The moment Mason stepped into the fog, the cold wrapped around him instantly, like someone had shoved him into a freezer fully clothed.
Sharp and biting.
"What the hell…." He muttered, his breath visible. The sound echoed loudly but came back strangely distorted which made him stop walking.
It was dark, really dark. There was no wind, no sound, not even daylight came through.
Like he had stepped into another dimension and it was night. The headlights helped, but barely. It was bright enough to see ahead, but everything beyond that dissolved into grey darkness.
The deeper he looked, the less he could see. His grip tightened around the bat, then walked forward.
The fog outside looked thick and unmoving. But inside, it shifted strangely around him. Yet, somehow thinner too. "Is this really fog?" He whispered, twirling his fingers in the air and forming shapes.
The air was thin, causing his lungs to burn every time he inhaled. He pulled out the walkie-talkie. "Nora?" He called, no response.
His voice echoed around him, "Nora?" He called again, "Can you hear me?"
The sound came back warped. His eyes widened slightly, "Damn…" he muttered.
Then, a crackle.
"Mason?"
He nearly jumped. "Rain?"
"Are you okay?" her voice came through clearer.
Mason let out a sigh, if only he had just waited he cursed internally.
"Yeah," he said quickly, "but it's cold, really cold." He looked around "and dark."
"Okay." Rain's voice sounded calmer, "that's enough, you can come back now." She said, relief hit him instantly. She didn't have to tell him twice, he had turned ready to go.
Then he stopped. The headlight had reflected on something. A car.
Mason's eyes narrowed. The car sat crooked in the middle of the road like someone had abandoned it in a hurry. He moved closer, the windows were fogged over, covered with something that seemed like dew.
He wiped his hand across the glass, the texture made him recoil immediately, "eugh" he said.
His fingers felt wet, but what rested on it was thin and slimy. He wiped his hand hard against his shirt, then looked inside the car.
There were no drivers or passengers, just papers scattered everywhere and a backpack tossed into the seat. Mason felt his stomach twist. "Why would anyone leave their car like this?"
He looked up, and his eyes landed on a shape ahead. Another car. He walked towards it and spotted another one.
Then another, and another. His breathing slowed.
He had walked past seven cars already, that's the ones he saw clearly and counted. But he had a strange feeling; they could be more ahead.
All empty.
"Mason.." Rain's voice sharpened. Mason raised the walkie-talkie, then he noticed something.
"Wait…" he whispered. "I think, I can see something."
Something had shifted behind a car. His heartbeat stuttered.
Rain's voice changed immediately, "What?" but he didn't answer. He placed the walkie inside his pocket, taking measured steps forward.
Was it a person? He wondered. But what would someone be doing in here?
His knuckles paled around the bat, as he lifted it up. "Hello?" He said quietly, no answer. The closer he got, the clearer the sound became.
A soft, almost wet muffled chewing. Mason's throat became dry. He leaned close and the headlights landed on it's back. Mason went still.
Grey skin, streched out limbs that were thin. Spine curved into an unnatural posture. The chewing stopped and instantly the creature turned.
"What the hel—"
The creature shierked. A horrible sound spilt through the fog and Mason screamed.
The thing strechted out its limbs, lunging toward Mason as pure instinct took over. He swung the bat, landing on its side.
The creature slammed sideways into a car, the mental denting loudly. The impact had caused that bat to slip from Mason's shaky slimy hands.
"Shit…" he turned and ran.
Behind him, the creature shierked, chasing after. Fast. Mason took a sharp turn, and it crashed into a car trying to follow him.
Mason almost cried for relief, but it was too soon. The creature got back up, running faster this time after his tail.
"What the…what the hell is THAT?!" Mason yelled, running harder. He turned back to look at it, and his headlight beam landed directly on its face.
The creature recoiled violently, shrieking.
The light. Mason blinked. His expression shifted. He wasn't sure but without thinking he ripped the light off and threw it into the oppsite direction.
The creature snapped toward it immediately. Mason didn't stop, he ran and ducked behind a car, crounching low.
"Fuck…" he pressed against the metal, his entire body trembling. The sound of the monster crunching and scraping echoed nearby.
He peered by the side of the car and the headlight was compeletly destroyed. He returned back, his eyes watering up. "I don't want to die here." his voice cracked and his body trembled, "I really don't want to die here."
His hand moved blindly against the ground, then touched a fabric. Mason quickly pulled back his hand. He looked at it for a moment, then lifted it.
A jacket.
He squnited his eyes and he could partially make out the color. His breath caught. He flipped it over, the back read; Red Clovers.
His face dropped, "No way…" something cold settled deep in his chest. He gripped the jacket tightly, unexpectedly.
CRACKLE.
"Mason!" Nora's voice blasted loudly through the walkie. "would you freaking answer?"
The creatures head snapped toward the direction of the sound. Mason froze, "shit.."
His shaky fingers fumbled with the the walkie before he turned it off.
It was too late, the creature started moving toward him. Slowly, searching. Mason covered his mouth, he didn't breath. Didn't move.
The footstep drew closer. Then he stopped. His eyes darted around, as an idea formed. Carefully, he turned the walkie back on and tossed it far.
The crackle echoed through the fog and the creature spirinted toward the sound. Mason didn't hesistate.
He ran, no thinking, no other plan, not even sure if he was headed to the right direction.
Then his feet caught onto something. He couldn't tell what it was, he couldn't see. Which sent him crashing onto the ground.
The fall echoed across the fog, catching the creatures attention.
Adernaline shot through Mason's spine as he jumped off the floor. The creature realized and began chasing after him. It was way faster now, like it was annoyed.
Mason ran with all his strength, but it was gaining on him. Too close.
He could hear it, feel it. Its footsteps slammed behind him, it streched out its arm inches away from grabbing Mason.
Suddenly, Mason threw himself forward and the cold vanished. He crashed straight out of the fog and right into Dave.
Everyone stumbled. Rain went stiff, Nora stared. Mason looked wrecked and wet, but not from water, a strange slime.
He was breathing hard. His face was pale. "Get away from it!" Mason yelled immediately. He grabbed Dave, pulling him aside. "Move."
Rain's eyes were wide. "What is it?"
"Get away from the fog." His voice cracked.
Something in his expression made Rain move instantly.
"Listen to him." She stepped back, "Everyone move." They pulled away quickly, far enough to stand near the truck.
They hid behind it. Waiting, watching. Nothing came out. Finally, Mason dropped to the ground, Rain crounched beside him.
"Mason?"
He nodded, too shaken to speak.
"What happened," Rain asked quietly "what did you see?" Mason swallowed hard, his breathing uneven.
"I saw.." his voice trembled, "a monster."
Rain blinked, "What?"
Dave took a step backwards and Nora features shifted into a frown.
"What kind of monster?"
Mason shook his head quickly. "I…I don't know." his fingers curled into a fist. Nora noticed the jacket in his hand. "Wait."
She picked it up, it was red. She straightened it and turned it over. Their breaths caught. Red clover.
Dave adjusted his glasses. "Could that be?"
"Grayson's" They all said at the same time in different tones. Nora looked confused, "so…" she hesistated, "he is in there?"
"...i dont know." Mason breathed, "I couldn't see properly."
"But you saw the monster?"
Mason nodded, "with the headlights."
Rain's expression changed, this did not make sense. Then, a crackle. Everyone's head snapped to Dave.
Dave looked at the walkie in his pocket and pulled it out. "Someone's on another channel."
He switched it quickly, a voice came through.
"Rain?" Luke called, "Can you hear me?"
Rain grabbed it, "Luke?"
"We found Grayson."
Everbody stilled. Rain's pulse slowed as her eyes landed on the blood stained jacket in Nora's grip.
She exhaled about to speak, then Luke released a laugh through the walkie. It didn't seem like sadness or frustration. But relief.
"He's safe." Luke said finally. Surpised mixed with shock flashed across Mason's face. From the look of his jacket, they assumed the worst.
But now? "Safe?" Mason repeated, staring blankly, "No way…" he muttered.
Rain's stomarch dropped. The words did not make her feel better. She couldn't tell if it was after seeing the jacket, after what Mason just said, or after Lily's words.
And that scared her even more.