Page 6 of The Stars

“This place gives me the creeps,” Jacob muttered, his voice echoing softly in the cavernous room. “Reminds me of that horror movie where⁠—”

“Don’t start,” Dante interrupted, keeping his eyes sharp on their surroundings. His pulse was already thrumming in his ears, and the last thing he needed was Jacob’s usual banter to ramp up his nerves. There was something off about this place, something that set his instincts on edge.

As they moved deeper into the old building, the fog from outside crept in through the broken windows and cracks in the walls, giving everything an ethereal, almost haunted quality. Their footsteps echoed against the worn stone floor, each step making the silence feel heavier, more oppressive.

Jacob went left while Dante turned to the stalls on the right. Dante moved towards a large metal structure in the corner, remnants of the mill’s machinery. As he approached, his flashlight caught something unusual—a trail of dark stains leading towards the back of the building.

Dante’s gut clenched. “What the hell is that?” he whispered as he knelt, shining his light closer. The stain was dark and sticky, like dried blood. “Could be an animal, I guess. Or...” His voice trailed off, and he didn’t finish the sentence.

Suddenly, a loud clatter broke the stillness. Dante’s heart leaped into his throat as something rushed past them in the darkness. Whatever it was, it was larger than he’d expected. Bigger than he was by double. His first thought was a bear, but the lack of fur threw him off.

The air stirred violently, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps pounding against the floor.

“Shit!” Dante swore, jumping back, his flashlight swinging wildly.

“What?” Jacob said from across the space.

Dante’s own light flickered as he caught a glimpse of something large and fast darting into the shadows of the trees a few yards outside the open doors. For a split second, his mind tried to process what he’d just seen—a flash of skin, the glint of sharp eyes—but it was gone before he could make sense of it. His heart was racing now, the adrenaline surging through his veins.

“What the hell was that?” Jacob asked, his voice tight as his light zeroed in on the door, which was now swinging due to the creature who had pushed through it.

“An animal,” Dante muttered, but his voice lacked conviction. His pulse thundered in his ears as he scanned the darkness around him for any sign of movement. The thing had moved too fast, too erratically. “Could’ve been a dog or... maybe a coyote.” He tried to convince himself. It for sure wasn’t a bear. Not the way it had moved.

Jacob exhaled sharply, regaining his composure. “Yeah. Coyote, probably. They’re getting bolder, coming closer to town.”

Dante wasn’t so sure, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he motioned for them to keep moving, his gut still twisted with unease.

They followed the trail of blood deeper into the mill, where the darkness seemed to thicken around them. The beams of their flashlights trembled as they swept over old machinery, stacks of rotting crates, and broken beams. The place felt like a tomb, and Dante couldn’t shake the feeling that something—someone—was watching them.

Then they found it.

The flashlight beams fell on the figure of a goat lying in a twisted heap near the far wall. Its body was mutilated, the fur matted with blood and deep gashes carved into its sides. The sight was grotesque, and the smell hit them seconds later, pungent and coppery.

Jacob grimaced, stepping closer to inspect the body. “Jesus…”

Dante swallowed hard, fighting the wave of nausea that rose in his throat. “Coyotes did this?”

Jacob nodded, but there was doubt in his eyes. “Yeah. I mean... what else could it be?” He poked at the ground near the carcass with the toe of his boot. “It’s messy, but coyotes will tear into livestock like this. Especially if they’re desperate for food.”

Dante stared at the goat, the jagged wounds. The eerie silence had settled over the mill again. Something wasn’t sitting right with him. He’d seen coyote attacks before—hell, he’d dealt with a few himself—but this… this was different. The gashes were too deep, too precise. And there was something about the way the animal had been left there like it had been placed on display.

He felt a chill crawl up his spine.

“Let’s get this reported,” Jacob said, turning to head back towards the entrance. “We’ll call animal control, let them handle the carcass.”

Dante nodded, his mind still lingering on the strange attack. As they walked back towards the car, he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder towards the outcropping of trees the creature had disappeared into.

He had a strange feeling that whatever had been in there... wasn’t finished.

Chapter Three

Amy took a deep breath, forcing her heart rate to settle as she watched Jacob and Dante disappear through the mist outside. She let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the counter. Despite knowing them both for years, there was something about seeing them in uniform that set her on edge. It wasn’t like she was a criminal or anything—far from it—it was full blown attraction. Hard. Fast. Powerful attraction.

Feelings she couldn’t afford to have right now. Her hand slid into her jacket pocket, fingers brushing the small bag of weed. Why hadn’t she gotten rid of it? That question nagged at her, tugging at the edges of her conscience. It wasn’t like she even used it that often. Ryan had been the one to drag her into that scene. Always pushing her to “loosen up” and “have some fun.” Now that he was out of her life, she should have just ditched it. Instead, it lingered there, a reminder of a part of her she wished she could just leave behind.

“Everything okay?” Jess’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Amy plastered on a smile, even though her heart still raced. “Yeah. Just... you know, old habits.”