it was night eight men were sitting together in an empty room of a small house the only pieces of furniture were a simple wooden table and eight chairs the only light came from a lamp on the table one of the men was reading a book he held the book close to the lamp so that he could see the words on the pages there was a ninth man in the room he owned the house he was lying on the table beneath a white sheet the ninth man was dead it was quiet in the house outside there
were the sounds of birds and insects in the trees around the house visitors from the city always noticed these strange cries and calls but the men in the room took no notice of these sounds they heard them every day seven of the men were farmers and woodsmen they worked in the fields and forests every day of the year the skin on their faces had been burned by the sun and the wind they were wearing hats with broad brims the men man with the book did not look like the others he was not wearing a broad-brimmed
hat his face was smooth intelligent and handsome he looked like an educated important man he was a coroner all of the men were here this evening to do an important job an inquest was taking place in the room the men had come to look at the dead body on the table they had to answer this question how did this man die the coroner was reading a diary it belonged to the dead man the coroner and the Seven men were waiting for a witness to attend the Dead Man's inquest suddenly they heard the sound of a
horse Galloping on the road someone was riding quickly toward the house the Horse stopped outside the door opened and a young man came in I'm late I'm sorry he said we've been waiting for you said the coroner we must finish this job tonight Hugh Morgan must be buried tomorrow morning where have you been I went to the telegraph office and sent a telegram said the young man I've written a report about Hugh Morgan's death the report will be in the San Francisco newspapers tomorrow I'm a reporter I write stories for the newspapers you're not here
to tell us a newspaper story said the coroner you're here to tell us what happened to Mr Morgan you must tell the truth you must swear that you'll do this yes I'll tell you the truth said the young man but you might not believe me that isn't a good beginning said the coroner is your newspaper report different from the story that you're going to tell us for a moment the young man had an angry expression on his face I've come here to tell you what really happened he said I promise that I'll tell you the
truth everything that I say to you will be true you can read what I wrote for the newspaper these are the true facts acts this is what I saw and heard and did the report isn't fiction let's begin said the coroner the men took off their hats the young man lifted his right hand and began to speak slowly and clearly I swear before God I will tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth he said what is your name asked the coroner William Harker age 27 did you know the dead man Hugh
Morgan yes I did were you with him when he died I was near him tell us what happened said the coroner why were you with Mr Morgan and what did you see I was visiting him said Harker Morgan and I were good friends I live in San Francisco but I often came here to stay with Morgan we hunted birds and animals in the forest and we caught fish in the rivers Morgan and I went hunting and fishing together many times tell us what happened on the day that Mr Morgan died said the coroner we left
this house at Sunrise said Harker we wanted to hunt quailes we took Morgan's dog with us and we both carried shotguns Morgan told me there's a field of Wild Oats over the hill there were many good large quailes there they'll be good to eat so we went to the field but we found something bigger than quailes what do you mean asked the coroner did you find an animal yes well no said Harker I don't know what kind of animal it was but I saw the oats moving in the field something was coming toward us I
couldn't see the animal but I guessed that it was big Morgan didn't say anything he lifted his gun and aimed it at the oats Harker stopped speaking and looked toward the window please continue Mr Harker said the coroner what happened next I pointed at the moving plants replied Harker I said Morgan if that's a deer you won't be able to kill it with a shotgun you'll need a more powerful gun a rifle but maybe it's something bigger than a deer it might be a bear or a mountain lion but Morgan didn't reply he just aimed
his gun at the oats and stared I began to be afraid our shotguns wouldn't stop an angry bear or a lion Mr Harker you say that it was a big animal said the coroner do you know the difference between a bear and a lion and a deer yes I do sir said the young man quickly and angrily and that's the strangest part of this story I saw the oats moving and I heard something coming through the plants but I couldn't see what it was a big thing was moving toward us but I couldn't see it
did you speak to Mr Morgan again asked the coroner yes said Harker I shouted what is it but Morgan didn't reply the animal or thing was coming closer and Morgan got ready to fire his gun suddenly he said it's that damned thing he was terrified did Mr Morgan know what it was asked the coroner is that what you believe Mr Harker yes sir Harker replied I believe that Morgan had seen it before then he fired his gun and I heard a terrible sound it was the scream of a wild animal and did you fire your
gun too asked the coroner no I didn't I couldn't replied Harker the smoke from Morgan's gun was in my eyes I couldn't see where to aim my own gun then suddenly Morgan dropped his gun and started to run he left you asked the coroner well I was surprised said Harker but I didn't have time to think about it something knocked me to the ground what knocked you down asked the coroner well I didn't see it but it was soft and heavy it moved very fast and then what happened I heard wild screams near me they
were like the sounds made by dogs who were fighting then I saw that Morgan was fighting he was on the ground he was fighting for his life fighting what asked the coroner I I don't know said the young man I couldn't see anything or anyone but Morgan was on the ground and there was a strange movement in the air around him I don't know how to describe it it seemed as if the fight was happening underwater sometimes I couldn't see one of Morgan's hands sometimes his head disappeared then his whole body moved again and did
you try to help Mr Morgan asked the coroner of course I did I ran toward him but I found him like this Harker pointed to the dead body on the table and where was the animal asked the coroner I don't know I only saw the oats moving again they moved as if there was wind blowing across them the thing whatever it was went into the woods my friend was dead I came into town to get a police officer very well said the coroner we'll examine the body he lifted the white sheet off Morgan's body then
he removed a handkerchief that was tied around the dead man's head the handkerchief kept Morgan's mouth closed the other man then looked closely one of them held the lamp High its light sha on the body of the dead man Hugh Morgan's throat had been torn open there were many terrible deep injuries all over his body his clothes were soaked with blood gentlemen you've heard Mr Harker's story said the coroner you've seen Mr Morgan's body what shall we write on the death certificate did a wild animal kill Mr Morgan or was he murdered we must decide
the seven men went out of the room and spoke together quietly for two or three minutes William Harker turned toward the coroner I see that you have Morgan's diary sir he said have you read it does it tell us anything important I've read it quickly said the coroner no it doesn't tell us anything about the cause of Mr Morgan's death the seven men came back into the room one of them stood in front of the car ER and spoke we believe that Hugh Morgan was killed by a mountain Lon he said thank you gentlemen said
the coroner everyone can leave now Mr Morgan will be buried in the morning I'll send for an Undertaker that was the end of the inquest but it was not quite the end of the story William Harker was a writer he wanted to read Hugh Morgan's diary and write a story about his friend's death he stayed in the town after Morgan was buried a few days later Morgan's property and belongings were sold William Harker bought the diary Hugh Morgan had been a lonely man who had written all his thoughts in his diary but he had not
always written days and dates in the diary and some of the pages in the book were torn other Pages were missing this is what Morgan had written before his death my dog is behaving strangely he barks and turns around again and again again he looks at something that isn't there he runs after something that he can't see this has happened several times to September tonight I was looking at the stars in the sky above the hill then something strange happened someone or something moved between me and the Stars the Stars suddenly looked like a pool
when you drop a stone in the water am I going crazy 27 September it's been here again it moves around the house now I keep my gun beside me always does this thing only come at night today I saw footprints in the soft ground near the house what's Happening Here Am I going crazy 3 October I shall not leave my home I will not run away because of this thing but it might make me crazy five October sober I've invited my friend Harker to stay here I'll say nothing maybe he'll find an answer maybe he'll
see the thing too can the dog see it I'm sure that the dog hears it it hears things that I can't hear can the dog see things that I can't see perhaps that is the answer if there are sounds that men can't hear are there colors that men can't see is the damned thing a color that men can't see
