When a scruffy hitchhiker, a stern military officer, and a woods-dwelling survivalist cross paths on a spooky road through the woods, they find themselves up against the most unexpected of foes—a giant, gelatinous blob straight out of a 1950s B-movie nightmare!
Please enjoy this horror short, part of a series experimenting with artificial intelligence. I fed the location, characters, scenario, and mood into ChatGPT and asked it to craft a story, then used Stable Diffusion XL to create illustrations. How did it turn out? Well, you be the judge.
The moon hung low in the night sky, casting an eerie silver glow over the desolate road that cut through the heart of the dark, forbidding woods. The trees stood like silent sentinels, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, as if warning all who dared to tread upon this forsaken path. It was a place where few dared to venture, especially after nightfall.
Tom Baxter was not one to heed such warnings. He was a rugged, middle-aged man with a scruffy beard and a tattered leather jacket that had seen better days. He had been hitchhiking for hours, desperately trying to catch a ride to the next town. With a worn-out backpack slung over his shoulder, he trudged along the desolate road, his footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence.
As Tom walked, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched, that something unseen was lurking in the shadows of the woods. He quickened his pace, the gravel crunching beneath his boots, but the sense of unease only grew stronger. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it a faint, otherworldly moan that sent shivers down his spine.
Just when he was beginning to wonder if he had made a terrible mistake by venturing down this road, he saw the headlights of a vehicle approaching in the distance. Relief washed over him, and he extended his thumb, signaling to the approaching car that he needed a ride.
The car slowed to a stop, and Tom could make out the silhouette of a woman behind the wheel. She rolled down the window, revealing a stern, no-nonsense face framed by a military officer’s cap.
“Where are you headed?” she asked in a curt tone.
“Just about anywhere but here,” Tom replied with a nervous chuckle. “Name’s Tom, by the way.”
The military officer regarded him for a moment before nodding. “Captain Sarah Lawson,” she introduced herself, extending a gloved hand for a firm handshake. “Get in.”
Tom climbed into the car, grateful for the warmth of the interior as he settled into the passenger seat. Captain Lawson’s military uniform was impeccably pressed, and her demeanor was serious, but there was an air of competence about her that put Tom at ease.
As they continued down the desolate road, Tom couldn’t help but glance at his mysterious savior. “So, Captain Lawson, what brings you out here on a night like this?”
She glanced at him briefly before returning her gaze to the road. “Orders,” she replied cryptically.
Tom didn’t press the issue. Military matters were not his business, after all. Instead, he looked out the window at the impenetrable darkness of the woods and the twisted trees that seemed to reach out for them.
The road seemed to stretch on forever, and just when Tom thought he might fall asleep from the monotony, Captain Lawson suddenly hit the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Tom was jolted forward in his seat, and he let out a startled yelp.
“What the hell?” he exclaimed, clutching his chest.
Captain Lawson’s steely eyes were fixed on something ahead. “Stay quiet,” she hissed.
Tom followed her gaze and saw it—a massive, gelatinous blob oozing out of the woods and onto the road. It was a grotesque, amorphous mass that pulsated and writhed with a sickening rhythm. It glistened in the moonlight, its surface covered in a slimy, iridescent sheen.
“What the hell is that thing?” Tom whispered, his voice trembling.
Captain Lawson didn’t respond, but her hand instinctively went for her sidearm, which was holstered at her waist. She carefully opened the car door and stepped out, her weapon trained on the approaching horror.
Tom, feeling utterly helpless, scrambled out of the car after her, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea what they were up against, but the sight of the monstrous blob sent a cold chill down his spine.
The blob continued to advance, its sluggish movements bringing it closer and closer to the two of them. It seemed relentless, as if it had a mind of its own and a single, horrifying purpose—to engulf everything in its path.
Captain Lawson took a deep breath, her military training kicking in. “We need to find cover,” she said, her voice surprisingly calm given the circumstances.
Tom nodded, and they both began to retreat toward the woods. As they moved further away from the car, they heard the sickening squelching sounds of the blob getting closer.
Just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a voice rang out from the darkness of the woods.
“Y’all need some help?”
Tom and Captain Lawson turned toward the voice, their eyes widening in surprise. Emerging from the shadows was a grizzled man who looked like he had been living in the woods for decades. He wore a tattered camouflage jacket and a scruffy beard that matched Tom’s own. In one hand, he held a gnarled wooden staff, and in the other, a lantern that cast a feeble glow over his weathered face.
“Who are you?” Captain Lawson demanded, her weapon still trained on the approaching blob.
The survivalist ignored her question and instead nodded toward the blob monster. “That there’s a real mess, ain’t it? I reckon you folks could use a hand.”
Tom couldn’t help but notice the hint of a southern drawl in the survivalist’s voice. He had a folksy charm about him that was oddly comforting in the midst of the chaos.
Before Captain Lawson could respond, the blob was almost upon them. With a sense of urgency, the survivalist raised his wooden staff and slammed it into the ground with surprising strength. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth, causing the blob to quiver and falter.
“What the heck did you just do?” Tom exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement.
The survivalist grinned. “Call it a little trick I picked up in my years out here. I reckon this critter ain’t too fond of vibrations.”
Captain Lawson lowered her weapon slightly, her eyes fixed on the survivalist. “You know how to stop it?”
He nodded. “I’ve dealt with these things before. Follow me, and we’ll get outta here.”
The three of them retreated deeper into the woods, the blob monster slowly receding as the survivalist continued to create vibrations with his staff. Tom couldn’t believe his luck—he had gone from hitchhiking on a desolate road to teaming up with a military officer and a survivalist to battle a monstrous blob.
As they moved through the dense underbrush, Tom couldn’t resist striking up a conversation with the survivalist. “So, what’s your name, friend?”
The survivalist chuckled. “Folks call me Jeb. Jeb Turner. I’ve been living out here for longer than I care to remember.”
Tom couldn’t help but admire Jeb’s rugged resilience. “You seem to know your way around these woods.”
Jeb nodded. “Yup, I reckon I do. These woods are my home, and I know every inch of ’em.”
Captain Lawson, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. “Jeb, you mentioned you’ve dealt with these creatures before. What are they, and how do we stop them?”
Jeb’s face grew solemn. “They’re what I like to call ‘gooey critters.’ Ain’t no one knows where they come from, but they’re drawn to vibrations. That’s why they like to crawl out onto roads like the one y’all were on.”
Tom couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh. “Well, I guess we gave it a pretty good reason to come out with all that screeching to a halt.”
Jeb chuckled in response. “You sure did, but we ain’t out of the woods just yet. These critters can be mighty persistent.”
As they ventured deeper into the woods, Tom couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. He had the distinct sensation of eyes in the darkness, and he couldn’t help but glance nervously over his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Captain Lawson asked, noticing Tom’s unease.
“I don’t know,” Tom admitted. “I just have this feeling like we’re not alone out here.”
Jeb’s lantern cast eerie shadows on the trees, and for a moment, Tom thought he saw something moving in the darkness. He squinted, trying to get a better look.
And then, with a shock of surprise and a burst of slapstick comedy, a raccoon darted out from behind a tree and scurried right between Tom’s legs. Tom let out a comical yelp, stumbled, and fell face-first into a patch of mud.
Captain Lawson and Jeb burst into laughter, their tension momentarily forgotten. Tom picked himself up, his face covered in mud, and joined in the laughter. It was a brief moment of levity in the midst of the chaos.
As their laughter subsided, Captain Lawson turned to Jeb. “Alright, Jeb, we need a plan. How do we stop this… gooey critter?”
Jeb scratched his scruffy beard thoughtfully. “Well, the best way to deal with ’em is to create a whole mess of vibrations. That’ll confuse ’em real good.”
Tom frowned. “So, what? We just stomp around like a bunch of elephants and hope for the best?”
Jeb grinned. “Not quite. We need to find something that’ll make even more vibrations. Something that’ll get this critter all tangled up.”
Captain Lawson nodded in understanding. “You mean like a trap?”
Jeb’s eyes sparkled with approval. “Exactly. We need to find a way to lure it into a trap and then create a whole lot of vibrations to disorient it. Once it’s good and tangled up, we can deal with it.”
Tom couldn’t help but feel a surge of optimism. They had a plan, and they had a survivalist who seemed to know what he was doing. “Alright, let’s do it. But where are we gonna find a trap out here in the woods?”
Jeb raised an eyebrow and pointed to a dilapidated, long-abandoned cabin nestled among the trees. “How ’bout that old place? I got a feeling it’s got just what we need.”
The cabin was a weathered structure, its wood warped and gray from years of exposure to the elements. It looked like it hadn’t been inhabited in decades, but there was something eerie and unsettling about it.
Tom couldn’t help but shiver as they approached. “You sure this place is safe?”
Jeb shrugged. “Well, it ain’t the Hilton, but it should do the trick.”
The trio cautiously entered the cabin, their footsteps echoing on the creaky wooden floorboards. Dust and cobwebs covered every surface, and the air was thick with the musty scent of age.
Jeb rummaged through a pile of old junk in the corner of the cabin, eventually producing a tangled mess of rusty chains and broken tools. He grinned triumphantly. “Now this oughta do the trick.”
Captain Lawson eyed the jumble of items skeptically. “How are we supposed to turn this into a trap?”
Jeb’s grin widened as he began to explain his plan. They spent the next hour fashioning a makeshift trap out of the chains and tools, working together to create a contraption that would hopefully ensnare the gooey critter.
As they worked, Tom couldn’t help but admire the resourcefulness of his newfound companions. Captain Lawson, with her military training, and Jeb, with his years of survival in the woods, were a formidable team. Tom himself was no slouch when it came to improvisation, and he contributed what he could to their efforts.
Once the trap was ready, they carried it out of the cabin and positioned it in a clearing near the road. Captain Lawson and Tom took positions on one side of the trap, while Jeb stood on the other, holding his wooden staff.
“All right,” Captain Lawson said, her voice determined. “Now we just need to lure that critter into the trap and create as many vibrations as we can.”
Tom glanced nervously at the road, where the blob monster had last been seen. “What if it doesn’t show up?”
Jeb chuckled. “Oh, it’ll show up. These critters are drawn to vibrations like moths to a flame. We just gotta be ready when it comes.”
They waited in tense silence, the night air filled with anticipation. Tom’s heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the darkness, his senses on high alert.
And then, in the distance, they heard it—the unmistakable squelching sound of the gooey critter approaching.
Part 4: The Showdown
The blob monster emerged from the woods, its massive, gelatinous form undulating ominously. It oozed onto the road, its slimy surface glistening in the moonlight. It seemed even larger and more grotesque than before, as if it had grown in size.
Captain Lawson raised her sidearm, her finger poised on the trigger. “Get ready,” she whispered to Tom and Jeb.
The creature inched closer to the trap, its monstrous form almost hypnotic in its grotesqueness. It was drawn to the vibrations created by their movements, and it seemed completely unaware of the danger that lay ahead.
Jeb raised his wooden staff and began to thump it on the ground, creating a rhythmic vibration that echoed through the clearing. The blob monster hesitated for a moment, its pulsating movements faltering.
“That’s it, boy,” Jeb muttered. “Come on over here.”
The creature continued to approach, its massive bulk now just a few feet from the trap. Captain Lawson took a deep breath, her hand steady on her sidearm.
With a sudden burst of movement, Tom and Jeb began to stomp their feet, creating even more vibrations. The blob monster, disoriented and confused, lunged forward, its slimy tentacles reaching out toward the source of the vibrations.
And then, with a satisfying crash, the creature fell right into the trap. The rusty chains and broken tools ensnared it, wrapping around its pulsating form and holding it in place.
Tom couldn’t believe his eyes. They had actually done it—they had trapped the gooey critter.
Captain Lawson quickly approached the trapped monster and fired a series of shots into its gelatinous mass. The creature let out a sickening, gurgling sound, its form quivering and convulsing.
But even as it seemed to weaken, the blob monster wasn’t finished yet. It lashed out with its slimy tentacles, narrowly missing Captain Lawson as she scrambled back.
Jeb, using all his strength, delivered a powerful blow with his wooden staff, striking the creature’s core. The blob let out one final, anguished wail before finally collapsing into a gooey puddle on the ground.
Tom, Captain Lawson, and Jeb stood there, panting and covered in sweat, as they gazed at the remains of the creature. It was over.
“We did it,” Tom exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief and triumph.
Captain Lawson nodded, her military training still evident in her demeanor. “Good job, team.”
Jeb let out a hearty laugh and slapped Tom on the back. “Well, I’ll be damned. We made a pretty good team, didn’t we?”
As they stood there, catching their breath and basking in their victory, a strange feeling of camaraderie settled over them. They may have been an unlikely trio, brought together by the strangest of circumstances, but they had faced down a monster and emerged victorious.
With the gooey critter defeated and the night’s horrors behind them, Tom, Captain Lawson, and Jeb made their way back to the abandoned cabin. They were tired, dirty, and in need of some rest.
Inside the cabin, they settled in for the night, using whatever was left of the meager supplies that Jeb had stashed away over the years. They built a small fire in the fireplace, its warm glow casting flickering shadows on the walls.
As they sat around the fire, Tom couldn’t help but reflect on the absurdity of the situation. He had started the night as a lone hitchhiker on a desolate road and ended up teaming up with a military officer and a grizzled survivalist to battle a monstrous blob.
Captain Lawson caught Tom’s gaze and offered him a small smile. “You did well out there, Tom. You kept your cool when things got tough.”
Tom grinned back at her, feeling a sense of pride. “Well, you know what they say—desperate times call for desperate measures.”
Jeb chuckled as he poked at the fire with a stick. “Ain’t that the truth. Sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches.”
As they talked and laughed around the fire, Tom couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie with his newfound companions. They may have come from different walks of life, but they had faced a shared ordeal and come out of it as friends.
The night passed peacefully, and when morning dawned, they packed up their meager belongings and prepared to part ways. Captain Lawson had a duty to fulfill, and Jeb had his woods to return to.
Tom extended his hand to Captain Lawson. “It’s been… well, it’s certainly been an adventure.”
She shook his hand firmly. “You take care of yourself, Tom. And remember, not all roads are as desolate as the one you were on last night.”
Tom nodded, his heart filled with gratitude for the unexpected friendship he had found.
Jeb clapped Tom on the back. “If you ever find yourself out in these woods again, you know where to find me.”
With that, Tom watched as Captain Lawson and Jeb disappeared into the woods, leaving him alone on the desolate road once more. But this time, he didn’t feel the same sense of unease. He had faced down a monster, made new friends, and learned that sometimes the most unlikely alliances could be formed in the most unexpected of places.
M.A. Kleen 