Horrific

Movie Night

It was movie night and Kat had an array of horror movies spread out for her and her boyfriend Marcus. Unlike so many relationships today she couldn't help but laugh that it was him hiding in her shoulder rather than the other way around.

They were halfway through their horror-movie-marathon when the old grandfather clock gonged once signaling that it was now one in the morning.

"You know what that means?" Kat said creepily, walking her hand up Marcus's arm like a spider. "I wish you wouldn't creep me out like that." He said. It took a moment but finally he gathered the nerve to ask. "What does that mean?"

"It means..." She said slowly standing up taller. Marcus shrunk into the blankets. "BATHROOM BREAK!" She yelled before sprinting down the hall giggling over her boyfriends comical fears and jumps.

She laughed all the way to the bathroom then went into her room to gather some more blankets. It was November and while the cold of winter hadn't truly set in yet, it was definitely on its way.

"I got some more blankets." Kat said proudly, dragging armfuls of fluffy blankets behind her as she re-entered the living room. She threw them down on the couch towards Marcus before noticing he wasn't there.

She dismissed this as nothing, he knew that once the agreed upon "bathroom break" was over, that there would be no stopping Kat's compulsive horror-movie watching. She giggled and got to work sorting out the blankets.

She had learned not to rush Marcus, whatever he was off doing was probably a good thing. Her comfort could only go so far in keeping him from over panicking. It wouldn't be unusual if he had slipped outside on the back deck for some fresh air or was out on the stairs in their apartment building on the phone with a friend.

Girlfriends have a certain privilege that no one else does when it comes to teasing. Kat was the only one who could get away with taunting him over his fear of just about everything. But even Kat knew where the line was and that it shouldn't be crossed.

She waited patiently another five minutes or so, looking up at the clock. The time was now 1:17 AM and if they had any hope at finishing all of the movies they better get started soon. However that was only one thought in her mind.

She would have loved to pretend that it was this reason alone that she went off to find Marcus but deep down there was more. It was unlike him to leave for more than ten minutes or so. She hoped he wasn't upset with her for forcing him into another Frightful-Friday movie night.

She got up off the couch and began her investigation, frowning slightly every time she found an empty bedroom or bathroom. It was a large apartment but by no means should it have been this hard to find him. She checked every room, the apartment building hallway and even its staircase.

She had figured that she had checked everyone when she considered the deck. Marcus didn't smoke, neither of them did, so they never went out on the deck too often. The only thing out there were some old splintery floorboards and a dull view of the near tree line.

Figuring it was worth a shot, she slid open the glass door and stepped out onto the deck. The night was cold and she immediately wanted to run back in and dive into the blankets. She didn't see him on the deck and was about to turn to go in when there was a splintering snap from the forest.

She couldn't see exactly where it had come from but it must have been somewhere in the trees. Maybe he had gone down to the parking lot or something? But why would he be out in the woods?

"Marcus?" She called down loud enough that he would be able to hear. "Are you down there?"
Another snap. Something was definitely walking around out there.

"Marcu-" she began to call again but was stopped short. On of the large pine trees nearest to her was shaking. Like something was up in the tree. She swallowed with some difficultly and kept her eyes on the tree.

If this was some joke to scare her and get back at her, she would kill him. A large branch was pulled, exposing a view of the interior of the tree. Something was there. Kat only stared as something fumbled around. Then she saw it.

With one big lurch, the branch swing back and something was pushed out. How could she not have seen it. A bare tree that had lost its leaves stood just before the pine, and from its top branch a rope could be seen tied.

Swinging forward now, the thing came into view. Hanging from the highest branch of the old tree hung Marcus's limp body, rope digging into his neck and face turning blue. He was dead.
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@Violetkkp12 is the character of Kat in this story. Send in a fansign to odd_intentions on kik or to oddintentions@gmail.com and I'll put your name in a story too. Thanks and have a horrific day!