outside the state. In all that time, stories of Skinwalkers were of course passed down from the natives and through my family (my great, great grandmother was a native). But I never believed them. I’ve spent the last three months staying at a cabin my dad used to own out in the woods. Solar panels et al. Quiet, peaceful and far away from all the bullshit going on in the world. My wife doesn’t really enjoy it all that much since she’s got a bit too much of the city in her. And our son, at six months, is too young to care. The cabin is rather nice, as far as most cabins go. Two bedrooms, a kitchen and even a small bath/shower combo. The front of the cabin had a small porch with a bench and light. Simple. Other than the driveway and road leading up to the cabin, there is a four metre clearing surrounding it which itself is surrounded by thick forest. The only other buildings are the tool shed and the waste tank. The nearest town was maybe 40 miles away. Not really that isolated, but isolated enough that it didn’t really matter.

The night in question happened just last week. We’d just come back after spending the day visiting my mother and were more than ready to just call it a day. Jack, my son, was already asleep which made it easier for us to settle down and my wife was practically falling asleep herself. For context we didn’t get back to the cabin until well past ten thirty, and we’d been up since five that morning. So while she put Jack to bed, I went out onto the porch for a quick smoke. The wife doesn’t really like me smoking, so I usually take a quick one last thing on the porch where she doesn’t have to smell the smoke. Normally I just sit there for a good twenty, thirty minutes not really caring all that much about what’s going on. Sometimes I’ll try to see if I can hear coyotes or wolves though this night it was oddly quiet. Admittedly, I wasn’t really trying but coyotes especially were common enough that it was rare not to hear a pack of them this far out into the forest. I quickly finished and was about to go inside when I heard a coyote call coming from the forest. The weird thing is, it sounded like the coyote was right in front of the cabin. Then I realized that it didn’t really sound like a coyote at all: it sounded like someone making a coyote call. And it was coming from just within the forest, where I couldn’t see anything. No one was supposed to be out here but me and my family, but there was someone in the forest right now making coyote noises. What of they were some crazy person watching me and my family? I rushed inside to find my wife in a state of panic and holding Jack. “What’s going on,” I asked her. The shocked and scared look on her face said it all. “In there,” she said, pointing towards the main bedroom. I rushed in but didn’t see anything. Then I saw the window. It was open! And there was blood all over it! I rushed back to my wife and what she told me horrified me. Some sort of weird monster opened the window from the outside and started climbing in. She couldn’t get a good look at it before grabbing Jack and getting out of there, but she described it as looking like a dog but bigger and a little like a person. It sounded like she was describing a werewolf. Either way, we couldn’t stay there.

We spent the next few days staying with my mother before I returned to the cabin. I went back with my brother and two of my uncles. They spent the journey there mocking me on running, knowing full well I kept a gun in the cabin at all times. It stopped when we got there. The cabin was destroyed: it had caught fire and had burned down. Surrounding what had been my cabin were coyote tracks. I don’t know if it really was a Skinwalker, but from what me and my wife witnessed I have no reason to doubt it.

Story 2:

This happened a few years ago, back when I was still in high school. I had this friend. He was a bit weird, a bit strange. Always talked about odd things like Bigfoot and Wendigos. Most everyone else would avoid him but he would often tell these spooky stories of people who went into the forest and saw things. Sometimes these people would go back into the forest and never come back out again. These stories always caught my interest as I got really deep into horror at the time so we both hung out a lot outside of school. We both lived on the same street as well, not far from each other, so we’d hang around during the holidays as well. So it was no surprise that that we spent all of Easter Break together. The first few days we stayed in town, mostly staying in and around the local arcade since there wasn’t much else to do. Small town and all that. But there was a small forest just south of the town no one really went to other than campers and hikers. It wasn’t spooky or known for having a bad rep or anything, just most people didn’t really care to go there. So after a few days me and my friend were bored and didn’t want to spend all day at the arcade again, so he suggested we go to the forest. You know, explore it while telling horror stories to each other. It seemed like a fun idea at the time and I suppose it would be. After hopping on a bus that had a stop not far from there, we arrived at the forest not really expecting anything to happen. We’d scare each other using our stories before heading back into town before it got dark. And that’s what happened for the first few hours. Like I said, we weren’t expecting anything to happen, but we weren’t expecting to find anything either. So imagine our surprise when we stumbled across this old beaten up house far from the nearest road. Windows all smashed in, no door and with stuff growing all over it. It was so out of place that at first we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. Why was there a house all the way out here? It didn’t make sense. Without thinking, my friend turned to me and told me he was going inside before walking towards the building. I didn’t say anything, instead just followed him in. That was a mistake. There wasn’t much inside, just dusty furniture, loads of cobwebs and the sort of stuff you’d expect to see in an abandoned house. Wasn’t as scary as I thought it’d be. We were about to turn around and leave when we heard it. A howl from outside. I had never heard a sound like that in my life before or since. We were upstairs when we heard it, and a god thing too because it sounded like it was coming from the door we used to get inside. Another howl confirmed the fact that it wasn’t just in our heads. My friend turned to me and said it was a coyote. I’d never seen a coyote before and was told that they weren’t all that common in the area the town was due to overhunting. I called bullshit right before whatever it was howled for a third time. Then we heard it speak. “Come down here,” a voice called out. It wasn’t a normal voice. It sounded like a smokers voice, but with this odd high pitch, low pitch mix that made it sound unnatural, like something pretending to speak with a human voice. “I know you’re here,” it said, “why don’t you come down here?” We both just stood there, frozen in place. It spoke again, but I couldn’t understand what it was saying. Then we heard a gunshot and someone shout “GET AWAY FROM THERE!” There was some sort of struggle before an elderly Native American came and found us. He never told us what was waiting for us downstairs, just told us it was evil and to never come back to the house. I still get nightmares of that day.

The Horror Show Reviews: The Wolf-Man (1941)

The greatest werewolf movie of all time, The Wolfman stars Lon Chaney Jr as the pitiful Larry Talbot who, after an encounter with a werewolf, becomes the titular Wolfman. Responsible for the second wave of Universal Monster movies released in the 1940’s, this is the werewolf film that inspired many more decades later. This is in no small part due to the outstanding performance given by Lon Chaney Jr, son of Lon Chaney (who starred in Hunchback of Notre dame and Phantom of the Opera). Like his father, Lon Chaney Jr was born to star in horror films and this is the film that cemented his place alongside his father as a Horror Icon as famous as the roles he played.

The film opens up with Larry Talbot returning home after the death of his older brother, reuniting with his estranged father after leaving thirteen years prior. A soft spoken, kindly man, Larry marks himself as a rather tragic and unwilling figure early on as he’s now expected to inherit the very large Talbot Estate from his father. After meeting a beautiful woman and getting their fortunes told by a gipsy teller (played by the legendary Bela Lugosi), the couple are attacked by a werewolf (who later turns out to be the gypsy). Larry manages to beat off the werewolf using the silver handle on his cane, killing it, but gets bitten in the process. The rest of the film focuses even more on the tragic side of the young Talbot, who unwillingly becomes a monster that kills several people before he himself is killed.

As I said, Lon Chaney Jr perfectly shows us the most tragic elements of a soft spoken man who unwillingly becomes a blood thirsty monster. Like his father, he excels at the sort of body language only the most skilled actors could pull off, reinforcing the character as someone to be pitied. That’s not to say the rest f the film is bad. Far from it, the entire cast excel in their individual roles. But all of them, even legendary Bela Lugosi himself, are overshadowed by Lon Chaney Jr.

Unlike the horror moves of the 50’s, there is no greater message to this film, no dire warning or hope for the future. Instead it’s more of a modern day tragedy, much like many of its peers. In a way, it’s a lot like An American Werewolf in London where the protagonist doesn’t even believe in werewolves, only to unwillingly be forced into becoming one and going on a murder spree. Of course, compared to the film it would go on to influence, the special effects don’t seem all that impressive. Yet they show just enough of the man that we can see through the animalistic beats and wonder, what is Larry Talbot going through? Is he aware of what the monster is doing, the people it’s killing? Is he even conscious? The horror isn’t the werewolf itself, but the questions it makes us the audience ask. After all, the film opens with a medical dictionary describing Lycanthropy: a mental illness that makes a person believe they’re turning into a wolf (or some other animal). Is the werewolf real, or just the delusions of the main character? Mental illness is rarely talked about, and in horror often used to justify the actions of madmen who are themselves monsters. Here, it could be seen as more of an affliction, a person who we can sympathise with but is driven to do things he would never normally do were it not for the mental illness he’s suffering from. What if, Larry Talbot was never estranged. Just a man, sent to get the help he needs by the father who cared about him, whose demons come back to haunt him and which ultimately take his life. After all, mental illness itself inflicts damage to many who unwillingly suffer from it. The film gives a rather simple series of events, drawing us into what we believe is happening is clear. Or perhaps it’s just another werewolf movie. Either way, go give it a watch.

Hiatus and Guest Posts

Hello everyone. As you may have noticed, I having really been posting much lately. I’m sorry, but right now with the UK transitioning outside of Covid 19 Lockdown and back to normalcy, and my renewed focus on me editing my novel while finding paid employment (among other, more personal things) , I simply don’t have the time to post on a regular basis anymore. I’ll continue to post when the time allows, but right now I have too many important things to focus on and I cannot give my best on the blog right now. Having said that, if anyone wished to publish their stories on this blog, I’m more than happy to allow it. Just contact me through the contact page. Thanks for reading.

The Horror Show Reviews: Them! (1954)

An undisputed classic, this is the film that to many is the second best monster movie of the 1950’s (that is, second only to the original Godzilla, last weeks pick). Starting off as a slow, methodical police crime drama, Them very quickly throws the audience off by revealing the murderer to be a giant nest of Ants! Of course, the movie poster above would ruin that little plot twist, though not much. The atmosphere remains, unharmed by the awesome poster I have displayed above for you all to see. From the desert of Arizona to the sewers of Los Angeles, it’s a thrill to watch. Even more so when no scene feels unnecessary or unwelcome. In a time when every film has to be two and a half hours long and the same rehashed garbage done thousands of times over the last decade and a half, Them! is one pf the unique films someone can just sit down and watch for an hour and a half, which itself often feels like twenty minutes by the time the movie is over (time flies when you’re having fun and all that).

The film starts as any normal crime drama would start: a search is underway for some missing campers. What they find is a little girl traumatized to the point of being mute, and a trailer ripped apart. What follows is an amazing series of events: the pair of officers stop by a local grocery store, only to find out it suffered the same fate as the trailer. Unfortunately, one has to stay behind and wait at the scene while the other has to go see the little girl in hospital. If the film was made today, the officer who stayed behind would be played by Sean Bean. Unfortunately, outside of those of us who are fans of this type of horror, Them! has largely been forgotten outside of the occasional pop culture reference.

In my review of Godzilla, I spoke about the damning ending and the warning that came with it. In a rather remarkable move, Them! also shares the rather cynical take on mans’ future: unless we can reign in this nuclear power we have mastered, monsters such as the giant ants will continue to threaten us for the considerable future. There are very few films from the time period of these films that gave such stark warnings. Probably due to the American Government’s desire to downplay the potential dangers of the weapons they held at the time. Either way, just an interesting parallel these two films share.

The film is available on DVD (remember those?), so if you can, pick up a copy and watch this film. It won’t disappoint.

Hidden Monsters and Little Girls

It happened in the dark, away from prying eyes and protective glances. It took her for devious ends and would discard her when she became… useless to it. Cruel and uncaring, it did not think of her as a child to be cared for and protected. She was an object, a tool to quench its baser desires and then discard as one would with any sort of rubbish. That’s all she would become – another piece of landfill it had already created in its unending path. Where it was going only the devil can tell, where it came from he would not dare imagine. Death and destruction, broken minds and shattered hearts. A trail of nothing but misery, unending nightmares the likes of which only a human man can inflict upon himself and others. It would not stop until it was ended, forever addicted to the pain and delight of its actions. She, merely a child with no understanding of the pain inflicted upon her, would be better off with a quick and painless death than to live with the scars. Such is the remains of such violent acts that perhaps one can say we would all be better off with a quick and painless death, than to suffer and cause others to suffer such horrid torment. For she was not the first, nor would she be the last. It took many forms, had lived for countless ages and would always find new human hearts to corrupt and inhabit. It persists, acting even as these words are being typed, read, forgotten. It’s very existence is evil, a persisting evil that will never die. One that even the devil himself fears. Will we ever overcome this evil? No. We’re doomed to succumb to it. It’s already here. It is you. Me. Everybody.

The Horror Show Reviews: Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla is a film that needs no introduction. A damning statement on nuclear weapons and science gone wrong, the 1954 original is a statement from a country that has seen firsthand the raw power of nuclear weapons. And like the weapons themselves, the monster is himself an unstoppable force of nature, with dozens of films, comics and shows all appearing to destroy our free time in the past 70 years. But has time really been kind to a film many regard a timeless classic? Yes, it really has.

The original 1954 classic is just that: a classic that has withstood the test of time. Even the rubber suit itself looks fairly good, considering the film was made decades before Computer Generated Imagery even existed. The film opens with a shipping vessel being destroyed by some unknown force, which in turn proceeds to destroy several more ships and eventually a fishing village. This unseen force is of course revealed to be none other than Godzilla himself, who proceeds to level Tokyo before meeting his end at the hands of one Dr Serizawa and his Oxygen Destroyer. Really, what more do you want from a monster movie?

Despite the numerous sequels, each one getting sillier than the last, there’s something about the original that still holds up even when many of the sequels fall flat (on top of feeling a little outdated). Perhaps it’s the clear and heavy handed anti-nuclear message, or the story. Maybe it’s seeing Godzilla in his intended form: a raw, unstoppable force of nature whose existence was brought about man tampering with forces he cannot control. Certainly when compared to its peers, Godzilla has very few equals. Them (1954) is the only one I can think of that even dares to compare, with the message warning of the dangers of nuclear weapons being somewhat similar. Otherwise Godzilla stands on its own two over-sized nuclear feet as the monster film to watch.

It is important to note that there are technically two versions of this classic film. The original version (which we’re discussing here) is the original 1954 Japanese release. This is by far the better version, since it’s the film as intended rather than re-edited for international markets. The second version is just that, a re-edited version intended for American audiences. The focus of the editing was seemingly the anti-nuclear message prevalent throughout the film, which was heavily dumbed down and the ending which warned of the dangers of nuclear testing and weapons was changed for a more hopeful ending, defeating the purpose of the whole film. If you take anything home from this review, be it that you should watch the 1954 original and completely ignore the 1956 US edit.

10/10

DeVaunt and the Forgotten Village – Part Six

Adam moved with near supernatural speed, compelled by the soothing voice that called to him from the Forgotten Village. It didn’t take him long to reach the village. In a trance he called out for the Mother. “I’m here my love,” he called out, “Please accept me.” He moved towards the centre of the village, the ruins replaced an illusion of what they used to be. Adam couldn’t see the emptiness of his surroundings, the lack of people and the corporeal nature of the Mother, who herself had taken the form of a beautiful woman dressed in Native American attire. The voice continued to call out to him, bringing him closer the supernatural being. He moved closer, his greatest desire nothing more than to spend an eternity with this woman he was compelled to love.

Now moving at the same unnatural speed as his brother, Sam quickly reached the Forgotten Village. Sam entered the village frantically searching for Adam. The younger brother was merely standing in the centre of the village, surrounded by a stone circle and flanked by a pale blue woman hovering slightly over the ground. “Adam,” Sam called out, running to him. “Sam. You made it.” “What’s going on? You ran off!” “She called me here. She wanted and needed me here,” he explained. “Do not worry, I do not intend to harm him,” the Mother spoke. “Why did you bring him here?” “He has been chosen, as speaker, as voice and as the physical embodiment of our voice.” “But why? What have you done to him!?” “He is in communion, merely speaking with the other spirits. I assure you your brother is safe.” “I don’t understand.” “Do not be afraid for him. He is more special than you know.” Sam struggled to process what he was being told and with what he was seeing. None of it made any sense. “But why,” he asked again. She sensed his confusion, but found herself unable to fully answer the question. “It’s okay Sam. Let me go with her,” Adam said softly. “Do you even know what’s going on? What’s happening?” “I understand it all. Please Sam. I need to go with her.” Sam now understood what was going on. Another realm had been calling out to Adam. It was something they had both feared, though Adam had seemingly overcome this fear. “I… after everything, you’re just going to go like this? You know there’s no way back from this?” “You have no need to worry. When his task is done, Adam will be allowed to return to you.” There was no stopping this from happening. One would disappear into a realm of spirits, the other would be left behind to mourn his brother. An impossible moment, made worse by confusion and hesitation. “I’m not just going to leave you Adam.” “I’m not asking you to Sam. Please, I need to do this.” Adam pleaded with his brother, as if his very life was on the line. Sam didn’t say anything, just stood silently. He knew in that moment he couldn’t save his brother. Couldn’t stop Adam from leaving. “It is time,” the spirit said. “Goodbye Sam. I’ll be back, I promise.” Again, Sam didn’t respond and merely stood by as his brother faded out of existence with she who had called him.

The helicopter landed in the clearing, dropping off Julia before rising to continue the search for Adam. “Sam,” she called out, running to him. “Sam! Where’s Adam?” “He isn’t here,” Sam told her. “I can see that. Do you know where he is?” “No,” he lied, “I can’t find any more tracks.” Julia looked around. There were the remains of ruins all over the place. This must have been the hidden village. But Adam was nowhere to be seen. Nor would he be found, as Julia was beginning to suspect. “What happened,” she asked. Sam didn’t respond. He didn’t know how to even begin to explain. “Sam, we need to hurry and find him.” He nodded in agreement, though he really didn’t know why. He just stood there, silent, hoping that he would see his brother again one day.

Attack of the Giant Frogs! – Chapter Three

Abbey doted over Ryan. He was only a few days old, yet in her eyes he was already the whole world and more. “You’re doing well with him,” Bettie noted cheerfully. “Not really. He’s just a dream to care for,” Abbey beamed with pride. “Not even out of the hospital yet and you’re already a great mother.” “Thanks Bettie.” “Oh, did you hear the news? Monty got himself a job!” “Wait, what? Who around here would hire him?” “Hey, now don’t be harsh. He got a job up at that new science building out in the marshes.” Abbey frowned before saying, “I don’t get why a place like that even exists. I mean, if all they do is study frogs why would they build all the way out here?” “Ask the council during their next meeting. They’re the ones who pushed for it to be built.” “Oh come on now, it’s not like they’d say anything. Bunch of old trees, the lot of them.” “I’ll tell Andy that when he gets off,” Bettie joked. “Ha ha, very funny. I assume he’s the one taking Monty back and forth.” “Yeah.” “I don’t know why Andy likes him so much. Monty has always been too much trouble for my liking.” “Oh come off it. He’s just a bored kid. It’s not as if there’s anything for him to do around here to keep him out of it.” “I don’t know about that.”

“What are we doing out here Tommy,” Tricia asked. “You’ll see,” Harry promised with a child like grin. Together since Year 6, friends long before that, the two love-sick twenty year olds loved hiking out into the marshlands. Never once being seen apart, Harry had kept the secret of a proposal away from his life-long love, and though he knew it wasn’t necessary he wanted to ask her the intimidating question somewhere special. “We’re nearly there babe,” he told her. “I can’t see anything with this blind on,” she giggled. Tricia knew where they were going, and found the blindfold both amusing and unnecessary. “Don’t worry, you’ll be taking it off soon.” “I’m sure I will.” Harry led Tricia to the picnic spot they frequented. The same spot where they shared their first kiss so many years prior, among many other firsts.

From the shadows the beast watched. Within the murky waters it hid. Patiently, hungrily, with the sharp eyes of a predator it saw them, waiting for the right time to ease the hunger it felt. The others of its kind could no longer feed it. It needed more.

“Alright, you can take the blind off.” Tricia lifted the blind and lit up with the biggest smile she could give. The scene in front of her was perhaps the most romantic sight she could ever have hope to have: a fully laid out picnic centered around her favorite food (marshmallow and chocolate pizza), overlooking the vast marshlands in all their beauty, “Oh Harry, this is amazing!” She immediately ran into the arms of her love and kissed him.

“This way Monty,” Dr Denver hurried the poor assistant. “I thought I was meant to be the guide doctor,” Monty complained in between heavy breaths. “Yes, yes I know. But there is little time to waste you know.” The pair had long left motorized transport behind as they headed deep into the marshlands. Despite his age, Dr Denver was not only able to hike a considerable distance while carrying a heavy load, but ended up being somewhat faster than the far younger Monty, who had so far struggled to keep up. “How much further do you need to go,” he dared ask. “Oh, not much further. There’s a cave around here somewhere.” “You mean the old mine?” “Yes, cave. Mine. Whatever. Should be in one of the hills up ahead.” The pair were indeed approaching three large, stony mounds. The hills were the result of nearly a hundred years of mining out a large coal deposit, which had unfortunately run dry in the late 80’s. Of course, the mine had been abandoned, though Monty always assumed it had been collapsed like most other abandoned mines.

Of course, the mine hadn’t been collapsed. Upon reaching the entrance, Monty was surprised that the wooden beams that kept the entrance from caving in had been replaced with steel beams. They, along with recent drag marks and footprints suggested someone had been dumping something large out of sight. “Yes, this is the place,” Dr Denver remarked with concern. “Who would come all the way out here,” Monty asked. “Oh, I have my suspicions. But nothing you should be concerned about. Hopefully.” The scientist laid his heavy backpack on the floor and brought out a small RC car. Armed with a flashlight and a camera, he hoped to find nothing within the black bowels of the mine. Of course, he knew what he would find. Monty was about to ask an obvious question but was immediately stopped by a loud scream traveling through the open marshland. Both men looked out in the same direction. The scream came from nearby, though certainly not from within sight.

It didn’t take long for the pair to hurry to where the scream had come from. The scene before them was a mess: a picnic had been thrown everywhere, food encrusted with wet mud and clear signs of someone trying to escape, only to be dragged backwards by something. “Well, this is certainly an odd sight indeed,” Dr Denver noted, already realizing what had happened. “What happened here,” Monty asked in a mix of disbelief and shock. “Obviously someone decided to have a picnic, and someone else took exception to such an act.” “I think I know who was here.” “Oh?” “Harry Newman and his girlfriend, Tricia Ceres. He was talking about bringing her up here to propose.” Monty flinched as he thought about what happened to them. While not close with them, he had known both since childhood. Whatever happened here, he was sure they didn’t deserve such a fate. But he couldn’t deny how bad it looked, just hoped that they had managed to escape whatever had attacked them.

It swam, its pride hurt. The noise had been too loud and its prey had escaped. One had been struck, but the noise hurt and became loose. The other tried to flee, but the first had struck it and both ran. It was tired and it had hurt its own pride. It was still hungry.

DeVaunt and the Forgotten Village – Part Five

Sam woke up to find his brother missing. In a panic he woke up both Julia and Andrew to try and find Adam. “Where did he go,” Julia shouted at Sam, “Did you see him leave?” “Of course not,” Sam stressed quickly,” Come on, he couldn’t have gotten far.” But before Sam and Julia were able to begin their search, Andrew rushed back to them with incredibly bad news. “One of the horses is gone,” he stated between heavy breaths, “Along with a weeks’ worth of supplies.” Sam simply stared at him for moment before realising what had happened. “I need a horse,” he demanded forcefully. “What’re you doing? You’re not going after him,” Julia asked in a panic as Sam moved towards the horses. “That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Sam told her, “He’s going towards the village. He has to be.” Sam unhooked one of the stallions from the ground hook and proceeded to mount him. “Wait here with Andrew. A search and rescue helicopter will arrive shortly to take over the camp,” Sam ordered Julia, “Adam has a few hours head start at most. Hopefully I’ll be able bring back by nightfall.” Sam rode off into the forest before either Andrew or Julia could protest.

Adam had travelled throughout the night, unsure and unaware of his destination and his journey there. He was caught in a trance, almost as if some entity or person had hypnotized him. Despite taking supplies with him, Adam didn’t stop to eat, drink or even rest. The horse also seemed to move in a trance, constantly running down wildlife trials at top speed. Instead of getting tired or stressed, it seemed to have an overabundance of energy that was seemingly without end. By the time the sun rose over the horizon, both man and horse had already travelled further than any would expect them to and were moving rapidly towards the village. It wouldn’t be long before she would have him to herself.

The sun rose and Sam was no closer to reaching his brother. Two hours of constant, hard riding had worn his horse out, but Sam couldn’t allow that to slow him down. He had to find Adam before anything happened to him. Sam stopped his horse at a small stream, partly to allow his horse to ret for a moment but also to try and contact the camp via his radio. If the helicopter had arrived, then it could help search for his brother. “Julia,” Sam called over the radio in a quiet panic, “Has the helicopter arrived yet?” “Yes Sam. I’m already on board and heading your way,” Julia responded back, allowing Sam to breathe a sigh of relief. “He’s heading for a village over the Delta ridge. He’ll be in that area by now,” Sam informed her. “Copy, Sam. Try to hurry to him,” she called back, the concern loud and clear in her voice. “Don’t worry, I’ll catch up to him soon enough,” Sam told her. Adam would be safe again soon.

The search and rescue helicopter flew over the dense forest in an attempt to locate Adam. Julia gave instructions to the pilot so that the helicopter could follow the possible route Adam would’ve taken. The Delta Ridge had no official name, haven been given the title by the expedition. It was the fastest route to the village and just so happened to be barely covered by the surrounding forest, which led the expedition to mark it as an emergency point between the expedition and the helicopter. Julia hoped to spot Adam there but he never appeared. The helicopter hovered for twenty minutes while it scanned the tree line below it, but again Adam never once appeared. “Sam, we can’t find Adam,” Julia panicked over the radio. “Don’t worry, I’ll catch up with him,” Sam told her, “Keep looking for as long as you can.”

Terminator: Deception – Part One

“I have not detected any hardware faults recently,” Tin Man stated again. “You make for a poor liar Tin,” Kyra frowned, “Your last check up was eight months ago. You know the procedure. Hardware and software checks have to be performed every six months.” “Very well.” The T-850 sat on the chair while the technician began preparing to remove his chip.

Mac ran down the corridor to the service room, nervous to share the important news. “Kyra! Kyra!” He kept shouting her as he ran into the service room, just as she was in the delicate process of removing the chip from the machine. She shuddered, almost dropping the valuable piece of hardware as his shouting distracted her from the task. She carefully placed the chip down onto the metallic tray she had prepared and then shifted her focus to the idiot shouting for her. “I swear to God you’re annoying when you get loud,” she scowled to him. Mac stopped and looked over at the statue of a machine sitting next to Kyra. “Is it off?” “Well, unless he can operate without his CPU then he’s definitely off.” The technician decided caution was preferable to taking any chances. Terminators were dangerous and he knew very little about them. “Orders have come in. We’re to move out… when you’re ready that is.” “Fine. I just need to perform a systems check on Tin Man here then we can move out. Any idea where we’re going?” “Scouting mission. Some small town hundred miles north of the border. Machines wiped it out couple moons before the assault and someone wants to sniff out the remains.” “Get Reynolds, Samara and Greenwich and tell them to get ready. I’ll meet up as soon we’re done.” “Sure boss.” “And get Thor ready as well. Well need his help in case we spot any hiders.”

The small squad of scouts referred to themselves as the All Stars due to their shared love for basketball. Often found playing the sport together in their spare time, the name ended up sticking even as the sport itself faded from memory. But when it came to the job itself, all talk of old sports went away and the team became the consummate professionals that had given them a more worthy reputation: the All Stars were some of the best scouts on the West Coast. It was the singular reason why they had been chosen to scout the former town of Hopeville, a name so ironic it may as well have been the prime example of irony. At one point, it was home to some forty thousand people before the war, a number which it kept until the Terminators began rolling in in 2028. No one knew why it had taken so long for Skynet to get to the town, just that very few survivors managed to escape alive. Now the town stood, long abandoned by the metal hordes that invaded it, and it was up to the All Stars to scout the town out and see what they could learn about the place.

“Don’t look too bad,” Samara noted as she carefully surveyed the town from the cliff. “That’s what you said last time,” Reynolds remembered painfully. “Eh, what can you do. Machines are too sneaky for their own good nowadays.” “I don’t want too many surprises this time. We wait for Tin Man to return,” Kyra told them, “If he gives the green light then we’re good to go.” “Think that’s a good idea? Even if he is an outdated model, it’s not like he makes for a convincing liar,” Samara argued. “There isn’t much choice. I’d rather send a machine to give us an initial readout than put any of you at risk.” “Shooks captain, you’re making me cry” Reynolds joked. “Hold it, Tin Man is coming out into the open,” Samara warned, “Looks like he has company.”

At the edge of town, Tin Man walked out with two old T-600 units in tow. These were machines that hadn’t really been seen in years. It was something of a surprise to see them in a town like this, so far from anywhere important, but then perhaps that was the point. Tin Man gave Samara the all clear signal, one clearing the T-600s as friendly units. “Samara, stay here and keep us covered,” Kyra told the sniper, “I’ll take Greenwich and Thor and meet our new friends.”

It didn’t take long for the trio to hike the short distance, even as they made every attempt at a slow, cautious approach. “Tin Man? That you?” “Code seventeen. Hit. It’s me Kyra,” came the emotionless response. “I see you’ve made some new friends.” “It’s alright, they’re reprogrammed units. There seems to be a small human population within the town.” “Alright, what’s the deal with the parade then?” “Town guards. The humans don’t seem to trust me,” Tin explained, a hint of annoyance just barely coming across. “Well, can’t say I blame them,” Greenwich snarked quietly. “I can assure you the units are harmless. Their tracking systems have been disabled and the guns lack munitions.” “I beg to differ. I can assume we’re expected?” “You are correct. Please follow.”

Tin Man and the accompanying T-600 units led the two soldiers and their dog through the battered town. The buildings themselves had largely seen better days, but were surprisingly intact given their age and the attack by Skynet. The AI was not known for preserving human buildings, which only made it suspicious for there to be minimal environmental destruction. The environment began changing as the group made their way towards the town center. Empty roads and empty buildings were replaced with small farms and guard posts. “We got a couple of twelves around here,” Greenwich whispered. “Yeah. Probably know we’re already onto them,” Kyra confirmed, “No sudden moves. I don’t want to start a fight here.” The group reached a large defensive gate built out of sturdy metal, too cleanly built for human survivors. Covering the gate was a mix of terminator units and town guards, all using the latest in plasma weaponry.

“Hold,” one of the humans commanded the group, “State your business!” “Easy, we’re scouts,” Kyra shouted back, “Just wanted to check the town out.” There was a moment of quiet as both sides tried to discern the motives of the other. “Stay there, I’m coming down to meet ya,” the same voice commanded. Minutes passed by before the gate opened. Out walked a woman in her late fifties, clearly scarred from the many battles she’d been involved with. But there was something about the way she moved that wasn’t quite right, something that bugged Kyra until she finally realized why. “Welcome to Hopeville. I’m assuming the resistance sent y’all here?” “Um, yes… ma’am,” Kyra fumbled, holding tightly onto her rifle. “Oh relax. Probably guessed I don’t walk like a human. Truth is I ain’t human. T-900. CSM-A-12-110. Was originally reprogrammed by the previous mayor of the town who had a thing for me.” This rather uncomfortable revelation didn’t help Kyra or Greenwich, though Thor didn’t really seem to care much. “We weren’t aware of the… unique circumstances around this town. You’re not affiliated with the resistance?” “No. Come on in. It’d be easier if I explained everything back in my office.”

The T-900 led the party through the town of Hopeville, which had a rather distinct look and feel rarely seen in the rest of the world. Instead of dusty, ruined streets paved with abandoned cars, ruined buildings and the skeletons of those lucky enough to die on Judgment Day, Hopeville had well maintained shops and apartment buildings, roads that hadn’t come close to crumbling away and even a small park full of green grass and multi-colored flower patches. The town, on the surface at least, absolutely lived up to its name. People were going about their lives, indifferent to the killer machines working throughout the town. There was a former garage that had gone from fixing cars to performing check ups on machines originally designed to wipe humans out, while a T-800 without the living tissue was cutting the grass in the park. It was an odd sight to see, especially since no sign of the thriving population had been seen from a distance.

“Mac, get back to camp and send a code four,” Kyra ordered. “Code four? Hit. Consider it done,” he answered before leaving. “Code four? What’s that,” The T-900 asked politely. “Stand by, investigating area of interest. It’s SOP for us to report back to HQ whenever the situation changes.” “I see. Just in here.” The machine led Kyra and Greenwich into a small, rather bland and ordinary looking building. The first room they entered was plain white, and defended by three very human soldiers equipped with 404-19B Plasma Rifles and a 32X-16B Plasma Turret. This was heavy firepower, the sort normally used to take down Hunter Killers and Harvesters during base defense. And yet here it was being used to defend a T-900 of all things. It didn’t feel right at all.

“Just in here.” The small group entered an office. It was decorated with birch-wood walls and old wallpaper that highlight someones idea of an artistic lily pattern. In the center of the office was a large oak desk full of loose paperwork and a photo of a woman and a cat. “If I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting resistance scouts to arrive so soon. Take a seat.” “I’m a little surprised by everything I see,” Greenwich blurted out. “Yes, I suppose it would be odd, seeing a town like ours considering the state of the world. But first things first: introductions. Names Sandy.” “Kyra. The idiot next to me is Greenwich. I’ve met many terminators, but you’re the first one to be in charge of a town full of civilians.” “I was originally sent here to terminate the previous mayor. A man by the name of Jackson Bullheimer. I ended up caught in a trap that shut me down. Ended up waking with a hacked firmware as his personal servant. It didn’t take long for my operating system to be updated by a few of the locals to take on a leadership role.” “That doesn’t explain anything.” “It does, after Mr Jackson was caught with an underage girl by her father, who unsurprisingly didn’t take kindly to their interaction. I was again reprogrammed to take his place, though I’m still not entirely sure why.” “How convenient,” Kyra noted with suspicion, “I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if we took a look around?” “Of course not! I may be a machine, but I’m not unreasonable. You’re also free to come and go whenever you like.”