Hastings, Nebraska

It had been months since the last sighting of him but I still feared for my children’s lives. I just felt like he was still out there, lurking. I didn’t understand why he terrorized us. We were just a small town. What significance could we possibly have had? The police weren’t able to stop him and I’m afraid nothing ever will.

It all started back in ‘94. Poor Janet Adams came home to find her house leveled. All three of her kids were crushed by the rubble. No one knew what caused the house to fall like it did. The police didn’t have a single lead. The only witnesses were the children and they were all dead. We all tried to help Janet but everything she had was gone. Her husband left three years before the incident and now her children were taken from her. The next family to fall victim to this monster was the McCarthy family. This time he claimed everyone’s lives. Both the McCarthy’s and their young boy were dead, crushed by their house that had been destroyed. No clues left behind. Within the first year he had claimed 24 lives.

It wasn’t until little Bradley Waters walked away from an attack that police had a clue. He was outside when the attack happened. The rest of his family was inside. All of them were killed. He was only three but the police had to try. They asked him if he remembered what happened. Bradley replied, “the big man came…and he broke our house”.

“What big man Bradley?”

“A really big man.”

They weren’t able to get much more out of him.

The next attack is when I became involved. I had left my purse in the car so I walked out to the curb to get it. It was dark and there was a thin layer of fog. I was just about to unlock the car door when I heard a thunderous crash. Then I heard screaming. It was coming from my neighbor Connie’s house. I started running over to try to help. I heard more crashing, parts of the house began to fall. In a matter of seconds the whole house was leveled. I just stared, horrified. Suddenly, something burst from what was left of the house, and that is when I saw it. The monstrous beast stood tall and admired it’s work. It’s face was terrifying. Like something out of a horror movie. I screamed which caused it to flee into the woods. It knocked down entire trees as it sprinted out of sight. I ran back home and called the police.

They found four bodies, Connie, her husband, and their two little girls. Chief Johnson asked me what I had seen.

“It was huge. This giant monster. It wasn’t human.” I said.

“Like what, a bear or something?”

“No, it didn’t have fur. It was all red.”

“What else?”

“It was strong, it destroyed the house like it was made of balsa wood”.

Jackson told me to come back home and let the police handle it. I screamed back, “That monster is still out there! What happens when he comes for us? And the boys?”. I began to cry hysterically.

Jackson wrapped me in his arms and walked me back home.

Five more families were killed and then, it stopped. No one had seen the red beast for 8 months. It seemed like everything was going to go back to normal after three years of senseless killings. I was just starting to feel safe again when it happened. It was a cool night in late September. I was just putting dinner on the table. Lucas and David were both covered in grass stains from playing baseball all day. Lucas had always dreamed of being a pitcher in the majors someday. But that night all his dreams were ended by that monster. I sat down with my family and we recited the blessing. David asked, “I’m thirsty mommy, can you get me a drink.”

All of a sudden the ground started to shake. Then in an instance he came crashing through the wall, sending it down onto Jackson. He stepped up on top of the fallen wall, crushing Jackson. Then he yelled out the words, “OH YEAH!”. The Kool-Aid Man had come back and this time he came for my family. I picked up David and started running with him. Lucas followed close behind. I turned the corner towards the door. That’s when he ran straight into Lucas and crushed him up against the wall. I screamed Lucas’ name but it was too late, he was gone. The cherry flavored beast turned back towards David and me. I carried him through the front door and went straight to the car. The Kool-Aid Man crashed through the walls inside the house until the whole thing fell. The car sputtered to life and I drove. I drove and drove and drove. I got as far away from there as possible.

Now David and I just live alone, away from everyone, away from the Kool-Aid Man. I know he’s still out there. The monster that killed my husband and my first born. I fear that he’ll come and finish the job someday, but until then, I’ll just try to forget and enjoy life with the only one I have left.