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Growing up, I’ve been told stories of a small, but dangerous creature deep in the woods. At first, it’s appearance is quite silly and that is why the most gullible have fallen victim. Even more so misleading about this creature is it’s little to no agility and slow stride. Due to a seemingly harmless appearance and passive motions most don’t realize the imminent danger.

The habitat is unpredictable resulting in little studies and an incomplete understanding of this creature. It has never been sighted beyond the forest, until one stowed away within the equipment of an airship crash survivor who managed to navigate back to our city.

Upon their return, the survivor was a mangled mess, no doubt due to the impact from the crash, but there was something off. At first, doctors suspected amnesia, but the details were adding up to be something much worse. The survivor was running in constant fear, harming themselves, and oblivious to their surroundings. It was only by the guidance of the guardians that this individual made it back alive.

After days in the infirmary, the survivor snapped out of their trance-like state without any recollection of their arrival or airship travels. Weeks passed and the incident was forgotten, then the unexpected happened.

Throwing a neighborhood into confusion and despair. Why was their community park concealed in a ghostly fog? No matter what time of day or night, the fog persisted. Families and children were told to avoid the area until further notice. Things only got worse when the furry inhabitants of the park’s woods would flood the neighborhood streets in a frenzy.

Once the frenzied animals were humanely detained, they too regained their former state of mind. A new piece of evidence was discovered on each furry victim, a thick, pink goo. Some had more than others, the unlucky few that appeared bathed in the goo had the longest, more gruesome side-effects. The local health officials inferred that the combination of the fog and goo caused psychoactive effects which inflicted trauma though hallucinations.

The park became ground zero, barred from any visitors, and guards were posted 24/7. Winter came and all signs of the fog, goo, and consequences were alleviated from the community. The following spring, the park would be reopened. The children would find the most beautiful shells and make “BFF” necklaces and bracelets. It is said that these shells were the remnants of the invasive species that wreaked havoc that one summer.

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