The Legend of Wide Eyes

The legend began during lockdown on March of 2020, within a town whose name and location I refuse to give away-on the chance anyone reading this is curious and stupid enough to check this place out for yourself. However if you were to ask me how I know these things, let’s just say it’s a small town with many resources for a legend so well-known at this point. It all started when Mark Rowling and his roommate, Henry Anderson, had gone out for a walk to think of something to do in the midst of self-isolation. Henry wanted to document his life in quarantine with a few pictures to make something out of these crazy times.

They had decided to go to the park near their apartment to clear their heads. When they got there, the place was pretty deserted due to the social distancing. But they didn’t really mind as long as they were outside and not watching the news. Plus the gym wasn’t open-not that Henry went often. According to Mark, his roommate was 225 pounds and twinkies took up half of their cupboard.

Before the incident, the park was a welcoming site for Mark anytime he’d go there. He always relished in the sound of nature as a stress relief-from the ducks quacking to the river running its course. Henry had his iPhone up and ready to snap some pictures of the river, as well as the woods on the other side.

It was around then when it came for them. And it was around then when Mark would last see his roommate.

As Henry was taking pics, he suddenly saw through the screen a figure moving in the trees and the bushes. He looked over to Mark and gestured to his phone, asking if he saw what he saw. He zoomed in to get a closer look. The shade covered up what looked like just a shirtless man. At least they assumed it was a man based on his size and shape, but they couldn’t really make it out due to his back facing them. He was about 6 feet tall, with no trace of hair on his head, or the rest of his body as far as they could tell, and decently muscular. His skin was almost completely pale.

Mark’s first instinct was it was a jogger, but he couldn’t figure out what a jogger, or anyone for that matter, would be doing walking around in the woods half naked during March? He figured “to each’s own I guess”. However, as this man emerged from the bushes, they could see he was more than just “half” naked. He was completely without clothes. Henry lowered his phone in disgust before he yelled “Hey have some common fuckin decency!”. That’s when the man turned to face them, and what they saw next left them without any words at all.

This “man”, if anyone could call him that, had two black triangular rings circling what looked like large, orange eyes, as well as another one circling his black nose and mouth. The entire design reminded Mark of ring-tailed lemurs he had seen at the zoo. Although his nose and his mouth were shaped like that of an average human. The creature was coming closer and closer to the river as if it was about to cross over to their side. Henry put his arm in front of Mark as they backed away, but before they could go any further to make a break for it, the thing stopped.

It hadn’t even crossed over from its side of the river.

It just stared at them with its orange beady eyes-tilting its head around like any curious animal. It was almost as if it was measuring their sizes, although it seemed to be observing Henry more than it did Mark. Neither of them knew what to make of it. They probably figured in this world wide pandemic, anything could happen. Eventually it stopped tilting it’s head, staying completely still as if it had no intent of leaving. It just stood there like a statue.

Henry told Mark how lucky they were to have a camera for this kind of event. He put his IPhone up to snap a picture, however upon doing so, that’s when the creature’s eyes gradually began to glow. That was a moment Mark would never forget. It was day time but the brightness of its eyes still stood out amidst the sun. That’s when Mark began to feel…numb. He’s described the experience as something reminiscent of that pins and needles feeling you get when your hand or foot falls asleep, except it was escalating to his entire body from his toes to his head.

“Henry I…I can’t move…!”

However as Mark tried to talk, he realized he couldn’t even bring himself to speak any further. Henry made no response. He just stood there as still as the creature was standing before they both fell on their backs the rocky surface below them.

As his eyes faced the sky, Mark tried so desperately to turn over to face Henry. To remind himself he wasn’t alone. To talk to someone during what looked like was going to be his last seconds of life. He wanted so badly to panic and scream for help-to lift his head up to see if this thing was coming for them, if only he could move. He remembered he felt tears coming down his eyes, yet he couldn’t even bring himself to cry.

Suddenly he could hear the splashing sounds of the river getting louder which meant this thing was getting even closer. And there was its head blocking the sun from Mark’s eyes as it bent down to look into his face. Mark remembered thinking the last thing he was going to see was this abomination bare its teeth within an inch of his face while there was nothing he could do about it. He was powerless.

It stared into Mark’s face for an extra few seconds and came at him with its big mouth full of sharp jagged teeth. Mark closed his eyes in the hopes that this would be quick and painless. But he felt nothing. He opened them slowly and realized the creature had moved its head back a bit from his face. Then it came at him again like before. Mark closed his eyes and nothing happened still. He opened them again and the creature bared its teeth, but not in the way any hungry or savage animal does. As Mark would describe, it was like it was smiling, as if it had enjoyed toying with him and his fear of death with every second it could. That’s when Mark knew this was no mere predator. He could see the delight and joy of pain right in this monster’s face. The creature continued with its game again and again, and many times Mark told himself not to close his eyes. That this thing was just fucking with him but he couldn’t help it. He was so scared shitless, and all this bastard did was keep at it.

Until finally, Mark blacked out.

As he opened his eyes, Mark saw a bright light shining in his face. He thought maybe he was dead. However, he heard what sounded like a woman’s voice saying that he was coming to. He realized he was strapped down to a bed and inside an emergency vehicle. He immediately went into panic and started screaming before they put their hands over his chest to calm him down.

“What happened?!! Where’s Henry?! What happened to Henry?!!!”

Those were the only words he could get out of his mouth. They managed to calm him down before they took him to an emergency room. During his time there he remembered being grateful to be alive but still guilty for not being able to do anything for Henry. He still received no further news on him. Was he alive? Missing? Dead? In a coma? No idea. That’s when a head detective, Nicholas Andrews, came in to update him.

Mark tried to be calm, but the first thing that came from his mouth was “where’s my fuckin roommate?”. Andrews didn’t respond right away. However, he did make a face that Mark would describe as a suggestion of both sympathy and repulse at his mentioning of Henry.

Andrews walked closer to Mark’s bed, but not before he asked the doctor to leave the room. That’s when he shut the door. He tried his best to work his way up to the news, but Andrews just knew there was just no way to make what he was about to say sound any less horrible or traumatizing.

He told Mark that two joggers had found the body of Henry Anderson next to him around 6:30 pm. Or what was left of him at least. They had gone for the walk around 3:00 pm-which was the estimated time of Henry’s death. Although his demise wasn’t the truly awful news. It was how he was killed that Andrews seemed too afraid to bring up.

The entire lower half of Henry Anderson’s body, from his neck and down, had been skinned alive-completely devoid of any flesh or organs and leaving only a bloodied skeleton covered in tattered clothes. What remained of his head besides his only skin and hair left were tears of blood staining his pale face. He told Mark they found the same stains on his face before they wiped them off.

Andrews gave Mark some time to process what he had just said before he asked him why Henry’s phone was found next to his body. Mark said he was taking pictures. So Andrews asked him what the last thing he saw was before he blacked out. Mark told him he would have to look at the pics himself, cause otherwise he wouldn’t believe him. However Andrews begged to differ. He told him how he, as well as the other cops and the coroner had suspected a savage animal on the loose. However no animal attack could explain why the head was never devoured or the tears of blood on Henry Anderson’s face. Their next best estimated guess was some sort of ritual killing. But no human killing could explain the strange footprints found near the body.

According to Andrews, they found water prints on the rocky surface from where they were found that matched those of a primate-with an extended opposable toe on each foot. Similar prints were found in the dirt on the other side of the creek from where it came from.

So they examined the phone, but unfortunately they found no picture. This can only mean that Henry never had the chance to take it before he was paralyzed. Mark told them what he saw and they just looked at him as if I was crazy. Hell, I’m sure Mark couldn’t even convince himself that he wasn’t. I’m almost positive he would have been a suspect had it not been for lack of any other evidence. Either way, that’s when the legend of Wide Eyes, as they’d eventually call him, had begun.

I’ll never understand how Mark was lucky enough to be alive. Maybe it’s because Wide Eyes had his fill of Henry and decided not to go for him. Or maybe he wanted to leave him traumatized once he recovered to find his dead roommate next to him. Most people in town would avoid Mark at the store or bars since Henry’s murder, even in spite of his name being cleared. That was until the sightings of Wide Eyes had multiplied, as well as more killings mirroring that of Henry’s.

It was about a month after Henry’s death that Wide Eyes would claim his next victim-a man named Victor Cross, who made a 911 call during his last moments. It was around 10:30 pm when it happened. The recording made it to the news within two days after his death:

Operator: 911 what is your emergency?

Victor: My name is Victor Cross. There’s someone outside my bedroom window. I mean they’re not right outside my house they’re on top of my neighbor’s roof. She lives on (address withheld).

Operator: Can you describe the prowler for me sir?

Victor: Not really….it’s too dark. He looks medium built, average height, I’m assuming it’s a man. Doesn’t even look like he’s….wearing….clothes…

Operator: Sir?

Victor: …This guy just jumped up and grabbed onto the branch of a tree above my neighbor’s roof…with his feet…what the fuck? He’s like a fuckin monkey for Christ’s sake.

Operator: Sir is this some kind of joke or are you stoned?

Victor: I’m straight and no this not a joke…he…oh my god…

Operator: Sir?

Victor: He…he turned his head towards me….I think he sees me you better get the fuck over here!

Operator: Sir I’ve sent someone over, if you feel intimidated go lock yourself in any other room without windows. Are there any weapons in the house? Is anyone else there with you?

Victor: He’s lifting his arm up…

Operator: Is he armed? Sir! Is he holding a gun?

Victor: No the…the son of a bitch is just pointing his finger at me.

Operator: Alright sir just stay calm, stay on the line with me.

Victor: His…his eyes…

Operator: Sir?

What followed afterwards was the sound of the phone dropping as well as shattered glass. A snarl came from the speaker that didn’t sound human, or like any known animal. When the police arrived at the neighbor’s house, there had already been cops over at Victor’s place as well. The same neighbor whose house has been intruded upon called 911 when she heard the break in at Victor’s home. His killing was done in the same way as Henry’s.

That wasn’t the only time Wide Eyes had broken into someone else’s house. Several reports of a man with a lemur-like face and glowing eyes escalated from June to August in areas ranging from parks to neighborhoods. Whoever thought they were safe as long as they stayed out of the woods soon found out otherwise.

Any child who wandered off from their families at playgrounds and deeper into the woods went missing. All they ever found of them were either their littles shoes or toys next to Wide Eyes’ footprints.

There were some victims whose half-eaten corpses were found next to their vehicles after they had crashed. This insinuates that they looked into Wide Eyes’ stare as they were driving by him which resulted in their cars crashing. They either went into a pole, a tree, or rolled down into a ditch. Their bodies were always dragged out of their cars by Wide Eyes. A couple of them were already dead before he consumed them.

To this day no one knows who or what Wide Eyes is. Whether he’s a demon, an alien, or some undiscovered species is anyone’s guess. Who knows if he’s even of our reality. However, since these killings and sightings have sky rocketed, a few historians have noticed a similarity between the descriptions of Wide Eyes as well an obscure, ancient god originating from Hindu mythology. This particular deity was most often associated with disease and sloth-whose presence can only be summoned by an epidemic that has affected a great number of people.

According to these ancient texts, the deity would be present in several regions of Asian countries wherever pestilence was spreading. His purpose in his eyes was to eradicate whoever beat the disease-be them a man, woman, child, or animal. This applied to those who were never infected, as well as those who were infected but have since recovered. His description was also perfectly matched with that of Wide Eyes-a bipedal monkey-like being with orange eyes and three black triangles on his face.

Having read about these findings myself, I can’t help but feel his presence here has something to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus originated from China, so it would make since for him to follow wherever this disease went to…finish the job. I knew a few of his victims who had self-isolated due to having been tested, only to come out negative. I also knew some who had tested positive but recovered from it. I got myself tested about a few months ago when I thought I was losing my sense of taste and smell. I was negative. And I have been for a while. At this point I don’t know if I’d rather just succumb to the virus as opposed to waiting to be eaten alive by this monstrosity.

As far as we know from these texts, there seems to be only one of this deity. However, from what I’ve also read, how many there are of him doesn’t negate his unpredictability. This deity has proven just as random as the disease that summons him. If a plague were to affect two or more separate regions, he would take no particular number of lives before he moved onto another region. Sometimes he’d even return back to where he left off. This begs the question, how long will it be before Wide Eyes leaves this town? And where else has he been in this world since the pandemic hit? Will he return again even if he does leave? These questions may never be answered.

The few people who did manage to survive Wide Eyes’ stare claimed that you had at least five seconds before the eyes went completely bright. By then you could escape without the paralysis taking effect. However, even that wasn’t a guarantee for survival.

On August 25th, three college students, Jeremy Waynes, his brother Todd, and Todd’s girlfriend Lisa Roberts, had been very interested of the legend of Wide Eyes. They’d always make sure to keep up to date on his whereabouts and hunting grounds anytime he was the subject of the news. They stupidly thought they could cheat death through the same means of the survivors and document his presence for a school project. Jeremy was the only one who made it out alive. At least for the time being up until he killed himself a month later.

According to Jeremy, they had a video camera as well as flashlights ready for when they’d go out to the park. The same park where Henry was killed. It was about 1:45 am. They agreed that they were going to stay together and as far away from the trees as possible. Lisa would be their camera woman, while they lead the way with their flash lights. They kept on the side walk trails thinking it would be safer. However when Jeremy and Todd had their back turned from Lisa for only a few seconds, she was gone. All that was left in her place was the camera. They immediately panicked and started screaming her name as they looked around the area. They hoped to god she was just fooling around with them. But when they examined the spot from where she was taken, they found the footprints of Wise Eyes in the dirt to the left of the side walk trail she was taken from, with no trace of Lisa’s prints from her shoes.

They realized they’d have to follow Wide Eyes’ prints deeper into the woods, ready to avert their eyes on the chance he would start to make his glow. Jeremy kept his attention to the footprints as he followed them with his flash light. That’s when he began to hear a snarling sound. He turned the light to Todd to ask if he heard it and where it came from. But Todd didn’t answer. His eyes were big and his jaw was open. He didn’t even blink in response to Jeremy aiming his light at his face. Jeremy was afraid maybe Wide Eyes was right there with them, staring into his face with his glowing eyes. However no tears of blood came out. And Todd was still holding his light up as opposed to falling down to the ground like the rest of the victims. So Jeremy looked to where Todd’s flashlight was aiming. Soon he had the same reaction.

They found Lisa, and there was Wide Eyes, digging his teeth into her throat as her body was pinned down. Lisa’s head was facing them, but there were no tears of blood to be found on her face. This means she had kept her eyes closed the whole time prior. Todd almost came charging at the creature and cursing at him as he had done so, right before Wide Eyes looked up to face him-baring his teeth full of blood at the two brothers as he growled. Jeremy kept pulling Todd back and panicked as the monster’s eyes began to glow. He warned his brother that they only had five seconds before the paralysis took effect. That’s when Todd stopped fighting him and they ran from the scene.

They made their break for it out of the woods. Jeremy could hear Wide Eyes swinging from the trees as they ran. Gaining up on them more and more. He thought that as long as they got out of the woods, away from the trees, Wide Eyes would no longer have the advantage. However as Jeremy was getting closer to his car, he heard Todd scream from behind him. Wide Eyes was pinning him down. Todd kept his eyes closed and yelled at his brother to run right before Wide Eyes dug his teeth into his throat. This left Jeremy driving over to the police station, and passing out before he could even reach the desk. You can make a wild guess of what remained of his brother’s body, as well as Lisa’s when they were found.

You might be wondering whether or not anyone ever tried to take action against Wide Eyes? Well, it wasn’t until September 1st that someone finally did-or at the very least he tried to. That someone was an elderly man by the name of Bob Hayes. I’ve bumped into him now and then on my walks in the parks-when I still went outside of course. Cranky old bastard. Always staring at me when we’d walk past each other and never saying hi back whenever I greeted him.

Bob Hayes owned about two horses on his property. Both of them quarters. He said he had heard of the legend of Wide Eyes but wrote it off as a ploy to scare everyone from wanting to go out, and encourage social distancing. He was after all one of those people who never wore a mask when it was required of him, and also believed COVID was just a trick by the government. So what would you expect?

Bob heard his Doberman barking downstairs at about 12:30 AM. The dog often barked to warn him of coyote or a fox. He figured he could just scare them off with a gunshot. When he got out of his room, rifle handy, he went downstairs to get the dog to go out with him. But what he found was the poor animal cowering in the corner of the kitchen in his own urine. He wouldn’t come to him when he told him to like he usually did. That’s when Bob knew something was wrong.

He went to the screen door facing the back yard where the horses were kept. For once Bob wasn’t ready to go out and examine the scene himself. So he cracked the door a bit and turned the flash light on.

He aimed the light towards the iron gate that kept the horses in their spot. Immediately, he could tell there were blood stains on the rails. Upon leaving his house to examine closer, he found that his horses had met the same fate as every other one of the human victims-with monkey like foot prints next to the half-eaten corpses.

Some people I know said Bob assembled a hunting team of three of his friends from the Korean war to track down Wide Eyes-against his wife’s objections of course. They had followed his footprints into the woods where he was normally sighted. Since then, they had been missing for about two weeks.

On September 30tht, their bodies were found in the woods next to those same footprints. Each of them had a rifle next to them that was completely devoid of ammo. We can only assume this means they emptied their weapons into Wide Eyes, but to no avail. This leaves the fucker with even more powers to add to his unpredictability. A week after their bodies were discovered, Bob’s poor wife was found dead in her bedroom with the window shattered. Same fate as the rest.

I’d be lying if I said the legend of Wide Eyes hasn’t done a number on me. To this day I don’t leave my apartment. I don’t see the sunlight anymore. I purchased some curtains after the sightings continued on the chance he’s ever out there, waiting for me to look into his stare. My lease won’t allow me to put bars up. So to be safe, I never look out my windows or go for a walk anymore. Never socialize. Never date or hang out with family. All I do is spend most of life wondering if or when he’ll come for me.

I worked from home before the sightings so that doesn’t feel like too much of an adjustment. Those jobs aren’t that hard to find with COVID. However as I try to cope with the stress of paying my rent and my lack of fresh air, more and more I feel like my mind is wasting away. Wide Eyes is all I ever think about. I don’t even shave anymore. There are weeks where I don’t sleep. Or shower.

I just keep updating myself on the thing that killed my roommate.

Credit : J.S. Roberts