It was later that day when Martha got the call. She had stopped for a coffee not far from the forest. She lived in the city, Which meant it would be an hour before she got back to her little apartment. She hadn't been there very long, she left home about a year ago to work as an investigative reporter. It was a monumental change, leaving her tiny home town for the big city, But it was the only one she knew in her heart to be right. She had finally hit pavement again, leaving the dirt roads behind her. The forest shrank in her mirror, and vanished. Martha pulled into the first coffee shop she saw. She'd been driving since that morning, She needed a breather. She walked into the small cafe, the building looked older than the forest, yet the interior couldn't escape the modern coffee shop design. She ordered her drink, and a pastry, and sat in the corner. It was certainly a nice resting place, But it wouldn't last long. Not fifteen minutes would go by before her phone began to buzz. She ignored it the first time, assuming it was her mother back home. The second time, she answered. It was her boss, Al. "Hello" She begrudgingly answered. 

"Martha? Golly kid, The story of the year just fell into my lap!" Al said. 

"Oh really?" Martha asked. 

"I'm telling you!" Al replied. 

"That makes two before lunch, Al."  

"Listen," Al continued, "Last night, something went down by the lake. Cops are being all touchy-feely about it, but they got a little old lady held up in saint mill general. I'm willin' to bet her lips ain't so tight"

 Martha thought about the array of police cars she had seen earlier, and if they were being as secretive as Al said, He might just have a point. "Alright, Al. I'll check it out." Martha said, hanging up the phone. She finished her coffee and got on the road. Saint Mills was actually behind her, near the forest. She didn't mind the extra drive time, not if it meant extra fieldwork. Martha arrived at the hospital fifteen minutes later, the parking lot was nearly empty; Populated only by a few small cars and scattered ambulances. She walked into the building, the waiting room was small, and dirty. It felt dismal, almost like another world entirely. She walked up to the counter and showed her press badge, "I'm looking for a woman you admitted this morning?" Martha asked. The receptionist waved her off, she seemed more interested in her phone than speaking to anyone. 

"She's in room Three C" She said.

Martha rolled her eyes and continued. Down the hall, and up the stairs, she found the room. She knocked lightly on the door. "Come in" She heard a quiet and scratchy voice say. 

"Mrs. Owens?" Martha asked. the old woman shook her head yes. Martha entered the room slowly. It was mostly white, with baby blue stripes and green curtains. An old TV crackled in the corner.

"It ain't the ritz, is it kid?" Mrs. Owens playfully said. She was in a dotted puffy night down, with bandages across her midsection and shoulder. Her hair was black, but turning white at the root. She smiled wide at Martha as she walked in. 

"Hi, I'm Martha Carter, I'm with the Sunchaser" Martha said.

 "A newspaper?" Mrs. Owens chuckled, "That takes me back, Good to know I'm not the only fossil still kicking. What can I do for you, Martha?" 

Martha pulled up a chair and sat down. "Well can you tell me what happened in the woods last night?" she asked. Mrs. Owens face changed quickly, She took a long pause. 

"The young man I was working with went out to kick some teenagers off the property, it wasn't nothin' he hadn't done before. But, there was something... Out there." Mrs. Owens said, "It.. well" She struggled to get the words out. "It ate him"

 Martha's heart sank to her stomach, "It ate him?!" She thought. "I'm sorry, It ate him?" Martha asked

Mrs. Owens solemnly shook her head yes. 

"And what exactly.. did it?" Martha asked. 

Mrs. Owens looked down and wrung her hands. "You wouldn't believe me, even if i told you." 

Martha put on her kindest face, and placed her hand on Mrs. Owen's wrist. "Try Me."

 Mrs. Owens looked into her eyes, It was like she was trying to work Martha out. "I'm not sure... It was some kind of monster." She finally said. 

"A monster? Are you sure?" Martha asked.

 "You listen here buddy roll, I ain't superstitious or nothin' I'm a God-fearin'woman... But that thing. It was like the devil." She said. 

"I'm sorry Mrs. Owens, I didn't mean to offend"

 Mrs. Owens brushed her off. "I'd think I was nuts too" 

 Martha wished Mrs. Owens well, before leaving the hospital. Once in the parking lot, she took out her phone and dialed Al. "Hey, Stories a bust. The lady thinks it was a monster attack" She said. 

"What, you got proof it wasn't?" Al replied. 

Martha rolled her eyes, "There's no such thing as monsters, Al." 

"You don't know that, better yet, there are thousands of crazy old bags just like that old woman who don't know that either." 

"If you think I'm printing some lie, you're crazier than her." Martha said.

Al was quiet for a moment. "Alright, fine. Stick with the medical thing you had this morning. You're a good reporter, Martha." he settled.

 Martha rolled her eyes and hung up the phone. She plopped down into the little silver Prius and sat her bag in the passenger seat. As she reached for her seatbelt, She heard a thump. She glanced down to see her purse had fallen to the floor. Out of the bag crawled a plethora of small, burnt red creatures. They were flat and thin. There weren't many of them, Maybe four or five. They moved quickly, in formation.  Before a moment had passed they'd crawled onto the dashboard. Martha stared at them, Studying closely as they explored her car. "What are you" She whispered. The largest of them turned to her, as if it was just alerted to her presence. It rushed to her, Planting itself on the steering wheel. It looked at her closely, she felt as though it was reading her every move. It stared intently like a predator stalking its prey. They chirped, and chittered. Martha reached to open the door, but the largest creature let out a shriek as she moved. as the door cracked open, two of the creatures rushed to her, and pulled it shut. She turned and smacked the creature, and beneath her palm, it turned to a red liquid. She stared in disbelief, as she pulled her hand back, the creature came back together. This time she saw its eyes widen, It has reptilian eyes. She smacked it again, but her palm was met with excruciating pain. She looked at her hand, It's center had already become bright red, and begun to drip blood. Martha's heart sank as she looked down, she'd been surrounded. The creature on the steering wheel lowered its head, Keeping its eyes locked on Martha. They seemed to be at an impasse, a staring contest of sorts. She moved her hand upward slowly to hit the creature again, She blinked for a split second, And the creature vanished from the steering wheel. She found it digging its teeth into her palm, She screamed as it burrowed deeper into her flesh. It began to squirm under her skin, devouring her from the inside out. The other creatures would follow suit. Though Martha screamed, and cried for help, Her bones wouldn't be found until later that night.