[indent][u][b]October 28th, 3:49 PM
Hope Springs, West Virginia[/b][/u][/indent]

"PA!" Darrel screamed when the vines emerged from the ground and encircled his legs. Before he could say another word or get off a shot with his rifle, it ripped him off his feet and began dragging him deeper into the woods. "PA HELP! SOMETHIN'S GOT HOLD OF ME!"

Twisting on his heel, Pa Buford and the other Mastersons standing with him glanced between one another in confusion. It wasn't like Darrel to let a critter sneak up on him like that. Their confusion was soon cleared up, however, when Jim Bob came running towards them in a panic. His face was white, and not in the good Christian way.

"I...I seen it again, Pa! It got Darrel!" Jim Bob wheezed out, hands resting on his legs. "It's vines came up from the ground and plum dragged him away into the forest!"

Narrowing his eyes, Pa Buford immediately turned back to where their jeeps were parked without another word. The other Mastersons took that as a cue to call the others back. It didn't take long for the remaining nine members of the clan to assemble and start piling into their jeeps in an effort to chase after Darrel and his abductor.

Belching yet more exhaust into the air, they rumbled through the forest as "Doc" Willie used his binoculars to try and spot any sign of the boy or their target. "Don't see no sign of him yet, Bu."

"Let's detonate the charges, Pa! Maybe it'll draw it out, and we can make it show us where Darrel is!" Floyd suggested over the radio.

Buford, however, was quick to shut that idea down. "We don't know where it took em'. Till we get our kin back, we can't risk blastin' anythang here apart."

No, they would have to track [i]this[/i] mountain monster down the old fashion way.