Narration
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Vocal Characteristics
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EnglishVoice Age
Middle Aged (35-54)Accents
British (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
the moon was almost full, but the overhanging trees meant its light wasn't close to sufficient. Rogers. Flashlight only invaded a few meters of the darkness ahead, we should have brought a flashlight each, but I doubt it would have offered a great deal more light or comfort. As we walked slowly down the path, leaves crunched and twigs snapped around us from all directions. Roger flung his light this way and that, but failed to find the sources of the sound. I knew it was probably just animals, a badger, perhaps, maybe mice or squirrels, possibly even wondering house cats. But this didn't stop my heart from hammering or my mind from envisioning the worst. I wasn't expecting a complete absence of artificial lighting at the cemetery. I wondered if there was a reason for the lack of street lights. Maybe people just aren't supposed to visit graveyards at 1:30 AM. Cheyenne was breathing heavily beside me. Guys, I'm not sure about this, she whispered, We've been over this Babe Roger replied will be in and out. I agreed with Cheyenne, but there was no point voicing this opinion, Jody knew I didn't think this plan was a good idea. In fact, I thought it was a phenomenally terrible idea. But Jody wasn't to be dissuaded and I wasn't going to let her do this without me. Roger and Cheyenne were our closest friends and good people in general, but I was aware of their flaws. I didn't trust Roger to have jodi's best interests at heart or to protect her. If anything went wrong, we had attended Joel Larkin's funeral a few days earlier, we watched as he was laid to rest in this very cemetery. He had been an elderly and incredibly wealthy man. Jody worked for him back in the day when he was starting to build his property empire. Roger was a friend of his son. I noticed Roger and Jody perk up and exchanged glances when the vicar mentioned Mr Larkin would be buried with his beloved jewels and family emblems. Why the family thought it wise to make this fact known to every tom, **** and harry is beyond my comprehension. They may as well have announced it in the local paper or on that Tiktok thing the kids use these days. Jody's brother is a recovering gambling addict. He's worked really hard to get back on track. But debts don't go away. This is why I found myself in the graveyard the wrong side of midnight with my wife, our greedy friend and his timid other half. Roger scanned the graves with his flashlight until he found Mr Larkin's. The soil and flowers were still fresh. This isn't right. I told the others I hadn't planned to bother protesting again, but I felt I had to. Now we were in front of the grave. We planned to rob old man. Lark is not going to miss him, is he? Roger said without a hint of remorse. Let's just get on with it. He continued shy. You walk down that way, Joad you go back that way and tell us if anyone's coming, jodi looked at me. I'll dig tom can watch, she said. I flashed her a grateful smile. I didn't want to see Mr Larkin's cold dead face as we robbed him blind. I walked back the way we came. I thought it was probably for the best. I didn't bring a flashlight. I could have used my phone but decided against it because the light might attract attention. I could just about see the path ahead and the nearest graves on each side. When the entrance was in sight I heard movement to the right, much louder than anything from before. I spun around in horror, convinced something was there. I was about to rush back to the others when I noticed a large black dog appear behind a nearby gravestone. I breathed a sigh of relief. Glad it wasn't the police or a gang of rival thieves that would leave us for dead. But the dog still put me on edge. I couldn't see its eyes in the dark, but I sensed it looking at me. I vaguely remembered reading something about Black Dog's being bad omens. This reasserted my fear that what we were doing was a terrible idea, but the dog didn't seem like it was about to attack. I stood statue still until it padded away. Minutes later, Cheyenne screamed loud enough to wake the dead. Very concerning, considering where we were. I ran back to the others, my heart thudding, desperate to know what was happening. My mind feared the worst and showed me images of jodi hurt or worse. There was Black Smoke. Cheyenne screeched. Shut the ****! Up, Roger! Hissed. Someone will hear you! Are you hearing me? Cheyenne cried. It was thick, Black smoke, moving like a monster. A smoke monster! There's no such thing as bloody smoke monsters! Roger insisted, looking exasperated. It was probably from a chimney or something, joe! What chimney! Cheyenne replied. Why don't you believe me? Look! I said, keeping my voice tranquil, hoping this would have a calming effect on Cheyenne. I do believe you, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. We're almost done. You stay here with the others. I'll walk back and forth on my own to check the coast is clear, Jodi and Roger were standing in the grave with a huge pile of dirt on the ground above them. I was sure they were close to reaching the coffin. Then we could grab the loot refill the grave and leave. Cheyenne started sobbing, Jody, climbed out of the grave to comfort her. That's when the beast leapt out from the dark. It was on Roger before I had process what I was seeing. It must have been about seven ft tall, huge muscles bulged beneath its Blackford body its claws were the length of my forearm. Cheyenne screamed and pulled away from Jody, running towards the exit. I saw her trip on the path before I turned my attention back to Roger. He was grunting in pain but managed to get out from under the beast. Jody pulled him out of the grave, his shirt was torn and darkened with blood, but he didn't look seriously hurt. He pulled a knife from the back of his jeans. It was a decent sized kitchen knife. Roger drove the knife towards the beast's chest as it leapt from the grave. I was sure the beast was a goner, but it turned to smoke. A split second before the blade made contact, jodi gasped in amazement. I was too dumbfounded to move. What the **** Roger muttered as the smoke formed itself into a small tornado and rushed away. Let's get out of here, jodi said urgently. Roger looked down at the grave reluctantly, but decided jodi was right. We had taken a couple of hurried steps towards the exit. When the beast pounced, Roger was thrown to the ground, the knife fell from his hand and spun out of sight. Jody screamed as the beast mauled roger. He made a few squeals of alarm before the beast tore into his neck with its dog like snout. Roger went still and silent after that a puddle of blood formed beneath him. Cheyenne appeared behind us and shrieked in grief, Jody took show Diane in her arms and I pushed the women behind me. I held out my arms like an airplane, partly to keep the women behind and partly to make myself seem bigger. Apparently this can prevent a predator attacking the beast snarled at me with Rogers, blood dripping from its jaw and canine teeth. It radiated hatred in a way I didn't think animals were capable of. I knew running would be pointless. The beast would easily outrun us and running would also make us look like prey we're leaving. I told the beast, let us go. I took a small step back and then another walking backwards with the girls behind me, never taking my eyes off the beast. It didn't move when we had backed up enough that the beast was out of sight. I turned and we ran as swiftly and quietly as we could. We made it through the cemetery gates and to the car. I couldn't quite believe we made it. I had been expecting the beast to throw itself at my back at any moment, knocking me to the ground. I went online as soon as we got home, I'm fairly sure the beast was a hellhound. Apparently a hellhounds purpose is to protect the graveyard and its occupants. Clearly. Grave robbers aren't welcome. I'm not usually one to believe in the supernatural, but I have no other explanation. I saw the beast turn to smoke with my own eyes. Cheyenne is staying with us while she comes to terms with Roger's death. I think in time she'll find somewhere better. Roger wasn't a bad man, but his greed infiltrated all aspects of his life, including women. I had to return to the cemetery a few days later because I always placed flowers on my grandmother's grave on what would've been her birthday. I was extremely nervous. But the cemetery was less daunting. On a bright summer's morning. Families and lone Mourners were dotted around. A girl of about seven was sobbing alone by a gravestone. I wanted to ask if she needed to talk but thought better of it. If the parents appeared my intentions could have been misinterpreted. Mr Larkin's grave was recovered as if nothing had happened. Roger's body was gone and there was no evidence of his passing. We assumed the hellhound must have disposed of Roger when his body wasn't discovered the next day Cheyenne decided it would be easiest to tell people Roger had left to live in Spain With another woman Jody and I promised to give her an alibi if his whereabouts is ever questioned. His parents are dead and he hasn't spoken to his brother in 20 years. We were his closest friends. If his other friends and work colleagues by the story, it's possible no one will report him missing. As I left the cemetery I saw the little girl cuddling a large black dog. The animal scowled at me. I offered it a week. An apologetic smile. Feeling very relieved. I wouldn't need to visit the cemetery for another year