Title:Horror of the Swamp
Author:00Sasori
Word count:266
Theme: Horror/thriller

It was dusk at the swamp and the only sound to be heard was the squishing of heavy boots hitting the surface of the damp ground. Lucas, a biologist sent to investigate a ravenous creature that was reported to be terrorizing nearby towns by eating house pets and livestock was on the hunt. Insects smacked uselessly against his bug shirt and hat as he bush-whacked his way through the tall reeds of the densely overgrown swamp. As he walked into a small clearing, he saw footprints that looked much like a ducks only much, much bigger. When he knelt down to examine them, a loud growl like a cross between a bear and a cougar sounded behind him.

Turning around, he saw a nine foot tall creature which stood upright like a man and had smooth amphibious skin which glistened as the setting sun shone upon its finned back. Its head was like a large eel's but with bulging yellow eyes. Its teeth were sinked into the bloody corpse of a large dog. As Lucas met eyes with it, it growled again and dropped the bleeding corpse, charging towards Lucas. Lucas quickly drew his loaded tranquilizing gun and pulled the trigger, the dart flew towards the chest of the creature and hit. It gave a soft gurgling noise and a large blob of purple spit hit Lucas in the face, blinding him. He clawed at the spit but it was too sticky to remove. As he fell to the ground hopelessly, the creature picked him up and bit deep into his neck, ending his life.

THE END