The Evil Read online

  © 2019 J.N. Tensley ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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  Chapter 1

  Latrell Jackson ran hard through Shadow Point forest. His calves and ankles were sore, he was breathing heavily. He turned around to see if the thing that was chasing him was still on his tail.

  Dammit! He thought almost tripping over a large tree root on top of the ground.

  He steadied himself and continued running.

  Got to make it to the road! I have to get outta this forest!

  A bright full moon Illuminated the sky and forest. It’s cool silver light covered the path before him.

  All he could hear behind him was voices. So many voices. So loud! So dark.

  Run faster Latrell! Run as fast as you can or your gonna get caught.

  He ran past a small tree, it’s branch smacked him in the face as he moved passed it.

  “Yeow!” He yelled out I pain, raising his hand up to below his eye where the tree branch hit. He stopped for a moment.

  A dark cloud moved about fifty feet away from him, slipping around a large tree. It had dark blue orbs circling around inside it. The orbs were the ones the voices seemed to be coming from.

  Latrell started running again. Wiping the blood from his cut. He was determined to get out of there. He saw what that dark cloud did to his friend Malik. He saw how it circled around him and swallowed him whole like he was a snack.

  Him and Malik had come to the forest to smoke some weed. Latrell thought he was just high when he saw the cloud floating above them but when it swallowed his friend he knew it was real.

  Where did I park? I know it was close by the road but where? Come on! Remember Latrell!

  His footsteps pounded into the forests floor. He was a fast runner. Very athletic. He took another peek behind him at the cloud.

  It was closer to him now. It was about twenty feet away.

  “Latrell. Help me!” The cloud said in his best friends Malik’s voice.

  Latrell slowed down. “Malik?” He turned and faced the cloud.

  “Help me!” The cloud said again.

  The cloud stopped right in front of Latrell now. Bolts of blue lightning shot through it. Voices of trapped souls growled and moaned inside.

  The cloud was so dark and cold. Latrell could feel the coldness just standing in front of it. It made his skin tingle compared to the warm outside summer night.

  “Malik? Where are you man?” Latrell asked trying to look inside the cloud. “I can hear you but I can’t see you.”

  “Come closer.” He could hear Malik say inside the cloud. “Help me get outta here.”

  Latrell was scared. The weed made him more paranoid. It all seemed like a bad high. A nightmare.

  I’m sleep, he thought. This isn’t really happening. I just need to wake up. He put his hand close to the cloud and it’s cold dark energy flew over his hand.

  “We will have your soul!” The cloud said in a bunch of muffled voices combined together.

  The fear dropped to the bottom of Latrell’s stomach. He turned back around and started running again. Taking off with all of his might.

  The cloud began to follow behind him.

  Latrell could see a road coming up. The moonlight shined brilliantly in front of him lighting up the up coming road.

  Almost there. Can’t stop now,he thought.

  He ran down a small hill and tripped rolling down the hill, from side to side. He came to a stop at the bottom of the hill. The wind was knocked out of him.

  The cloud stopped at the top of the hill. It looked so evil the way it just stopped there, watching him. Waiting on him to move.

  Latrell looked up at the cloud before pushing himself up and started running to the road.

  He could see two bright headlights coming towards him.

  “Hey! Help!” He yelled waving his arms in the air up and down.

  He ran towards the light. All of his senses were loaded with fear. He was intent on surviving no matter what.

  The cloud started making its way down the hill towards Latrell now. Hovering just above the ground. It’s darkness blacker than the night.

  “Help!” Latrell yelled louder. He ran faster towards the headlights.

  Another moment everything went black as the vehicle slammed into Latrell’s body. Launching him into the air. Knocking him to the ground.

  The cloud stopped at the edge of the road before disappearing back into the forest before the driver hopped out of the car and tried to help Latrell.

  “What the hell man?” The middle aged driver said surprised. He ran and bent over Latrell checking his pulse.

  Latrell lay in a pool of blood in the middle of the road, motionless. He still could hear though. Could still hear the voices in the cloud getting further and further away from him now. But everything in front of him was blurry and dark. He couldn’t make out the face of the man who hit him. All he could hear was the man’s voice.

  His whole body was numb. He couldn’t feel anything.

  Then he could feel being dragged. Feel himself being pulled backwards towards the vehicle. Feel himself being lifted up and put inside the vehicle.

  It was a truck bed. He was in the back of it.

  “Don’t you worry buddy. I’m gonna get you to the hospital.” Latrell could hear the man say.

  He then heard a door slam and the tires squeal. He could feel the truck moving now. Everything was going black now. Everything seemed to be slipping away from him. His consciousness. His sanity. All seemed to be slipping away from him now.

  Latrell moaned. His head hurt. His whole body hurt.

  “Don’t worry bud. You hang in there. We’ll be at the hospital soon.” He could hear the man say.

  That’s all Latrell could do was hold on. He sure couldn’t move. He couldn’t talk. He was at the driver’s mercy now.

  Latrell opened his eyes one more time seeing a sky full of bright stars before passing out.

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  He heard beeping all around him.

  What was that sound? He couldn’t open his eyes yet. He was struggling to gain full consciousness.

  His eyes started blinking. Everything looked blurry and white at first. Then, his eyes started to focus more.

  He was in a room. A bright room on a firm bed.

  His head hurt. A steady pounding in the back of it. His legs didn’t feel like they were there.

  His eyes finally opened and adjusted to the brightness of the room. He took a look around him.

  All alone in here. Where is here?

  A hospital room?

  Latrell saw the heart rate monitor to the left of his bed and an IV on the left, the needle stuck in the back of his hand. A TV hanging from the corner of the room with news playing.

  He rubbed his temples. His head hurt so bad. It felt as if something was in his head pounding it with a hammer from the inside.

  A sudden knock on the door made him turn his head to it.

  An older short nurse with short brown hair walked in. She wore blue scrubs and had a stethoscope around her neck. “You’re finally awake.” She said walking over to him smiling.

  This is a hospital. But why am I here? How did I get here?

  Everything seemed blank in his mind. All he could remember was running through the forest from that dark cloud. Everything after that was a blur.

  The nurse checked his IV bag and then stood next to him. “How are you feeling?” She asked softly.

  Latrell looked at her. He blinked several times. “Everything hurts. I’m in so much pain.” He said truthfully.

  The nurse looked at him sternly. “You were in bad shape when you got here. Your leg was broken in two different places. But we got that all fixed up for you.” The nurse pulled the sheet back revealing hi
s left leg with an all white cast wrapped around it.

  Latrell’s eyes opened wide. “How did this happen?” He said moving his hand down to touch the top of the cast which started at his thigh.

  “You really don’t remember do you? You must’ve hit your head harder than you realized.” She stuffed her hands into her blue scrub pants.

  “The man who brought you in said you ran out into the middle of the road causing him to hit you.”

  Latrell could remember getting hit now. The impact of the truck hitting him ran through his body again. His leg began to hurt worse.

  “I got hit. That’s how I broke my leg.” Latrell said softly looking away from her.

  “Yes you did. You need to be careful running out into the roads at night like you did. You’re lucky to be alive Mr. Jackson.” The nurse stared hard into his eyes. “I’m nurse Heidi. I’ll be your nurse for the remainder of my shift.”

  Latrell focused his eyes back to hers. “When can go home?” He asked.

  Heidi shrugged. “My guess is tomorrow if the doctor okays it.”

  Latrell didn’t know how he felt about that. He wanted to be home in his bed or on his couch. He definitely didn’t expect to be in the hospital when he left home that night.

  “Do you need anything else before I go make my rounds?” Heidi asked.

  He cleared his throat. “Can I get some water?”

  “Sure.” She smiled and headed out the room.

  Great! I’m stuck in this hospital for the day. I still have to figure out who brought me here. I guess I need to thank him.

  Latrell turned up the news so he could hear what the reporter was saying.

  Someone’s missing. A father. A husband.

  Then he thought about Malik. He’s missing too, he thought. Where is he?

  Heidi returned with a small pitcher of water and a plastic cup. She placed it on a tray standing next to his bed. “Here you go. Make sure you stay hydrated.” She ordered him.

  Latrell nodded and poured him a cup of water. He took a big gulp.

  The water was so cold. It hurt his teeth when he swallowed it.

  “You must have sensitive teeth?” She asked.

  Latrell nodded. “It’s ok though. I need something to help me stay awake. Sitting here in this bed isn’t gonna help me stay up.”

  The nurse went and wrote down the time on a small marker board and then turned and smiled at him as she began walking out the door.

  Latrell held the cup up to his face as he thought about Malik. All he could remember was them smoking weed and goofing off before they heard strange noises from the forest.

  Latrell told him not to go into the forest to investigate. Told him to stay by him but, Malik wouldn’t listen. Then he the dark cloud floating from around a tree. He saw it come to them.

  Malik had gotten too close. The cloud swirled around him. Covered his whole body in darkness. After Latrell had seen that he took off running. He wasn’t going to be waiting see what the cloud had in-store for him.

  What was that thing? It looked like some sort of dark cloud with blue orbs running through it. He had heard the stories of weird things happening in Shadow Point forest but, he never expected to see something like that. It was a Malik’s idea anyway.

  He’s the one who wanted to get high in the forest. He’s the one thought it’d be a good trip if they saw something happen when they were there. And now his best friend was gone.

  Latrell could feel the pain traveling through his body. Could feel the soreness in his back and in his arms.

  I probably should call Trisha to let her know where I’m at, he figured.

  Trisha was his girlfriend. They had been dating for over a year now and things seemed to be getting serious. Just thinking about her made a smile sweep across his face.

  He leaned over and grabbed the telephone receiver that was hanging on the wall above his head. He placed the receiver between his shoulder and head.

  Loud dial tone. What was her number? It was so much easier to just press her name and it would automatically dial for him.

  He closed his eyes and thought for a moment hard. “555-3705.” He said out loud. He dialed the number and the phone started ringing.

  “Hello.” A low sexy female voice answered on the other end.

  “Trisha? What’s up?” He grunted finally opening his eyes. The light rushing into his pupils made his eyes ache.

  “Latrell?” Trisha sounded surprised. “You sound like you’re in pain.”

  “I am. I got hit by a car.”

  “What? How?” Her voice raised higher.

  Latrell shook his head. “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you when you get down here.”

  “Which hospital are you at?”

  “Hold on.” Latrell placed the receiver on his chest and reached down and pressed the nurses button on the side of the bed.

  The nurse came about twenty seconds later. “Yes? Do you need anything Mr. Jackson?” Heidi stood with her arms crossed in the doorway.

  “Yes ma’am. Can you tell me what hospital this is?” Latrell turned towards her.

  “Shadow Point General.” She said.

  “Thank you Ms. Heidi. That’s all I needed.” Latrell picked up the receiver from his chest.

  The nurse turned around and went out the door closing it behind her.

  “I guess this is Shadow Point General.” He continued. “I can’t believe I’m even down here.”

  “Where’s Malik? Is he down there with you?” Trisha asked concerned.

  The words repeated itself in his head.

  Where is Malik? Where did he go? What happened to him?

  “Trell?” Trisha said. “You gon’ tell me?”

  “I don’t know where he is. Everything seems like a blank black blur. All I remember is waking up down here.” Latrell rubbed the back of his arm up and down.

  “Ok. We’ll just try and remember. I’ll be there in the next half hour. Love you.” She blew him a kiss and hung up.

  Latrell hung up the receiver. He already felt better hearing Trisha’s voice. But the thing that was heavy on his mind now was where Malik could have gone.

  Was he dead? Did that dark cloud take him into another dimension?

  All he could think about now was the dark cloud. How eerie it looked. Like something out of a horror movie or a comic book.

  Why did we even go to the forest? I should have told Malik no! Him and his stupid ideas. Now Kia is gonna blame me.

  Kia was Malik’s girlfriend. They’d been dating for the past three years even though they Malik seemed immature, Kia could’nt get enough of him.

  About thirty five minutes passed before his nurse knocked on the door and Trisha walked into the room behind her.

  There she was, just as beautiful as ever. Her dark brown skin and she had her hair in small loose braids that went to her shoulder. She was about five five and looked like a midget compared to Latrell who was six four. She was full figured and had a nice curvy shape.

  She walked over to Latrell with her hands over her mouth. “My poor baby. Are you ok?” She stood next to the bed.

  Latrell finally felt better he wasn’t down there all alone. The room seemed to lighten up some.

  “I’m in pain but I’m alive.” He said honestly. “I’m glad you came down here.”

  “Of course I would. I wouldn’t let you be down here all by yourself.” She placed her hand on top of his which was by his side.

  He closed his eyes again and sunk his head into the pillow. “I wish we never went to the forest. I wish I would’ve told Malik no.” He said softly.

  Her grip on his hand tightened. “Yeah what the fuck were you two thinking? You heard those stories about the forest. Especially at night. Why would you two do something so stupid?” She stared at him hard, her eyes serious.

  He shrugged. “It was Malik. He’s always talkin’ out his ass. I knew it was a stupid idea but I figured since we’d be together that nothing really would happen to us.�
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  “So do you remember anything at all? What happened to Malik?” Trisha asked.

  Latrell opened up his eyes and looked at her. “You’re probably not gonna believe me but something was after us in the forest. Something cold and dark.”

  “After all the stories I’ve heard and the news stories I’ve seen on TV about the forest I’m willing to believe anything.”

  He sighed. “There was this dark cloud. It had like blue lights running through it. Malik got close to it. I told his dumb ass not to but, he didn’t listen.”

  Trisha shook her head. “That boy! I tell you.” She put her free hand on her hip as she listened to Latrell speak.

  “The cloud took him. It circled around him and covered him up and then took him. I don’t know any other way to say it but, he vanished in the cloud.” Latrell looked uneasy as he said the last part of the sentence.

  “It just swooped down and took him?” Trisha sounded bewildered. She let his hand go and walked around to the other side of the bed and sat on a black recliner that was in the corner. She sat towards the edge of the recliner and took his right hand. “What else happened?”

  Latrell turned to her. “That was it. The cloud started chasing me through the forest. I ran as fast as I could and ended up getting hit in the road. I woke up here with a broken leg.” His eyes were shiny.

  “Damn baby. That sounds horrible. Are you sure it was a cloud or something and he just didn’t run off?” Trisha touched the back of his hand with her fingers gently.

  A knock on the door cut their conversation short. The door swung open and Heidi stood there. “You have another visitor.” She said in a high tone. She stepped aside.

  Latrell’s mouth open wide. His heart started racing.

  It was Malik standing there a blank expression on his face.

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  Chapter 2

  His expression was so blank. He looked so empty inside, like an empty shell.

  All Latrell could do was stare at him. Look him up and down in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his own two eyes. He couldn’t believe that Malik was really standing there in front of him.

  “Malik!” Trisha said excitedly. She stood up and walked around the bed towards him and threw her arm around his neck.