ry, Martin and Steve spent much of their time pouring over all information th

ood her trepidation. It was, after all, the first time she was exposed to the supernatural. It was her first encounter with a being from the world of which

imbed the rickety stairs of his grandfather's house, the closed door of their bedroom seemed to taunt him. Hanging b

ding grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and asparagus and green peas. A simple dish compared to what they ha

It's di

e him worry. Why wouldn't she just come down and eat with them? Surely, she was invested now in seeing the winge

here forever, sis

tin sighed and set the

shock to you. I mean, that…thing we saw ba

corrected himself. Now w

But you proved resourceful in the face of that thing. I mean, not too many people I know would stare d

e door and made his way to the stairs. He stopped after taking

his mystery. Gramps is already helping me with research. If we encounter it again, I could su

eaked open slightly. A shaky hand reached for the plate from behind the door and took it in. She didn't have an answer, n

to stay here if

s to the Mothman. Thanks to some extra digging by Steve, he found an interesting connection. As he

revealed, pouring sugar into his coffee. "Got a call from an ol' friend

ilar

ore we first did. Back in 1966, a couple drivin' home late one ni

face, it bore a strong similarity to the Jacobsens' encounter a

d 'ere. And you ain't gonna believe this, but…" The old man leaned over, as if in fear of others heari

y like what happene

in' there's gotta be a connection 'tween t

to Wakeford after the collapse. It would explain how the sightings here started around t

I th

ce an enigmatic puzzle. It seemed the most logical explanation to him. Despite that, however, it did

eli

ome out of her room ever since that night. Every time I try to talk to her, she just…doesn't answer. It's like s

ein' that thing s

out of all of us. I mean, she shot at that fucker and

ting his glasses and closing his eyes, a similar reel of memories played in his h

n she ain't shook up. I ever tell ya how

esides, what does th

by the Chinese while out on patrol duty. We took shelter in an abandoned far

es blurred together, and seemed rather…uplifting. Times spent with his comrades in trenches. Being greeted by cheeri

t. And in the end, by the time some boys picked me and the lieutenant

l glasses came to rest

ster for the first tim

orbell rang. That struck both odd, since neither were expecting any v

wed the doorbell's second ring. Steve glanced over his shoulder to find Ma

n was rather quick to stand up, forgetting about his still hot pancakes, to reach o

ir. He wore skinny jeans, a pair of Doc Martens, and a simple black t-shirt. His hazel eyes were pa

?" The man, Josh, completely ignored Mart

his voice a smooth bari

y. Josh embraced her gently and ushered her out

hell is

k like, Marty?" s

leaving your brother a

But she already made here decision. This was no place for her;

good." Martin's eyes widened to t

ere was something crazy and

spoke, her voice sharper than a steak

ng in D.C is going to help?

pend my time living in fear

he of the coffee stains. Seeing the young auburn-haired boy and Mad

allowed Madeline to step behind

yesterday saying she wanted me to take her back to D.C." Steve

gonna tell me

interested in any kind of excuse. Instead,

running away from it isn't going to help! Don't you w

sh interjected. "What happene

! She saw i

adeline spluttered at last. "And it's bette

g from the girl who

if that were true, it was not an indicator of her willingness to continue this. If a

elf-defense! I-it was

tion ballsy. You always bragged about your sho

Martin. And I would rather

need to tackle this together and solve

round with this ghost hunting business. Save that for the middle scho

l Activity and Annabel

hey had nice special effects and c

anything like this. At least before, Madeline never participated in his investigations. But now, she had been part

ase. You're ma

u, Martin. Since I've known you, Maddie has had to put up with your wild i

rned. "Shut it before I break

Josh taunted, feignin

"Martin, I'm sorry, but this is the only way. I need some semblance of normalcy in

inding her boyfriend. "I told you: my channel doesn't have to be a one-man operation. You s

w or something. I swear, you're always loo

his car. A small white hatchback with Virginia license p

y! Don't I get

ened the car door. "I just can't do this. I

" Josh chimed in. "I'll mak

rushing out to the car. "This i

nged on the window, but Madeline refused to even look at him. He might as well have been a crazed homeless man begging for money

andfather gently squeezed his shoulder, but he was unresponsive. Almost cold. A silent storm raged i

een what he had, and realized that his obsession was very real. He thought for sure that she would want to

UC

tical, but quite another to believe, to see with her own eyes, and then leave him behind. Steve tried to console his grandson, but Mar

alone and a meal at Julia's diner would put him at ease, clear his head. He was about to go back insi

CHALM

nning a good distance, perhaps even from the munitions factory itself. His clothes (or what was left of them) were ragged,

hat ain't

re's Martin? I ne

in a talkin' mood. What's happened,

mething m

ered him up the porch. A small wicker swin

m the begi

ssage from Marti

utes e

ot only that, the guy was inviting him to join his efforts in subduing the Mothman. Was this the golden opportunity that laid before him? Was this a chance to finally obtain

her passed out drunk in the living room couch. His father was smoking in the kitchen, looking out

ve decided. I think i

that,

pace, that's all. Time

th us. You don't have school. Y

ne," Billy insisted. "It

flinched, shoulders hunched back, and his eyes lowered, refusing to meet his father's dark, disapproving gaze. He no

ith that Chalmers

ly admitted

about him. He's jus

other night. He says he can help us

staying he

me that! I'm

is left cheek. He stumbled and collapsed on the carpe

"I'm your father, and that means you do what I sa

bring closure to their tragedy, and a chance to finally be free of the creature, Billy found something he hadn't before. A spark lit in his body and

before I make you!

ead, as

his "daughter's" defiance. He reached for an em

d you just s

or more than a year! I can't replace her. No one can replace her! If you'd

back or meet the whiskey bottle,

lammed against the cupboard before falling over the stove and onto the white tile floor. He groaned in pain, looking

shed me...you

ered, his voice firm and strong. "I am lea

ll you

in the shock of what had just happened. He never

just happened, but you'

, I

daze. The boy, still not certain of just what he had unleashed, was not willing to wait around to find out. Instead,

nded up. If he was away from that madhouse and his deranged parents, all else was none of hi

e his house. He escaped. But what came next? What would Billy do now? His eyes scanne

could

woodlot that seemed to stretch on into the distance. Surrounding the area was a wired

MUNITIO

HED JANU

shit

chitter-

s forehead broke into a cold sweat. That sound...! That godforsaken sound. The same one

wards him with two wings sprouting from its back. Two giant red orbs stared b

s, no

led a claw, and insect-like feelers ran up and down its arm. There was no mistaking it. Th

. There had to be a way to best this creature, but he didn't th

..keep away

ings rose up, asserting dominance. It leaped into the air and was ready to pounce on Bi

D STAY

his hands and back at the Mothman. It was regaining its footing, ready to reach out to him again. With clenched teeth and flared

ath. He was done being mistreated and afraid. It was about damn time he fought back, for once in his 13 years of

ing the fresh, deep cuts of his wounds. Something warm dripped down from his nose to his upper lip. He tried to lick it away and tasted his own bloo

r again. With an incensed roar, it lunged at Billy with its large cla

cle happened. The monster froz

k. Billy raised his eyebrows in confusion. What was it waiting

OFF, FOR

ted its wings and flew elsewhere. And just like t

hell is i

as not about to stick around to see if the creature would change its mind. Instead, he left the munitions factory and started on down t

ent

illy concluded, "I

, to strike him dead, but he didn't. That had to mean there was something else the fiend wanted. If it was just a malevolent being looking to

said at last. "I think what happened to me m

ost someone ourselves, so if you want to talk, y

't tell me that feathe

and poor Martin's pretty tore up 'bout it." Billy, who had b

is, I need to talk to him no

what you went

to face with the monster that drove my family insane and may have cost me my sister. And if Martin prefers to jus

. That was to say nothing of what would happen if the mystery was not at last solved. The Mothman, a larger-than-life legend of We

on in. But don't sa

lly, welcoming him in to final

nutes

only sat quietly, fidgeting with the cuffs of her sweater. She had not spoken a word since getting in

ou okay

the road, but he managed to sneak a few quick glances at her. Concern shone

ine, Josh. D

an talk to me about it. It's not the first

gger than h

an? Did he do s

just…need to be

henandoah Valley zooming by. All she could think of was the allure of Washington. Her parents

called him, so it was understandable that she was not open to talk

, you can stay wi

wh

you bolting on your bro and your grandpa like that

ou don't

ay out there. I think you need to be with someone who can look after you. Doesn'

's escapades. Even if he did believe like him, one would think he would have had common sense enough to make him stop

could see its two ruby eyes. She could hear its insect-like chittering. Never in a mill

e out there for as long as you want. Besides, don't take this the wro

ed into one of Martin's escapades. In fact, spending the summer with Josh was better, the more she thought about it. Martin and their parents complained about her being "obsessed" with him, but that was the least o

ady tapping noise, lulling her further towards sleep. G

AY 66

ngton, Alexan

ve West Virginia behind. Josh smiled as he glanced at he

utta here s

e'll be

g about the woodlot seemed strange to Madeline. The woods almost engulfed the road, blotting out the summer sun. What was once a bright summ

AAAA

t the windshield but was stopped thanks to her seatbelt. With her eyes and her mind jolted awake, she was gre

ne with dread. Its claws stretched out towards the car, almost beckoning it to come closer. In a flash, the car swerved off to the right, sending Madeline straigh

, GET T

AS

right into a tall spruce, busting o

urn over to him but felt a sharp pain throughout her body. Padding herself down, she felt someth

e

a shock of pain zapped through her body, and she cried out in

of the engine, with small wisps seeping through the broken windshield. The smell

e…? Yo

os

y on impact, mitigating further damage to his body, but he was similarly covered in cuts on his face and arms. T

God. You'

e hell h

blood, his pants heavier than

he road. I narrowly avoide

een it too. Did that mean

are you ta

e insect or something…but th

, no…not

adeline, lost in a fog o

you mea

razy…but…that thing…I saw it in Wakefor

ll me you're starting to

I called you up. I think

from behind them, foll

y stared back at him, his unblinking eyes filling him with terror. Any

fuck is th

saw in Wake

s time Junior

eaded to Madeline's side of the car. Josh immediately took that as his cue to run. He unhooked his seatbelt and tried

h…wh

ry to save

e ground beneath them. A shot of pain zapped through her right arm as she moved to pull off the seatbelt. Just bending her elbow felt like breaking

elp me…

her side of the car, he worked frantically to unhook her from the seat. The girl's glanced back at the creature, who was now a fe

damm

RY,

tuck, I

do nothing, he only punched it away, giving him enough space to slide out of the driver's car door

at are yo

addie, I can'

OS

ed and cried out his name, but he only kept limping, trying to get away. He abandoned her, just when he said how he

er her jacket and pu

t away, you

bindings, pulling her out of the car. Madeline weakly punched and kicked at its arm, but it was no use. It had

mpenetrable fog. She drifted off, whether from the shock of her