The Thing in the Woods

"The Thing in the Woods", published in Something Magic This Way Comes, edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Sarah A. Hoyt, DAW 2008, is a short supernatural story by Harry Turtledove.

The story centers on two young boys, Tim and Geoffrey, and their growing suspicion that some creature lives in the woods behind Geoffrey's home after hearing a series of unearthly howls. Tim is briefly convinced that there is a werewolf lurking in the woods, much to Geoffrey's amusement.

Literary Criticism
"The Thing in the Woods" is a rather slight story that ends with an abrupt and somewhat nonsensical twist. The creature's identity is never resolved. However, the ending reveals Tim, Geoffrey, their parents (and evidentally their educators) are vampires.