You Have Been Warned

Markous is a well to do, purchasing land that he had plans on turning into a money making profit. He hired Pierre who was recommended as a survivalist. An independent contractor who was to show the group the land and how to relate with the surroundings....

Chapter 1 Arriving To The Destination

Chapter 1

The location was isolated, with few buildings, except for one where all of the structures had been built on the left side of the road. Many of them appeared to be cabins owned by the property owner. The majority of them were located in the further reaches of the property. Only distinguishable by the path that leads to the dwellings. Trees divided the property, including white pine, spruce and cider. The aspen, white birch, red and sugar maple trees. They were not popular in this location but still should be mentioned. They had been scattered around the whole area, lining the road on both sides.

The only building that broke the pattern was a gas station that also functioned as a convenience store and post office. This business was located near the area sign "Upper Paudash."

Remains of how the road was created could be seen from the rock formation. When this location was settled, and communities were being developed, roads were designed for convenience. So men would drill down into the bedrock blasting chunks to make way for the road that's travelled on today.

Those who know the location will tell you to walk the land and enjoy its beauty but not wander the ground once the moon is out, and if you do, stay close to your home or near the road. If you wander off, you will find yourself prey for the things unseen.

…

Two trucks turned off Highway 28 to Upper Paudash Lake Road. When the location appeared favourable, the vehicles came to a stop.

Markous is the first to pull over. Stepping out of his 2022 silver Hyundai Santa Fe. Emma's on-again-off-again girlfriend opened the passenger door and exited the SUV. Markous's younger brother Steve got out of the backseat. Close behind, Markous, Pierre parked his black 2016 Ram 1500. Both the driver and passenger doors opened. At the same time, Pierre and Merna exited the truck and looked around their surroundings. Merna had been Pierre's childhood friend, and Pierre had been hired by Markous as the group's survivalist. Bronks, Pierre's German Shepard, jumped out of the truck and ran to Merna's side.

Several times Markous would pull out his phone, look at the time and curse. After doing this several times, he finally placed a call, "where are you?"

Emma glared at Markous with her sunglasses on, "Markous relax … Camile isn't that late and besides she isn't going to answer her phone while driving!"

Markous huffed in response to Emma's words, "if I wanted your opinion I would ask your father!"

Steve was playing with his phone when he overheard Markous comment to Emma; without lifting his head, he yelled, "Eh bro … there is no need to be a dick."

Markous placed his hands on his hip, "make yourself useful and get the gear out of the back." He ordered his brother. "Emma you as well! I am the one who is paying for everything, the least you could do is make yourselves useful!"

Pierre raised one of his eyebrows, not impressed with the conversation that was going on. Merna whispered only so loud that Pierre could hear her, "this is going to be a long weekend."

Not even five minutes later, Merna told Pierre she had everything she needed ready for the hike. This wasn't the first time Merna had been invited to join Pierre for a journey into unknown terrain. They had been working off and on for close to a decade. The majority of the time, Merna was asked to join when wealthy city dwellers asked Pierre to take them out into the woods. Pierre was great at surviving off the land but not so good at controlling his temper. The more the client was belligerent and ignorant, even after a full explanation, his nature would start to build up. Merna could see things from a different perspective and get the client to understand what needed to be done. Nine out of ten times, the client was receptive and complied.

A shiny black 2022 Nissan Sentra SR Midnight Edition pulled up behind Pierre's truck.

Camile lowers her car window as she watches Markous stroll over to her, "you are late!" He wrinkles his nose, "I said to be here at noon; it is 12:33. We have been waiting 33 minutes."

Camile smiles sweetly, "the only one that is allowed to berate me like a child is my father, he is the one that gives me my paycheck not you. Is this where we are parking?"

Markous took a couple of deep breaths before speaking, "yes!" He briefly glanced at the remaining group. "Did you get the memo, your dad was supposed to inform you of what is happening?"

Camile matched Markous temperament that he was giving her. "Yes! Daddy told me this was a business trip over the weekend. A possible investment into your endeavour." Camile moved her head back and forth, "so where is the road that heads to the cabins?"

Markous pinches the bridge of his nose, "there are no cabins yet, the memo stated that part of the plan was to build cabins. Tell me you brought more than high heels and business clothing?"

Camile's jaw dropped open, "your not joking!"

Markous pinches the bridge of his nose again and takes a few deep breaths, "you have known me since highschool when do I ever joke around?"

Camile puts on a pouty face, "daddy told me this was a business trip and to dress accordingly!" She whines.

Markous stomps back to his SUV as Camile steps out of her car.

Merna glanced at Camile, glanced back down to Bronks and continued to rub his head, "this is going to be a long weekend Pierre!"

Pierre looked at Camile and shook his head, "there is always one in the group."

Markous stopped in front of Emma, "tell me you over packed clothing and brought an extra pair of shoes?"

Emma only shook her head no, "you told me to only pack what was on the list and nothing more."

Markous smiled and kissed Emma on the forehead, "of all the times you listen to me, this had to be the time!" he chuckled with annoyance. "un.fucken.believable!"

Once Pierre realized the situation, he started rummaging around in the back of his truck while Merna was standing close to the back of the truck. "First impression?" He asked

Merna leaned into the truck and whispered so that only Pierre could hear her. "This location is off. If I had it my way, we would leave now! I don't like it here. And no … it has nothing to do with the clients. It is the land!"

Bronks ran over to the tree line and started to bark at what appeared to be only a tree.

Markous yelled with annoyance, "what is that damn dog barking at? It better not do this all weekend long!"

Pierre stands up, "Bronks get over here now and stop your barking!" He bellows.

Markous's attention was taken from the dog to Merna, "who are you?" he asked with distaste, "I am not feeding you!"

Merna raised one of her eyebrows as she turned her head to look at Pierre. Both of them nodded their heads once; it was a silent conversation letting the other know they were thinking the same thing.

Bronks barks a little longer but obeys Pierre's orders in the end.

Markous yells once again, "you didn't answer my question!" He said as he started to motion towards Merna.

Steve starts to follow Markous, knowing his temperament, "eh bro, I told you that Pierre was bringing his dog and plus one. I was already told that she could take care of herself. So back off!"

Markous stops and pivots to see his brother, "you should have reminded me."

Steve smiled and shook his head back and forth, "I did! On the ride here, remember?"

Pierre continues to search through different bags. Once he found the bag he was looking for, Pierre grabbed it and walked closer to Merna, whispering, "This is why I bring you along to unknown locations. First sign of danger, we are out of here." He had not forgotten what Merna had said earlier before Bronks started barking.

Merna smiled, understanding what Pierre meant, "got it boss!" They had never had to leave a job prematurely, though there were a few times she felt uncomfortable in the presence of their clients. "I am going to get my gear on and ready to go." Merna went to the front of the truck to get her camping gear.

Chapter 2 Unknown

Chapter 2

Unknown

It was by chance, I was in the exact location of the undesirable guests. So I watched these human borns approach from the edge of the trees. Human borns have been known to exercise and wander the woods during excellent weather.

On occasion, human borns will relax near the lakes and fish. Some take the fish home for consumption, while others release the fish back into the waters. Funny thing for a human borns to do, catch and release; they call this relaxation. Regardless, it is the hunters that I keep an eye out for; they are the ones who think they can stay on my land, taking what they deem as their own. I also have to mention the campers; they are the most destructive of all; hunters and campers are the ones I detest. Human borns are generally violent and lack any genuine manner; some are tolerable, though not by much! The next thing I loathe is vulgarity!

The first to get out of the vehicle is a male, average build, clean shaven; his hair is brown, a little longer on top but shortened at the back of the head. He stands just a little over six feet tall. He is dressed in blue jeans and a black shirt with boots on. The wind blows in my direction, and I wrinkle my nose, despising the odour that comes off of this male.

The next is a female with long wavy blonde hair; she is short and plump. She has blue jeans, a black top, and running shoes like the male. She smells of desperation! I watch her as she sprays her clothing with what appears to be bug spray; this will not stop what is coming her way. Insects are the last thing she has to worry about.

There is another male who steps out of this vehicle. He is well built, with long brown hair, much longer than the first male. I can tell they are kin; their eyes and lips are similar in features. They are the same height. This male is wearing black jeans and a shirt. His exposed skin has been coloured, a tradition many human borns have, yet I am sure he has not earned one of those tattoos. I smell the air, focusing solely on this male … obedience … spineless … omega! Even an omega has a purpose. They tend to follow orders without complaining. Hard-working and always willing to impress their master.

In the second vehicle, a male and female emerge with a dog.

The male is muscular with long black hair that reaches his hip. Unlike the other males, he is very tall and has facial hair. Contrary to the other males, this one appears to know what he is doing here. I smell the air, focusing on the odour he admits … a hunter! I wrinkle my nose, not liking what is stepping onto my land. Again the wind blows and I can gather more information on this human born. He isn't just a hunter, by nature he is a killer.

A wicked smile crosses my facial structure, it has been a very long time since a killer has strolled onto my land.

I ripped my eyes off the male and started to study the female. The wind blows! She is tall and athletic with long curly red hair. Her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail. She wore camouflage pants, a long-sleeve top, and proper footwear like her male companion. She looks affectionate towards the dog as he is with her. The fragrance tickled my nose, wildflower with a hint of mildew.

This creature is different from her other companions. While she was glancing around the location, I could not help but notice how her eyes changed colours. I hold the air in my lungs as her eyes scan the area I am in. Could it be? NO … it isn’t possible! I snapped my finger! I watched as her head snapped in the direction that I had made. It appeared she could not see me, yet I felt she had the gift. Judging by the expression on her face, she isn’t comfortable being here. I sniff the air; she has a mixture of fear and anxiety. If this creature were clever, she would leave and never return, but I know they will stay. They always stay!

I overhear the conversation between this male and woman; they are the ones I am more interested in. The male is Pierre, and the female is Merna; he tells her they will leave at the first sign of danger. This makes me smile! I have yet to decide if I will kill them; they interest me. The corner of my lips turns upwards; it has been a while since I could go hunting.

The dog starts to bark at me; I give it a toothy grin; animals are cunning like that. See things that human borns do not. human borns should pay more attention to their pets; they would find that their animals are correct in forewarning them of threats.

I watch the last creature crawl out of her car. She had blonde hair though it is not her natural hair colour. It is straight and cut short to her jawline. She is average in height for a female. I had to shake my head in disbelief at her clothing. Who wears high heels with a dress to the woodlands. Maybe she is not part of this dinner group!

“Master, forgive me for my tardiness!” My minion whimpered.

“Keep an eye on this group, let me know when they start to set up their dwellings!” I give my order. “My intuition tells me they will find the first location that is appealing to them and they will camp there.”

My minion glances over the group. “As you wish, master!”

Before I left the location, I studied the human borns named Merna, “keep an even closer eye on the redhead; report everything about her to me!”

"Yes, Master!" My slace bowed

Chapter 3 At The Edge Of The Woods

Chapter 3

Markous clapped his hands together to get everyone’s attention. The group continued to speak, ignoring that he was trying to get their attention.

Pierre hands Camile a bag and boots. “Listen up!” He bellows, getting everyone’s attention. “Get your gear and saddle up, I don’t know how long we will have to walk to encounter our campsite.”

Camile looks at the bag in her arms and asks Pierre, “what is this?” She directs her question to Pierre.

Pierre glared at Camile, “There is always one in the group.” He smiled at her.

Camile dropped the boots and bag to the ground and placed her hands on her hips, “Umm, that was kind of rude!”

Pierre sized her up and down, “you’re the one in the group!”

Camile huffed, “don’t judge me!”

Pierre pivoted so that he was able to go back to the truck. “I already did!” His boots hit the pavement with a thud, “Princess you have a choice, stay in what you are in and ruin your fancy garments or switch into more suitable clothing … I don’t care, but I am leaving in four minutes.”

Camile still had her hands on her hip, “you said five!”

Pierre started to laugh, “that was a minute ago!”

Merna waited for Pierre and her to be out of hearing range, “you were being kind of a dick don’t you think?”

Pierre snorted out the air from his lungs, “I can’t stand spoiled little brats! I gave Steve a list of everything that they will need. He informed me that everyone that was coming was given the list and understood what they would need. The princess over there apparently is nonliterate.” His dislike of Camile was an outward display of his temper.

Merna laughed, “You say this every time and each time you still take on the rich man as a client. When will you stick to your words?” She spoke just above a whisper.

Pierre chuckled, “I charge them double the rate.” He smiled widely.

Merna patted Pierre on the shoulder before he got on his gear. “You’re getting smarter … not by much though.” She glances at the woods, “with this extra money, do you think you could buy a new attitude?”

Pierre walked past Merna, “Never! What do you sense?”

Merna glared into the woods, then closed her eyes for a brief moment. “To tell you the truth, I think this is a very bad idea. There is something here that I have never been introduced to … I think this land has been claimed by something that is very territorial and super strong.”

Pierre and Merna head to the tree line; Bronks is behind Merna. Bronks would begin to whine a few times as they got closer to the trees.

Pierre rubs behind Bronks’s ear, “he senses something just like you Merna.”

Emma tromps to where Pierre and Merna are, “what’s wrong?”

Merna was the first to answer, “Bronks is uneasy with going into the woods, and frankly so am I!”

Emma looks around, “it is just spooky looking, once Markous has the permit to clear the area, it will look a lot better. With all of the dead trees, it just gives off a bad vibe.”

Merna takes a deep breath, “no there is more than just the first impression, there is something here that isn’t kind to intruders!”

Emma snorts in humour, “are you a psychic or something?”

Merna takes the time to evaluate Emma, “psychic is a term that is overused, plus has a bad reputation. I am a sensitive that can pick up on energies that others do not. Like canines and felines and other animals, they can pick up on things that many humans have forced themselves not to see.”

Emma didn’t seem fazed by what Merna had to say, “that seems interesting!”

A tree that was located a couple of feet in front of the group caught Pierre’s attention. “Merna what do you think?”

Markous grunted out loud, “Steve I thought you said you hired the best survivalist?” He frowns at Pierre with aversion, “for the amount of money you charged me, you better know what you are doing.” He then brought his attention to Merna as she wandered to Pierre, “taking advice from a female!” Markous started to laugh, “this is ludicrous!”

Merna disregarded Markous’s comment, “this is a bear's marking, it is a forewarning to anyone that goes further into the area. My gut is telling me we need to leave.” she whispered the next part. “It was not made by a bear Pierre!”

Steve motioned toward Pierre, “I recognize those to be bear markings,” He confirmed what Merna had said. “And judging by the bark growth, it has been here for a long time. So I think any threat of a bear attack is slim to nothing.”

Markous raises his voice, “Look here …”

Emma places a hand on Markous’s arm, “maybe we should listen to Merna, she is a psychic medium!”

Markous glared down at Emma and her hand on his arm. Emma quickly removed her hand. “I didn’t pay for a fraud, I paid for a survivalist,” he narrows his eyes to Pierre, “And you will do your job!”

Pierre studied Markous, then Merna, “go back to the truck and take Bronks with you.”

Merna straightens her back, “we are a team, besides who is going to keep you alive? I hardly doubt they will be able to keep you safe!”

Pierre nodded his head twice, “did you pack your things?”

Merna smiles sweetly, “I never go camping without them!”

Markous pulls out a map of the location, “We are going to …”

Pierre looks over at Merna, “do you have the map?”

Merna pulls out the map and hands it to Pierre, “I made a couple ... for you and one for me!”

Pierre motions toward the thicket of the trees, “Let’s go!” He yells at the group, leaving Markous with his mouth wide open.

Steve yells, “Pierre, should we bring the food?”

Pierre stops walking and turns to see Steve, “we will find the campsite first. Then, we can leave your sister with the rest of the ladies to set up the site. Then you and I will get the food from the trucks.”

Markous bellows, “Excuse me!”

Merna snickered, “oh this weekend is going to be long but I have a feeling we will be having a little bit of fun with this one!” she whispered.

Pierre smiled, “I thought you could always find the good in everyone?”

Merna shrugged, “I am still hunting for the good in Markous.”

“No such luck?” Pierre chuckled

Merna bounced her shoulders, “not yet! I never thought I would cross paths with someone that I could not find any good in them!”

Markous rushed over to Pierre, pointing his finger at him, “I paid you way too much for your attitude.”

Pierre smirks, “Do I look like I work for Mcdonald’s? My attitude is for free, a smile on my face will cost you another grand.” Pierre motioned his eyes to Markous’s finger, “you might want to move your finger rate now!”

Steve started to bellow with laughter, “Markous you finally might the person that wont put up with your shit! Pierre, I knew you were going to be the best guide!”