[Fangs and Coils] Once Upon a Cold Samhain's Night

   It was a strangely cold and chilly autumn night of the 31st of October, up in Colorado, Estes Park, where blissful town folks were preparing for their celebratory pumpkin carving contents, bobbing for apples, costume parties, and trick or treating. The moon was an eerie silvery sickle in the sky, signaling the end of the moon’s lovely, cratered, spectral face. The stars twinkled nervously in the skies, as wispy clouds floated lazily on by. Everyone’s spirits were high that evening as they enjoyed each other’s warmth, security, and love.

   Further up in the mountains of Estes Park, near where the bears would hibernate, and the lions would occasionally haunt, a lone, shadowy figure slithered around the tree’s feet in search of food. This voracious creature knew there would be stupid teenagers running around this late night, tempting fate with their various schemes and childish pranks. This voracious creature also knew of one of the more prominent teenage hauntings, where they would camp out for the night to scare each other with what they call “Creepy-pasta’s” and other gruesome slasher tales. A grin stretched across ivory skin as crimson snake like eyes peered out over a small and cozy scene of four teenagers--two guys and two girls--laughing hysterically, as if they heard the funniest joke in the world.

   Slowly, the creature slithered around the camp, cleverly entrapping it within its coils as it hid behind the big four-person tent, licking its lips with a blackish red forked tongue.

A snap was heard in the nearby underbrush.

   “Yo! What the hell was that?!” One of the guys questioned, standing up quickly as he looked toward where he heard the snapping noise.

   “Could have just been those damned squirrels from before. Remember, Dave? The little furry bastards you threw pebbles at to chase them off?” One of the girls suggested.

   “I doubt it, Emily. We ran those squirrels away real good,” Dave commented with a sneer, his voice laced with a cocky Texas accent.

   “Oh, come on, you fraidy cats!” the other girl quipped. “There’s nothing to be ‘fraid about. See? I’ll even show you,” she chipped in as she twirled away gracefully, sauntering over to where she also heard the snapping noise. She peeked into the bushes, but saw nothing really past the darkness of the brambles--until she both noticed the shiny glint in between the branches, and the rustling of the surrounding leaves, that is.
   In curiosity, she reached into the bush to better examine the mysterious matter that somewhat bristled against the branches. Tension rose within the campsite as the young lady even dared to peek into the bush while the other teenagers hovered nearby.

   "... What is it, Tricia?" The petite girl softly asked right behind her, breaking both the tension and the heavy silence.

   Startled, Tricia turned her head to stare at the petite girl in exasperation: "Oh, I don't know, Emily! How about you go find out yourself, you--"

   A strange scaly object brushed up against the irritated woman's fingers. A good yank on her wrist made good show to catch her attention.

   "No! No, no, no!!" She squeaked as she tried to wrest her hand from the rustling leaves.

    The panicking woman could not wiggle free from the bush. It was as if someone had a strong grip on her hand! Harder and harder she struggled to get her hand free, but whatever was in the bush had other plans for her, and even began to very slowly pull her in.

    “AHH! SHIIT!! HELP ME, PLEASE?!!” She screeched as she tried yanking on her own arm to get it free from the bush. The grip on her hand only grew stronger, squishing flesh and vein and fracturing bone.

YOINK!

   The brown haired woman disappeared into the rustling bush and fluttering leaves.

   “Holy… Holy crap, Dave. Dave, did you… Did you see that?” The boy whimpered as he stood there dumb my, shaking just like a leaf in the wind.

   “We need to get the hell out of here, Isaac!” Dave, the stockier, boy yelled as he turned to run in the opposite direction--only to be snatched from above and silenced promptly. The slender brunette that was dragged into the bushes screamed again! Then, dear golden silence crept in after all had settled down.

   “Oh my god…” Isaac covered his mouth as he began to backtrack to the main tent.

   The petite lass whined loudly, turning away to dive into the tent. Isaac stood stock still, his heart pounding wildly against his ribs as he could hear the creature slithering in from behind him.

    “The only reason why I am not snapping your neck, boy, is because I need you to tell me where that deliciousss little morsel went,” a deep baritone, english accented voice growled.

    What the hell …? Is that … That sounded human, but I know by gut instinct that that isn’t…

    The boy’s panic was interrupted by a sharp pain stabbing the nerves in his arms as the creature behind him grabbed his wrist and twisted the limb upwards toward the mid of his back.

     “... Nnng--IN THE TENT!” He yelped, struggling against the monster’s grip.

     That worthless bastard sold me out! The petite girl angrily thought as she hid in the corner of the main tent, involuntarily shivering under her blankets.

“Good. Perhaps if you’re lucky enough, the other humans will find your body midst the remains of this campsite,” he purred before viciously shoving Isaac down against the ground, leaving his quivering form there.

     Then the black scaled, ivory skinned snake-man licked his lips before he slowly, but carefully, slithered into the tent, effectively trapping his prey before diving in for the meal.

     The girl’s scream sliced through the heavy silence of the forest...