Alex grunted as she followed her boyfriend Ryan, they had parked their car back at the small community park and just a short while ago were on an often traveled hiking trail. However her geeky boyfriend Ryan got a little too adventurous and had suggested that they "Explore unknown areas". Alex assumed he was trying to show off to her and prove his masculinity or some such nonsense. Ryan was out of his element, he was a geek and pale, not used to being outdoors for long than 15 minutes at a time. This weekend hike was actually his whole ideal, surprisingly enough to Alex. Alex was fine for just lounging around for the weekend but Ryan got into his mind to go on a hike in the northern Washington woods. Apparently there was a recent UFO sighting over the woods a few nights back and that got Ryan really excited to go take a look. Alex wasn't too worried, she didn't believe any of that mumbo jumbo and it was daylight, she figured they would be safe on a well traveled nature hike trail. But this going off the trail nonsense was worrying her. Granted they did have their cell phones as well as a compass and a backpack of supplies.
“Hey Ryan, maybe we should turn back now? What do you expect to find out here anyway?” She asked as patiently as she could. She knew he could be a bit sensitive and didn't want to offend him.
“What, now? Things were just getting interesting tho!” Ryan chimed in, he was panting and starting to show signs of sunburn under the brim of his dopey safari explorer hat he bought at the souvenir shop earlier that day.
“Interesting? What's interesting?! Bug bites, ticks the size of golf balls? Let's head back to the trail before you get us even more hopelessly lost ok? I'm tired and hot and just want a nice shower and some food.” Alex complained tiredly.
Ryan sighed and nodded. “Y..yeah ok. I'm sorry love I guess I got a little carried away for a moment huh?” He smiled sheepishly and wiped his forehead off with the sleeve of his shirt.
“Yeah it had totally nothing to do with all those energy drinks you downed this morning for breakfast too right?” Alex laughed, placing her hand on her hip. “Come on Crusoe, let's find that trail again shall we?”
“Sure all we have to do is..” Ryan stopped, looking behind Alex as the color drained from his face.
“What's wrong now? You look like you seen a ghost?” Alex turned around behind her and her jaw dropped. Standing behind her, between them and the hiking trail was a fox. Ordinarily not that big of a deal right? Foxes are cute, small and about the size of a cat, or so Alex thought. This one though was huge! Easily as large as a wolf. It didn't look too friendly either, it glared at them, unmoving.
“Whoa now..easy boy..” Ryan stated, searching through his pockets for something, anything he might be able to use to defend himself with.
“How do you know it's a boy??” Alex said, backing up, almost into Ryan.
“Have you seen it's package it's carrying?! It's like a fifth freaking leg. Wtf I thought foxes were small and cute. This thing is almost 5ft tall!” Ryan murmured “When I count to three, we turn and run got it?”
“Wait, on three? Or three then go? Wait wait! Haven't you seen those nature shows?? They wait for their prey to run and that's when they attack!” Alex stated.
“Sorry, I never seen the 'When giant foxes attack' special on TV! Just be ready to run ok? Unless you packed your taser with you.” Ryan replied.
“I left it in the car! You told me to leave my purse behind you dunce!” Alex yelled. Meanwhile the fox was slowly advancing on them, almost like it was herding them, pushing them back. It barred it's fangs. “Is that a bracelet around it's front leg?!” Alex questioned. But it was starting to get dark and she wasn't in a calm enough state to see clearly.
Ryan wiped sweat off his glasses. “Frankly I don't care, stay behind me and get ready to run ok? 1...2...” BEEP BEEP! Ryan jumped as his cell went off. “Fuck it, 3!!” He yelled as he turned, to see Alex already some couple hundred feet behind him. “Dammit!!” He cursed as he ran as fast as his chubby legs would allow. He was not very fit and was already breathing heavily. His vision was a blur as branches whipped past him, some hitting him in the face as he ran. He tried to glance back to see if it was behind him but he couldn't see anything, though he did hear a loud snarling sound. He turned back and saw what looked like a clearing up ahead. He got really excited, thinking they had made it back to the park area already. But he saw Alex just standing there, looking forward. He ran past her a bit and stopped, panting and looking back at her. “W..why did you stop?! That thing will be here any minute! Get in the car quick!!” He shouted, pulling out his inhaler and taking a hit. His lungs ached as his asthma died down some, the medicine helping.
Alex just pointed behind him. Ryan spun around to not see the community park and the parking lot like he was expecting, but a rather shabby looking wooden cabin. The clearing was surrounded by woods on all sides and there was a fire pit and a stack of logs alongside the cabin as well. Ryan's brow furrowed as he looked back but there was no more sign of the fox thankfully. “Quick, let's um get inside before that thing comes back? We can phone for help in there, it's starting to get dark.”
Alex nodded, catching her breath as she checked to make sure she didn't loose her cell as the two headed for the door. “Maybe someone's home? Think they'll let us in?”
“It doesn't look like anyone's been here in awhile? Besides I don't see any car around either?” Ryan replied.
The two came to the front porch area, pine needled littered the wooden deck area, some dilapidated wicker chairs were to the left of the door. “Needs a fixer upper apparently.” Alex said as Ryan shrugged. She grabbed the door handled and inhaled, turning it. She was afraid it'd be locked but the handle turned and the old wooden door creaked as it opened inwardly. She peered in, streaks of late day sunlight poured in from the windows, illuminating thousands of dust particles.
“Ugh this place is going to be hell on my asthma..” Ryan said as he brought out his inhaler.
“Like that brisk run wasn't?!” Alex replied.
Ryan grimaced and looked down.
Alex rolled her eyes. “This isn't one of those Dragon Quest games you know, don't go acting all heroically. You need to take care of yourself.”
“That's hardly fair! Sorry I'm such a pussy, jeeze Alex cut me some slack.” Ryan retorted. “I was in full on panic mode, we almost died!”
Alex looked at her cell, but she didn't have any bars of data. “Um, do you have any service here?” She raised her cell up in the air in an attempt to find a signal.
Ryan frowned and looked at his iPhone “That's not right we just had service when we ran into that wol..or fox or whatever that was.”
Alex shrugged. “Oh yeah your phone went off right when you were about to say three and I was so amped off I just darted. Sorry about that.”
“It's fucking 2019, how the hell is there no service?! Not even 3G? Not even one measly bar?! Are we in a dead zone? Are there still even dead zones in this day and age?!” Ryan ranted.
Alex opened the door and walked outside, keeping an eye on the surrounding woods as she held her phone up, looking for a signal. “It's not even any better out here either?” She sighed and inhaled deeply to calm herself down. The smell of pine filled her nostrils.
Ryan poked his head out. “Best get back in here, it's getting dark out and we don't want our visitor to be coming back by making too much noise.” Ryan looked at the back of the door. “Good news is there is a lock on here! I wonder why it was unlocked though..”
Alex sighed and came back in, sitting on the dusty couch, causing particles of dust to go flying, making Ryan sneeze and take another hit of his inhaler. “Oh shit, sorry..”
Ryan shook his head. “It's fine..” He walked over to a light switch and turned it on, amazingly this place had power! The lamps slowly came to life, giving off a yellowish hue. “Wow I'm surprised this place even has power..”
“Yeah..but I didn't see any power lines??” Pondered Alex. “It's too dark now to find out. I'm sure this will suffice until tomorrow. Then we can head home, though it's not exactly where I was expecting to sleep tonight..” Alex sighed.
“Don't worry babe, I swear I will make this all up to you, it is partly my fault after all.” Ryan put his arm around her.
“Oh I know you will! I'm talking a lobster dinner, roses, the works mister!” Alex smirked.
“Ouch, right in the checkbook!” Ryan chuckled. Outside came a long, sad sounding howl. Ryan and Alex looked at each other with worry, they then decided to..