08 Aug Bloodbath at the Company Retreat

At the time of writing, I’m on the run, wanted on suspicion of twelve counts of first-degree murder. The fact that it would have been physically impossible for me to commit said murders has been conventionally overlooked by the authorities.

The victims were literally eviscerated, decapitated, mutilated, and in several cases, burned away to ashes. How could I, a mild-mannered accounts man with no previous criminal history, have committed such a horrific massacre? Simply put, I’m a patsy, a scapegoat blamed because I was the only survivor, and the feds don’t want the public to know the truth.

And, yes, you’ve heard this story before, that of an accused man who claims he’s been caught up in a much broader conspiracy. You may think it’s all B.S., but hear my story first and then make up your mind.

It all started innocently enough, with me attending an event common in the corporate world: a weekend workplace retreat. I won’t say I was looking forward to the weekend, given that I’d have to engage in tedious team-building activities while under the watchful eye of Mr. Green, our overbearing and workaholic regional manager.

That said, the location was a good choice, a picturesque lakeside cabin way out in the sticks. I thought I could at least enjoy the fresh air, pine trees, and crystal-clear waters between the tedious lectures on our corporate objectives and annual accounts.

The setting of an isolated cabin in the woods may be a horror trope, but I had little time for such dark fantasies and no fear of marauding serial killers or bloodthirsty beasts. And, although it’s true, I’m lacking in imagination, I don’t think anyone could have predicted the bloodbath we were walking into.

We set off at lunchtime on Friday afternoon, all piling into a hired minibus as we made the lengthy drive out of the city. As my earlier admission implies, there were thirteen of us. Thirteen made the trip, and only I survived. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

As for the victims, there was the bus driver, whose name I never learned. The other eleven were my colleagues in the company. First was Mr. Green, the boss. What can I say about the guy? A ball-buster and stickler for the rules, old man Green wasn’t particularly well-liked in the office as far as I could tell, and the prospect of spending the weekend under his close supervision wasn’t a popular one, but unfortunately, attendance was mandatory.

Then there were my teammates in the accounts department: Karen, a family woman and mother of two; Keith, a middle-aged bachelor with an unusual personality; and Sheila, a quiet young woman who usually kept to herself.

Behind me on the bus was Toby, our HR manager, who would no doubt be keeping a close eye on our conduct over the weekend.

The sales team sat at the rear of the coach, sharing jokes and laughing throughout the journey. Their names were Jim, Dawn, Todd, Gareth, and Becca. And finally, there was Trudy, our recently appointed quality control officer.

I wish I could tell you more about my late colleagues, but I’d worked at the company for less than a year and tended to keep my head down, not socializing with the other staff outside of working hours.

At the beginning of that weekend, I could hardly match names to faces, but now those faces are burned into my memory forever. Because every time I switch on a TV, I see a montage of their photographs—the victims of the lakeside massacre. And my picture is always beside them–the sole survivor and prime suspect for the murders.

The news reports are bad enough, and being on the run produces a large amount of paranoia, especially since I’m on the FBI’s most wanted list. But worst of all were the nightmares, the horrid images in my head of the blood and gore, of the terror in my colleagues’ eyes the moment before they died. I wasn’t able to save them from that monster, but at least I can tell their story.

Friday night went without incident. No monsters emerged from behind the dark treeline or from under the lake’s calm surface. After the expected brow-beating from Mr. Green was over, we actually had a decent night, especially after we found the liquor cabinet.

I went easy on the drinks myself, not wanting to screw up and risk losing my job. The boss and Toby were still watching after all. But once management had retired for the night, I knew that several of my colleagues, led by Jim from sales, took a bottle of tequila out to the lakeside jetty for an after-hours party.

I didn’t join them in this little shindig but was surprised when my accounts team members did, including the usually shy Sheila, who became much more sociable after a few drinks. I don’t know what exactly happened, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were one or more workplace hookups that night. I like to think those poor people enjoyed some happiness before it all went to hell.

The sun rose the next morning, and not one of us was slaughtered in our beds, although a few seemed worse for wear after their late-night exertions. Nevertheless, all my colleagues made it down for breakfast and coffee, which we consumed while being harangued by an annoyingly enthusiastic Mr. Green.

As soon as our breakfast was finished, the entire group was ordered out of the comfortable cabin so we could participate in the day’s first ‘team building’ activity. Mr. Green and Toby fetched the equipment from the coach, and there were barely suppressed groans from my colleagues as we realized what we were doing.

“Paintball,” Mr. Green announced as Toby handed out the goggles, overalls, and marker guns. “A great team building exercise, but also a sport which encourages aggression, determination, and the competitive spirit. All essential skills in the business world.”

I don’t think any of us were enthused at the prospect of running around the woods shooting at each other, but Mr. Green made it clear that this activity was compulsory. So, we all made for the boathouse to change into our gear, but not before Mr. Green dropped another bombshell.

“Oh, and before I forget, please hand over your cell phones and devices to Toby.”

“Seriously?” Jim exclaimed in annoyance.

Others also voiced their objections, forcing Mr. Green to offer a justification.

“Come on, guys! We’re out here in the beautiful countryside. The sun is shining, and we’ve got a day of fun and constructive activities ahead. I don’t want people looking at their phones all morning.”

Once again, none of us were happy, but we did comply, reluctantly handing over our devices to Toby. To be fair to the HR manager, he looked suitably guilty as he walked around the group and collected our phones in his duffel bag, muttering apologies as he did so.

With that task completed, we made our way to the lake house, grumbling and joking as we did so.

Ten minutes later, the entire party was kitted out and standing in the grass clearing between the lake and the forest’s edge. The sun was indeed shining, and the weather was good, and I began to think that we might enjoy the day’s activities, assuming Mr. Green didn’t suck all the fun out of it.

With our goggles on and markers at the ready, we stood on the grass, waiting for the boss to communicate our instructions.

“Now, people,” Green proclaimed while standing in the center of our circle, “the game is Capture the Flag. I’ve assigned you all to teams, and…”

He never got the chance to finish that sentence, as suddenly our eardrums were assaulted by a thunderous sound similar to a sonic boom. I jumped in shock, covering my ears in a futile attempt to drown out the tremendous noise.

All my colleagues did the same, and mercifully, the din ended as soon as it had begun.

“What the hell was that?!” somebody yelled.

There was no time for an answer as we all turned around to face the treeline, only to be hit by a blast of hot air which almost knocked us off our collective feet.

What happened next defied any logical explanation, as we all stood frozen in awestruck horror, watching as reality was reconstituted before our eyes, and a swirling red vortex popped into existence between the trees and the lake’s shore, only yards from where we stood.

My terrified brain could not comprehend what was happening, but my eyes were fixed on that spinning whirlpool as something stepped out of the void and into our world.

The beast was the first to cross over. It was the size of a large wolf, its fur all black, and its eyes burning a dark red. The hound’s mouth was open, revealing a row of sharp fangs.

My jaw dropped as I watched the beast move carefully across the dead ground, its hungry and predatory eyes shifting from side to side before it growled menacingly. And a second later, it was charging forward on all fours, attacking with murderous intent.

Todd, one of the sales reps, was first to go, as he stood directly in the beast’s path. He cried out and tried to run, but the hound leaped on top of him, pinning its victim to the ground before biting deep into his throat.

Todd continued to squirm as his blood spilled over the grass, but clearly, it was already too late for the poor man. Pandemonium broke out in that moment, as our group descended into blind panic, with screams and obscenities filling the air.

I couldn’t watch the bloody scene play out, and so I looked back towards the crimson vortex, just in time to see the second monster emerge and step out onto the grass. This figure was humanoid but certainly not of this world. He–or it–must have been eight feet tall, with long dangling arms and legs which seemed out of proportion to his body.

I noted that he was clad in a protective black suit or body armor, which covered most of his body, and he wore a respirator over his mouth. The creature’s head was the size of a watermelon, his face a deadly pale, and his eyes jet black.

And, as if his physical appearance wasn’t terrifying enough, I saw the monstrous entity carried several lethal weapons, including a blade attached to his utility belt and a silver rifle-like firearm which he carried in his huge hands.

The creature grunted as he surveyed the scene before him. Somehow, he emitted a high-pitched whistling sound through his respirator mask, and the bloodthirsty hound instantly responded, abandoning Todd’s corpse and running to its master’s side.

But the nightmare was far from over. In an instant, the monstrous hunter raised his firearm, quickly aiming at the nearest available target before pulling the trigger. What shot out of the gun’s barrel wasn’t so much a bullet or projectile, but rather a red beam of energy that hit Toby, our HR manager, head-on.

And we could only watch in impotent terror as Toby’s body exploded into a red cloud of viscera, ending his life in a split second. It was only later that I realized Toby was carrying our cell phones, all being blown to smithereens.

But this was the least of my concerns in that moment, as my survival instinct kicked in and I fled for my life.

I ran for the water, as did several others. I can’t remember who was by my side during that chaotic retreat, but the bloodcurdling screams filled my ears. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed a third figure crossing over before the portal closed and disappeared. He looked something like a human and was much smaller and less threatening than the previous figure.

But by now the hunter and his hound were in full bloodlust mode, slaughtering my colleagues in rapid succession, their throats ripped out by the hound or their bodies blown apart by the hunter’s gun.

Jim was ahead of me, and he made it to the lake, only to be hit by a well-aimed beam of energy, his body reduced to bloody viscera in a split second.

I gave up on my initial escape plan, zigzagging and sprinting back towards the cabin. I remembered the bus which had brought us down here and reckoned this was my only chance. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one who had this idea, as several survivors joined me in the mad dash.

Looking back fearfully, I couldn’t see the hound but noted how the hunter had temporarily dispensed with his rifle, instead using a short sword to decapitate his victims. This gave us time as we ran frantically towards the parked bus.

The driver hadn’t been present to witness the monsters crossing through the otherworldly portal. He emerged from inside the cabin, no doubt alerted by the explosions and screams. His eyes widened in terror once he saw the bloodbath in the clearing, and I guess something inside the guy just broke.

We screamed for the driver to help us, but instead, he ran for the bus, jumping inside and starting the engine. A chaotic scene unfolded as we banged on the vehicle’s windows and pleaded for him to stop. But the driver ignored us all as he sped onwards.

He might have made it, as the bus reached the road leading through the forest. But suddenly there was a mighty boom from behind us, as a powerful beam of energy was fired, hitting the speeding vehicle head-on.

I guess the shot must have penetrated the fuel tank, because the bus exploded into a horrendous fireball, eliminating our only means of escape and burning the driver alive.

I remember just standing there on the roadside, watching the bus burn in paralyzed horror and realizing I had nowhere left to run.

Next, I heard the pounding of the hunter’s huge boots. Slowly, I turned around to see the monster towering over me, his black suit now drenched in blood, and his dark oval-shaped eyes focused upon me. I didn’t run, fight, or beg. I knew there was no point. This creature, whatever it was, had no capacity for mercy.

I dropped to my knees and closed my eyes, expecting my body to be ripped to shreds in a moment. But instead, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my head as a result of a hard blow, and then I was falling, losing consciousness as the darkness took me.

I awoke some time later, groggy and with my head throbbing in pain. With some difficulty, I opened my eyes and surveyed my surroundings. Frankly, I was astonished to still be alive, but I soon discovered that my situation hadn’t improved.

They’d brought us inside and thrown us down on the hardwood floor. I say we because there were three of us sprawled out: myself, Mr. Green, and my colleague Sheila. It seemed we were all that was left of the original party, although it wasn’t clear why the monstrous hunter had spared us.

My two fellow prisoners were both conscious, seemingly in a state of shock but with no visible injuries. Mr. Green and Sheila were both looking fearfully to the other side of the room, and I wearily followed their eyes to the far corner.

Standing there was the strange figure I’d seen briefly during the assault, the third entity to cross through the portal. He wasn’t the same as the alien-like hunter; instead, he appeared quite human. The man was middle-aged with grey hair and tanned skin. He wore a dark body suit similar to the giant hunter’s, but lacked the respirator.

His hazel eyes were surely those of a human being, but they were bloodshot, and he looked thoroughly exhausted. The man didn’t appear to be much of a physical threat, but I noted how he held what looked like a handgun, which was aimed towards us.

His hand was steady, and he smiled thinly before opening his mouth to speak. “Ah, you’re finally awake. This is good.”

The strange man spoke word-perfect English, although I couldn’t place his accent. I still felt woozy and was unable to find the words to respond, but Mr. Green blurted out an angry demand.

“Well, maybe you can finally tell us what the hell is going on!”

Our captor’s smile faltered as he nodded his head and replied.

“Yes, I suppose you people do deserve an explanation. And, for what it’s worth, I am sorry about your companions.”

“Those people were my employees!” Green shot back angrily. “They had friends and families. And that thing you’re with slaughtered them like dogs!”

Our captor’s tone hardened, his eyes narrowing as he answered.

“The ‘thing’ you are referring to is an entity that possesses intelligence, power, and technology you cannot begin to imagine. He is my master, and your superior. To him, you are nothing but playthings for his amusement. My master is a hunter, you see. He comes here to our dimension to hunt…to hunt you people.”

Mr. Green was left speechless by this chilling revelation, as was I. My head spun as I struggled to regain my composure. But it was Sheila who spoke next.

“But you’re a human being!” she exclaimed, as a statement rather than as a question.

Our captor lowered his head, apparently in shame.

“I am,” he answered solemnly.

Finally, I found my voice, asking a question of my own.

“Who are you?”

Our captor sighed loudly before replying.

“The name I used to go by is now irrelevant. Suffice it to say, I was once like you. I was born into this world and lived a normal life until the day a portal opened before me, and I was taken. My master brought me back to his dimension. He’s shown me things beyond human comprehension, wondrous things. Wondrous, but also horrifying. He also made me his servant, and I submitted to save my own skin.”

He sighed again before continuing his sorry tale.

“I have my uses. These cross-dimensional hunts on Earth are a regular excursion for my master. I accompany him to assist with matters such as these, but I’m afraid we’re out of time.”

“What does that mean?” Green blurted out in a panicked tone, “What do you intend to do to us?”

“I won’t do anything to you,” our captor answered solemnly. “I’m just the messenger. And here’s the message.”

He made his way to the cabin door, opening it while still covering us with the gun. We saw the sunshine enter, but the outside was anything but inviting, given what we knew was out there.

“My master wasn’t overly pleased with this morning’s activities,” our captor said coolly. “Plenty of blood and carnage, but not much sport. That’s why he kept the three of you alive.”

He motioned the gun towards the open doorway.

“Go now, and you’ll have a head start. If I’m honest, your chances are slim. But you still have a chance if you run. Whereas, if you stay here, all three of you will certainly perish.”

Mr. Green, Sheila, and I shared a look of terror at that moment. Not a word was spoken, but we made a collective decision, dragging ourselves up from the floor, running past the armed man, and exiting through the cabin door.

The sun shone down on us as we sprinted towards the treeline. Green shouted something about getting to the main road and flagging down a car, but we didn’t have a real plan. We simply wanted to get as far away from that hellish place as we could.

My nostrils were filled with the foul stench of the massacre. Turning my head, I was horrified to witness the gory remains of my late work colleagues, the grass stained with their blood, guts, and headless corpses. I couldn’t see the alien hunter or his killer hound, but somehow I knew they were watching us, allowing us a short head start before rejoining the hunt.

Soon we were running through the forest, heading vaguely in the direction of the road. But Mr. Green started to fall behind. He was an older man in poor shape and couldn’t keep up the pace.

Sheila and I stopped and turned around, seeing an exhausted Mr. Green out of breath and drenched with sweat. He looked up at us and shook his head vigorously before spluttering out his words.

“I’m not going to make it. You two must go on without me.”

“We won’t leave you behind!” Sheila replied firmly.

I looked into the woman’s desperate eyes and then back at the panting Mr. Green. I admired Sheila’s stance, and our boss had shown that he genuinely cared about his employees. Nevertheless, he was slowing us down, and I didn’t think we had any choice except to leave him behind.

I was trying to work up the courage to say so, but this proved unnecessary. We saw the beast too late, not having time to react as it leaped out from behind the trees, growling in hungry anticipation before setting upon its prey.

Mr. Green was in the hound’s sights, and he never stood a chance. The beast easily knocked Mr. Green down before using its sharp claws to slice open his belly and feast upon his innards. And poor Mr. Green was still conscious, screaming in agony as he was eaten alive.

“Oh my God!” exclaimed a horrified Sheila.

I took control in that moment, grabbing Sheila’s hand and screaming in her ear.

“Come on! We’ve got to go!”

Soon we were running, still hearing Green’s agonizing screams as we went.

The hound was occupied with its victim, but its master wasn’t far behind. We both heard the ominous boom as a deadly beam was fired in our direction. The shot was high and wide, but perhaps that was the intention. The tree to our right was hit; the powerful beam cut through the trunk and brought it crashing down.

I managed to avoid the falling tree trunk by the skin of my teeth, but Sheila wasn’t so lucky. The fallen tree came down on top of the woman, crushing her small body underneath its immense weight.

I looked down at Sheila, seeing her broken form trapped underneath. She was still alive, her eyes filled with pain and fear, but the damage to her body was too severe, and I knew she had no chance of survival.

I’m not proud of it, but I left her there to die and kept on running. I realized I didn’t stand a chance of outrunning the hunter and his hound, and so I decided to hide in the foliage, hoping they wouldn’t be able to pick up my scent.

So I lay in the bushes, shaking in fear and struggling to control my breathing as I watched the monstrous hunter stomp through the forest, his black eyes focused as he searched for me. But suddenly I heard a droning sound from above the treetops.

I cautiously glanced upwards and saw a helicopter flying low over the forest, its rotor blades growing ever louder. The hunter saw the chopper too, grunting in frustration as he glanced up into the sky.

For a moment, I feared he would shoot the helicopter down, but instead, the cross-dimensional being used his huge fingers to type into an electronic device attached to the sleeve of his suit.

A moment passed, and then a familiar booming sound was followed by a wave of heat. And, in an instant, a new portal of crimson burst into existence in the clearing.

The hunter let out a high-pitched whistle, and the black hound came running to its master’s side, its maw still dripping with Mr. Green’s blood. The portal remained open, and a few minutes later, the hunter’s human servant ran into the clearing to join his murderous companions.

The huge hunter surveyed the area one last time before growling in annoyance and stomping into the portal, disappearing inside and returning to his dimension.

The hound bounded in after his master a second later, leaving the human servant as the last to cross over. He stood there for a moment, and I swore he saw me hiding in the bushes, making eye contact and nodding his head in an apparent sign of respect. Then he crossed over, and the portal closed behind him.

I was the sole survivor of the lakeside massacre, and the obvious thing would have been to go to the authorities with my story. But my instincts told me this was a bad idea. So instead I went underground, and this turned out to be the correct decision because within hours the police declared me the prime suspect in the murders.

The authorities surely know the truth. I couldn’t possibly have committed this heinous massacre, and the helicopter pilot must have seen the portal from above. The alien hunter’s murderous attack upon my work colleagues doesn’t seem to be an isolated incident, and so it seems I’m the victim of a cover-up.

I’ve avoided the cops thus far, but I don’t think I’ll last much longer. They claim I’m armed and dangerous, and so I suspect I’ll be shot while “resisting arrest.”

But my story is out there, and now you know the truth. I’m no killer. I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time…

And there are true monsters that threaten our world.