Shadows in the Woods. When fear becomes reality. Alexander Skopintsev

hadows in the Woods

      When fear becomes reality

      Alexander Skopintsev

      Cover designer Alexander Skopintsev

      © Alexander Skopintsev, 2024

      © Alexander Skopintsev, cover design, 2024

      ISBN 978-5-0064-2103-5

      Created with Ridero smart publishing system

      Annotation

      Something terrible lurks in the Canadian forests. Two years ago the hero’s brother disappeared in the forests of Canada, and the authorities failed to solve the case. Now the hunter goes to the same forests to find and destroy the killer. But the forest is full of secrets and dangers, and the man will soon realize that his brother was killed not just by a beast or a robber, but by a clever and cunning opponent. In this deadly battle every step can be the last, and the hero must use all his strength to survive and take revenge.

      Chapter 1: The Secrets of St. Helena

      A black SUV was moving leisurely along the winding road winding among the majestic pines and fuzzy firs of the St. Helena Canadian Forest. The summer sun, breaking through the dense foliage, created a bizarre play of light and shadow on the hood of the car. The air was full of the scent of pine needles and wild flowers, and the silence was broken only by the soft rustling of tires on gravel.

      After a kilometer the jeep stopped in a small clearing surrounded by mighty maples. The engine stopped, and two men got out of the car.

      – My God, Jake, look at this beauty! – The first, a tall, blond man of about thirty-five, breathed in the fresh forest air.

      – Yes, Mark, it’s really beautiful here,» replied his companion, a stocky brunette in his early forties. – But who knows what secrets these forests hide?

      Mark looked at his friend curiously:

      – What are you talking about, buddy?

      – Same old thing,» Jake grinned. – Let’s make camp while it’s still light.

      The men set to work. Mark started unpacking his backpack, pulling out the tent and sleeping bags, while Jake gathered kindling for the fire. Suddenly, as Mark bent over the bag, Jake crept up behind him and, with a loud growl, pounced on his friend.

      – Aah!» Mark shrieked, jumping up in surprise. His heart was racing, and his eyes widened with fright.

      Jake laughed, and a second later Mark joined in, realizing it was only a joke.

      – What are you so scared of? – Jake asked through his laughter. – Don’t worry, he hasn’t been seen in this part of the forest.

      Mark frowned:

      – What are you talking about?

      Jake smiled enigmatically and pulled a map out of his pocket without answering. Spreading it out on the hood of the jeep, he began to run his finger over the paper:

      – Look, we’re here now. This is where our camp is. And this is the trail that leads to the Indian territories. We need to go a few kilometers this way and then turn to the river.

      – Wait, Jake,» Mark interrupted him. – Is this even safe?

      Jake raised an eyebrow in surprise:

      – Did you really want safe? Then you should have stayed home instead of looking for him here. We have guns, we can defend ourselves. And he’ll never come here. We’ll go into his forests and his territory when we want to. And we’ll come out when we want.

      Mark nodded thoughtfully, wondering what his friend was talking about, but decided not to ask further.

      Evening was descending on the forest, and the friends, having finished setting up camp, were sitting by the fire, exchanging funny stories from life.

      – Remember last year at Thanksgiving when my mother-in-law almost burned down the house? – Mark said with a laugh. – She was so engrossed in watching a TV show that she forgot about the turkey in the oven. By the time we smelled the burning, it was too late. The turkey had turned to charcoal, and the whole kitchen was filled with smoke. It took us a week to clean the soot off the walls! I could eat a turkey right now.

      Jake laughed, slapping his knee:

      – Yeah, that’s nothing compared to my story. Last week I came into the office wearing different shoes. Can you believe it? One black, one brown. And no one said anything to me until lunchtime! And when they did, everyone laughed so hard that my boss came out of his office to see what was wrong. When he saw my shoes, he laughed so hard he almost choked on his coffee!

      The morning greeted the travelers with gentle birdsong and soft rays of sunshine breaking through the dense foliage. Inspired by the surrounding beauty, Mark and Jake decided to have a quick photo shoot before heading out on their journey.

      Mark eagerly picked up the gun and assumed a heroic pose, squinting one eye and gazing into the forest. Jake clicked the shutter several times, changing the angle.

      – Now it’s your turn,» Mark said, taking the camera from his friend.

      Jake picked up a large hunting knife with a leather strap on the handle, and made as if he were cutting through a thick thicket. The glare of the morning sun played on the blade, giving the pictures a special atmosphere.

      Having finished with the photo shoot, the friends packed up the camp and set off. The forest greeted them with a symphony of sounds: rustling leaves, woodpecker chirping, babbling brook. Mark stopped every now and then to capture animal tracks or intricate patterns in the bark of trees.

      – Look, Jake,» Mark exclaimed, pointing to a huge boulder covered with moss. – It looked like it had been there since the beginning of time.

      Jake nodded, running his hand over the rough surface of the rock:

      – This forest holds many secrets. Who knows what we might find here.

      – I hope we do.

      They passed several signs that said «No Trespassing,» but Jake steadily led the way, checking the map.

      – Are you sure we should keep going? – Mark asked hesitantly, looking at the warning.

      – Don’t worry,» Jake answered. – The Indians said that a dweller never goes beyond his territory. The signs were just a precaution.

      The day passed quickly. They paused several times to eat and rest. By evening they came to a picturesque clearing by a small lake and decided to camp.

      – Why did we decide to look for him? – Mark asked as he helped Jake set up the tent.

      Jake stood still for a moment, then answered:

      – You know how many years there have been rumors about him. If we can get footage of him, it’ll be a sensation.

      When they finished with the tent, they built a fire and settled down on the lake shore. Mark took out his fishing rod and cast the line into the water, shining the flashlight on himself.

      – Hey, Jake,» he called out. – Did you have a contest to see who could throw a rock the farthest?

      Jake grinned and picked up a flat pebble:

      – You think I’m out of shape?

      He swung the stone over the water. It bounced on the surface five times before sinking to the bottom.

      – Not bad for an old man,» Mark chided him.

      – Hey, I’m only five years older!

      The friends continued throwing rocks, competing in marksmanship and distance. Then they took out the beer they had brought with them and sat down by the fire.

      – You know,“ Mark said thoughtfully, looking at the starry sky, „sometimes I think that the whole world is just a reflection in the eyes of a dreamer…

      – Wow, you’re a poet,» Jake laughed. – The beauty of this