chilly mountain air filled your lungs as you awoke
laying in the morning sun, you basked in the moment
mom had worried too much about you striking it out on your own in such a place but the woods were your home
this was a little further north than you would like but the Appalachian wilderness greeted you all the same every morning
you'd wanted to get into a government job
fire watch was amazing to you
the solitude of the forest and the gorgeous view
after the war, the government was booming with everyone having time to sit on their hands now
sure there was always the next big scare around the corner
but as far as you considered it, civilization could pass your little place right by
your boss loved your attitude because you never asked for a relief since you started
some folks get squirrely out there by themselves
not you
you embraced it
had plenty to screw around with
you had taken up drawing I your off time
there was a little sketch book of half scribbles and landscapes next to the cot
a lack of music was a little annoying, the only real downside
a record player was out of the question due to power restraints and the radio was for emergencies only
you would just let the woods be your music
all in all there was a joy in the responsibility
the woods needed a caretaker and that was you
every morning you felt like you were on top of the world
but these woods had a fun way of reminding you it wasn't yours
you were just a guest
never once did you forget that
ever since you were little your dad had instilled that in every hunting trip
man made civilization to get out of these woods
the rifle in the corner of the room was a testament to that civilization
dad had instilled a healthy respect for the forest in you
you remembered that
he'd always try to get you to man up
didn't completely take
but respecting nature, that stuck
you'd seen what a pissed off boar could do after shrugging off a shot to the head
adrenaline pumping through it as it cleared a damn fence
it gored your brother
so you'd learned that nature was something to be careful around
however, it was a gift as well
your brother lost his leg that day and never wanted to go hunting afterwards
as brutally stubborn as your dad could be, he didn't push that
you'd learned a valuable lesson about the mountains and streams
the breeze cut through your jacket as you climbed down
it was a 60 foot climb down, the metal cold in your grip
finest steel the government could produce
on your back was a knapsack full of breakfast and your rifle
day old coffee and canned beans and hotdogs
the wood stove in your tower was small enough for the room and did allow you to cook if you wanted
this morning you wanted to go for a little hike to stretch your legs
with most of your shift being observation you wanted a chance to get up close and personal with nature
that and you could stockpile decent fuel for the the stove
your boss gave you bags of wood chips for the thing but you wanted some longer burning wood
it would be snowy soon and a stockpile seemed smart
this was your usual shift up here
spend a little time on the ground, then the tower
you'd have nothing to report for hours, then back down
occasionally you would have a campfire at the forest floor but you didn't like being down in the woods at night
part of respecting the great outdoors was knowing your limits
it would only be such a gracious host for so long
the fire and the rifle were your security
the climb up in the dark was the worst
you felt vulnerable the whole time
reminded you of being a little kid and turning the light off in the basement right in front of the stairs
you wondered if dad would be proud of you if he saw you out here striking out for yourself
sure the job paid and you weren't exactly stranded with no supplies but it really was like all those hunting trips
same curfew too
but right now, you had nature's bounty all to yourself
you'd have to collect some water from the rain catchers to boil up later
to an outside observer you'd look nuts going through a checklist to yourself but the routine helped
other men might hate the solitude but you were happy for the opportunity
it allowed you time with yourself
you looked over towards the mountains
you could get lost up here
maybe never come back down
but then mom would be sad
you didn't need that on your conscience
the urge to just become a hermit was strong though
school really hadn't done you favors, city life looked like hell
you didn't have a ton of options you actually liked
despite dad's insistence you hadn't exactly gotten more manly
your family didn't know
you at least prayed they didn't
you just had these thoughts you shouldn't be having
you'd heard rumors about guys like that
even got told they burned in hell
held in the same contempt as a fifth columnist
someone undermining the moral bedrock
it was the 50s and you just didn't do that sort of thing
you didn't even know where you could even do it
but you didn't want to settle down with some girl you didn't care about
get stuck in a marriage you didn't care about
running up into the woods at least gave you a good excuse to avoid it
you didn't really know what you wanted but you knew out here you didn't have to worry about it
the woods gave you time for self reflection without the pressure of the outside world
here it was simple
with winter around the corner you'd have to be prepared for boredom
not exactly like a common time for fires
that and you'd lose the sight of the canopy before you
you were ready for the weather, sure
multiple hunts had you trudging through snow enough as a kid
as rare as that got further south
you would treat the environment with the same caution you did now
only difference would be plenty more days of just sitting in the tower with a cup of coffee
if the weather permitted you'd have the free time to walk miles into Thurmond
as much as you appreciated the solitude, a diner burger wasn't exactly something you'd scoff at after nothing but canned food for months
you already had your boss show you around down there when you first came up here
the place was in rough shape as a train stop but still stuck around as a quiet little town
they had a post office you could have your boss send family correspondence through and a general store in addition to the tiny diner
they'd finally gotten roads to the town about thirty odd years ago from what the boss said
definitely not like the stories you'd heard of New York
but that suited you just fine
if you were going to live anywhere you'd prefer somewhere where you could be secluded
the hustle and bustle annoyed you
and it was close enough to civilization you could appreciate a decent burger
that future prospect dangled in front of you, giving you something to look forward to
mom and dad raised a hobo fantasizing about a meal and having peculiar thoughts about guys
it was enough to make you laugh to yourself
the little supply run was about two hours according to your watch
you'd seen the sights, relieved yourself at the privy away from the tower, and gotten cleaned up with a shower from the rain collected
it was easy to gather up wood and make sure the area was tidy after all that
this was the life
you'd have to climb the tower in a bit to observe again
at least you didn't have to worry about privacy out here
boss probably didn't need to know you saw the tower as boxers optional sometimes
after piling up more logs under the tower and throwing a tarp over them you felt accomplished
a bird flying overhead pulled you away from your thoughts
the birdwatching up here had been great
you knew some of them back home but up here there was some animals you were completely new to
the deer were about the same and you'd heard people talk about cougars up in these mountains
hadn't seen one
did hear one one night
sounded like it had gotten mauled out somewhere
probably a black bear
only thing that could tangle with a mountain lion, realistically
one last scan of your surroundings and you were content to climb back up home
might put some coffee on now for good measure
today was going to be a long one
you whistled as you climbed
some tune stuck in your head from years ago
helped make the climb a little less tedious
you probably shouldn't
your dad said you shouldn't do that in the woods
but that always seemed silly
you climbed up no problem
weren't looking forward to ice on that ladder come winter
might have to figure out a fix for that
be a neat project to take your mind off things
you fired up the stove and put the coffee on
through your binoculars you saw the same expanse as usual
no signs of anything unusual
perhaps you'd pick up a couple novels in town
you were always musing about little future plans with all the free time here
it felt good to just be with your thoughts
after a half hour of making sure the woods weren't on fire you laid back on the bed
your room really had it all
the crackle of the stove filled the room as easily as its heat
the shelf of canned goods was stocked
that spam stuff really was great
dad had been right about that at least
he'd picked that up from the war and loved that stuff
from the bed you could peak and see the mountains through the huge glass windows
maybe you'd sketch the view today
it would be something to do
you'd kick your feet up and do just that
you lost track of time as you focused on your horizons
sipping coffee and watching the skies
you'd sketched this side of the forest before
the curvature of the mountains
placement of the trees
movement caught your eye
you saw violent rustling
couldn't be confused for the wind
only one tree in particular swayed
then one next to it
and slowly they both returned to the usual stillness
had to be a bear
it was a rarity but it was the only thing big enough to cause a commotion like that
though, the second tree moving was peculiar
not like they were known for leaping from tree to tree
things were damn scary enough
maybe a big enough cougar
just more proof you needed to be on your toes out here
had to keep your rifle close
possibly set up some alarms with some empty cans around the tower perimeter as a little make work project
but after musing on that for a moment, you went back to sketching and thought nothing more of it
you'd get lunch ready and go back to observing before heading back down
another lazy day on the government dime worked for you
you figured this was like a cop job
better to have a boring day than ask for any excitement
another trip down the ladder
you scoured the route towards that shaking tree
careful not to go too deep into the bush
but you were a little curious
and your rifle was comforting
you wouldn't venture too far
you promised yourself that
despite an attempt at stealth, you couldn't help the occasional snapping twig
it was fall and the floor was littered with leaves and sticks already
the tree swaying had to be a mile away from your best guess
you weren't stranding yourself that far into the woods
your hike felt uneventful
birds and squirrels overhead made you on edge but you could instantly tell from experience what they were
it had been a long time since you'd stalked through woods like you were going to shoot something
caution eventually won out when you realized you'd been gone for an hour
if it had been a bear this would have been stupid anyways
despite the curiosity, you weren't that curious
you beat a slow retreat back to the tower
the sun wasn't quite setting but the last thing you needed was trying to get back before dusk and panic
you reached the clearing and home sweet home
and not a moment too soon
dark clouds were starting to roll in from the east
the rain catchers would be full tonight
you checked the barrels and made sure they were ready and in good condition again
listening to the rain patter on the roof would put you to sleep for sure
you made sure everything was good before the climb
tonight would be a good night
might fry up some spam for dinner when it gets dark out
your last observation of the day was the same as it ever was
but with the bonus of watching the storm clouds slowly roll in
it was enough to make you pick up the sketchbook again
it was nice to see your work improve over time out here
”what job could you get with that skillset?”
dad never understood it was a hobby first
never got it
the second you'd talk about expressing yourself you were treading dangerous waters
so you'd silently sketch and never show anyone
out here you could really enjoy it
no one over your shoulder
granted, no one to really appreciate it either
but you weren't in it for someone else's attention
you liked doodling and having the freedom for it was liberating
you ate a light dinner of meat and decided to call it a night
the stove had been put out and the tower was bathed in the dark by the time the rain started up
you closed your eyes and focused on the rain on the roof and windows
letting the noise lull you to rest
you were at the rhythm's beckoning
another quiet night
you were jolted away from promised blissful sleep by hearing something below the tower
sounded like a racket
you hopped out of bed and flung the trapdoor in the center of the floor open
you saw a shape sprinting away from the base of the tower and realized the woodpile had been knocked over
you hissed out a curse when you saw the covering over it was gone
but damn if you didn't want to go down there now
had to be some curious bear drawn to the smell of your cooking
for tonight you'd use the padlock on the trapdoor
might be hard for the thing to climb up here if it returns but you'd sleep a lot better if you knew it was secure
you sat in bed uneasy for a while before you finally found yourself resting
sure enough when you peeked down the ladder in the morning, you saw something had knocked over the woodpile
you climbed down cautiously
if you didn't know better you'd have sworn the pile had been raided
some of it was knocked over
hence the noise last night
not like you took a headcount of your logs
you were a little pissed at some of it getting wet but it was all extra fuel
you might attempt to use it in the fire pit at the foot of the tower
make some sort of use of it
wasn't going to burn right either way
you investigated the area
hooves
a lot of hooves in the mud
so it wasn't a bear
but that still didn't answer what had happened
why would the deer want your wood?
the tarp was intact and you put the wet wood on the edges of it as better weights
might as well make something of the situation
you'd go through your day puzzled and a little on edge
to ease your fears you decided on that primitive alarm system
a pile of cans was easy to come by
twine was essential out here too
you strung the twine with the cans between several trees
low enough in the brush to hopefully hide them
you wouldn't put them across the entire perimeter for your own sake
you didn't need to trip in the morning or dusk trying to rush around
just enough set up to give you a sense of control here
the rattling would hopefully spook them away
worst case you could have enough warning to have your rifle ready
it took enough time you decided to set up a fire and fry something up for breakfast at the fire pit
damn deer
starting the fire with some of the rained on wood wasn't easy but you were stubborn enough to make it happen
you would be sleeping with the door locked for a while but otherwise nothing had changed all that much
strangest thing though
wildlife didn't really stick around the tower because they knew a human hung around there
the birds were the exception
maybe a stray opossum
you had found those tracks before
no deer though
usually much too skittish
but maybe one got brave or dumb or even sick
that last idea worried you
you sat by the fire for a few hours with your thoughts before carrying out observation
with the rain water the urge to live a little with another shower was strong
you kept the rifle by the stall as you scrubbed down
with winter you couldn't do this much
it was one of the few luxuries you'd miss during those hard months
standing out here was already chilly as it was
you'd have to store water I containers in the tower to keep a steady supply around without it freezing
just thinking in the shower
which was interrupted at the worst time
soap was in your eyes when you heard cans clang behind you
panic had you wiping it away so you could make a grab for your rifle
you spun on the noise and saw the shrubs swaying
the noise had scared off whatever it was
you shouldn't have followed but you went as far as the treeline
standing buck naked holding a gun
not your proudest moment
the breeze made you shiver and you decided it wasn't worth following up on right now
you got completely cleaned up and dressed
once more into the brush
you couldn't spend much time scouting
but you found paydirt
very uncomfortable news
out in the mud
human footprints
bare human footprints heading away from the tower
you were in disbelief
they couldn't be old ones you left because you didn't leave the tower clearing without your boots
you were on full alert as you rose up from the tracks
you didn't seen anyone
you were even less inclined to follow a stranger into the woods
you'd heard stories of hillbillies and folks just going feral
there was an internal debate as you thought about it
should you tell the boss?
well, you'd retreat to the safety of the tower to think about this
why should you worry?
you had a gun and it was looking like just some creep
all you'd have to do is lock the trapdoor every night
yeah, that's all
it was annoying someone intruded on your solitude but you were able to defend yourself out here
you weren't some lost little kid
after last night this incident was just making you more jumpy
the rifle never left your side as you carefully did your errands
all the while, keeping watch towards the woods
nothing was going to sneak up on you and thankfully, the rest of the excursion was quiet
dinner, observation, sleep
you wanted to return to the mundane after that and hoped it would just go away
the following week or so was quiet
you were on edge the entire time of course
when your boss popped in for a status report and resupply you kept the incident to yourself
they might think you were going stircrazy
take you off this shift
you wanted your extended paid camping trip to last a while
Dave seemed to buy it
handed you extra food to boot
was really pleased with how you ran the place
then off he went to put your pay into your account at the local bank
paper checks and cash meant jackshit for you in the woods
a savings account meant it was at least working for you
he didn't have to do that but thankfully there were still some kind folks out there
once he'd left you relaxed a little
he wasn't a hardass like your dad but it was still your boss
not like you could go out for beers with the guy
or other stuff
you were alone with your thoughts once more
the leaves were falling now
you watched some slowly drift to the ground before you went about your business again
you started to feel comfortable again with time
occasionally, you'd come across deer prints
they'd be here and there around the treeline but that was normal
they'd be active trying to fatten up for winter
so of course you'd see them running around
well, that was also the peculiar thing
you never actually saw deer
after a another week or so you found a mystery
the human footprints further out
but they were among the hooves
it didn't startle you as much as it did originally
maybe just some mountain hermit
maybe
but you weren't as vulnerable as you were last time you saw prints like this
you made a note of the direction they seemed to come from
if you were feeling more adventurous you might have followed them then and there
but it seemed reckless
you'd need to prepare
plus the sun would be setting soon
you decided to mark it down as a task for a later day
procrastination, sure
but it wasn't exactly part of your job
after a couple days you had mentally prepared for it
you would do this
but you'd be ready for it instead of some impromptu trip
there was enough food and water in your pack
the forest was quiet that morning aside from the occasional birdsong
the plan was to set off far enough in the direction of those second set of human tracks
at least far enough until sundown was close
if you didn't have any new evidence you'd just write it off
hopefully this would be the end of it
after observation, you set off with your rifle in hand
it wasn't a rough hike up towards the mountains
there wasn't a trail but the brush was thin and when it became rough you'd clear it with a blade
you were just supposed to walk in as close to a straight line as possible
just A to B
that was the plan
then you'd be home in time for dinner
the birdsong eventually stopped accompanying you
that silence was a little unsettling
but you still pressed forward
you'd never been this deep into the woods up here
to calm yourself you whistled a little, sometimes switching to humming
something to fill the void
rustling to your right made you freeze
your eyes were focused on the brush
it was so thick you got only glimpses of brown fur through it
it had to be a deer
you backed up quietly
slowly
you wanted distance between you and any wild animal
the rustling continued
unfortunately you were so focused in front of you that you didn't see the approach from behind
the blow came suddenly and silently
you were out as you hit the forest floor
the brush rustled all around you

you awoke in a room
at least as far as you could tell
it was pitch black all around but you didn't feel a breeze
in fact the air felt stuffy
for autumn at least
and the floor was wood instead of dirt and leaves
you slowly got up
head still hurt like a son of a bitch
you felt around and you eventually came across your pack in the dark
it had been raided
your gun
you found it close by
whoever had you left you armed and only took your food
that was peculiar but you didn't take time to think about it
you needed out
your boots might as well have been cinder blocks on the wood floor but you attempted stealth
last thing you wanted was someone realizing you were awake
you were a little groggy and hoped to God you didn't have a concussion after whatever hit you
you felt stone walls and traced your hand until you finally found an opening
it was a rickety wooden door
locked
you would search the rest of the room, turning up nothing
then you heard steps outside
it sounded like leaves
so this had to be some tiny stone outbuilding
couldn't have been bigger than a shed
you took a page out of the opossum book and played dead on the floor
but you held your rifle now
with any luck that would give you the element of surprise
hated to have this thing in close quarters instead of something more appropriate but it's all you had
the silence after the footsteps was overwhelming
all you could hear was your own slow breaths
the room felt like a tomb right now
maybe you'd die out here
never found out in the woods
but you didn't want to resign yourself to death just yet
whoever had grabbed you was a creep
the thought had occurred they'd emptied the gun before leaving it
who kidnaps someone and leaves them with their loaded firearm?
hopefully you could at least bluff with it
after an eternity of sitting still with the barrel pointed towards the door you heard the steps again
they grew fainter
you gave it some time before exhaling
it still had to be night out there if you saw no light around the door
even if you got out you'd be at the mercy of whoever was around
you decided to sit in place until sun up
then you'd break out
at least then you'd be able to see where you were running to
the door was an old wooden one so a couple kicks might just bring it down
you sat against a stone wall and watched the direction of the doorway
just bide your time
that's all you had to do right now
stay awake and conserve your strength for fight or flight the moment you saw sun cracking through that door
it allowed you time with your thoughts
after being out in the solitude for so long you could handle that
it was just more of the same
some guys might break and get restless
you just kept your eyes on the door and waited
first ray of sunshine around the door would be the sign
you didn't know what lay in wait out there
whoever brought you had to be there
you just had to prepare for the unknown best you could
there would only be a brief moment to catch your bearings
then you'd head in the direction of the tower best you could
you felt that was easy to defend from
better than taking your chances out here
you couldn't read your watch to tell the time
for all you knew you could have been up here for a day or two
the moment you finally had dawn rear its face around the door you rose to your feet, grabbed your pack and quietly approached the opening
the panels were rotten enough to get a nice peek outside
it was woodland alright
you saw a few decaying buildings around
one that looked like a house
almost looked like a fire had gutted it
growth had overtaken much of the building but you could see stone
you were so preoccupied scouting you fell on your ass when an eye met yours between the gaps in the door
fun time to figure out the rifle was still loaded when it went off in your hand at the impact
a scream came from the other side of the door
so they did leave you with a loaded rifle
despite the initial surprise, you were quickly back on your feet and ramming the door
footsteps could be heard outside
they knew you were awake
possibly shot or at least scared off
maybe some feral folks that hadn't seen a firearm
you didn't want to stick around and ask questions
whispers and shouts
all over
so more than one
your shoulder slammed into the door harder and harder
it finally gave way with a loud crack
hinges and lock broke off the wood and you couldn't catch yourself from falling forward with the door
it all happened so quick
the first thing you realized when you came to was you were looking at a pair of bare human feet
then you scanned up and realized they were connected to a deer
it just had feet instead of hooves
you shot up and backed up
whispers and rustling surrounded the building
you aimed the rifle and the thing screamed at you
just like a human
and retreated from you
what the fuck did you just see
did that head injury mess you up that bad?
wait, shit
you looked around and realized pretty quickly you were higher up on the mountain
couldn't exactly place the tower at first but it stuck out when you calmed down for a moment
rustling to your right
human eyes on a deer face
and hands grasping the corner of the building
rifle pointed right at whatever that was
rustling from above
your eyes darted up to see a skinless deer looking down at you
it was alive and unbothered
what the hell
you had enough
you refused to stay
the screeching and yells intensified behind you
rocks were tossed near enough to your head you could see them whiz by
they threw rocks
deer throwing rocks
you needed away from this mountain right now
this was something you hadn't prepared for
some weird folk sure
not monsters
those were not deer
you didn't know what you just saw but those were not goddamn deer
it had all happened so fast but you were sure those weren't hallucinations
you saw something freakish and it sounded like it was still giving chase
you didn't dare stop
eventually the stones and noises stopped
but you didn't try to look behind you and confirm
with your luck you'd trip over a rock or root at that exact moment
it got to the point your lungs felt like they were getting stabbed
the adrenaline eventually gave out
you stole a glance behind you
it was clear and you collapsed against a tree
you checked your rifle and it gave you relief
once you'd regained your strength you got up and continued towards the tower at a slower pace
every little rustle in the forest put you on edge and you were constantly looking over your shoulder
when you got to the tower you climbed up to sanctuary
you did the lock and collapsed on the floor
God
whatever those things were you didn't want to meet them again
you were quiet
deep in thought
you heard someone climbing the ladder
out of fear you jumped onto the door
the lock and your weight would have to be enough
it couldn't be your boss
you heard soft knocking on the door
”sir?”
you froze
not even a breath escaped you at that moment
whoever it was would be an idiot not to realize you were here even with you being rigid in place
that voice was human
but could you trust the woods like that?
it was hard to believe
”sir, I want to apologize.”
the voice had a little accent to it
pretty local from what glimpses of it you got in town
you were confused
it probably wasn't the best idea to speak up but you did it anyways
apologize?
it was a dumb question borne from shock about the whole situation
the other side of the door was silent for a moment
”my brothers just got a little out of hand.”
you quietly thought about that
the hell were they talking about?
brothers?
you made no attempt to move
whatever was going on you weren't in the mood to trust a stranger
if that was a even a human on the other side
the conversation dying seemed to discourage whoever that was and you heard the clatter of someone climbing back down the ladder
you spent hours lying there
it had been insane
so much to process what you'd seen
you eventually moved to clean and reload your rifle
your closest friend
it calmed you
you checked your watch and realized how late in the day it was
they'd had you detained for a day and a half
not deer
you reminded yourself that fact over and over while you scanned the horizon
you at least attempted the bare minimum for work as a distraction
not a single damn reason to leave the tower today
you refused
at least cold spam felt like the greatest thing ever right now
damn things ate your food
had to have
you slept on the floor over the trap door
it felt safe
you'd worry about everything tomorrow
at least your sleep freed you from your fears for a little while
not for long
a knock on the door again
that knock cut through the twilight quiet like a knife
your eyes shot open
”please, sir.”
it was quiet
a pleading whisper
you had questions you didn't ask aloud
the voice was sweet
but maybe that was part of some trick
get your guard down thinking you were helping some young woman out in the woods
because what woman is just hanging off your ladder at three in the morning
especially whispering like that
you felt comfortable when you reached over and felt your rifle on the floor next to you
”come out. pretty please?”
no way
you were not falling for easy bait
”I'm sorry for peeping on you in the shower.”
oh
so you didn't imagine that
great
so this thing could have pounced on you while you were naked
but it apologized
at least it was polite about scoping you out at your most vulnerable
so considerate
you did what any rational man would do
informed the party on the other side of the door that you had a gun and they should leave
”my brothers just got a little rowdy but they meant well.”
again about his brothers
the hell was going on
”they just decided it was time for me to get married.”
you didn't initially think much of that statement but that only raised more questions
but you refused to entertain this stranger
no you weren't going to ask them to clarify
you repeated again that you had a gun and they needed to leave
”I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble.”
the sound of someone climbing down the ladder was a relief
you had a hard time sleeping again
somewhere along the way you finally did pass out from exhaustion
you awoke a little over an hour from your usual time
the sun was up
you couldn't put off going down forever and worked up the courage to undo the lock
the rifle barrel was used to push the door up
no chance you were going to get snatched down that easily
nobody there
there was an little wood box tied to the top rung
a rough job done with what looked like your twine
the box looked old
it fit in your hands
you were suspicious but opened it anyways
inside was a bed of dried flowers and a withered old paper sitting atop them
it had been folded to fit and you noticed when you unfolded it it had been a blank page out of a book
it still had the page number in the corner
there was meticulously handwritten cursive
you couldn't make out much of the writing
it hadn't been your best subject in school
you did catch that you were addressed as “gentleman caller”
at least that's what you assumed
you set the box and letter on the bed and made your way down the ladder cautiously
you refused to get taken by surprise like that again
hoof prints all around the place
you had learned not to trust tracks at face value now
whatever menagerie was up in there mountains was beyond an ordinary deer
but you were confused
speaking and writing
even that was a little out there
granted one of the things didn't even have skin
did one of those things have a crush on you somehow
you held your rifle tight as you patrolled the perimeter
as lonely and weird as you felt mentally for your tastes, deer wasn't one of them
bad enough you may have fancied guys
nothing seemed out of the ordinary around the tower
you weren't exactly enthusiastic to leave the area
there also wasn't a rush to try and escape the woods
the journey might see you get ambushed
your enthusiasm for adventure was gone
you just didn't want to get attacked again
speaking of, as nice as a shower might have felt, you weren't making yourself vulnerable like that
you ate and stayed on high alert all day
at night you refused to leave
the voice returned
it returned every night
you eventually put weights over the door instead of laying on the wood floor
but you could still hear the voice
and with the voice came gifts every morning
the gifts ranged from strange to macabre
all usually tied right below the trap door
the whispers were sometimes pleading
but you wouldn't respond
”come on, I just want to talk.”
whoever it was
whatever it was
you remembered the marriage talk and that only confused you more
the voice was never hostile
but you knew well enough that was a lie
the gifts ranged from a heart made of twigs to a necklace of squirrel skulls
how in God's name did you attract a stalker
let alone a woman
was it a woman?
probably wasn't human
”come on. I really want you to meet dad.”
every night
every night was some new plea
you'd roll over in bed and hope the problem would go away in the morning like it had so far
it was starting to eat at you
here you had thought yourself alone
but every night this visitor somehow eluded your tripwires and climbed up to the door
that's all they did too
you were waiting for the shoe to drop
they were toying with you
the boss would find the interior of the tower a bloody mess and you gone
that's how it would go
sometimes, your anger and annoyance would override your fear
you knew responding to whatever it was was what it wanted
but your frustrations boiled over
one night you sat there, eyes wide and something just snapped after the last “please”
you went off
this was supposed to be your little hermitage
you didn't mean to stumble into whatever cursed thing was going on up in the mountains
you'd have been happy being blissfully unaware and maybe just up and die of old age I these woods
alone
whatever attention and gifts you were getting lavished with wouldn't even work
you paced the small room while ranting, exploding at your visitor but all getting your own frustrations out
such as the fact that even if whatever was on the other side of the door was human, she wouldn't work
because you had a problem and only seemed to be attracted to men
you screamed that last part out
angry at yourself for your dysfunction as much as the violator of your solitude here
after that last display you got quiet
you'd spent your anger for the moment and it was good to just let it out for once
it was true though
dad figured something was wrong with you but couldn't quite guess it accurately
you'd come out here to get away from people
to just think about what was going on with your head
not like you could be open with this with anyone
then the voice got your attention again
”is that all? dad told me there was nothing wrong with me for that.”
you glared at the door
unable to really decide how to interpret that
you bet they were just trying to get on your good side
tell you what you want to hear so you'll open the door
the rest of the night you didn't respond
the voice left after calling you cute
you heard the descent down the ladder
you had questions that you buried
for now, you'd sleep in
get some sort of rest before the sun makes it impossible
might just stay up in the tower all day
could be worse ways to spend the time
when you woke up it was fifteen past nine
that was pretty late for you
you opened the door to another gift
a silver ring tied to the top rung
it looked old
it was a simple worn band
whatever it was kept using your twine
the ring was dull but the sun still glinted off it when held up to the light
you set it on the nightstand with the other trinkets
it was at least a mountain of evidence that you weren't just seeing and hearing things out here
this was very real
peeking down, you saw no one
like always your visitor was long gone before sunrise
there was something screwy going on and you had no idea how to handle it
you wanted to stay up here despite that stuff though
this had become a dream job of sorts and you weren't keen on getting chased off it
you weren't getting chased off that easy
there was just no solution to this you could think of other than simple endurance
whatever it was hadn't pushed its luck and tried to get into the tower
but would that last?
the week had become strangely routine again despite the visitor
intruder, you reminded yourself
this had been your place to think
to distance yourself
no appeals to marriage
no confusing thoughts
you were supposed to be out here because you didn't feel right out there
what that voice had said had bugged you
about how it was alright to be the way you were
it had to be a trick
that's what you kept thinking
it had to be
but it had been the nicest thing you'd ever heard
but maybe that was the point
to lower your guard
damn things sure was persistent
marriage?
the voice made your mind go all sorts of places it shouldn't
stuff that was too good to be true
you were watching the treeline today and thinking
if you grabbed a shower, you'd have the rifle next to you
after how grimey you felt that might be a godsend
cold shower might help with other things
if someone peeped on you so be it
you had decided on it after a moment of debate
the shower was fine
better than expected
you kept your eyes glued to the trees outside the stall
rifle within reach
it felt good
the birds were singing and the forest was finally feeling comfortable again
you took your time and allowed yourself the opportunity to relax
your tower, your land
after toweling off you felt the breeze
this was the life
your clothes no longer felt scratchy and uncomfortable after all that
a week without cleaning up was a bit much
you'd have to figure out how to get clean over winter
government didn't see that as a priority
maybe the showers had you spoiled
the rest of the day was normal
relaxed
you finally went up top for observation duty and realized something
the trapdoor had been left open
you made a habit of closing it
you stood there for a moment at the bottom of the ladder
you hadn't heard anyone around
but during the shower they probably snuck up there
you quietly climbed
this was your little home and you couldn't be scared of it
your ears were focused for any sort of noise above you
you heard nothing
maybe they raided your tower and left
you weren't really in a position to aim the rifle from the ladder
something you were very aware of
when you finally poked your head up you sat there slackjawed
it wasn't a deer
but it wasn't a human
and it was sitting on your bed like it was expecting you
it raised its hands and you nearly fell of the ladder in a panic
”please sir, relax. I just realized maybe I was going all about this the wrong way.”
sure enough
that was the voice of your nightly visitor
that didn't make your panic any less unfounded
you were trying your damndest to grasp what was in front you
the body of a human to an extent
definitely sitting upright
wearing a sunbleached dress
you could tell the flowers on it had to have been colorful at one point
brown fur covered all the bared skin
hooves terminated long deer legs
that had to be the click you'd hear against the metal rungs
how the fuck did it climb like that?
clawed hands now rested on its lap
they reminded you of a bear's
without the muscle to swing them hard enough to kill you
instead of a little deer tail, it had a full massive fluffy tail resembling a squirrel’s that laid across the bed
there were antlers
slightly misshapen ones but antlers none the less
so it was maybe a he
your eyes finally went back to his eyes
the irises were yellow but had a glint of something behind them you never saw in an animal
maybe he or it or whatever thought it was lightening the mood by smiling but a mouth more akin to a wolf's bearing all those sharp shiny white teeth at you did not comfort you
the smile faded when the panic it caused made you want to climb back down
”I'm sorry, I know I'm not much to look at.”
he was calm, attempting to reassure you
did not make an attempt to chase you down the ladder
that was what made you pause up there
it had you dead to rights but seemed more concerned with attempting to make a good impression
the slight accent in his voice did help
something you hadn't noticed while scared out of your wits every night
you weren't keen on climbing up in the tower but you held your place at the threshold, still trying to figure this thing out while it meekly let you appraise it
it had ears that flopped down and rested on its chest
reminded you of a rabbit's
the hair
that stood out
it wasn't all just fur
on its head there was a head of hair nearly shock white
it was braided and hung over its shoulder
the straps of the dress clung to wide bare shoulders
this thing was a garage sale of parts
it hadn't leapt off the bed so you maintained caution
”I just thought, maybe, if I came to you out in the sun you'd reconsider.”
it noted the confusion on your face
”I want you to be a part of the family.”
that did not comfort you
you started making your way down the ladder
it hopped onto its hooves and that made you want to go down the ladder faster
”that ring was my pawpaw's.”
that sounded like a protest
one that fell on deaf ears
you jumped from the ladder with about six feet left
”please don't leave me!”
you needed to get out of here
you turned and started bolting away from the tower when you heard a scream cut short by a crunch behind you
that stopped you
best you could tell when you turned that it had tripped and fallen the whole way
on its neck it looked like
you were silent
why had it been so desperate?
you approached the heap
no one was going to believe all this
a part of you felt guilty looking at the body
it had to be a swift death
you hoped
and you had been contemplating just dropping off the ladder earlier
the body looked fragile now
almost like a broken doll
your eyes met its own
and you felt a pang of sympathy for whatever it was
then shot back up
you fell backwards watching the heap pull itself together and manually reset a broken neck
the eyes met yours again and there was a life in them again
it pounced and pulled you into a hug on the ground
”I was so scared you'd leave. I'm sorry.”
the thing had your rifle buried between it and you
you tried to wrestle it off and it just held the hug
your arms were held at your sides so you rolled to get it beneath you
what the hell was this thing
you just saw it die
”I just think we'd be good for each other. dad said so.”
he was clutching onto you for dear life despite struggling
you were desperate to get the rifle free
”why won't you let me love you?”
that question was furious
he actually screamed that in your face
the tone took you aback for a moment and he tightened the grip
you nearly felt the breath squeezed out of you
you shot back at him
where the hell did he learn how dating worked?
this wasn't normal
he eased up a little
”so you really want to date?”
he looked hopeful
God he was insane
you realized something though
you weren't alone
in the pause between you two you heard rustling in the bushes
it had heard it too and panic flashed over the deer thing's face
”we were just playing.”
he shouted that out to the woods
was that those freak deer?
had to be
this thing called them brothers