Contest that this is for: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=63644&page=1

Discovery of the Six-Toed Ferntail

I bounded through the brush, somehow sure of which way to go. I couldnt slow down. I just couldnt. I kept telling myself this, despite my body screaming at me to stop. What my organs didnt realize, however, was that if I stopped, I would once again be in the darkness. I was determined not to let him surround me again.
Get control I once again told myself. Youve got to keep running.

It was hard to believe that just days earlier, I was on vacation with my family. We had come to the sunny beach town of Walthrop, a town located over a mountain away from the rest of civilization--perfect for a family of wannabe city-slickers who still couldnt seem to fit in to their newest big city. We had heard about the town from a family friend who had visited the previous summer. He said that the town was slightly eccentric but that we would still like it. He said that there were lots of legends surrounding the town, most told by the townsfolk themselves. After all, not many people knew that the town existed; that was part of its charm.
We arrived in Walthrop eager and expectant. As soon as we had been told of it, we knew that it would have something for each of us. My younger brother, Simon, was excited about the special water qualities that this beach supposedly had. Despite only being 11, he already knew that he wanted to be a hydrologist, someone who studies water properties and its impacts on the surrounding life. My mom wanted to check out the incredible glass displays our friend had told her about. My dad was off to the harbor to do typical dad things--fishing, talking about boats with the locals, etc. I, however, was interested in something else.
When I heard about the legends surrounding this place, I knew what my week was going to be filled with. Once we got settled in, I headed off to see if this place had a library.
Ill be back later! Headed to the library! I called to my mom as I headed out the door of our temporary house.
Be back in a couple hours! Mom replied as the door closed behind me.
I walked down the street our house was on and spotted something, or rather, someone. He seemed to be talking to himself, but I did that sometimes as wellhelps get the thoughts in order. More importantly, his bag looked to be full of books. I walked a little closer.
Hello there. Im Wendy, I said, I couldnt help but notice your books. I was wondering if you could point me to the library.
He whipped around, suddenly dragged out of his own thoughts. He seemed a little startled. Sorry, he said, Im Joseph. A-and sure. Ill walk you there.
Thats alright. If you could just point it out I stopped talking. He had already started off. Well, guess Im following him.
Walthrop has an incredible library, he said, seemingly in awe just thinking about it. Its kind of like the centerpiece of the town. Well, he admitted, at least to me. He looked at me sheepishly, Honestly, Im not even from around here. I just came to get away and do some research.
On what? I asked, suddenly curious about this man who seemed almost as new to this town as I was.
Well, Im an ecology major. Walthrop has an amazing array of fauna, rivalling some other locations that are a little too pricey for a college student. This one seemed the best to come to and work on my thesisa quiet, isolated town with great animal selection. Its perfect, he sighed. He stopped at the entrance to a large building that I had mistaken for a town hall sort of building when we had first driven through town.
Here we are, he said. Anything you wanted to read in particular?
I was just going to read up on some of the lore of this place. I love that kind of stuff, I said, stepping up the few steps to the door.
Last bookshelf on the right. Best reads are on the third shelf, mainly the right side, he said quickly.
I paused with my hand on the knob. I turned to look at him, Wow. You like this kind of stuff too, huh?
He seemed to blush, Gotta research the possibly mythical animals too, right? Ill see you around, he said quickly and hurried off.
I stood there for a second, confused at his behavior. After a moment, I turned back to the door and stepped inside the library.
Joseph hadnt been exaggerating about Walthrops library; it was huge, especially for a town this size. As I looked around, I greeted the librarian and searched out the place that Joseph had been talking about. I looked on the place he mentioned and found a book vaguely entitled The Documents. It didnt have a synopsis or even the authors name on it. On the back it did have several lists of names; I wasnt sure what, or who, these were. I didnt have to be back for a while, so rather than check it out, I decided to read it in the library.
The library had a nook-type space for people who liked to read books while still here; I chose one of the bean bags and got comfortable. As I flipped through the book, it occured to me that this seemed more like a documentation book than a story. At the top of each page was the name of a supposed creature and a picturealong with some information on the creature. As I flipped to page 56, I saw that it was blank. Curious, I flipped to the next page; I nearly dropped the book. Most of the creatures pictured had been harmless looking, with some notes on how to catch or befriend them. This was not the case with this being.

(A picture to go along with the story: https://imgur.com/a/JuV2phc)

On the next page was a picture of a snarling monster, a hideous beast with drool flying from its mouth. It had four legs and what looked to be six toes on each paw. In the background, it was chained to the wall. The sketch itself looked to be well-made but hastily drawn, as if whoever drew it didnt want to look at the creature for any longer than normal.
Wrenching my eyes away from the drawing, I noticed that the page didnt give the creature a name. It looked like the ink had been smudgedas if one knew the name of such a creature then it could be summoned. Glancing at the notes, I saw that they said, Beware this shapeshifting beast. It understands human speech but has no empathy or understanding for humans. Do not attempt capture. And then in smaller writing, Never again. I shut the book, thinking about the origins of such a thing. How did that legend even come into existence? Who first created it?
I left the library after glancing up at the clock. I hoped to see Joseph and talk with him about the book. He mustve read it, since he told me about it. I didnt see him and thus was left alone with my thoughts on my walk home.
Dinner was subsequently uneventful. We all talked about our days, who we met, what we saw, etc. Simon said something about water levels, but I wasnt paying much attention. I wanted to go to the forest behind the village. I knew that it seemed unwise to go there after seeing the sketch, but it was just a legend, after all. I honestly just wanted to see if I could figure out where the folktale had come from. We finished up with supper and I went to sleep with vaguely stereotypical nightmares of a dark creature invading my thoughts.

I woke up early the next morning and got dressed in a t-shirt, pants (poison ivy is a real thing, okay?), and tennis shoes. After eating breakfast, I packed a lunch, along with anything else you might think to take with you on a trip into the woods. I also brought my knife, just in case. I left telling my mom that I was off for a walk in the woods.
Got everything you need? she asked.
Yep.
Want me to pack you a lunch?
Already done!
Well then, I guess Ill see you later. Be back before dark though, honey. I dont want you getting lost.
Gotcha, Mom. Bye! I headed out the door and onto my adventures.
On the way I again looked for Joseph but to no avail. I shrugged and kept walking. It wasnt as if the guy had to be there every time I walked past. I arrived at the forest a couple minutes later. I stepped in, I had to say, feeling less then apprehensive. I probably wouldnt find anything; after all, that legend seemed old and whatever it was then was probably dead by now.
After about an hour of uneventful walking, I was beginning to wonder if any animals lived in these woods. I hadnt seen anything. No squirrels, deer, or anything else. Even though theyre usually just fleeting glimpses, you can always see some type of indication that animals live herea rustled bush here, a print there. On top of that weirdness it was also rapidly getting dark the father that I walked. I checked my watch once again, and it confirmed that Id only been here for an hour. I was rapidly getting creeped out.
I had already tried to turn around once, but there wasnt any evidence of where I had and hadnt been. Being interested in unique animals, Im actually quite good at tracking. I saw no evidence that anyone had been where I had just been walking. There was nothing to do but keep going, so I did.
All of a sudden, everything was pitch black. I could barely see myself in the dismal lighting. Needless to say, I was terrified. At first, I was more shocked, than anything. I had no idea how this could happen, why it had happened, and what, or who, had caused it. Then, slowly, the fear crept in making me become more panicked with each passing second that the lights stayed off. I looked around myself and saw nothing. Then, movement, but not of the animal kindmore like how mist moves. It creeped around my feet and made me shiver harder than I already was. I had only one thought. What is this?
Why, it is only me, a voice said, seemingly coming from everywhere. I can tell that you can see me. For your kind, that is a remarkable feat. Not many get that chance.
I was too terrified, and admittedly a bit curious, to speak. The silence lasted long enough for the thing to grow impatient.
Not going to say anything? Fine. I suppose youre one of the stoic ones. Guess Ill have to show you something else.
At the end of his little chat with himself all the mist rushed away from my feet, where it had continued to swirl, as if sucked by a vacuum. It was out of my still limited sight and seemed to be gone.
Then, I heard something.
An ear-piercing sound assaulted my ears. I could only call it a roar, though it was more akin to a low scream or screech. I fell my knees with my hands over my ears, screaming back at the sound, trying to make it stop. And, suddenly, it did. I stood quickly. Out of the now-silent darkness something sprang towards me. I had no time to react, except to throw my hands up in defense.
I changed. There was no way to describe it other than that. My face grew longer, into more of a muzzle shape. My teeth stretched and grew to fill my newly-elongated mouth, and they acquired points. I felt my arms get longer and more fingers and toes begin to form. My legs changed shape as I began to hunch over. Fur began growing all over my body as my clothes loosened and fell off. Throughout my transformation I was screaming, but not because of the pain. I couldnt explain it but screaming felt right somehow, as if that was what I was supposed to be doing.
As I settled into my new form, my scream became more of a roar, becoming deeper and more animalistic. My vision all of a sudden cleared and the darkness went away. There stood the creature in the bookthe creature without a name.

He looked utterly stunned. One phrase echoed through my mind at the sight. Six-toed ferntail. Shaking his head to clear it, he took a few cautionary steps towards me.
What are you?
Taking a few experimental steps backwards, I turned and fled. With my new limbs I stumbled a few times as I crashed through the forest. I felt that I was going in the right direction, though to where I couldnt say. I just had to keep running. Whatever happened, I couldnt let myself be enveloped in darkness.
A thought suddenly entered my mind: I didnt know how to change back. I didnt have a clue how to become my old self again. Panic lodged itself deeper into my chest; Would I ever see Mom again? Or Simon? And what about Dad? Right then I only knew one thing:
I just had to keep running.