This story takes place in the dead town of Hidden Valley. Long ago, in the age of the gold rush, miners came to Hidden Valley to strike it rich. And they did too. One of the biggest gold ore deposits at the time, Hidden Valley attracted an entire community of people. After the gold started to dry up the community was barely able to survive. Then, one fatal winter, the only road in or out was blocked by a landslide. By the time outsiders were able to clear the rubble. The town was reduced to a mere shadow of its former glory. One thing confused the rescuers. There were no bones anywhere. They checked the entire town. Not even a tooth. And to this day people are searching the town for clues to what happened.

Gabe Summers and his friends, Frank and Zack, were paranormal investigators. At least that's what they called themselves. Coming up on their Junior year at high school they decided to go on a trip. A trip to the famed Hidden Valley. They hoped to find proof of the supernatural in the deserted town. A well thought out cover story and all the camping supplies, with a bear rifle due to warnings from the internet, and they were on the road.

Gabe and Frank had been friends since the eighth grade. And they met Zack not long after. They all loved the outdoors. They often go camping together and never get into trouble as far as their parents are concerned. But this would be something new. They had never been to Hidden Valley and had always wanted to go there. But seeing as they had all their supplies none of them were concerned.

They arrived near sunset and set up camp near the entrance of the valley. They had checked the weather to make sure that a storm didn’t pack them in.

They planned on going “hunting” after dark as they thought it would be spookier at that time.

“I sure hope the mines aren’t filled in,” Frank said as he surveyed the area from their camp, “it would be a real bummer.”

“Yeah,” Zack replied, “ how will we find all the hidden and bewitched bones if they buried them?”

“Hey genius,” Gabe said smiling at Zack, “don’t people usually bury bones when people die?”

“Sorry Captain Buzzkill.” Zack said, lightly punching Gabe on the shoulder.

“We should probably find a way down to town before it gets to dark.” Frank said, pretending not to hear what Zack and Gabe were saying.

“Whatever dude.” Zack and Gabe said in sarcastic voices. But they started towards town anyways.

As they reached town the three friends failed to hide their sounds of awe at the desolate place. About twenty houses ran up and down a main road before it T'd off into two other streets. The houses didn’t have any windows and all the doors had been reduced to splinters, leaving the doorways gaping like mouths that will never be fed. Despite how old they were, the streets were still generally smooth. And there was dirt trod into every single house. We must have just missed somebody, Gabe thought as the three friends reached the end of the street and stopped.

“It’s too dark,” Frank said as he strained to see the end of the second street, “we need our flashlights.”

“No worries,” Zack said as he pulled out a flashlight and headlamp for each of them, “ I’m set for all of us.”

“Nice.” Gabe said as he turned on the flashlight and lit up the whole street.

Then, for the slimmest fraction of a second, Gabe saw a shadow in the farthest house to the right.

“Holy @%$#!” He said aloud and pointed towards the house.

“What!” Frank said jumping, “What did you see?”

“There is something in that house,” Gabe replied, “way down on the right!”

“Let's check it out.” Zack said, taking a light jog towards the house. Gabe and Frank reluctantly followed.

As they poked their heads into the house Gabe held back a scream of horror. Up in the rafters of the little house were the rotting carccasses of several deer. “Disgusting!”, Frank said aloud as the stench forced its way up his nose. Zack, being in front with no way to turn around for fresh air, hurled straight onto the floor. The stench was that bad.

They left the house to catch their breaths and to gain the confidence to go back inside. After a bit they returned.

Immediately they found a journal on a shelf in the house. Gabe opened the journal and read aloud, “To whoever this may concern… Blah Blah Blah… medicine man of the Hidden Valley tribe. I am here to warn those who search for the residence of Hidden Valley. You will never find them. Their flesh has been eaten and their bones have been hidden where you will never find them. A wendigo has been born here. A man in the town was possessed by the spirit of a wendigo. He ate his family and now must pay the price. He will hunt mankind to extinction and feast on the flesh of humans forever.” “Wicked” Zack began to say when suddenly a deer fell on top of him from the ceiling, knocking him out cold.

Frank and Gabe looked up and then saw it. The Wendigo. Even worse than the man described. Its lips had melded together with its gums. Its arms and legs unnaturally thin and long. And its blank white eyes stared at them with an unquenchable hunger. Its ribs seemed to be breaking the skin. You will never know what this thing looks like until you see it, and by then it is too late. Gabe and Frank booked it towards the street and started running back to camp. They could hear it behind them, and it was gaining. It ran on all fours and took leaps instead of strides. Frank tripped with a yell then lay sprawled in the dirt. He was overcome by the Wendigo in seconds and dragged back to the house.

Gabe ran all the way back to the camp and took the bear rifle from the car. Then he sat on top of the car waiting. Not long after he saw glowing eyes down the hill. But they stood were they were. Then suddenly something sent him flying of the side of the car. He could feel its breath on his neck, cold and dry. He screamed and fired the gun.

Crack!

Something snapped in the monsters neck and it scampered away with one arm dragging. Gabe didn’t hesitate to take the car and drive as fast and as far as he could.

And to this day I have never returned to Hidden Valley