Chapter IV: Found

Stanford stood there. He didn't know what to do. His once loving grandparents reduced to mere ornaments in a secluded forest. It made him sick to his stomach. Why would it do this? What was it's motive? Not wanting to see the sight of what was once his grandparents, he carried on, still bearing the pain of losing his grandparents. His footsteps were the only audible noise in this forest of madness. The trees would shift from oak to birch, bushes would rustle, but that didn't stop him. The moonlight shone down on him. An oddly calm place for such a terrifying situation. Every so often, Stanford would look back, out of fear that thing was following him. However each time he looked he was met with nothing there. He continued, and eventually he came across a secluded cabin, it's wood rotten and broken. Stanford walked forward and tried the door, but it was locked. He didn't know why, but he felt drawn to the cabin. An urge to go in. He began walking, hoping to find the key. Each step he felt more and more lost, feeling like he's going in circles. 

Then he heard something.

He spun around, and The Damned Wanderer stood in the distance. Staring. Waiting for the right moment. Stanford took a step back, fearing for his life. As he did, he stumbled and fell to the ground. The monster screeched, it's scream echoing throughout the woods. Stanford quickly got to his feet, and ran as fast as he could. It ran after him, wanting nothing more than to tear Stanford apart. He sprinted, determined not to let that thing catch him. The trees flew by in a blur as he ran, barely having enough time to turn. After what felt like hours of running, he made it to a cave, and lost the creature in the winding paths of the cavern. Stanford sat down, trying to catch his breath. The cavern was almost completely dark. Stanford rummaged through the jacket he wore, the very same jacket his grandfather had given him years ago. Eventually, he found a flashlight in his pocket. He stood up, and turned it on. Wandering the caverns winding halls. Each path seemed to either lead to a dead end, or right back to where he was before. He sighed, and carried on searching for a way out. Every so often, he would come across drawings of The Damned Wanderer, Crudely scratched out on the cavern walls. Eventually he came to a large circular room. At the back sat the body of a child, broken and bloody. Then Stanford noticed something around the child's neck. A key. Perhaps it could open the cabin. As he crouched down and reached to grab the key, the child suddenly began to scream, the same scream the monster made. The child grabbed his wrist and held it tight, still screaming. With every second the sound of footsteps and low humming got closer and closer. And then the monster stood in the doorway. It walked towards Stanford, looming over him. It winded its razor sharp arm back, preparing to attack.

And the arm went right through Stanford's head, piercing his skull.