I had no idea what was going on in this place, I must have been walking around in circles for hours and there seemed to be no end in sight. It was brutal weather out here with the cold winds battering away at my face. Surely, I should have reached the main building by now but there was nothing in sight. Just a vast expanse of snow. For the third time now, I had passed by the same tree, I had followed the directions perfectly! So, why wasn’t I getting any further?
It made no sense.
I wondered how Anne and the girls must be doing, they must be worried by now, it had been a while since I had left but the Sun was still up. My watch seemed to be frozen at 8:00, must be the batteries – It was an old thing – they must have run out.
I kept trudging through the snow when I saw, no, felt the oddest thing. It was as though I was dunked in a bucket of ice water, I gasped and tripped over a rock onto the ground. Shaking myself I stood up and looked around for whatever had caused that sensation, there was nothing around me, but wait!
It was the main building! I had made it!
But how?!
I didn’t want to wait around and waste more time though, so I quickly ran towards the front desk and rang the bell furiously until someone came out.
Several people walked out of a side room where their office was located and looked at me quizzically while the other guests were also looking at me curiously.
“Sir? Is everything alright?” A young man questioned me.
“The… storm…my family! They are caught up in the storm!” I managed to gasp out in a rush.
“The storm…?” He looked at me confused.
“Yes! The snow storms!” I replied.
“Sir… It’s summer.” The young man replied slowly.
“I know! But it came out of nowhere! Even now I had to walk miles through the snow!” I yelled impatiently, feeling too hot suddenly.
A young woman slowly came around the desk, her hands raised placatingly as though she didn’t want to spook me away and said, “Sir, please look outside.”
I hesitated but looked out at the oversized windows they had, it was bright and sunny. I suddenly realized why I was feeling so hot, I was sweating. I was covered in multiple clothes, and I was sweating through all of them in the heat.
I realized the number of eyes on me and not wanting to sound like an insane man I tried my best to explain what was going on.
“Listen, I am not crazy. There was a storm, and my family is stuck in the cabin.”
“Ok,” The girl continued, “Tell me your cabin number and I’ll call to check in on them right away.”
“The phone lines weren’t working,” I explained.
The girl shot the man a look but continued professionally, “Still Sir, let me have a try.”
“Oh, alright here you go,” I said and told her the number.
She quickly tried the line, and I heard it ring for several moments. I was just about to interject when I heard someone answer the phone.
“Hello?”
It was Anne!
“Hello ma’am, is everything alright?”
“Yes, yes of course! Why do you ask?” Anne questioned her.
“Uh, ma’am because your husband is here saying that you are trapped in a storm…?”
“Oh! No, no. It was a bit dusty but we’re alright now. May I speak to him?” She asked.
The girl held out the receiver for a moment or two before I grabbed it because I was still in shock.
“… hello?” I spoke hesitantly.
“John? John, come home. Everything is alright now.” She crooned.
“Anne? What about the storm?” I whispered.
“Oh, it’s all gone now dear. Come home.” She giggled.
“Yea, come home Dad!” I heard the girls giggle behind her.
Even Emma. It had been so long since I heard her giggle.
I returned the phone numbly and before the girl could say anything further, I left the reception desk. I could feel their eyes on me as I left the building.
…
I walked around numbly for a while, feeling lost and questions flooded my mind.
Why had Anne lied?
Wasn’t there a storm?
What was happening?
Was I going mad?
I couldn’t answer any of them. As I made my way back towards the cabin, I could feel eyes on me once more but this time they felt sinister. I turned around quickly but there was nothing but trees behind me.
Shaking away the feeling of paranoia I continued to trudge through the woods when I heard a deep growl, the kind of growl that shook your very bones, like some huge machinery was idling away underground, its vibrations thrumming through your body.
I whipped my head around, determined to catch the source of the sound. Somehow, I wish I never did.
It was a large black beast of some sort, a mix between a dog and a bear with dark red eyes that looked more like flames. Its teeth are as long as my thumb and its paws are as big as dinner plates.
I crouched low and tried to move backward slowly when it growled and leaped towards me. I yelped and jumped out of the way and made a mad dash towards the cabin. I could feel it gaining on me, its heated breath on my neck but I did not look back and just kept running.
I almost cried in relief when I saw the cabin door and almost crashed inside in my panic. I just managed to slam the door shut as the beast leaped towards it. A loud thump sounded, and the hinges groaned as they hit the door.
I sighed in relief and almost keeled over in exhaustion.
What was going on?
“Dad?”
I opened my eyes blearily and looked over, it was Emma. She seemed… different. More open, more like before.
“Emma? Are you alright? Where is everyone?” I asked.
“They were upstairs. We were playing a game.” She said and smiled brightly. It had been a while since I had seen her smile like that. Maybe Anne was right, taking that bunny away was a good thing.
“Ok, great!” I smiled back, finally starting to relax when I heard something slam into the door. Dammit, I forgot about that thing!
“What’s that Dad?” Emma asked as she reached for the door.
“No! Emma, stop!” I yelled and caught her hand just as she almost reached for the door.
“John, what’s going on?”
It was Anne.
“Anne! There is some weird bear-dog creature outside and Emma almost opened the door. Don’t worry, I’ll just call the desk, and all this will be sorted immediately.” I blabbed, feeling panicky again.
“Dad, what are you talking about?” Grace asked as she came into the room.
The creature slammed into the door once more.
“That!” I yelled as I pulled Emma away from the door and closer to me.
“Oh John, that’s just Emma’s pet. He just wants to play.” Anne giggled.
“What?” I said feeling shocked.
“Yes, Daddy! Isn’t Emma the best? She always knew I wanted a dog and now we have one!” Grace laughed and hugged Emma.
I felt lost as I stared at Anne and Grace who were just giggling and twirling around madly.
“Feeling confused dad?” Emma asked quietly.
I looked over at her, she seemed to be studying me, dissecting me almost.
“What do you mean Emma?” I asked.
“Aren’t they much more fun now Dad?” She gestured towards Anne and Grace and continued, “You always wanted me to have more fun. I am having so much fun now.”
“Emma, what’s going on?” The sweat pooled over my body once again, something was wrong with Emma.
“Dad. I am just following what you told me to do. I am making more friends, but you keep taking them away.” She pouted.
“Which friends Emma?” I felt hunted as the door creaked and groaned more and more. Anne and Grace were twirling around the room madly, cackling away in a demented manner.
“FUN! FUN! FUN!” They yelled and with every twirl they came closer.
“Like Mr. Bunny. We were having so much fun but then you took him away and now you are keeping me away from Trreo.”
“Trreo?” I asked, panicking as I realized she knew about Mr. Bunny.
“Yes, my pet. He’s outside. Let him in Dad.” She asked as she looked at me coldly.
“Emma! That’s no pet! It’s a wild animal!” I yelled.
The door shook violently as the beast slammed against it once more. Anne and Grace continued to shriek in tandem.
“FUN! FUN! FUN!”
“Let him in Dad.”
Emma looked all wrong now, she blurred and twisted. Horns and hooves grew in and out of existence. My body shook in fear, and I stumbled and fell.
What was going on?
“You wanted Emma to have friends, right dad? Well Dad, now I’ll never be alone.” Emma… no, the THING said.
“Who… what… are you?” I whispered.
“Mr. Bunny.” It replied, Emma’s cheeks tearing wide open as its teeth gleamed.
I choked back a scream and tried to run when it caught me.
“No Daddy dearest, I promised Emma we can all play.” It laughed as it held on to me.
“LET’S PLAY! LET’S PLAY!” Anne and Grace chanted as they came towards me.
I just shook in terror. Emma towered over me now, her cloven feet breaking the very floor.
“Don’t worry, soon you’ll be just as cheerful. Only first, I have to put you together again.”
“Put me together?” I asked in a whisper.
The THING smiled as its eyes flickered toward Anne and Grace. Their bodies rippled as I saw them for what they were, a mass of torn limbs, and tissues. and muscles held together by whatever power this creature held.
“Oh yes. Trreo can be a little rough.”
And the door shattered open with splinters of wood flying everywhere and the creature roared. My ears were ringing as its claws tore into me.
All I heard was, “LET’S PLAY! LET’S PLAY!”
