The Creature

“I’ve long been interested in cryptozoology. The study of creatures science says do not exist. One such creature is the Aswang – In the Philippines the Aswang is a dark shapeshifting creature. He is a vampire, a ghoul, a were beast. Every city and village has its own terrifying tales. Believe it or not, would you go into the jungle?”

I wrote this story for the following prompt.
Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie – Wordle — Inflict, Face, Vulgarity, Longing, Feathers, Butterflies, Bluff, Organic, Sweatshirt, Jostle, Ply, Terrible
Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge — Picture above
Ragtag Daily Prompt — Fanciful
Your Daily Word — Gallivant
Word of the Day Challenge — Indicative

The Creature

Three boys jostle, gallivant and play within the organic crystal-clear flow. The river flows past and between the fanciful boys as they inflict and soaking upon each other. Glee glows upon their innocent faces as they kick water toward each other.

The river continues through the jungle of magnificent butterflies and exotic birds with feathers kissed by a rainbow of colours. An antelope drinks here, its ears twitching – listening for the signs of the predators it knows lurk nearby.

Something is hiding here. Something which makes those predators look tame. It is faster than the crocodiles, smarter than the tigers. When it attacks, the results are more terrible than anything anyone can imagine. Its longing to eat allows it to inflict unimaginable vulgarity upon its victims.

Right now, he’s there on the bluff. Watching, listening to the boys. Saliva drips from his cankered lips; pooling upon his stained and torn sweatshirt. His thanks hunger is driven by the passion thrumming his heartbeat. Nothing will satiate like the flesh of those succulent young humans.

The craving snaps his warped brain into action. With a blink of his demonic red eyes, he leaps from the branches. His human form shrinks and he lands as an ugly black cat.

Slinking through the jungle, he follows the joyous shouts of the frivolous boys. He knows their laughter will soon become screams of horror.

Arriving on the edge of the river, he watches splashes of water glistening in the light. His eyes become transfixed on the exposed flesh of his victims. He only needed one. Taking all three would be fun.

A fallen tree blocks his path. He leaps as the lithe cat; his body stretches and thickens. He still has paws as he lands on the trunk. Now, he has the form of a black dog. His blood-red eyes, the only indicative sign of his true form.

He drops from the trunk and pads into the river. His claws click upon smooth rocks as he enters the pool occupied by the three boys.

They see him and beckon him closer.

He put out his tongue, panting not with excitement, but with blood lust. Accepting the invite, he begins to play with the boys. Bounding between them, rolling in the water at their feet. Enjoying the splashes of cold water. Awaiting his chance to attack.

Drawn by the glow of orange shorts, he selects his first target.

The boy turns to splash his friend.

He leaps, raking his paws into the boys back and driving his helpless victim beneath the water.

“Bantuan Aswang menyerang anak-anak kita!” screams a woman.

He growls as he leaps toward another victim. “Yes, the Aswang is attacking your boys!” he says as he sinks his claws into his screaming target and —

“Blam!”

As shotgun blasts ripped through the jungle. Birds scatter as the boys continue to scream and flee the water.

He feels the burn of lead entering his hind leg. With a demonic scream, he bounds into the jungle and vanishes from sight. The weapons of humans will never kill him. For now, he lurks in the darkness licking his wounds and waiting for them to heal.

When his fitness returns the man with the shotgun will become his next victim.

The End

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Thanks for reading my friends.

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