Short Horror Stories ^~^

Eerie Landing

A/N: Fare warning there is a little blood/gore in this one

Dan Fletcher and Cindy Oster laughed as they drank another Keystone beer from the cooler inside the hatch of the Honda Fit. Both were 16 and had taken the beer to a somewhat secluded area of the Erie Canal just outside the rural town of Clinton Landing. It was a popular site for Buffalo, NY area high school students to drink. The scattered beer cans next to the car confirmed that others had recently been to the same spot. Neither Dan or Cindy cared about the filth lying around them.

"You know what Cindy?" Dan said as he finished his Keystone. "We should swim in the canal."

Cindy looked perplexed at the suggestion. "We didn't bring swimsuits Dan."

"Who needs suits?"

Cindy giggled and blushed as she realized the young man's motivation. "You aren't going to get any of what you are thinking."

"What? I just want to have a nice swim with you."

"Right. And you think I was born yesterday."

Dan stood up and removed his shirt. "Suit yourself Cindy. I am going in." And with that he striped and went jogging toward the canal.

Cindy hesitated for a moment and then called out. "Hey, wait for me." She removed her shirt before running toward the canal. She decided that she would swim in her underwear. No need to encourage the young boy any more than that.

By the time Cindy reached the canal, Dan was already in the water. He saw the young girl hesitantly moving toward the water and called out.

"Hey, skinny dipping means no clothes."

"This is all you get," was the young girl's reply as she removed her shorts. "I know what's on your mind."

"I just want to swim Cindy."

"Yes. And I still want to become a nun."

Dan sighed and shook his head. His hopes of seeing Cindy naked didn't look like they were to be.

As Dan waited for Cindy to enter the water, a large growl came from behind him. He turned to see what the source of the noise was and saw a large splash in the water about 40 yards away. Something was emerging from the water. Something big. Something menacing.

Dan didn't wait to get a better view of the disturbance. He had seen all he needed to see. He rushed for the shore and called out to Cindy. "Run!!"

They ran to the Honda Fit and got inside. The noise continued for a few moments and then stopped. They sat quietly as Dan thought about what to do. After 45 minutes of silence outside (and continual shaking inside), Dan Fletcher decided to call 911. They got dressed as the police arrived at the site.

Sergeants Charles Keegan and Tom Warren explored the area as Chief Jeffrey Rowdan took statements from Dan and Cindy. The two kids attempted to tell the facts to the police chief as calmly as they could but shaking and halted speech told Rowdan that both were still in shock.

Rowdan cleared his throat as he asked his first question. "So this monster came out of the water?"

Dan didn't know how to reply. "I didn't say it was a monster. It was a thing."

"A thing?" replied Rowdan as he made notes in his police log book. "A thing that growled? Like a dog?"

"Yes. I mean no. I mean it growled but not like a dog. I am not sure how to describe it."