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---B e g i n P r o l o g u e---

"Jake, for the last time, there are no flying fish that swims in the air !" I turn to Jake, looking at his stout physique.

"Remind me again, why are you not fixing this tent with me," I respond with a strain in my voice.

"Jim, you have more experience when it comes to camping or survival," Jake responds with a complacent tone.

As I finish showing him to pitch a tent, make a fire, and how get water. Him doodling it down to his tiny notepad.

"...remember that the river must be running," I said standing up with the two quarts latched on my belt. "Any questions?" I got a response from him looking up to the sky and I look.

"DID YOU NOT SEE THE FISH IN THE SKY OR THE HARE IN THE RIVER?!" Jake shouts with conviction.

I looked up to the sky and see the bright stars in the sky, showing the rim of the milky way galaxy. Afterward, I look into the river and see algae running in the river. I turn to look at him, he was shaken yet for what?

"Jake, how about we just go home?" I said in a soothing tone, he looked at me with a concentrated look even if he was shaken. He nods slowly.

As I walk through the river and along the path, we spotted some rangers who were inebriated by the looks and slurred speech. After the interaction, we made it to the car however I notice something different. A fish is on the hood of my car. A rotten one at that.

I begin to laugh while Jake began to freak out. I was puzzled by this odd joke that I thought he pulled. I swiftly pushed the fish off the car and pushed him into the car.

"Welp, let's go home and make a call to a pizza shop at Joe's," I said to Jake.

As he made the call, I played my favorite song, "Mr. Brightside.".

Fish. Swimming fish bombard the vehicle. I recoiled from the hits to the car as Jake began to have a panic attack.

I turned into a tree and we flipped into a playground area. I woke from the crash and notice Jake began to crawl out of the vehicle, dragging me out. We gasp from the event yet no brakes. Screams and shouts were heard. We ran. and Ran. and Ran. The steps kept getting louder and LOUDER. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO MAN. I AM SCARED. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NORMAL TRIP. I DO NOT WANT TO DIE. I AM TOO YOUNG. I HAVE A CHILD ON THE WAY. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GRADUATE IN A MONTH.

I was shaken back to reality by Jake. I stared at him, noticing in the background in the restroom with pelts of-

"JIM!" I stared at Jake. "Take this." I grab hold of the object, fumbling through it with my fingers. I cut myself with his fingertips. Wait Fingertip? I look towards him again. His face began to melt into a more skeletal form. Yelling begins to surge through the air once more. The walls began to crumble and the ceiling began to collapse.

"JAKE, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!" I yelled looking around me and noticing the goop and pelts of humans?! I turn to him. He was now a hulking figure, arms and legs turned to spears with a spiked spine.

"StAY hErE tiLL mORnIng.." He strains through his now dissembled vocal cords. I just stared blankly. "AnD," It says, turning away and exiting the restroom, "doN't StOp rUnNiNG, Don'T lOoK uP, aNd eArcH "UmIt rAnSOn pEerMEnTs". I could not understand the last words, and perhaps I should not too.

How many days has it been? The Goop disappeared and the pelts and rotten. I hold what's left to the door.

Blood pumping, piss flowing, tears rolling. The shock grasped me and took hold of me. I wanted to yell, but it felt like I had no mouth.

I pushed the door open. It was dark yet recognizable. My jaw dropped. My vehicle is in good condition, DON'T STOP RUNNING!

I ran to my vehicle. Stomps were heard, fires were seen, and the cruxifacation of my friend was seen as well. I did not stop.

I jumped into my car and started it, and began to drive. I looked back. I met a stretched, deformed face of a man yet no playground or restroom, but a deformed set of bones and flesh welded together. Before I met eyes with the monster, I pulled out the object, he gave me. It was a shotgun for rangers and I fired it.

The monster winced from the bullets and shattered glass, but the car began to shake. It was able to grab the other side of my car and lifted it. It began to smile and laughed and open its uncanny mouth to swallow me whole. I revved the car over its appendage and escape from its grasp. As I left it out of sight, it waved and smile at me.

As I was about to leave the park, I notice a couple stranded on the side of the road. DON'T LOOK UP. I kept looking forward and drove past them. As I looked back, I notice an appendage on their backs, like a tentacle lodged on a person's spine. They exploded into red mist yet drove. and drove. and drove. and drove. and drove. and drove. and drove. and drove.

I was able to make it to my hometown of Paxton, Texas. North of Austin, Texas. I was also 30 minutes away from my home and college. Before I present myself to my family, they asked if I wanted dinner with them, and I rented a motel room. I tried to wash my body, but the dirt was still stained. I tried to eat, but it never stayed down. I tried to rest, but my heart beat each moment. As I arrived home, they asked me about my trip with Jake, and I responded with a soulful tone. They must have assumed it went well.

We drove to a nice, little restaurant. I believe it was called Nixon's Steaks. I was able to order a steak medium rare. I could barely hold my excitement, my family told me to have manners. I guess I got a bit excited.

As we finished eating, my family made small talk and I began to relax.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

My phone ranged. I thought it was dead.

"Hello?" I was perplexed by the silent response. I looked at the caller id. Jake. Shocked yet I responded as smoothly as possible to not get a response from my family.

"Hey, Jake! What's up?" I responded to avoid any suspicion from my family.

"J I M. L O O K F O R S U M M I T M A S O N E X P E R I M E N T S I F Y O U W A N T T O D I E L I K E Y O U R F R I E N D." I left my family to the lobby as the thing that talked to me. A wave of shock went through me yet I stayed unfazed.

" A L S O, D I D Y O U S E E T H E F I S H S W I M T H R O U G H T H E A I R?" It said. However, I went pale. How did it know what we saw?

" I H O P E Y O U E N J O Y E D T H E V I E W. B O T H I M E A N!" It began to giggle as I began to shake.

" I S H A L L W A I T F O R Y O U, B U T B E W A R N E D!" It began to laugh harder. The emotion I felt grew stronger and I began to recognize what it was.

" W E A R E W A T C H I N G Y O U!" It belches a hardy laugh. Anger. Anger was what I felt that day.

---E n d P r o l o g u e---

** I am thinking of making a mini verse of this short story because I like the craziness and many unanswered questions. I am thinking of keeping the short story idea with this Reddit and having n MV at the bottom to identify that it is part of the mini verse.

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