The Shadow in the Swamp

    By Manpreet Singh

    The Shadow in the Swamp cover image

    17 Aug, 2024

    a woman in a forest with trees and plants around her, with a foggy background and a swamp, serial art, a character portrait, David Palumbo, promotional image

    Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a renowned botanist, ventured into the Louisiana swamp, guided by local resident Jack. The swamp was dense, teeming with rare and mysterious plant life.

    a man and a woman standing in a swampy area with trees and water in the background, in the jungle, international gothic, poster art, Edward Otho Cresap Ord, II, promotional image

    As they trudged through the swamp, Jack warned Maria about the legend of the Rougarou, a creature said to prey on the living. Maria dismissed this as mere superstition.

    a woman standing in a swampy area with trees and a full moon in the background, with a dark background, serial art, a character portrait, Ada Gladys Killins, promotional image

    As night fell, Maria felt an eerie presence lurking just beyond the treeline. The air grew colder, and the shadows seemed to twist and writhe around her.

    a woman in a forest with a backpack on her shoulder and a foggy background behind her, with trees and bushes, serial art, a character portrait, Araceli Gilbert, promotional image

    Suddenly, Jack vanished, leaving Maria alone and frightened. She stumbled through the darkness, desperate to find her way back to civilization.

    a painting of a woman in a forest with a creepy look on her face and hands, with a creepy look on her face, fantasy art, a character portrait, Donato Giancola, epic fantasy character art

    Pushing through tangled vines, Maria came face to face with a twisted, humanoid figure with eyes that glowed like embers from hell. The Rougarou.

    a creepy creature with a creepy face in a forest with trees and water in front of it, with a creepy looking face on its face, gothic art, concept art, Anne Stokes, dark fantasy art

    Maria tried to scream, but her voice was drowned out by the cacophony of swamp sounds. The creature began to move towards her, its presence suffocating.

    a woman sitting in a swamp holding a camera in her hands and a camera in her hand in the water, serial art, a character portrait, Annie Leibovitz, award-winning photograph

    She tried to run, but her feet felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot. And then, everything went black.

    a woman with wet hair standing in a forest with trees and moss on her face and a wet coat on, serial art, a character portrait, Dirk Crabeth, promotional image

    The next morning, search parties found Maria's camera, buried in the mud. The last photo showed a figure in the distance, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

    a woman in a trench coat walking through a swampy area with a rifle in her hand and a knife in her other hand, serial art, concept art, David Palumbo, key art

    Maria was never seen again, and the legend of the Rougarou grew, a cautionary tale about the horrors that lurked in the depths of the swamp.

    The Shadow in the Swamp