19 Years Ago, 1998

Out in the woods in the early afternoon, a tall creature strode on two feet within them...With a red stain on its muzzle.

The red stain that was blood.

A satisfied breath came out of the muzzle as it went for the river it knows very much well where it's located. Shortly after going around a thick thorn bush and its arm brushed the bark of a tree close to it, it saw it. Its big feet carried it over and it got down on its hands and knees when it was close to the edge of the smoothly flowed river. Firstly it dipped its head down into the running liquid and swabbed a bunch of it with its tongue, trying to quench the thirst it already developed minutes ago. Then after it went up and sat on its knees, it began to clean its mouth with its wet furry hands that were dumped into the water, washing off the blood.

Feeling clean and not thirsty anymore, it stood up and began to wander away, intending on getting back to its home. A second later, its mind was on the hunt, and it smiled wide. Other than its hunger and thirst satisfied, accomplishment blossomed in its heart, and there was a reason why the creature was feeling that. For most of its life, it hardly hunted, actually NEVER, since there was always this parent it had that...Personally stopped it from hunting. But since a bit before its latest birthday, it started to hunt now.

And today, it had done it! It'd completed another hunt! Actually succeeded, by its count, 78th hunt in its entire life! It's getting close to one hundred now! That was real exciting. The creature just smiled on as it continued to stroll, tail wagging happily behind it. It can't wait to make a hundred hunts. It really can't. It'll be like the most accomplished thing it'd ever made!

The creature was still on its way home when its sniffer caught something in the air. It stood motionless as its nose was twitching. It was...Smoke. Its face snapped towards the certain direction it came from. And it's coming from...That way. A frown made an appearance on its face. What is going on? A human camping in the wilderness? The creature's form fully turned towads the smell of smoke, mind made up. Well...It's gonna go check it out...And make SURE it's careful doing it.

When it comes to a human and a creature like it, it knows what could and might happen if it doesn't. Oh yes...It better be.

The creature began following the scent with its nose and feet. Very soon, it started to notice, judging by the familiar surrounding in this area of the forest it was in now, and the direction it was going, it was heading for...This log cabin it's seen and got near of before. Ears perked up as it was growing curious by the minute. It's coming from that cabin? Odd...It knew of a girl named Claire Sunderland who lived in that cabin, and it heard that she died a year ago. It hasn't heard anybody living in it now.

Guess it's about to find out.

The tall creature continued to follow it, till it was almost near the edge of trees, and stopped behind a huge, green bush. The creature's big hand was raised to move one part of the bush away, holding it down so it can peek past it. Within view from a distance, it sees the side of the familiar cabin, a truck in the driveway...And a person standing around at the front door outside.

It cocked its head a bit. So somebody IS living in it now. By the looks of that person, it was a handsome man with short brown hair, and he was smoking a cigarette. That's when it knew right away that smoke came from that man. The ceature grew a bit curious about him. Who is that? He must be a new one, cause it hasn't seen that man before in the town of Little Valley.

Then its face looked cautious. Well whoever he was...For his sake, he won't find out that he isn't the only one living in the wilderness. Especially something like the creature. Things will get REALLY bad if he knows something like that exists. The creature's arm turned loose of the bushy limb, and it was back to hiding behind the large bush again. It better get out of here before he finds it stalking him.

With the wariness in its mind telling it to leave, it did so, turning around and doing what it was doing before without looking back.

*****

James stood outside with a cigarette in his hand, watching over the wilderness he sees. A short burst of a breeze blew at him and the smoke in the air coming from the tiny object. He let out a sigh the moment he finished smoking it. His finger tossed it down below him and, with his habit, stomped it out with his foot.

The young man went back to gazing the woods, a smile now on his face. Three days have passed since he came to this cabin, and this place was feeling like home already to him. The cabin is bought and now his, all the belongings he took from Rochester have all been unpacked and placed, water and electricity has been turned on here, and the whole place is vaccummed, dusted and clean.

Things are quickly settling here, except the only thing he doesn't have installed here yet is a telephone line. But he's sure to get that later on since he called the company in town to do that. Not only he got all that done, but he's also found a place in Little Valley to get interviewed and got himself a job, and that was yesterday. He'll start working there tomorrow. It was a totally different job than he worked for before, but he thinks it'll be a totally good change of pace. Least he took care of the 'getting a job' issue as fast as he could.

The echo of birds tweeting rang so loudly he could hear them. It earned them an amused chuckle from the man, "Heh heh." Home in the wilderness...He's going to love it here. His mind was on the first night he spent in the cabin. At least he won't spend another night like that ever again. Living in a place without electricity can be scary. Most people would LOVE living in the dark...But he doesn't. No way on that.

The howling he heard on that night too echoed through his skull. A tiny wrinkle appeared on his brow. He can still hear that weird howling in his head, and the sound stayed with him for days. But it wasn't bothering him. In fact, James was just curious. He really has to admit, those howls were really strange. To him they didn't sound normal like a dog...And maybe even a coyote. He hasn't heard anything like that before, and that is what's making him curious.

Course one half of him tells him he shouldn't be at all.

He did think before that it was just his imagination playing some kind of trick on him, cause he was practically living alone in the dark that night and that's probably what made them sound so awfully weird. Not to mention James hasn't heard any howling since the first night here. He thought he would hear howling several nights in a row, but apparently it wasn't a nightly thing. Not hearing that howling again like before did make him internally question if what he heard was real at all.

But...Despite all that, the other half totally believed it was, and that half was now making him rather curious. He didn't give up totally on it yet. Right now, only a certain question remained in his mind: Would he hear it again tonight?

Another night will tell.

James was about to turn around and head back in the cabin when he can hear rocks crunching from a distance. He turned his sights onto the gravel road, and can see a four-door blue car coming up on it. Who was coming up to the cabin? That's what he wondered. He wasn't expecting anybody. The car pulled up to a stop behind his truck, and two people came out of it.

One was a familiar face he's seen a few times already since showing up to Little Valley. The waitress he's seen at the Down Right Diner, Laurie, who's not in uniform now. And the other person was a guy, whom James hadn't met before. He has short red hair with brown eyes and was pretty lanky.

Laurie came up to him with a smile along with her friend. She said, "Hi, James."

They stopped in front of him when James smiled back, "Hey there, Laurie. Never thought you'd come here today."

Laurie replied with a deep giggle, "Well you didn't come to the diner to see me yesterday, so I came to see you."

The guy with her rolled his eyes, "Yeah, called in to come see her new boyfriend." She shot him a glare.

James turned to him, frowning his face, "Boyfriend?"

The lanky dude grinned and laughed a bit, "Yeah! You're her new crush and she wants to ask you out. Why else would she come here?"

Laurie chided, "DOUG!"

The guy named Doug laughed out loud at her reaction. He waved her down, "Calm down...I was just fucking around." Then he focused on James, introducing himself, "Sorry man, I'm Doug. Doug Daly. A friend of Laurie's."

"Oh." James giggled and smiled at the introduction, "Well good to meet you. I suppose Laurie told you about me?"

"Sure did. Why else would I come here? I haven't met you yet that's why!" He thumbed to his friend standing beside him with a bit of a blush on her cheeks now, "She wanted to come here to see you, so I came with her to meet you too."

Laurie let out a calmed sigh and brushed her hair off her face, "Which I kinda hate myself for letting you tag along now."

Doug turned his head with a playful grin, "What, you wanted to go here on your own and keep me waiting around to meet him like I was some kind of blind date?"

"That might have been a good idea...But I didn't think of it, and now you've embarassed me in the process."

Doug playfully waved her off, "Didn't do it that badly."

James giggled a bit before Laurie brought her attention back on him, a smirk apparent on her lips, "How are you liking this dumbass?"

Doug's face showed mocked offense and he put a hand to his heart like it was broken. He said in a high pitched tone, "Why thanks a lot for calling me that."

James shrugged his shoulders, replying, "He doesn't seem bad, actually."

Doug pretended to be relieved by his words with air out of his mouth, "Least someone thinks so."

The brunette haired woman ignored him and stated to James, "Good, cause he's usually like this. Better get used to it."

The young man remarked, "Hey, I'm gonna get used to living in the woods, so doing the same to a guy like that shouldn't be too hard."

Laurie chuckled, "Glad to hear it. Don't want to lose you..." She scowled at the guy beside her again, "BECAUSE OF HIM."

Doug groaned, "AND YOU WON'T. Now chill the hell out." He shifted his focus right on James, a happy expression still on him, "So uh...How are you doing here, city boy?" His hand waved at the cabin behind James, "Living here hard for ya? Wilderness life near small town life making you feel like you're dying inside and also has you squirming for action in the big city again?"

Laurie rolled up her eyes and whispered, "Insensitive much."

James replied, shaking his head, "Ah, no, ain't hard at all. To be frank, I pretty much prefer the quiet."

Doug nodded, proudly giving the man a fine pat on the arm, "That's nice, cause that is all you're ever gonna get around here." Then he grinned, "Speaking of quiet...Do you want to go out in the great outdoors tonight?"

James frowned quizzicaly, "I thought we ARE in the great outdoors."

Laurie chimed in, "He means go out in the woods AWAY from the cabin and all of us sit around the fire. You know, eat smores and stuff."

Smores? That made him feeling hungry for that. He hasn't had some for a long time!

Doug went on from his end, "It's pretty much my idea. Call it like a celebration of you living here and a welcome to you being in our lives. Oh, and we'll be having some beer too." He pointed back at the car he and Laurie arrived in, "It's in there, along with the marshmellows and crackers."

Laurie was twirling a strand of hair around with her finger, "Which you don't HAVE to drink it but hey you already know that." She giggled, "So, want to join this mini party in the woods with us?"

A celebration and a welcome in the night outside with warm fire, beer and smores...He can have fun with that. James smiled and was nodding a bit too, "Okay. Yeah."

Doug beamed, "SWEET!"

Laurie had already pulled her finger off her twirled up hair when she looked past James to the door to his cabin, "But while it's still day, how bout we check out your cabin? I'm curious to see what it's like now."

Doug nodded at the idea, "Yeah, can we come in?"

James didn't see why not. He hasn't let anybody in his cabin yet. Come to think of it, hasn't brought anyone to this place since he got here. Looks like they'll be the first guests of his new home. He said, "Sure you can." He turned his body a bit and showed them the front door with his hand, "There's mothing much to see, but come on in."

*****

The creature padded in the woods during a calm night. It was having a routine night walk it usually has, and enjoys. The corners of its muzzle were twitched up with a smile. It now wondered as it strolled on if this night was one of those nights. Nights where there is no moon, and no clouds...Only the blinking, beautiful stars. It likes having walks in a night like that. Then it remembered while human, before changing into the creature it is now to have this walk, for only to see well in the dark because of the no color vision, it completely forgot to look up at the sky to see what kind of night sky it was. While walking, its eyes shot upward, staring at the sky. It couldn't tell if there were stars up there or not, because of how white the sky is thanks to its vision. A look of dissapointment came to it. Drat.

But despite the dissapointment it was feeling, it made another smile. Oh well...Next night, it'll know. There are plenty of them in life anyways. And besides...It can just IMAGINE there are stars up there.

And with that idea, the creature imaginined that there are stars shining in the sky now, even without closing its eyes it did. On the inside, it was feeling pleasant from the imaginary sight. That's when it froze. From picturing there is a starry night sky right now, it also makes it want to howl right now. Not like it hasn't done that before. It giggled to itself. Oh, it can't resist. It's going to do it now, then get back to its walk. One howl up to the sky will surely get this out of its system. The creature was getting ready to do it by tipping down its head.

Well...Here goes...

When it threw its muzzle back up and was about to howl at the sky...It heard laughter. Eyes went wide, and the howl it was about to let out got caught in the throat, with only sharp coughing replacing it. Holy shit! It ran and ducked behind a tree, hiding before anything could find it in the open. Shortly it peeked around the corner, trying to find whoever caused the laughter. So far, it didn't see anyone. No one walking towards the creature on the same path as it.

The creature got angry with eyes forming daggers, and a low growl emitting in the throat its howl was caught in. It was sure that other creatures like it were at home sleeping right now, so that meant humans were among the woods in the night...Ones that were laughing a second ago.

That was close...But damn it, they ruined the moment!

The creature came out of the spot, still trying to find whoever was laughing. Where are they? By the pointed ear's good hearing, it can hear a couple voices. They didn't sound too far from where it was, but it didn't hear them making footsteps. That must mean they were standing or sitting around talking. Then it smelled something in the air as well. Its scrunched its face up. That's the second time today it'd smelled that. Smoke. Twice it sniffed smoke. What's going on this time?

It began to curiously follow the noises and smell by moving forward. Then not too long, the voices grew louder and it can see a light ahead now. As it got more closer, that's when it clearly sees three people sitting around a pit of burning wood. The creature quickly stopped making another step. That's as close as it's going to get. It cautiously moved sideways a bit, eyes not drifting off the guests of the forest as it spied on them.

Well now it knows why it smelled smoke again. There were three people that are camping here. It cocked its head a little. The thing that confuses it was they don't have any tents made. Now it's guessing that they were only hanging around here for a while and then leave this place for home. And those people that were here...It recognized them. Two of them it's seen before in town, Laurie Midler and Doug Daly. The third one was...The new guy at the cabin it went to earlier.

The creature peered back for a second before drawing its gaze back on the site. It knows what they were doing, so it wasn't worth standing here anymore than it already has. It should leave now. But it kept still, not letting the humans out of its sight. Basically, it was kinda curious about what they were talking about. A quiet breath was let out. Well...It suppose it can stand behind a tree and listen in for a bit...Then get out of here.

A part of it told it to just get out of here now while they know it ain't nearby, but it went to hide behind another tree, going along with the idea it has for now. The creature's head popped around the tree with ears perked up and listening in. A nervous feeling bubbled deep in its gut.

Hope they don't know it's here...

*****

While fire popped in the logs, Doug took a swig from the can of beer. Then as soon as he lowered down his hand with the bottom of the can resting on his knee, he went to tell this story he's heard and wanting to tell, "Okay...So, I heard about this guy and a chick." His eyes went very wide as he was being specific, "Like maybe a very hot one."

Across from him and the fire, Laurie said in an annoyed tone, "Who cares what she looks like? I know where this is going, so just get it over with already." James who sat with her and had a smore in his hand just laughed under his breath. He didn't really have anything to complain, but he thought he keep his trap shut. Don't wanna have Laurie snapping at him for kinda being a guy.

Doug let out a huff, then was waving her off, "Alright, alright." Then he resumed his story, and James ate a part of the smore.

Several hours have passed since the arrival of the two people James is now mingling with. After he showed Laurie and Doug the whole inside of the cabin and they chatted for a while after that, the sunset came in the sky and that was when Doug said they should all go out into the woods now. They all travelled down on a trail for a little while until they all found a small clearing for them to start their mini party. After he and Doug gathered wood for the fire, James managed to start it by lighting it up with his zippo lighter, which that seemed to brought so much relief to Doug cause he didn't have anything to light it up, and to Laurie's annoyance because of that.

And now here he was, sitting near a fire beside the diner waitress, and having a bit of beer and smores with them, only having one latter at the moment.

James really didn't expect company today, and never thought this day would end up being like this, but he did not mind it one bit. He's enjoyed hanging with them, even Doug who's just a goofball with some of the jokes he comes up with. He can imagine how his sister would feel when they come over to her cabin, since he can also imagine how lonely it can probably be out here. Knowing what she was like, she liked having friends to be with. Although James didn't feel lonely living out in the cabin in the woods yet, he was happy those two came over to hang out with him.

"Hey!" James shook his head and gazed at Doug who had furrowed his brow, "Are you listening, James?"

Apparently James's mind had wandered off from listening to his story and went to dwell around a bit in his mind. No wonder Doug's voice sounded so distant moments ago. James pretended he was with a nod, "Yeah. Go on."

The red head man smiled up, "Okay...." He went on with the story James didn't listened to, "The chick came back to their van, feeling so ready to lose her virginity to the dude and all that shit. But when she got back inside it, she found him hiding under their blanket, all covered from head to toe. And, as any simple minded hot lady would know, she thought he was just pretending to be asleep, like he was just playing a game with her." James took another bite from the cracker and marshmellow sandwhich as Doug leaned forward with a grin, "And she was willing to play it a little before they...Play their 'thing'." He teasingly winked at Laurie.

James swallowed down his piece as the girl beside him rolled up her eyes and mumbled irritantly, "Fucker."

Doug sat upward now, "Anyways...She was on her knees, crawling up to him, determined to rip off the blanket and see his face. But...When she did...She did not find any face."

James frowned, and so did Laurie when she asked, "What?"

The red head telling the story was smiling deviously, "BECAUSSSSE....All she found was her boyfriend...HEADLESS. Blood on the floor and still oozing out from between the shoulders."

Laurie scrunched her face, disgusted, "God, gross." James thought so too, and he didn't expect to hear that kind of story coming from Doug. He thought it'd be a simple kinky sex story, according to Laurie whom Doug told her and a few other people those type of stories before.

Well, apparently this story isn't.

Doug's head bobbed up and down quick a few times, "Yeah, she thought so too...Other than she screamed hysterically. And when she got out of the van, THAT'S when she found the guy who killed him standing outside waiting for her! He was carrying a machete, stained with her lover's blood. BUT. That wasn't the most scary part about him...The SCARY part about him, was his face was really deformed. Very fucking ugly, that nobody, maybe not even his own mother would love him, just by looking at him."

"Okay, I didn't expect this to happen to be honest with you." James asked, not technically believing this, "But come on, is this crap you've heard about real?"

Laurie told him straight up, "I seriously doubt it."

Doug formed a glare, "Yes it is!"

James shot back, "Doug, I can probably believe that it was just some machete wielding maniac going on a killing spree to several unsuspecting people, but a deformed one...I don't buy it."

"No! It's true!" Doug defended his stance, "It happened about thirty miles away from here...I think it happened about six years ago too."

Laurie spoke up, "Bullshit. I never heard it. Nothing like that happened in this part of the state." Her head turned to James who gazed back after she poked his shoulder, "I KINDA forgot to mention Doug sometimes tells these kind of stories also. Scary, outlandish, gory ones which he claimed to have heard and say they are real...Just to put a scare in someone."

James replied, "I kinda thought that's what he's doing."

Doug yelled out his defense, "But this one IS real!" James and Laurie snapped their eyes back to him, "I mean seriously, the chick managed to get away from the maniac by a kick to the nuts, got in the van and told her story to the cops. It was like all over the news. When the cops went to look for him, he was never found."

Laurie just narrowed her eyes, "Doug...Shut up."

James told him that too, "Yeah, shut up. I wasn't buying it anyways."

Doug sighed in defeat, waving them off and shaking his head, "Ok, I give up. Don't believe me."

The only girl with them replied, "We won't, thank you."

Then he raised a finger and let out a FINAL warning, "But I'm telling you right now, especially you, James, there's still a killer with an ugly face somewhere out there...And when he finds you-"

The young man rolled up his eyes and cut him off with his voice, "I got it. I've been warned."

"Better be warned. Don't say I didn't." Then he raised the beer and chugged it down till it was empty. His hand crushed the can, threw it away, and he burped. Other than him finishing something, James was finishing eating the food in his hand till it held nothing, the end result was him wiping it on his leg. Then, after a couple minutes have passed when all of them were just silent with only the sound of fire burning, Doug broke the silence, "FYI, I did try to warn your sister Claire about him too."

Laurie groaned, snapping at him in a frustrated tone, "Doug, cut it out!"

James wasn't offended by that statement. He practically giggled with his head down, "Well, I know what her opinion on your warning would be, and I know she didn't die because of him." He flashed the red haired dude a grin, "But thanks for warning her though, you're a true friend."

Doug wrinkled his brow, "You being sarcastic?"

"Half of it was sarcasm, but I think I was half serious."

Doug smiled, "Oh...Thank you." Then he only locked his eyes on the fire, a serious look shortly appearing on his face.

James knew what he was thinking about. Claire. He tilted his head with the smile melting off his face, "So...You actually knew my sister too, have you?"

Doug nodded a bit without eyes off the burning flames, "Yeah...Me and Laurie hanged with her a lot." He shrugged his shoulders, adding, "Well, she hanged with her more than me, but we were pretty good friends." He raised his apologetic gaze to see James from across the fire, "And by the way, if it makes you sad, I'm sorry for bringing her up. I was just-"

"I know, it's alright." He took in a deep breath and let it out, admitting when he lowered his head, "How she died does still bother me a bit. I'm...Only felt half better, I think."

Laurie reached and rubbed his shoulder in a consoling matter, "I think we're all like that now."

Doug concluded with her, "She's right. I don't feel very bad like before. I'm pretty much my old cheery self."

James replied after Laurie took her hand off him, "Good for you."

When a second went by the guy across the fire grinned, "You know something? She talked about you before...You weren't exactly how I pictured."

"Heh...My sister seems to tend to talk about me a lot." James shot up his head to smirk, "And what was it that you pictured about me? That I have red hair just like her?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Well mine isn't, but..." He gestured toward Doug, referring to his hair color, "I can see some resemblance between you and her."

"That's what she sometimes said!" Doug cried before letting out a laugh with Laurie. Shortly he sucked in a breath and stated with a couple nods, "I'll tell ya...It really is nice to finally meet you. Heck, when I heard about you, I wanted to come find you and drag you here so you could hang with her...And us. Now I really wished I did that sooner. You're a great guy."

James's giggle was deep in the throat, "Thanks."

That's when Doug jokingly stated, "I was being sacrastic. You're the worst brother of my late friend I ever hanged with."

He laughed out loud, "Hahahahah!" He held in a breath, amusement evident in his words, "I hate you too, buddy."

Doug giggled a little before he got up on his feet, stretching himself a bit, "Well...I'm done with this." He trotted around the fire to meet with James and Laurie up close. He looked down at them and said, "I'm ready to hit home with Laurie's car and hit the sack. Are you guys done too?"

Laurie nodded, getting up from the ground as well, "Yeah. I'm a bit tired and it's late now. I'd better get home and go to work tomorrow."

That's when Doug mischieviously smirked, "Or I can just walk on home without driving your car and leave you at the cabin with James. That way you both can passionately make love in it." Then his arms held out and hugged the air, like he was wrapping his arms around someone, and did his girl voice, "Oh, James! You're so handsome and sexy and I love you so much! Let's have sex in your-"

James was blushing by this and Laurie growled with gritted teeth. She furiously went past behind him as she strided toward Doug, "YOU FUCKING MORON, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" She took a swing at him but the red head dodged her hand by jumping back with laughter bursting out of his mouth. He ran off, still laughing like a moron. Laurie angrily hollered, "Come back here and help me put the fire out!"

He hollered back as he was several feet from them, "Get your lover to do it! SEE YOU AT THE CABIN!!!" He kept going until he was out of their sight.

"Huh..." James was still blushing as he next got up from the ground, "Interesting."

Laurie huffed and turned around to meet his eyes, "He does say interesting but untrue things when he's screwing around."

He smiled a bit despite his reddened cheeks, "You telling me you don't have a bit of a crush on me?"

The lady in front of him planted her hands on her hips, "James...Don't be a moron too."

He raised his hands like he was surrendering, "Ok...Sorry." He dropped them down and sighed, bringing his sight to the fire, "Alright...I'll put the fire out..." Then his hand motioned to the trash they left on the ground, "And you start picking up the trash." Laurie nodded at the idea and they both went to their duties. Not too long, each of them were done, especially the fire going out by James kicking dirt at it, putting the spot they are at into darkness. With the help of a flashlight Laurie brought along, she and James strode on back for the cabin.

While James was walking beside her with the bag of trash in his hand, his mind travelled back to earlier. He was having a thought about what Doug said earlier. About dragging James to come hang with Claire at the cabin. He dipped his chin, regret and guilt both built in his chest. Oh, if only Doug did.

Laurie turned her head and saw him looking like that. She shined the flashlight on him, asking in concern, "Hey James...You ok?"

He looked back at her, "Yeah I am...A little."

"Is it Claire?"

James only stared at her for a moment, before he gave her an answer, "Yep." He let out a breath when he turned his head totally away from her as they strolled on.

Laurie held pity in her eyes, "Want to talk about it?"

He only gazed away for a second before he slowly put his eyes back on her, "Laurie...Did Claire ever tell you about...Why we didn't speak to each other?" Laurie only nodded in response. James lowered his face to the ground, "It's just...I'm wishing things between us weren't the way it happened, you know. I wish that I had-"

"James...Don't." Her hand rose and gripped his shoulder as she was speaking to him gently, "Don't hate yourself for not talking to her before she died. She did forgive you."

He stopped pacing along with her, then locked his eyes back on her face again, "I suppose...But I want to hear it from her."

"I know..." Then she stretched out her neck...To plant a kiss on his cheek. His face only twitched from it. She said after her head and hand were pulled back, her smile on her face a comforting one, "I understand. And the thing you have to understand is she's not here to do that. Right now, you can only accept the way things are...Like me."

James confessed while his cheek's still affected by that kiss, "But it's hard."

"I can understand that too, especially because of what happened with you and her." Her eyes held faith, "But I think despite that, one day you can accept it and forgive yourself."

"...Maybe..." He held in a breath and let it out, "But I don't know."

"I think you will...You don't seem to be in a very bad place not to."

"...If you say so."

Laurie shook her head in assurance, "Look, there's no pressure or anything. Just try not to hate yourself about Claire. I know it's hard now, but try, ok?"

He gave her a slow, tiny nod, "Alright...I'll try to quit beating myself up over it."

"Good."

He smiled a bit, feeling a bit better by her kind personality, "Thanks for trying to help."

"You're welcome, James." They looked at each other for a moment with smiles before they went back to walking. For a little bit, they've both made it back to the cabin, walking out of the forest. Right away they found Doug leaning against Laurie's car, waiting for the owner to get back.

He made a remark, "About time. I was waiting for you forever."

Laurie glared at him along with the flashlight as she and James were getting closer, "Maybe it wouldn't have took forever to get here if you helped out, asshole."

"Ah, whatever." Doug smiled and gave James's arm a friendly pat right when they stopped in front of him, "Thanks for hanging with us."

James replied with a nod, "No problem. I had a nice time."

"Well, I'll see you later. Let's go, Laurie." That's when Doug opened up the side door and got in the car. He slammed the door, back to waiting for only Laurie now.

Laurie turned to him and said, "See you at the diner tomorrow?"

James faced her, "Maybe I'll come by after I'm done working on my first day at my new job. Alright?"

"Sounds good." Then she gave his cheek ANOTHER kiss, and his face widened up. She said with a cute look posted in her eyes and a smile as she was backing away, "Goodnight." He watched her leave, turning around and going around the back of the vehicle.

The man she kissed stuttered, raising his hand to touch the exact spot she planted it, "G-Goodnight..." She did it...Again.

Laurie got in the car through the driver's door and slammed it. James can hear Doug yelling through an open window, shoving his finger repeatedly at Laurie upon sitting down behind the wheel, "I KNEW IT! YOU LIKE HIM! I FREAKIN KNEW IT!"

She sneered as she was starting the car, headlights turning on, "Oh, shut it! It was just a goodnight kiss!"

"Oh you gotta be kidding me!" James stood and watched the car back down the drive, and sees Doug waving goodbye through the windshield, barely hearing him say, "Bye!" He waved back as the car was turning itself around on the yard. Fully facing the gravel road out of here, it drove away from the cabin. Moments later, the car dissappeared on the road and from sight.

James sucked in some air, letting it out slowly afterward. He was thinking about Laurie for what she did. She declared to Doug that she didn't have a crush on him, but her kisses on his cheek and that look she gave him before she got in that car certainly showed she did. She is cute, he admits that, but he didn't know if he felt that way about her yet. Who knows what would happen between them in the future? Then his thoughts were on what she said, about him and Claire. He did see the way her eyes looked, how much she believed he can let it go.

Laurie did have a point back in the forest. Inside, he wasn't in a very bad place to not let go of some things. Maybe he will. He may not know when, but still, maybe he will.

One day...Maybe he will forgive himself about Claire.

*****

The creature was still ducked low as it was hiding in the bushes at the edge of the treeline. It spied on the human still standing around in his yard outside his cabin after his friend's car left. Very soon, he whirled around with the bag of trash in his hands, and went up to the door. He opened it up, its ears hearing the loud hinges squeaking, and he went in the cabin, closing it behind him.

When he was gone, the creature stood straight up from the hiding spot and breathed out. At first it thought it was going to listen in and watch those three humans for a little bit, but apparently it did a lot longer than that, and also followed them to the cabin. It couldn't help it. It just wanted to see and hear what they all do till they were done for the night. By luck, it wasn't spotted by that guy, Laurie or Doug the whole time it'd watched them. And it heard a lot too, especially about the guy it watched go in that cabin, including his name.

James. So that was what his name is.

James...

It also learned that Claire Sunderland, the girl who used to live in the cabin James is living in, and was the friend of Laurie and Doug...Is James's sister.

Ears were flat as pity shone in its eyes. Claire Sunderland...His sister...Dead sister. A low whine came out of its throat. It felt sorry for him, because it can understand what loss is. It suffered one, too...A long time ago. A pitiful breath escaped its muzzle when it ears pointed up. It was feeling so sorry that a crazy idea came out of nowhere in its head. An idea that's something it should not be doing, or even allowed to do.

It wants to talk to James, as a human...And be his friend.

The creature's eyes showed that it wasn't real sure of the idea. It knew it was a risky thing to do. James could be a real threat to the creature and creatures like it. It knows something like that about some humans after all. Also doing that to ones who aren't that kind of a threat is risky too. Pity eyes reappeared once more. It's risky, but it wants to try. Maybe he wasn't the kind of human that is real dangerous to all the tall, hairy creatures. Even if he wasn't...It still wants to try. Let him have a friend who's been through that kind of loss before. Someone who truly understands it.

It made up its mind...It's going to do it. Tomorrow it'll be a human, not look like a monster, then go to town and look for James since he said he'll be working at a job on that day, find him, and try talking to him in a normal conversation like it shares to other creatures like it. And when it does find James, it'll keep its own secret to itself. Not reveal its true self by word nor by form. And since it thought about other creatures like it, it'll just not tell the ones it knows of what it's planning to do.

It nodded to itself. Yes...It's simple and easy enough. That's when it drew back its head and yawned a bit. All right...Time to get home and get some sleep. After staring at the cabin for one last minute, its form whirled around and began walking back home.

Tomorrow...It puts its plan into motion.