A gentle chime fluttered throughout the room, echoing gently off the newspaper-scattered walls. Axel arose from his bed in shock; Micah and Jim were already up. He shut the alarm off. "You two are already up?" he asked. "Hard to sleep when your dreams are cursed. I never dream like that, yet here I am, dreaming like that," Micah replied. "Like what?" Axel asked. Micah gave him a drawing he drew earlier that morning. "Like that, Axel. That thing was haunting my dreams. I don't know what it is, but I didn't like it. Check this drawing out, this is what Jim described seeing," Micah continued saying. "Well, I hate to brush it off, but it doesn't mean anything. You aren't going to die, but at least you've seen it," Axel said as he walked over to his desk. "So you're saying we've seen the monster you have seen with your own eyes?" Jim asked. "It seems so, it must be a sign of something. One of your drawings has its blades armed, one does not. I still think it means nothing, however, so don't be afraid," Axel assured them. "Alright Micah, and Jim, let's plan this plan out," Axel said to them as he ushered them to him. "How do you know Jim and me? I never even told you my name..." Micah questioned him. "I mean, it's not that hard to figure out. You'll learn later in life how I know you two," Axel answered in a dodgy manner. "Like I said, the plan. See this map? We are here, the gate you entered from is over there - and that right there is your cabin and the lake. If you look above us, do you see this curvy line that flows down into the lake? This is the river that connects the place that we need to go to, we just have to follow it upstream. Once we go upstream, do you see this clearing in the woods? That is where the headquarters are, the place we need to get to. It's going to take several hours to finish that hike, but that is the only way we can end this mess," Axel finished explaining to the group. "This sounds easy, almost too easy," Micah said cautiously. "That's because it is. This is where the beast lurks, somewhere in these woods. As I mentioned last night, if we run into it, we're going to have to find a way to kill it. Luckily for you, I have found its weakness," Axel replied to Micah. "The blades on its back, they are armor plates. The entire body, in general, is covered in armor and there is no real way to harm it. However," Axel attempted to say before there was a bang on the door.

The banging got consecutively louder. Axel jumped to his desk and checked the security camera outside. "I hate this place. It scares me so much, nothing but a few tree branches that fell. No need to worry," Axel assured them. He opened the airlocks, grabbed his gear, and walked outside. Micah and Jim followed. Birds chirped as they continued walking upstream to the north headquarters. "You'd think that a place like this would have an easier way to it," Jim chimed in. "...and it does. Nothing we can access though, it's all underground tunnels guarded at the gate. It shouldn't be much fa... stop. Nobody move, it is here," Axel told everyone. "You mean, like, the thing from my head - that it?" Micah asked. Axel did not answer, just a subtle nod. The ground shook as the beast took its steps closer to them. "Give me the pistol," asked Axel. Micah looked through his bag and gave it to him. The beast emerged from the foggy mist, a shadowy figure slowly approaching them. The roar and the hot breath could be felt, even from that far of a distance. "The Wendigo" Axel said quietly. He did not waste any time, he pulled the pistol up and started shooting at the beasts' eyes. Even that was armored. Jim hid behind a tree and noticed a stick laying on the ground. He grabbed a rock and started sharpening it, quickly but accurately. Micah looked through his bag and took out something he wished he had never stolen; his fathers' magnum. Micah ran out from his hiding spot to assist Axel, whistling to get the attention of the creature. Micah pulled the magnum out from behind his back and pulled the trigger. A loud bang echoed through the woods and birds flew from the trees as the beast roared in agony. "Holy shit," Axel said in shock. The beast stumbled into some trees, knocking them over in the process. "One eye down, it has weakened seeing abilities now," Axel complimented Micah. Another roar came from the beast as a wooden spear flew out from the woods into the beast's head. "Get away from them!" Jim shouted from the distance. "We have to go, now, before it can latch onto us," Axel said as he grabbed his bag and bolted into the woods. Micah followed in close pursuit. "Come on Jim, let's go! Hurry!" Micah pleaded to Jim. Jim was farther behind now as he stumbled through the jagged terrain. Micah and Axel were running through the woods when they heard a sound of agony come from behind them. "Oh no, please don't be Jim. Keep going Axel, I will catch up," Micah said as he ran back towards Jim. Micah slowed for a second to pull the magnum back out of his bag. A sequence of shots echoed through the woods as Micah shot the creature running towards Jim, as Jim slowly crawled on the ground. Micah ran towards Jim, but it was too late. "Micah," Jim said - just as the beast swept in and grabbed Jim. Bursting through the forest. Micah fell to the ground, tears rolling from his face. He rolled onto his back and laid there, looking up into the clouds. Crying uncontrollable tears. "Why! WHY MUST THIS HAPPEN!" Micah said furiously as he smashed his fist into the dirt. A hand reached out and touched Micah, Micah whipped around and pointed his magnum at the person. "Woah there! It's me," Axel said to Micah as he dropped the magnum to the ground as tears continued to drip from his face. Axel grabbed Micah and hugged him, trying to comfort him however possible. "Micah, I'm sorry, I can't imagine how it feels to lose him. I don't know how long you've known each other, but I've lost friends too and it hurts. It's a stabbing pain," Axel said to try and continue comforting him. "It doesn't hurt," Micah said as he cleared his throat and wiped the tears from his eyes. "How did this creature get here?" Micah asked Axel. "They made it," he answered. "Then I'm going to kill every single one of them. For Jim," Micah pleaded as he got up from the ground.