Chapter Text
WILLOWBROOK, ONTARIO
OCTOBER 20TH, 1987
06:00 AM
The morning was cold and still as Basil and Sunny prepared for their second venture into the woods. The rising sun did little to dispel the lingering chill, and frost clung stubbornly to the ground. They stood by the cruiser, checking their gear while Sheriff Thompson handed them a walkie-talkie.
"You boys sure about this?" Thompson asked, his tone grim. "We don't know what's out there—or who."
Basil slung the Lee-Enfield over his shoulder, flashing a crooked grin. "It's our job, Sheriff. Besides, I've got Suzuki to keep me in line."
Sunny ignored the comment, finishing his inspection of the map. "We'll stay in radio contact. If we find anything, we'll report back immediately."
Thompson glanced at the forest, his expression troubled. "Be careful. Whatever's out there... it's been scaring the hell out of this town for years."
Sunny gave a curt nod. "We'll handle it."
The forest was dense and oppressive as they entered, the trees towering above like silent sentinels. Every crunch of leaves underfoot seemed magnified, and the occasional call of a crow pierced the eerie quiet. The detectives moved in careful tandem, following a faint trail that wound deeper into the northwest quadrant of the woods.
Basil broke the silence first, his voice low. "You ever wonder why someone like me ended up working with someone like you?"
Sunny didn't look at him, his focus on the trail ahead. "I try not to dwell on things that don't matter."
Basil smirked. "You're all business, huh? Bet you've never bent a rule in your life."
Sunny paused, glancing back. "The rules exist for a reason."
Basil shook his head, amused. "Figures. I guess that makes me the fun one."
Sunny turned away, but Basil noticed a faint smile flicker across his otherwise serious face.
After several hours of hiking, they reached a fork in the trail. Sunny studied the map frowning. "The symbols seem to cluster around two separate areas. If we split up, we can cover more ground."
Basil brows furrowed. "Split up? Isn't that the part where things go south in every horror movie and story ever?"
Sunny's tone was firm. "We don't have time to waste. If we're careful, we'll be fine."
Basil sighed, unslinging the rifle. "Fine, but if I get eaten by an antlered monster, I'm blaming you."
Sunny didn't reply, handing Basil one of the radios. "Check in every fifteen minutes. If you find anything, contact me."
"Sure thing, boss." Basil said with a faint grin, though his voice carried a hint of unease.
They nodded to each other and split up, Sunny heading down the northern trail while Basil veered west.
The forest grew darker as Basil pressed on, the trees closing in around him. The air felt heavier here, and the faint rustling of leaves seemed to come from all directions. He tightened his grip on the Lee-Enfield, his sharp green eyes scanning the shadows.
"This if fine," he muttered to himself. "Just me, the woods and probably a homicidal lunatic. Great plan, Suzuki."
Suddenly, a soft sound broke the quiet—a faint whisper, just at the edge of hearing. Basil froze, his heart pounding. He turned slowly, the rifle raised, but there was nothing behind him.
The whisper came again, clearer this time. "You shouldn't be here."
Basil's pulse quickened. The voice was familiar—his own voice, but warped and hollow. He turned sharply, scanning the trees.
"Who's there?" He called, his voice steady despite the chill creeping up his spine.
No answer. Then, ahead of him, the shadows seemed to shift and a figure stepped into view. It was tall, its antlered head casting jagged shadows against the trees. The figure's body seemed to ripple and distort, its form half-human, half-something else entirely.
Basil's breath hitched, his hands tightening on the rifle. "Back off." he warned, though his voice faltered slightly.
The creature tilted its head, and for a moment, it seemed to smile. Then, the whispers began again—not outside but inside Basil's mind. They weren't just words. They were his thoughts, his fears.
"You admire him, don't you?" the voice hissed.
Basil's chest tightened. "Shut up."
"He doesn't see you," the voice continued, dripping with malice. "You're too different. He'll never look at you the way you want him to."
Basil clenched his jaw, stepping back. "I said shut up!" He fired a warning shot into the air, the crack echoing through the trees.
The creature didn't flinch. Instead it took a step closer, its antlers gleaming in the faint light.
"Stay back!" Basil shouted, aiming directly at the figure. But before he could fire, it vanished, dissolving into the shadows like smoke.
Basil stood frozen, his heart hammering. For a moment, there was only silence. Then the radio crackled to life.
"Karlsson. Report?" came Sunny's calm but urgent voice.
Basil swallowed hard, his voice unsteady. "I...I'm fine. Nothing here. Just—just a false alarm."
Meanwhile, Sunny moved carefully along the northern trail, his flashlight cutting through the gloom. He kept his sidearm at the ready, his sharp mind cataloging every detail of the terrain.
But as he pressed on, the forest began to change. The trees grew gnarled and twisted, their branches reaching like claws. The air felt thicker, heavier, as though something unseen was pressing down on him.
Then, a faint sound reached his ears—a soft, rhythmic tapping, like the clicking of hooves on stone.
Sunny stopped, his eyes narrowing. The sound grew louder, echoing unnaturally through the woods. He turned, his flashlight sweeping the shadows, but the source of the noise remained hidden.
"Basil," he called into the radio. "Do you hear that?"
There was a crackle of static, then Basil's voice, tense and hurried. "No. Everything's quiet here. You good?"
Sunny hesitated. "Stay alert. Something's not right."
As he lowered the radio, the tapping stopped abruptly. The forest fell deathly silent. Then, from the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of movement. He turned sharply, his flashlight catching a glint of something reflective—antlers.
"Who's there?" Sunny demanded, his voice firm.
The figure stepped into the light, its antlered head looming impossibly high. Its body shifted and rippled like water, its face obscured but for two glowing eyes.
Sunny raised his sidearm, his voice steady. "Don't move."
The creature didn't respond. Instead, it tilted its head, a low growl rumbling from deep within its chest.
Suddenly, it lunged forward, and the flashlight flickered out.
Followed by 4 gunshots.
When the two finally reunited at the agreed rendezvous point, both men were pale and shaken. Basil clutched the Lee-Enfield tightly, his hands trembling slightly. Sunny's flashlight was cracked, his jaw set in grim determination.
"What did you see?" Basil asked, his voice hushed.
Sunny shook his head, his black eyes hard. "Something. It wasn't human."
Basil nodded, swallowing hard. "Same here. It—it said things. Knew things. Like it was inside my head."
Sunny didn't respond immediately, his gaze drifting back toward the woods. "This isn't just a killer. It's something worse."