Ghost Punk

Chapter Five

"Hey..." she murmured, hoping her voice might soothe it as she continued her approach.

The animal only stared, eyes boring into her, rarely blinking.

It was a hassle to keep the camera centered, rarely was she so stressed when filming. It was easy to stay calm when specters and ghosts were only figments of overenthusiastic imaginations. This was different. This wasn't just a rumor anymore.

Danielle did the best she could, the camera focusing as it identified the animal while she crept a few steps forward. After a few minutes passed, she was certain it had been caught on film. While it might not be the most impressive ghost to catch, it was a ghost nonetheless.

The creature looked just as fuzzy on film, if not more so, than it did in real life. This certainly wouldn't convince any skeptics, it looked less convincing than some of the edits Ralph had made. But it didn't matter. This was the reality of paranormal existence, and fear started to nag at the back of her mind. If the ghosts were real, so were the threats they posed. With a deep breath, Danielle started to shy away, no interest in lengthening the standoff.

That was when it moved.

While her advancements hadn't startled the creature, as she took a step back, it moved a step forward to match it. The leaves cracked under its paws, deafening after the silence of the forest.

She kept her camera hovering on the ghost as she took another couple steps back. Surely, it should be running, not advancing. But this wasn't ordinary wildlife.

Through the lens, she could make out more details. Every step it took left the leaves beneath its paws crumpled, and lonely streams of smoke sizzled up into the air. It was burning the leaves.

Andy's stories came flooding back, particularly rumors of the ashes of the hikers. Based on what Andy had told her, this ghost had to be responsible for what happened.

She froze, desperately wracking her mind for any advice Logan or Andy had randomly shared about ghost encounters. Few of their conversations had covered anything near ghostly animals. Ralph was only a bit away, and while she could try and get his attention, Danielle wondered if shouting might scare the creature. There was no telling what it would do if it felt frightened.

Although her retreat had paused, the creature continued to pursue her. It continued on until it was sitting neatly in front of her feet. Finally, its attention shifted from her to the camera. It tilted its head, as if it were a dog waiting for a treat.

Danielle looked towards the camera, then back at the animal. She didn't know much about the spirit, but the last thing she wanted to do was upset it.  "I can turn it off, if that's-"

Before she could finish her halfhearted communication, it lunged, jumping up and grabbing the camera.

Danielle tried her best to keep her grip on it, but the creature radiated heat. The camera warmed in her hands, to the point she had to drop it or risk getting burned. She stumbled back as she released the camera.

The creature was still latched to the camera as it fell with a thud, rolling along the ground. Danielle was stuck, her feet glued in place as she waited to see what the creature would do. The heat escalated to the point of flames, fire rushing around the camera. With deadly speed, the camera was engulfed in it. The creature stayed calm as the warmth extended from it. She watched as the camera vanished beneath the flames.

Before the terror could truly set in, it was over.

The flames retreated. Nothing was left but the rabbit-like beast sitting there watching her, blackened remains of the camera beneath it. A few leaves laid burned on the ground, crumpled up and dried.