Fleshgaits
Predators that imitate folks to infiltrate the flock!
Have you ever got the feeling that someone in a group just isn't quite right? Perhaps acting a bit unlike themselves? Moving awkwardly? Speaking strangely? It's probably nothing... but I would keep your wits about you, lest you become the next victim of a Fleshgait attack!
Fleshgaits are creatures with the horrific ability to mimic the appearances and voices of humans, a power which they use to slip undetected into groups of people and gain access to a chosen victim. Their deception is initially flawless, granting them access to even close-knit groups of friends and family, but the longer they linger in a group the more cracks begin to form... They degrade from normalcy, to concerning peculiarity, to speaking utter nonsense -- seemingly intentionally letting their disguise slip as a sadistic way of taunting their prey! After all, if they've stayed undetected for this long, then there's surely no chance of escape.
When the Fleshgait finally decides to spring its awful trap, it will grab the chosen victim and force its fingers into their head to suck out their brain!!
Only in retrospect will survivors and observers of Fleshgait encounters realize that the disguise had been imperfect the whole time, left with the guilt and confusion of not having noticed sooner.
Run-ins with Fleshgaits are commonly reported in sparsely populated regions such as rural areas, camping grounds, and national parks. Most accounts of Fleshgaits come from people who had been in groups with the victim, but is this because Fleshgaits commonly attack in groups or simply because only in groups does someone live to tell the tale? This begs the question of why infiltrate groups at all... to inspire fear? To mark their next victim? Some posit that Fleshgaits must have some level of psychic ability in order to acquire the information they need to mimic people so well -- perhaps this is related?
What makes a Fleshgait choose a certain target? If they consume the brain, perhaps they feed on memory! Are targets "marked" by the creature in some way, made fit for consumption? Are their memories good? Are their memories bad? Some people think this is how they get the knowledge to imitate people!
Not all Fleshgait reports have them disguised, though. Those who have caught glimpses of their natural forms describe them as having extremely distorted proportions, being fiercely thin and pale, and lacking facial features. I saw one person claim to have awoken in the night to find an undisguised Fleshgait in their bedroom! It immediately fled, but wow, how scary!!
This is a rare example of a monster that truly is unambiguously malicious. So, then, for your sake... I hope you trust that your friends really are who they say they are.
Last Edited by quasi-phantom on October 27, 2006.
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