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Hello, my name is Mitch.
I never believed in the paranormal. Ghosts and ghouls just seemed like things made up to scare little kids into behaving or told around campfires to creep them out. I thought that people who claimed to have had experiences with the supernatural to be off their rockers, delusional people who just wanted attention, or frauds after a quick buck. I didn’t believe in the paranormal until recently, after that thing paid me a visit.
A few weeks ago, I had to move in with my brother Edwin after my house was foreclosed. It was a shitty situation that could have been avoided but mistakes were made. I was supposed to move back in with my parents but when Edwin heard about the situation, he thought it’d be a great opportunity to reconnect and spend some time together. We hadn’t seen each other in 10 years, him having moved out of state back when I was a kid and not having the time to visit. I was excited, that part of me that never grew up was happy to have my big brother back in my life, and it seemed like my brother was just as excited.
After loading up all of my belongings into the back of a moving van, I made my way to Edwin’s home. I made decent time; the traffic being fairly light considering the time of year. It was in the late afternoon when I pulled up outside his house, Edwin already waiting by the door. After a hug and some light conversation, we started to carry all of my stuff inside. After a few hours of unpacking boxes and having a pizza break, we turned in. I was out like a light.
Nothing to note happened the first week, mostly recovering from the move and catching up with Edwin. It wasn’t until the second week that odd things began to happen.
I heard rustling noises coming from the bushes below my window, the noise from outside woke me up around one in the morning. I groggily dragged myself up from my bed and padded my way to the window. Poking my head out of the open window proved all for naught as I couldn’t see very well. I figured it was a raccoon, so I ignored it and returned to bed. The next morning, I told Edwin about the noise, and he agreed it was most likely some critter and informed me that they’re quite common in the area.
I heard the rustling again the following night, around the same time as before. The sounds grew more irritating the longer it went on, and as much as I tried I couldn’t ignore it. Huffing, I threw off my covers and stomped towards the window. Not even bothering to look out, I slammed the window closed and made my way to the bathroom for some sleeping pills, hoping they would knock me out so I could finally get some sleep.
They did a great job, I could feel myself starting to drift off when I thought I heard window open and a thud, as if something had fallen over and landed on the floorboards. I lifted my head and after seeing nothing amiss I simply rolled over and succumbed to sleep.
Come the next morning, the first thing I was aware of was the scent of copper. The second was the pain. My left side was burning, the pain increasing as I focused on it. My right cheek also stung but to a lesser extent. Gritting my teeth I tugged the covers off to reveal the source of the copper scent; my shirt was soaked with blood, the dark stain having dried into a crusty texture which pulled at my skin when I tried to lift the hem up.
I couldn’t process what I was seeing. The blood, the pain, the panic- It all got to me. In my delirious state I tried to get up, to make my way to Edwin, but I had only taken a step before the pain caused me to black out.
When I came around, the cloying smell of blood had been replaced with the harsh sterile scent of a hospital and the sound of a heart rate monitor quietly beeping to the left of me greeted my ears. Blinking my eyes slowly, I looked around the hospital room- stark white walls, a white sink basin, white bed sheets, and bright white lights. The only source of colour in the room came from the slumped form of my brother. Edwin was sleeping in what had to be the most uncomfortable looking chair to exist. His clothes looked rumpled and the dark bruises under his eyes suggested he hadn’t had a lot of sleep. The empty coffee cup on the side table next to him most likely had something to do with that.
I fumbled around the side of the bed, until my hand landed on the call button which I gave a quick press. As I waited for a nurse to arrive, Edwin groaned and shifted- his back cracking as he stretched out from his slumped position. Our eyes met and it took a moment for him to register I was also awake. When it finally clicked he leapt to his feet and started fussing over me, running his hand through my hair like our mom would do when we were sick as kids.
Soon after, a nurse arrived with a doctor in tow. Once the introductions were made, basic medical questions asked and my IV bag replaced, I chose to ask what had happened to me. A brief, awkward silence followed -with the Doctor and nurse sharing a look and my brother averting his gaze.
Edwin spoke up first, recounting how he had heard me fall and how he had initially though that I was sleepwalking. But when he had entered my room and found my body, the blood and my still form made him think the worst had happened. He promptly called 911.
The doctor took over when I became apparent that Edwin couldn’t continue.
After I was rushed to the hospital, and an examination was performed, it was determined that my left kidney had been removed. Whoever had removed it, had sewn me back up. How kind. My face hadn’t remained unscathed either, my right cheek had also been cut, but to a lesser degree. The doctor surmised that it may have been a case of illegal organ harvesting and that the police would like to ask me some questions when I was ready. Dazed, I simply nodded.
Everything was a bit foggy after that, I was in shock. I remember answering the questions the police had for me, and the reassuring grip of Edwin’s hand. They left and I was told to rest.
The time came for the dressings on my wounds to be changed. The nurse was kind as he explained what he needed to do. Lifting up my gown revealed a wad of gauze over my left side. When the nurse removed it, it revealed a jagged gash, neatly sewn up. My blood turned cold. Everything became a lot more real, any denial I had previously fled like a candle’s flame going out.
A couple of days passed before I was discharged from the hospital, the return back to Edwin’s house was silent. He guided me up to my room and tucked me in. It was nice. After checking I was okay, and making sure the window was locked, he left - closing the door quietly. I fell into a restless slumber.
As another couple of weeks passed, a false sense of security had built as each day came and went. I could walk around without needing assistance which made everything a lot easier on the both of us. I remember we decided to watch some of the movies we liked as children, goofy comedies, and fantastical Disney films. I went to bed with a smile on my face that night.
Around midnight, I woke up to the sensation of droplets of liquid hitting my face. Upon opening my eyes I was greeted by a truly horrifying sight. Leaning over me was a figure, donned in a black hoodie and their face covered with a dark blue mask; the only features on the mask were the eye slots. My mind refused to process that those circular slots in the mask revealed nothing but empty black sockets. That that thing had no eyes. Dripping down the mask and from those void-like sockets was an oily black substance. As another droplet hit my face, I flailed around kicking and lashing out at the figure which shocked him into moving back.
I took this opportunity to grab my camera from the bedside table and took a quick photo. Immediately after taking the shot, the masked creature lunged at me, its murderous intent clear. A well timed kick to it’s face granted me the opportunity to run, and I took it gladly.
I made my way through my brother’s house, calling out for him. There was no response. As I was fleeing towards the back door I nearly tripped over, dropping the camera. Sprawled out on the floor was Edwin, his prone form was saturated in blood from the gaping wound where his stomach should. Choking back a sob, I ran out of the house into the woods surrounding the property.
I ran as far as I could, my aim was to get through the woods and to the road hoping to flag down a passing vehicle. In the darkness, I didn’t see the rock I was heading towards until I tripped and hit my head on it. The world went silent.
The familiar sound of a heart-rate monitor greeted my ears as I was dragged back to consciousness. My lips were dry and cracked, like it has been days since I had had something to drink. I slowly opened my eyes and glanced around. Definitely a hospital. The only change from last time was the position of the window and the lack of Edwin sleeping in a chair next to me.
Edwin. My mind flashed back to the house; my brother splayed out on the floor. His stomach-
I was distracted when the same doctor who had treated me before entered the room. His eyes were sad but kind.
“I have good news and bad news, Mitch.” he started. “The good news is that the injury sustained on your head is relatively minor, and it seems like you will make a full recovery. Your parents are on their way to pick you up.”
Though the thought of my parents coming filled me with relief, I couldn’t help but ask “What’s the bad news? Where’s Edwin?”.
“I am so sorry, Mitch. When you were found and brought to the hospital, the police were sent to your home. I regret to inform you that they found your brother’s body, the police suspect that he had been killed by a wild animal”
He was dead. Edwin was gone. That thing had killed him.
I felt hollow inside, even when I began to break down. Most of what happened next was a blur. My parents arrival, their grief stricken faces. The police taking my statement again. I felt numb.
My parents took me back to Edwin’s house to collect my remaining belongings, the drive there was silent. When we arrived my parents remained in the living room, just taking in what used to be my brothers home. I left them to it.
Upon entering my room, I stopped dead in my tracks. There was something small lying next my camera. The camera I had dropped when I discovered Edwin. I was scared, but I somehow remained calm. I picked up the camera from the bedside table and put it in its carrying case before I turned my attention to the mysterious thing that remained.
It was a kidney, a half-eaten one at that; I nearly vomited at that realisation. The foul smelling organ was coated with a familiar black liquid. That creature had been here recently. What if it was still here?
I stumbled back and hurriedly picked up the last few boxes from my room, placing the camera on top, before rushing out to the car. My parents were already sat inside, it seemed that they too couldn’t stand to remain in the house either. I finished loading the trunk of the car and slid into the back seat, clutching my camera. Without a word my dad started the car, and we started the journey back. I didn’t mention what I had seen in my room to my parents, something stopped me from letting the words out.
Taking the camera out of its case, I turned it on and selected the gallery. Staring back at me was a photograph of the thing that had attacked me, and killed my brother. It’s hollow eyes will haunt me for the rest of my life.
I never believed in the paranormal. Ghosts and ghouls just seemed like things made up to scare little kids into behaving or told around campfires to creep them out. I know better now.