Beware of the Forest at Night

Lorie and Steve were warned never to go deep into the forest when they were visiting their grandmother who lived on the edge of the Shawnee National Forest. Grandma said, “The forest is not friendly after it gets dark.” There are many wild things that come alive in the night. But Lorie at eleven was curious girl, and Steve, who was eight, looked up to her and always followed her lead.

One early evening when the sun was just falling below the horizon, they chased a squirrel farther into the woods than ever before. Steve said, Lorie, it’s so quiet and the trees are so big and I’m feeling cold.”  

A low growl snaked its way between the trees.

Steve whispered: What’s that?” He grabbed Lorie’s arm and shook it. “Did..,did…you hear it?”

Then, a terrifying howl echoed through the woods. It wasn’t like a normal wolf cry. It sounded damaged like something was in pain or worse, maybe angry. Lorie hugged Steve. "Don’t worry. We’ll be okay. We've got to head home."

From behind the shadows of the giant trees, a massive wolf stepped into view. The wolf’s fur was black as coal, with blotches of gray. There were patches of fur missing like it had been in a fight or had clawed itself. Its eyes glowed a bright yellow, and its mouth was foaming. Its teeth were jagged, and its breath came in hot huffs that smelled like rotten food. It was dragging one leg behind it, but it still could move fast. Too fast.

Lorie stared into the wolf’s eyes. The wolf howled; the horrid sound echoed through the woods.

“Steve, run!” Lorie yelled.

She grabbed Steve’s hand, and the two sprinted between the trees, branches whipping their arms and legs. Lorie looked back and saw the wolf crashing after them. Steve tripped over a fallen tree trunk, but Lorie pulled him up. They ran and ran, and finally they spotted a break in the trees. It was a clearing. But the wolf was gaining on them. Lorie’s eyes darted around. She spotted a large hollow log. She guessed the log was big enough for them to crawl into and hide.

“Look!” Lorie pointed to the log. “C’mon, Steve!” Get inside.”

Steve flopped down and crawled into the dank space, and Lorie followed, crawling as fast as she could. The wolf snapped at her heels and tried to enter the log, but its huge body got stuck. It howled and snarled, its claws ripping at the bark.

Lorie pulled a small pouch from her jacket. Inside were Grandma’s pine berries. Grandma had given the pouch to Lorie on a previous visit and told her only to use the berries in an emergency.

Lorie crushed three berries in her hand, crawled to the opening. She tempted the wolf by sticking her head out of the log. The wolf howled and responded, sticking his snout through the opening hoping to catch Lorie, but  when he stuck his snout through the opening she rubbed the juice onto its nose. The wolf backed out and howled in pain.

Steve and Lorie crawled out the other side and ran, but this time, Lorie had a plan.

She grabbed Steve’s hand and circled back, confusing the wolf. Lorie pointed to a tree with good solid branches. They climbed and crouched down behind the leaves, hardly breathing.

The wolf burst from the trees, sniffing, growling, but it couldn’t find them.

Then they saw a light coming through the forest. Grandma appeared beaming a searchlight. She aimed it at the wolf. The light shot into the wolf’s eyes. It howled, twisted, and vanished into the forest.

Steve and Lorie climbed down from the tree. Both shaking. “We're sorry. We didn't know it would get dark so fast. Thank you, thank you, Gram, we thought we were going to be eaten,” Lorie said.

"Thank you, Gram," Steve said.

Lorie told Grandma how they had hidden in a log and that she had used the pine berries. Gram hugged them tight. “You were clever,” she said. “You remembered what I taught you.”

Steve, his eyes wide, asked, “Grandma… are you magic?”

She smiled. “Only when I need to be.”