Gwen and her friends hopped onto the old rickety motor boat they had rented from the old fisherman they met a few hours ago. Of course, they didn’t tell him where they were planning on going, because if they had done that there was no chance he’d rent it to them.

The sky was a gloomy gray that day. Cold rain pelted the group of friends as each one climbed into the boat, one by one. Nick was the last in line and stopped in his tracks when he realized he was next to get in.

“Woahh, you think I’m getting that thing? We’ll never make it to the island if we drown before we even get there.” Nick said as he nervously backed away. The rest of the group chuckled as they sat in the boat, while Nick, still on the dock, continued on about how scared he already was. “I didn’t ask for this. I wouldn’t have even thought of coming if I knew this is where we were going.”

“Nick, you’re fine. It’s totally safe. My dad always told me about this place. Do you think he’d tell me about this island if he didn’t want me to go?” Gwen asked him. 

“Gwen, your dad is crazy. No other father would take his 9 year old daughter mountain climbing or skydiving like he did with you. So yeah, he would want you to go.”

“Fair enough.”

Gwen’s childhood was different compared to her friends. While her friends played in their front yard eating popsicles in the summer, she was going mountain hiking with her dad. While her friends made snowmen and drank hot chocolate, Gwen’s dad was teaching her how to snowboard. It was her dad who made her love anything dangerous. Most people wouldn’t want their daughter snowboarding down steep hills, but Gwen’s dad encouraged it. She knows this is what her dad would want her to do. It was at her father’s funeral where she gathered her friends together, and convinced them to go on the trip her dad never got to go on.

After about 10 minutes of coercing Nick, the group convinced him to get in with the others. Shane started the boat up and after the engine sputtered a few times, it was ready to go. Gwen sat alone, opposite from Nick and Elise. Cold water sprayed over the nose of the boat onto its passengers.

“Did we really have to choose the coldest day of the week to do this? This sucks.” Elise complained.

“Elise, every day is cold and rainy here, and we’re going to an island so it’s probably not gonna get any better.” Shane said with an already agitated voice.

 The island, which had no name to help it remain unknown, hadn’t had visitors since its demise in the 1960’s. It was home to a nuclear power plant, where scientists would use nuclear fission to create energy. While being a good source of energy, it was also extremely dangerous to work with. It was eventually discovered the plant was giving off extreme levels of radiation, and the workers were evacuated off the island. Gwen’s father was always fascinated with nuclear energy and its powerful capabilities, so he took the responsibility of teaching his daughter all about it, and she ended up being more fascinated than he was.

After what felt like way too long of being on the boat, the four friends arrived at the seemingly lifeless island. A tall cement building stood about 300 feet from the dock they stopped at. It was covered in thick, green vines. Crows cawed while perched on the rooftop, waiting for their next meal to reveal itself. Oddly shaped trees towered around the building and also had the thick vines curling up around them. Roads that used to be brand new without a single crack or bump now had long grass splitting through the concrete. Even Gwen was a little nervous about venturing on this island, but she wasn’t gonna let her fear stop her. 

The dock the boat came up to looked like it hadn’t been touched in decades, as it was covered in a thick, green moss. They weren’t even sure if it would support a single person, judging by the wood that seemed to be rotting under the moss. Still, each friend hopped off one by one, and one again, Nick was uneasy about getting out.

“I really don’t know, guys. Like, we could get cancer just being here for a couple hours? Is it really worth it?” 

“Come on Nick, it’s fine. Don’t be such a puss.” Shane groaned. Elise gave Shane a small punch on his shoulder, trying to hint to not be such a jerk.

“It’s okay Nick, we’ll stay with you the whole time! It’ll be fun, I promise.” Elise said with a friendly smile. She always knew how to make someone feel better. Nick looked to Gwen, hoping she’d also say something to help comfort him. 

“How about you stay here and be our lookout in case someone notices the boat, okay?” Gwen said to Nick.

“Yeah.. okay. I guess I can do that. Thanks, Gwen.” Nick and Gwen exchanged smiles. She turned to Elise and Shane, who were getting all their gear in place. Elise pulled her geiger meter from her backpack, a tool that measures the radiation around them. Gwen would rather be safe than dead. The now group of three made their way up a cracked road, overgrown with weeds and grass. A sign to their left had a skull on it that read ‘TURN BACK NOW OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES’. 

“Oooh a ghost is gonna get us!” Shane gave Elise and Gwen a small shove, trying to scare them. 

“Shane, literally shut up, you are such a child.” Elise groaned, trying to hide a grin on her face. The friends stayed close together, weary of the island. The path seemed to become less concrete and more vegetation the further into the island they walked. Anything that wasn’t vines seemed to be taken over by them. Rusted jeeps that looked like they belonged to the military sat scattered around the island. Light poles that once provided the light for scientists and engineers had ivy swirling up and around its poles. 

After walking for a few minutes they reached the first building. The windows were still intact except for a few, and it was said everything in the building remained there because the island was evacuated so quickly. Which hopefully meant that the doors were unlocked. Elise had her geiger meter in hand, and while it was beeping, it wasn’t continuous enough to be dangerous. They all made their way towards the big, metal door. Gwen hesitantly reached her hand out for the door knob, not knowing what was behind the door. It could be nothing, or it could be a dead body, or it could be a mass of radiation that would give them all cancer in their early 30’s. Before she touched the door knob, she heard branches snapping and leaves rustling behind her. As she turned her head, the other two turned theirs. 

“What the hell was that?” Elise asked, obviously scared. When they had turned their heads, the animal turned around and took off through the tall grass and overgrown bushes. It seemed big enough to be a deer, but didn’t move like one. Gwen caught a glimpse of its back, and it was pale and hairless. Even though she was shaken, she kept that part to herself because she didn’t want to scare the group. What could that have been? A mutated animal? A bird? She didn’t want to waste time thinking about it. 

Gwen turned back around and prompted Elise and Shane to do the same. She turned the door knob and stepped in. The room had white walls and high ceilings. In front of them is what seemed to be an old secretaries desk. On that desk sat papers with a coat of dust on them. They all made their way over and picked up the papers. They were dated April 17th, 1965. Below the date was a memo sent out. 

“This memo is regarding plant buildings sector B and C. Please be advised that there have been reported rising levels of radiation in the air within the buildings, and to please make your way to building sector A until further notice.” Judging by the state the plant was in now, it didn’t seem like everyone got the memo. Gwen and Elise peeked up to Shane swiveling around in the old chair behind the desk. 

“Shane, that probably has animal sh*t on it, you're so gross.” Elise scrunched her nose

“You guys are ridiculous, it's fine.” Shane laughed. He stood up and moved over to a doorway that was slightly open. He kicked it open and peered in.

“Holy sh*t.” Yelled Shane. Gwen looked up from the papers and didn’t see him anywhere. She walked into the doorway he had just gone through and saw him standing over something. That something was a deer that had been mutilated. It’s lifeless body laid in front of Shane as he stared at it. Gwen covered her nose and thought the smell was going to make her throw up. The deer’s abdomen had been ripped to shreds. Blood had seeped out onto the tile floors, as well as some of its intestines and pieces of bones. 

“What are you guys yelling for-” Elise stopped in her tracks the moment she saw the bloody sight. “Oh my god.” Her mouth hung open from shock. She didn’t come any closer, and she looked like she thought the deer was going to stand up and run at her.

“Guys.. that blood is fresh. It hasn’t even dried up yet.” said Gwen.

“Maybe it was a wolf? Or a coyote?” Shane nervously said.

“No. They don’t even have wolves on this island. Besides, wolves don’t attack like this. This deer wasn’t even eaten. Whatever did this just ripped it open to kill it and did nothing else.” Gwen said with a monotone voice, not trying to let the rest of the group see how frightened she was. Her mind immediately went to the strange animal she saw run off in the woods. What the hell was it? Could it have done this mutilation?

“Screw this. I’m outta here.” Boomed Shane.

“Me too. This is not what I wanted to see.” Elise followed Shane out of the building. Gwen ran after them outside.

“Hold on guys, wait.”

“What, you want to see more of that? Is that fun for you?” Elise said with annoyance in her voice.

“Let’s get Nick and go home.” Shane said after Elise. Gwen accepted the fact that she shouldn’t beg her friends to do stuff they didn’t want to do, so she followed them back to where the dock was. Nick was out of sight, and they figured maybe he was going to the bathroom on a nearby tree.

“Pack it up Nick, we’re leaving.” Shouted Shane. Silence. Not even an “Okay”.

“Nick, let’s go!” Elise shouted after Shane. Nothing, only the sound of branches moving around in the wind. If Gwen wasn’t nervous enough before, she is now. She walked with a swift pace around the area.

“Nick? Where are you?” She shouted continuously.

“Would you chill, he’s probably just taking a piss somewhere and didn’t want anyone to see” Shane said gruffly. 

“Why would Nick, of all people, do that. He is the last person who would venture off into the woods just to go pee. He didn’t even want to be here today.” Elise chipped in.

“Exactly.”

“Okay, fine. So what, do you want to go look for him?” scoffed Shane. Gwen knew they both wanted to just get off the island, but they had to find Nick. 

“Yeah, I want to find Nick.” Gwen said. She made her way to the wooded area that had a small rocky trail leading through it. Shane groaned behind her and him and Elise began to follow Gwen down the trail. After hours of walking through woods that seemed to grow into a maze, Gwen noticed the sun beginning to set. Before she could say anything about it, a stench hit her nose.

“Ugh, Jesus, what is that?” She said while trying to hold her breath. It smelled of metal in the air. She looked back to Shane, who was covering his nose with his shirt, and Elise, who was beginning to gag. It smelled like the bloody deer they had witnessed in the building. They continued walking, anxious to find their missing friend.

“Sh*t.” Gwen whispered, with her eyes wide as saucers. The color in her skin immediately left. She had gone around the corner ahead of the other two, and was the first to see the disgusting scene. When Shane and Elise came around the corner, they stopped right where Gwen was. 

Nick’s lifeless gouged out body laid on a jagged rock. His abdomen had been ripped open, much like the deer had been. Unlike the deer, it looked like he was empty. Like he had been eaten. Crows were fighting over who would peck at his insides next. The smell of copper consumed the noses of the group. Blood was splattered all over the gray rock, drying to a dark brown. He was covered in bite marks made by sharp, jagged teeth. Gwen had never seen anything like it.

“Oh my GOD” Elise screamed. Once she started screaming, it seemed like she couldn’t stop. Shane began to shake her.

“Elise. Elise! You need to breathe. Breath, Elise.” Shane coaxed. He too, wanted to cry and scream, but couldn’t. Elise’s screeches turned into sobbing. Shane, who was in shock, held her in his arms. Gwen couldn’t look away. She moved over to the edge of the trail and threw up, with the image of her mutilated friend burned into her mind. What did this? Why would anything ever do this? She had known Nick since she was 12. Something took him away from her. But she wasn’t interested in finding out what it was and ending up looking like Nick.

“Let’s go. We need to leave now.” Gwen stated as she wiped the vomit away from her chin.

“What? You just want to leave him there?” Cried Elise.

“Do you want to carry him back? Shane? Would you wanna carry our half eaten friend miles back to the boat while being surrounded by the crows that want to eat him? All it would do is slow us down and leave us on this island for even longer. We’re losing sunlight, and when it runs out, we’re done for. Whatever got Nick is probably waiting for us now. So what is it gonna be, guys.”

“Fine.” Shane and Elise both whispered. After they all took one last glance at their deceased friend, they turned around and started walking towards their boat. Through the trees, Gwen saw they only had a few minutes left of sunlight. There’s no way they’re going to make it back in time. All she could hope for was a bright moon that night.

After about a mile of walking through the trail, leaves rustled on the right. All three friends looked to where the sound was coming from and it looked like an animal was running through the grass. That’s when they noticed it running straight for them. Gwen took a step back and almost backed right into Elise and Shane, who were frozen. She recognized the pale skin from earlier. It ran on all fours, faster than any of them could run. It jumped through the air, and it was almost like time had stopped for a second. The creature’s eyes were jet black, and they were looking right at me. The monster’s jaw hung open, showing its yellowing, piercing teeth ready to rip its meal into shreds. It looks like it could be human, maybe it was at one point, but it’s far from being one. 

“Move!” Gwen shouted, jumping out of the way. Unfortunately, Elise and Shane, who were in shock from what they were looking at, didn’t move fast enough. The monster took both of them down, pinning them on the rocky ground. Gwen watched Shane and Elise try and fight it off, but they were no match for the monster. It let out a deafening screech before tearing the friends apart. Gwen covered her ears as she hid behind a tree, trying to tune out her dying friend's screams for help. She knew she couldn’t help after seeing what it was capable of doing.

 “GWEN, HELP!” Elise cried out. That was the last thing Elise said before her words turned into gurgles of blood. Shane only screamed, which eventually stopped. While the monster feasted on its victims, Gwen knew this was the time to run. She could see the opening to the shoreline, and knew she’d have to make a run for the boat. She stood up and carefully moved, trying not to step on any branches to distract the beast. Once her feet touched the rocks, she took off.

She felt as if she was running in slow motion. Her body felt weighed down with every step she took. Behind her, the beast let out a glass shattering screech. To the left in the distance, she heard another cry. Not too far away from her, she heard another beast scream. All she could do was keep running. Knowing what could be behind Gwen, she didn’t want to risk slowing herself down by turning her head to look. All she could hear was her ears ringing, and gravel being kicked up under her feet. 

Gwen reached the beach and could see the boat. About 100 feet away from her was a different beast. This one was bigger, covered in scars, and its face was covered in dripping crimson blood. She grabbed a big rock, and watched the creature very closely. Slowly, she walked to the boat, ready to throw the stone at the monster’s head. Gwen hopped into the boat and tried starting the engine without breaking eye contact with the beast. When the engine started, the monster let out a roar. It got on all fours and ran towards Gwen. She put the boat in full speed and took off. It wasn’t fast enough to outrun the monster, as it jumped from the beach onto the boat. It pinned Gwen down, and she immediately started hitting it in the head with the stone. She could hear the bones cracking and splitting inside the creature as she continued to bash it with the rock. No matter what the monster did, if it was cutting her stomach open or trying to bite her, she kept on hitting it in the head with that rock. The blood from the beast’s face dripped onto Gwen, and she hit it right in the center of its forehead with all her strength. The creature collapsed onto her bloodied body. She continued to bash it in the head, even in its unconsciousness. When Gwen used all her strength, she dropped the rock that was now crimson, and sat in a pool of both her and the monster’s blood.

 She pushed the limp creature’s body off of her’s and stood, steering the boat to go to the main island. She realized the keys had been left in the boat, and began to laugh. She knew Shane had forgotten to bring the keys with, which is something Shane totally would do. Gwen sat, knowing she was losing a lot of blood, and tried to slow the blood loss with a tourniquet made from her shirt. A few minutes passed, and soon the mainland could be seen from the boat. She wasn’t really sure what would happen next. Who would believe her? What about her friends? Gwen was in a deep trance of thought, focused on what was going to happen when she arrived at the mainland. All of the sudden, a cold and clammy hand grabbed her ankle and sunk it’s razor sharp claws into her flesh.