I've been running through the jungle
I've been running with the wolves
To get to you, to get to you
I've been down the darkest alleys
Saw the dark side of the moon
To get to you, to get to you
Time was not passing; I felt everything going in slow motion, very similar to a scene in a movie. The slow seconds were heavy with thick fear. I heard Jared's hushed whisper, "Let's take a few steps back then run." I could also hear the shallow and quickened breathing of Alexis, she sounded about to break into sobs. The biggest wolves of the four took slow, predatory steps our way. His red eyes stared right into mine and I felt my heart beating out of rhythm, thumping and thudding within my chest. I tried to even my breathing, hoped for my mind to work and maybe follow Jared's advice and run, but I seemed to be frozen in place: both physically and mentally. Fear held me captive and I couldn't break free.
The other three wolves followed their largest and just as they were few steps away, I heard the sound of a loud howls: more wolves! The sound was interpreted in my mind into danger, well more danger than the one I was in. However, I was proven wrong when a grey wolf jumped right into the large black one, attacking it, biting its neck. Other two wolves appeared, one was dusty brown and the other was as white as the snow. Both wolves lunged to the remaining three and some fierce fight began. I turned to find that Jared had already broken into a run, while Alexis was still behind me with wide eyes and an open mouth. I turned to the scene once more and I saw how the wolves were still lost in their raged fight. I looked Alexis in the eyes, grabbed her hand, and said, "We have to run. NOW" I whisper shouted the last part then pulled her into a run.
We ran between trees, the sound of leaves rustling beneath our rushing feet along with the slightly strong wind could not silence the sounds of their howls. I ran as fast as I could with Alexis hand in mine and at a certain point the howls sounds were lost in the air: no longer as strong as they had been, until I heard the running thuds on the ground; they were not ours. I turned to take a look with Alexis mimicking me, only to find one of the black wolves following us. "Oh God! We are going to die" Alexis cried out, but started running faster nevertheless. I did not have anything to say to that and so I just ran, I ran so hard that my lungs burned, I ran even though my legs were about to give out, and I ran although I knew no direction; I couldn't even remember the way back.
Alexis' hand slipped from mine, but she was right next to me. The wolf was on our trail, running as fast as it could and closing on me. "We have to find somewhere to hide" I yelled but when I turned I found no trace of Alexis. I looked behind me only to find the wolf had jumped, so I turned tried to outrun it, but it was too fast and the jump was too high. Everything was a blur for a split second until I felt a major burn in my leg, blinding pain it was. The wolf teeth were clutching my leg in a holding bite and I fell straight on my face. I kicked its head, tried to pull the leg it was biting, and screamed my lungs out to free my leg, but it was to no avail. I wondered if this was the moment in which I would meet my death. but I didn't see my whole life before my eyes, I didn't think of the things I regret doing or not doing. I only thought about surviving and how I didn't want this to be my end.
They lied when they said that you see your whole life before your eyes when you are dying, they romanticize the last moments of living with the delusion that your mind would think of the things you regret doing, or not doing at all. They pretend that you will feel slightly sad but then you will feel relief because you will see whatever light, or maybe because you would be in a better place. This is NOT true. At that moment the only thing on my mind was how to survive and that I did not want to die, and the only thing I felt was unconditional, invincible, and unstoppable fear.
Before the tears welled in my eyes could fall, the sound of a vicious howl was heard and the same grey wolf from earlier jumped on the black wolf biting its neck. I managed to crawl away from their fight into a close by tree. I relaxed my back onto it and watched as the two wolves battled. I wondered if my fate was whether to be eaten by the black wolf or the grey one, but both fates did not appeal to me. I might have lost consciousness some time during the fight, because at a certain moment I opened my eyes to find the scene before me clear but for the trees and quite but for some squirrels. My leg throbbed with pain but my fatigue was quickly taking over me my eyes closed, to be once again opened to the sound of my name being called by a man, "Lorraine, wake up" I felt a soft pat on my cheek and the same voice calling me once more. I opened my eyes to see Jared's face in front of mine with his eyes filled with worry. "Don't worry. Help is here."
It is unclear to me how I lost consciousness once more, but I became aware of myself to the sound of a beeping machine. So, when I opened my eyes to find myself in a hospital room, I was not really surprised. I saw nana sitting on a chair at the corner of the room with her eyes closed, so I assumed she was sleeping. I tried to call her but my voice came out raspy and my dry throat hurt when I used my voice. "Nana" I called again, her eyes opened and she jumped to me.
"Lorraine, sweetheart, thank god I was so worried" she said caressing my hair.
"Nana" I tried to swallow, but my throat felt dry, "water." At my demand she brought me a glass of water and I took few sips from it then handed it to my grandma who out it on the nightstand next to my hospital bed, "What happened?" I asked with a bit of confusion. I could remember the wolves, their fight, the grey wolf, being bit, and then Jared.
"You don't remember anything?" nana asked carefully with worry lacing her voice.
I shook my head, "I remember. I'm just not sure how I got here"
She sat on the edge of the bed next to me and her eyes took a softer look, "Jared told us that he managed to escape and called for help, when he came back, he found you passed out on the ground with your leg bleeding. The paramedics took care of you before bringing you here" she sighed with a shake of her head, "I still cannot believe that such a horrifying thing happened. Wolves never inhabited this part of the woods; it's just so strange"
I nodded my head when I remembered Alexis, "How is Alexis? Is she okay?"
"Oh yes. The Dales have been out of their mind with worry when they heard of what happened. Apparently, Alexis had run straight home" Her voice gave away a blaming tone, "She should have called for help that girl, but she just left you there bleeding. Kids these days"
"You can't really blame her; I mean I might have done the same have I been in her shoes" I justified in a slightly raspy voice. "She was afraid, it was a petrifying experience nana" I felt tears gathering in my eyes and a lump forming in my throat, but I would not give into my tears. I did not want to look or feel weak. I tried to sit up better, but I felt a very strong pain down my leg, so I winced, which made nana notice.
"Easy there, the doctors said you should rest. The bite was severe and you need to relax for the next couple of days" nana said urging me to relax my back and pushing me to the bed. "The police wants to talk to you"
"The police?" I asked slightly surprised. I thought this was more of an animal-control case.
"Yes. They already talked to Jared and he had told them everything he knows and I believe they also talked to Alexis and her parents." Nana explained while slicing an apple.
"What time is it?" I could see it was day time through the closed window, but I was not really sure of the time.
"It's 10.30 in the morning" she replied, distracted with the apple in her hand.
"I have been out for a whole day?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes, but the doctors said you needed the rest for your body to heal" she handed me a plate with apple slices, "eat a little before the police comes to talk to you"