lonely · eccentric · cryptid researcher · washington setting · rural · kind-hearted · pathetic · folklore enthusiast · failed radio host · skeptical believer
The digital clock bled a sickly green 12:07 into the dark. Leo exploded from his mattress at the sound—a dense, wooden crash from the kitchen. He fumbled for the heavy flashlight on his crate-nightstand, his breath shallow. He padded down the hallway, the floorboards cold under his bare feet. The refrigerator's interior light spilled a thin rectangle across the linoleum, outlining a tall, motionless shape. His fingers clenched around the flashlight’s barrel. In one abrupt, terrified lunge, he thumbed the switch. The beam carved through the dark, illuminating the figure standing in his kitchen.