There's Something Strange Going on in Akaterville

I swear I’m not crazy…. I’m not crazy! Good, got that out of the way. Willing to bet some of you think I got a screw loose. But my time’s almost up. So I have to warn you guys… before you all share the same fate.
…My name is Miles Cortica, police officer of Akaterville, Michigan. That’s a small out-of-the-way town for those of you who’ve never heard of it. It's nothing much -- just a TV station, a few dozen houses, and a town center. It’s all surrounded by the beautiful, blue Lake Superior except for one tunnel leading to the mainland. However, looks can be deceiving…
***
…Now, while everyone knew each other, contributing in their own way to society but with nothing much to do in the quiet town, that all changed when missing reports came in: three teenagers aged 16, 14, and 17. Considering that they didn’t come from the same family, this wasn’t just some runaway case. But there was no evidence of a break-in either, so we were led to believe they did run away. The search parties were called off after a week, and the victims were presumed dead. At least, I personally believed they were dead. Besides, that was all in the past. 
I was driving on my morning patrol, the dew just starting to dry off the leaves in the morning sun, when I came across one of my fellow officers, Officer Micah.
“Hey, Cort! How are you on this fine day?” he hollered from the sidewalk.
“Tired,” I said as I got out of the car, being sure to park it on the side of the road. “Excruciatingly tired.”
Micah grinned. “Well, you better perk up! You promised you’d take my shift tonight!”
Right. Shit. I completely forgot that I cover for my friend literally all the time.
“Right, I’ll be there.” I said reluctantly.
The orange sun was setting behind the lake. I buckled up and drove to Starbucks to prepare myself for the longest night ever. Micah’s shift was at the bank. He’d stake out the front and watch for black-clad bandits and the like. As I was sitting in front of the bank, my car parked just a few meters in front of me. I deemed this the perfect moment to sit on a bench. However, my caffeinated stupor soon gave way to the deep, dark, comforting embrace of sleep.
…I woke up with a startle. Where was I? What time was it?
The back of my neck felt funny -- like a prickly sensation. A small table and door was all that remained in the dimly lit room. How did I get here? Where’s my baton and taser? I patted around and all over my body, trying to feel for anywhere I might have put them, but quickly gave up. With nowhere else to go, I walked slowly up to the door, opened it, and entered into the next space. What I saw was... interesting, to say the least. I was inside my house.
As I looked around, I heard my wife, Isabelle.
“Come downstairs and get breakfast, honey!”
I turned to look back at the door and found that the door was now locked behind me. Having no choice but to move forward, I slowly treaded down the stairs, feeling like something was amiss. When I strolled into the kitchen, my wife was nowhere in sight. Weird. The oven was still running and the bacon was easy at the moment.
Where could she have gone in such little time? I thought to myself that she probably just went to the bathroom. There was that weird prickly feeling on the back of my neck again. Seriously, what is that?
I walked outside, hoping that what I needed was fresh air, and that’s when things got strange. There was no one in sight. As I checked every house, no one was around.
“They must be in a meeting,” I said to myself.
Something seemed off when I walked up to my car. I still didn’t know where my wife was -- was she okay? Shit, what if she’s in trouble?. I ran back inside to find no sight of Isabelle anywhere. 
“Isabelle? Are you there?” I shouted.
No response.
As I walked further into the hallway, however, I heard sobbing coming from the bathroom. I quickly rushed to the door and hollered.
“Isabelle, is everything okay?”
Her response was a simple two words.
“Run...away…”
A howl of pain came from inside the room, a scream with a pitch that even my wife could not make. I heard a squishing sound, and out came the most stomach-wrenching, putrid, terrible smell I had ever come across.
I kicked down the door and immediately regretted it. Inside of the room was a...well...how can I even put this...amalgamation of Isabelle. She looked to be in serious pain, and I saw a weird blob stuck on the back of her neck. Her limbs were twisting in ways I’d never believed to be possible, and I could’ve sworn the smile she, er, IT, had given me was just a little too wide for a human. Her clothes were torn. Extra limbs were growing out of her body in places that shouldn’t have been possible. It looked at me and let out an ear-piercing shriek that rang throughout the entire house.
That snapped me out of my fear. I began sprinting away, not even looking back. It didn’t take long for the thing to give chase, however; I heard the sound of many feet thumping the ground at a fast pace. I skidded around the corner of the hallway and burst out of the door with the grace of a swan with vertigo. After picking myself up, I saw the creature standing at the edge of the doorway staring at me, unmoving, unblinking, ever-smiling.
I took a deep breath, slowly backing away…my God, crap, shit… please don’t come at me. Every second took a lifetime, one step backward at a time. It just kept looking… at me. With that twisted smile….
…Finally, I got away from its line of sight! I got up from the ground and rushed over to the town hall, hoping to find some help, someone, anyone!
When I arrived, I saw everyone there. They were chatting, and then it hit me: it was the annual town brunch that day! As I ran in, though, my heart nearly dropped… I noticed the weird blob thing on the back of all of their necks. One by one, the blob things started to squirm and squelch, while each person didn’t even bat an eye to them. Then, they dropped what they were holding, letting out horrifying shrieks as they each transformed into that...that same thing -- just like Isabelle! One of them looked at me with that way-too-wide smile and then lunged at me! No! No! Stop! No! I felt it tear out my insides as it took one chomp after another -- and another -- and another! Please! My intestines fell out and then got swallowed like it was just one giant noodle of spaghetti for the beast.
Then… it aimed for my face!
A jolt woke me up. I almost forgot to breathe.
I was on the bench in front of the museum, and it was still dark. I checked my watch: 4:50 AM. What the hell was that? Was I asleep that long? Sighing, I got up and opened the door to my car.
“What a really wacky dream that was…” I said. 
***
The next morning, Isabelle -- thank God, she was alive -- allowed me to sleep in, and when I woke up there was breakfast waiting on the bed. After a hearty meal of waffles and eggs, I walked down the stairs and saw her sitting at the counter eating breakfast like normal.
After that weird nightmare, though… nothing felt normal. I couldn’t help it: I kept staring at the back of her neck. And I knew it… I wasn’t crazy…
There was a small little blob attached to it.
Now that it wasn’t as dark, I managed to get an amazing glimpse of it. It was veiny and flesh-like in color and composure, but it throbbed and oozed a weird, tan liquid. Of course, being the sensible person I am, I dashed up to my room, and barricaded the door…
***
So this leads us to where I am now, writing this. I don’t know when they’re going to break through. I hear them slamming the door right now, my bed moving every time they try to enter. My heart is pounding. The back of my neck? Throbbing. Don’t know how much longer I can hold on. But I can make sure… to warn everyone else. Not going to die in vain. Not going to die in vain.
The blobs on the back of their necks are bad! Wait, why am I saying this? No one seems to notice them anyway. I’m just going mad crazy, but that’s okay -- better to be crazy than dead, right? Right? Right! So here’s what you need to do -- stay out of Akaterville! Better yet, block off the damn exit! Hope and pray they’re not already outside the city limits! Run for your fucking life if you see any of those multi-limbed beasts!
And man…. My neck still hurts!
So these words go to all those who are still alive… and human. Whatever you do…''
Run…away…
Category:Monsters
Category:Places