Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain by: Reclusive Knight

In the dense dark forest the wind began to howl like a hungry wolf stalking in the night. The sound of the trees creaked like a 19th century manor. The sky was dark and filled with the wonders of the universe. There is evil in the forest, and it comes in the form of man and animal. As the fog intrudes the air everything is dampened from it's fine mist.

The closest town is miles away, where the normal folk dwell. Up on Stone Mountain though, evil is alive and it stalks the area like a perverted child molester. An owl sits watch, his eyes wide and alert in the night; as he scans the forest floor for any form of heat that could be a possible meal. The creatures that dwell in the forest up on Stone Mountain have a thing or two in common; they are killers; meat eaters!

As the sun comes up, the night sky fades. Sounds of birds singing can be heard in the forest. It is once again light, and the hot sun is rising fast as it pushes the mercury up on Erin and Eric's thermometer. The two are getting ready for a hiking trip up at Stone Mountain.

"Come on Eric, I told you to pack your bag last night like I did," Erin blurted out.

The town they lived in was small, but the folks in the town warned of strange happenings in the mountains of North Carolina. Moxley was always buzzing with information, as the towns residents sang like blue jays in the high trees. Erin was sick of this, she wanted to get out of town for the weekend. She was tired of everyone knowing her business.

"I am ready, bag is packed, and it looks like the weather is going to turn out nice," Eric sounded out.

They began their trip out of town, and soon they turned on a side road that would lead them to the road up to the parking area so they could hike up to Stone Mountain Park. Once up at the top there was a ravine and the view was said to be breathtaking. As the jeep ascended the old dirt road they would soon come to their turn.

Eric stopped. “Wow the dust from the road is in my mouth; I can feel it between my teeth."

Erin reached in the back and out of her backpack she pulled some water. The taste of the clean pure spring water made love with Eric's throat.

"Ahh, that was good, warm but good," Eric said as he inhaled the fresh air.

The dust was now settled, and Eric wanted to drive slowly up the mountain so he didn't stir up anymore dust. The jeep moaned as it made it's way up the rocky and pothole plagued road; which was more like a path in his mind.

The two scanned the terrain for any sign of wildlife, but the forest was dense, and dim. Many of the trees were leaning over, and they appeared to be rotting away.

"Here we go, I see light now," Eric shouted out over the moaning of the jeep's engine.

Erin looked on and breathed a sight of relief. She was happy that they were finally going to be on foot.

"What is the name of this road anyway," Erin wondered as she questioned Eric.

"Don't know hun, but it's not a county road; looks like an old logging road, although I don't really see any trees missing, except where we are parking now," Eric replied in doubt.

The top of the road was flat, and it opened up into a circular clearing where they parked the hot and hissing jeep. They scanned the area before they got out, nothing was around except up in the sky, there were some vultures circling the near-by ravine.

They hopped out and grabbed their packs; then walked over to the ravine, as they looked down Erin took a step back!

"Woo, it's a long way down hun," Erin cried to Eric in nervous tone.

"Yes it is, and the other side is so thick you can't even see through the trees," Eric replied.

The ravine was like the devil's bowl, large, deep, and had an evil look. The bottom was filled with musty old green water, apparently run off water from the rain.

They began their trip to the right where they spotted the old path that would lead to the Stone Mountain park, or so they thought. The park had a lake, and a camp site; but the park was also on the other side of the devilish ravine!

They were walking on an old smuggler's path. It was rumored that folks would cart supplies over to Virginia through the mountain path on horses years earlier. The path slowly began to close on the two like hands of thorn.

"Oh shit, damn fucking brier bushes," Erin cursed out in pain.

The blood was flowing down her leg in a steady little stream. It had been so long since anyone used the old smuggler's path that it was beginning to disappear. The bush was alive and it was slowly devouring the path. Eric attended to her as he opened his backpack and pulled the first aid kit.

"Let me see, ok, here we go; this may burn a bit," Eric said with a smile.

He tended to her, and then they walked slowly up the old path as the overgrown bushes kissed their bare legs. Then they came to a Y in the path.

"Hummm, left or right," Eric mumbled to himself.

He then pointed, "Right," as his hand slowly fell back down. Then there was an eerie sound whistling out of the forest. The tree's began to sway back and forth as they creaked like an old wooden door. The sky began to turn dark as the gray clouds littered the sky.

"Come on, let's walk faster; I think this is the right way because it leads away from the ravine," Eric said in a fearful and confused voice.

Little did they know, the Stone Mountain Park and the Lake were on the other side of the devil's bowl. Deeper and darker they traveled into the forest.

Then Erin stopped, she explained, "stay here hun, I have to go pee."

Erin entered the forest and only walked a few short yards to go behind a tree. As she walked the bushes sliced up her legs like a butcher cutting meat. She stopped and looked down as the blood ran down her legs, staining her socks; the only thing on her mind was to get done and back to Eric.

Once finished they started to walk again, but there was no sign of a clearing. Then behind them the distant sound of a tree branch snapping could be heard. They both turned, Eric scanned the path they had just made their way up. It appeared as if it grew closed even though as they walked they were breaking off branches; also tramping on the long twisted vines of thorn. Erin looked at Eric and he smiled and waved his hand to keep going.

Looking at her watch Erin noted to herself that it was already late afternoon, and the path was so dark it appeared to be dusk. Her heartbeat began to pick up, the sweat was already oozing from her body. The blood on her legs was dry, and it started to crack like old red paint. They were now in big trouble, and they knew that they were lost.

"Should we head back to the jeep hun," Erin questioned Eric?

"Nah, this old path has to come out somewhere," Eric replied nervously.

Then a sound pierced their ears, it was like a freight train coming through the woods. They could hear branches breaking and the echo from the commotion made things louder. They stopped, and just then a dark, dirty, and obviously aggressive dog appeared! Eric was frozen in time, as Erin began to shake like a leaf in a stiff breeze.

"Hey Abby, get back here you little shit," the voice barked out.

The black German Shepard stopped and turned back in the opposite direction. Soon a man appeared, he was dirty, wore an old blood red baseball cap; he was wearing some old torn up overhauls. In his hand was a sledgehammer, the old red paint on the head was half worn away and rusty. This appeared to be the man's walking stick. He approached grasping his dog Abby by her black shiny spiked collar.

"Don't worry, she won't hurt y'all," the strange man shouted out. The names Ted, Ted Dunley, I live near-by, just up the path here about 100 yards or so."

They both breathed a much needed sigh of relief.

"Where are you two headed anyway," Ted questioned them.

"Up to the Stone Mountain Park, we are hiking and I thought...." Eric was interrupted.

Ted explained with a shady smile, "you two are way off, this here path goes up to my place; but there is a road then leading from my place up to the park. No one ever came this way before though, this here path leads to private property. My property!"

He agreed though to take the two up to his place and then get them on the right path, and possibly a ride back to their jeep. His dog Abby had an evil look in her dark eyes. Ted walked out in front so he could keep Abby away from Eric and Erin. Soon they made their way to an old dirty and rotting cabin; it was surrounded by woodlands, and the roof was sloped down as if it was going to cave in at any moment.

Either one of you two have to use the shitter," Ted asked in a luring manner.

Eric replied in a quiet fearful tone, "I do Sir; I have to shit and I have been holding it in for quite a while now."

Ted motioned for Eric to come in as he rustled Abby through the door. Eric sat down his backpack and slowly walked in, while Erin sat on the porch, looking down first and brushing off the old wooden step.

Ted spotted her and chuckled, "be right out young lady."

Inside the old cabin the walls were filled with cob webs, and there were dead animals hanging all over the walls. Two candles were lit in what appeared to be the living room, which only contained an old wooden chair; also some tables that were stained with blood. It appeared to Eric that the man was a full time hunter, he spotted an old empty gun rack on the wall, it was in between two deer heads that gazed at him. It was as if the deer were watching everything in awe.

"This way, over here, Abby sit; come on she wont hurt ya pal," Ted spit out as he rested on the old wooden handle of the sledgehammer.

Just as Eric went past him and walked into the room, he spotted a toilet; no longer white, it was now black, and the room had a terrible odor of rotting flesh. The hair stood up on Eric's arms.

"What did I agree to come in here for, wow this fucking place stinks like rottin' ass," Eric exclaimed.

Then Eric felt a strange stimuli approaching him; THUD! Ted had swung the old rusty and splintered sledge at him knocking him to the floor unconscious. The blood started to emerge from the split skin and cracked cranium. Ted started to laugh lightly as he coughed. The mad backwoods hunter was now stalking Erin out on the porch, he gazed through the old ripped up screen door like a high flying vulture awaiting his meal.

Then behind Ted, Abby began to claw at the bathroom door which was now closed. It was as if she was trying to tear her way out of a burning building! She barked ferociously trying her best to tear through the bathroom door.

Ted turned to her and yelled out, "hey, knock it off shithead, you will eat in a minute when I eat; not before that!"

She coward her way away from the door with her head down as she lied in wait on a meal. By this time Erin was up and now standing on the porch trying to see in the old wooden and mold covered screen. Ted opened the door as it creaked, the sound echoed off the near by forest and shot back like a bullet.

"What's all the commotion in there? Where is Eric? ERIC," Erin cried out!

Ted began to smile and explained to her that Eric is fine and he was going to kick Abby's ass for being so mean.

"Come in, your man should soon be done; I have some tea made," Ted blurted out in a demanding manner.

So Erin walked past him and made her way in the old cabin. She looked around and spotted the animals hanging on the walls, her eyes scanned the room. Abby stood up and began to show her teeth, this made Erin very nervous. The only thing between her and Abby was the dreadful looking Ted!

Erin looked then at what appeared to be the bathroom door. It was old and splintered, with an old rusty handle.

She began to yell out again, "ERIC, come on hun, it will be getting dark soon!"

Next to the bathroom door she spotted the sledgehammer, it was covered in blood. The thoughts began to race through her head like a deer running through the woods. She wondered how she didn't spot it right away. Her heart started to race as her adrenaline began to flow. The sweat again formed on her forehead, and Abby started to bark as Ted grabbed Erin by the arm.

"Come on you fucking bitch, it's supper time; you and your man are just in time. We didn't even have to hunt long today Abby," Ted said in a psychotic and twisted manner.

Ted grabbed the sledge and threw Erin to the floor like an old rag doll. He raised it above his head as the blood trickled down the old splintered handle. Erin's eyes were bulging out of her head like a flies. She watched in terror as the old sledge made it's way down in a solid thrust into her fibula. The bone shattered immediately, and the blood started to spray out and coat the floor.

Abby darted over and began to lick the old dirty and now bloody floor.

Ted laughed, "it's supper time Abby, time to play and eat! We love to play with our catch before we eat it."

Erin shook in tremendous pain and began to cry. Abby made her way from the floor to Erin's open wound as she bit into Erin's flesh.

Ted was still laughing and Erin was screaming in pure terror. The macabre seen would make anyone shiver! The old sledge thumped as he dropped it on the bloody wooden floor. Erin was not going anywhere now, she tried to get up but it was no use.

Ted left the room and made his way to the kitchen close by; he grabbed a large butcher knife and made his way back to Erin and Abby. When Erin seen the knife she passed out, and Ted went to a knee on the floor watching Abby tear away at the bloody leg. The bone was white and tempting to Abby as she pulled and growled.

He started to slice off a piece of the thigh and his mouth started to water. His rotten teeth were about to caress the raw bloody meat.

"Mmmm, this is way better then venison," Ted sounded off as he chewed.

The blood was running down his chin and began to drip. His lips appeared bright red like he was wearing lipstick. He sliced off another piece of Erin's thigh and threw it across the room as Abby gave chase.

Just then there was an old creaking sound, the wooden bathroom door began to slowly open. Eric was standing in the open doorway, his face covered in blood, what he witnessed on the floor would somehow fuel his desire to kill Ted. Abby then stopped, she spotted Eric and turned in a quick jolt; she was now fixed on Eric and began to run as she jumped! Eric put his arms up and attacked the airborne beast. He grabbed her by the black spiked collar and threw her in the bathroom. Then the door was slammed shut.

It was now Eric and Ted eyeing each other, Erin's body lied lifeless on the cabin floor. The blood was spread out heavily upon the old wooden floor. Erin had lost a lot of blood, and she was still unconscious. Abby began to thrash at the splintered bathroom door, jumping and scratching to save her master! Eric only hoped the old door would hold, at least long enough for him to put a stop to Ted; and make his way to Erin.

The two men were bloody, and their eyes were locked on each other.

"Come on mother fucker, I'll kill you! You sick twisted bastard, come on," Eric yelled out in terror and pure hatred.

Ted let out a tremendous laugh, as the blood formed on his chin. His lips red with Erin's cells. The flames of the two candles danced around the room and bounced off the animal heads on the wall. It was as if everyone was watching, and Ted charged Eric!

The knife was high above Ted's head and dripping blood, it shined from the candle light. He clutched Eric's wrist, and his other hand came thrusting down bearing the butcher knife. Eric was dizzy, it was an act of God that he was even able to stand on his feet. He grabbed the wrist of Ted and stopped the knife from plunging into his chest. Then he raised his leg and kicked Ted in the groin area; Ted immediately fell to his knees, the knife released from Teds dirty and bloody fingers.

Eric quickly jumped at the knife, as he grasped it's moist bloody handle. He picked it up and shoved it in terrible rage into Ted's back! Ted let out a big rush of air, then he hit the floor; half on Erin and half on the old wooden floor. The room now looked like a slaughter house, there was blood about the walls, floor, and the old chair off to the side. Abby was barking and tearing at the door ferociously trying to break through. Eric dropped to the floor in exhaustion, his body was trembling. There was his lifeless soul mate Erin spread out on the floor. She had apparently passed on from a combination of blood loss and shock.

Eric cried as he reached for the old rusty sledgehammer. He used it as Ted had, to get up and walk now. He made his way over to the screen door and out on the porch. The old porch creaked as if it were speaking to him. It was now dark outside, and Eric was in a panic. He began to make his way back towards the jeep. It was a long walk, but he didn't know if Ted was telling the truth when he said that there was a road leading from the other side of his cabin to near-by Stone Mountain Park.

As Eric walked he kept on looking back, the full moon began to light the sky. The clouds from earlier that day had dissipated. The bloody sledge helped Eric along as did the moon. It seemed like everything was on Eric's side now, his only thought was the jeep. He began to wonder about the keys? Were they in the jeep, or were they in the backpacks that were still back on the old cabin porch? When Eric left he was so shaken with terror he never even noticed the backpacks on the porch.

Then, there was a clearing ahead; Eric's legs were bleeding, his arms, and his head very badly. The path tore Eric apart like a hungry wolf eating a rabbit. When Eric got to the clearing there was the jeep. He breathed out a sigh of relief, and then inhaled the fresh mountain air deeply. Eric dropped the old sledge as he made his way around the jeep. He was now very dizzy and had to get to the hospital right away. As he reached for the key to turn the jeep on it was gone as he had suspected!

It was back on Ted's porch in the orange backpack. This all became clear to Eric now, and then like a light shot down from the angels; Eric remembered the magnetic key holder under the back fender. He scattered about trying to find the key holder, it was dark and the jeep had some dried mud on the lower side.

Eric quickly found the key holder, and then he hobbled over and into the driver's seat. As he turned the key nothing happened! Eric began to really panic again, as he was still partly in shock. He got out and began to undo the hood ties, and then he raised the hood. It was hard to see in because the only light was that shining down from the full moon. Eric reached in and pulled out the spark plug wires!

When they were walking away from the jeep that day, apparently Ted and Abby were stalking the two from the near-by woods. There was no way Eric could put all the plug wires back on in the dark. He threw them to the ground and then reached for the old sledge.

Just then he heard what sounded like a freight train coming through the woods! As the full moon shined down, the forest echoed with the sound of a dog barking.

THE END