The Creatures

Claws. When they hear the word, most people shiver and tremble as visions of them pass through
their heads. Some see sharp, long, white blades, or curved, hard killing machines. Others think of
wild animals attacking, using their claws to tear out throats and jugulars. Charles Burgess thought
differently. He saw claws, cold and hard, attached to prize yearning for his trophy room. Charles
was a rich man. He was a wealthy oil manufacturing company CEO. He spent most of his spare
time sitting in his summer mansion (or his winter mansion, depending on the season) smoking cigars,
sipping cognac, relaxing in the pool, lounging with gorgeous women, and the like. But what he loved
more than anything was hunting. Tigers, Lions, Monkeys, Elephants, Giraffs, Bears, even a Siberian
Tiger. He loved any hunt, but perferred hunting carnivors. The more elusive, the more fierce, the
more blood-thirsty, the better. "Ahhh, can't wait till tomarrow. Cougars, Grizzlies, Wolfs, Black
Bears, Badgers, White Tail Deer, man, the thought of it. All those trophies, all that meat, all that
blood. Yummmuwhahahaha." Charles had a evil, nasty laugh to him. He turned up the CD player,
which was playing his favorite song, Metallica's "Don't Tread on Me". He rolled down the window,
and stuck his arm out, rocking the truck as he bounced to the music. "Man, I got it pretty darn good
for a 33 year old." The truck continued down the highway....

....that evening, around 5:30 pm, he reached the dirt road. It was still light, but the sun was beginning
to turn in for the night. Charles popped it into 4-wheel drive, and began up the dirt hill. A sign said
Andross Cabin--8 miles. "Ahhh.....little country air, country rest, country peace, country killin', and
a country barbecue. Yea Baby!!" As he continued up the dirt road up, the trees on the side of the road
were beginning to overhang it, blocking out most of the sunlight. Charles flipped on his lights. The air
was warm from the sun heating it all day, but a cool breeze had picked up. There was no other noise
than Charles's tires crunching, enginge running, and the blaring radio. "Yea-yea-ya, Yea-ye---What The
@#&$ !! What the #$%% was that???" A dark shape had zoomed accross the road and into the trees.
Charles inched past the point where the thing had crossed. He peered into the trees. Nothing. He looked
to the placed where the thing had come from. It was a dark hole in the thicket. Nothing else moved.
"Hmmph. I'll blast it tomarrow." He continued. A little later, as he was driving along, he saw a pair of
eyes in the middle of the road. A raccoon. "Hey baby, what yo lookin' at?" An evil grin crossed his face.
He pressed the peddle down hard. The raccoon shot toward the forest. Charles blood-thirstily lunged
at it. Pop-Crunch. "hee-hee-he. You can run, but yo can't hide." The shadows of the forest were piering
at him judgingly. The sun had just about set. He dove on...

...a little while later he reached the cabin. Actually, it was too cabins. And a pool. "Ahhh, time for a little
R&R." He stopped his truck, and stepped out. The 1st cabin was big, and was the farthest thing down the
hill. Behind it was a patio, behind that a straight walkway connecting the area, and behind that was the a
natural pool. The front of the 1st cabin had a makeshift balcony to look out onto the forrest. At the end of
the walkway was the 2nd cabin. Smaller than the first, it was up on a hill and out of the clearing the other
two were in. It was well built, and had a certain hunters look to it. Charles grabbed his belongings, and then
proceeded to walk up the hill to his cabin. The pool was moving slightly in the breeze. The sun had gone
down, and the full moon was watching over the earth. The cabin windows were dark, and the surrounding
forrest, combined with the moonlight, threw strange shadows everywhere. Charles trotted up the walkway.
Crickets were singing the night to sleep. The cool breeze soothed Charles's skin. He reached the door to his
cabin, and proceed to unlock it. The door swung open.

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