Eden Cooper

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In the deep and shallow environment where the golden encircled moon stood in the sky, branches dangling overhead, twigs snapping and sharp breaths filling the air, her hair flapped her sweaty back and stickes like glue to her body. She ran as fast as she could, not minding the thorns sinking into her skin and the dripping blood. Her heartbeat was as loud as the violent growls gaining speed behind her. She was just a hiker going about her day, enjoying her vacation. Never had she thought she was going to be coming across a beast as large as that.

What was scarier was the fact that she couldn't tell what it was. Dark furs, grey blotches and a very strong physical feature... Waiting to get a picture would only be suicide, but she managed to snap it while its back was facing her. The flutter of her camera had caught its attention and here they are.

She fell to the floor, her camera slipping her fingers and rolling down the steeped mountain to the creeks below. She let out a sharp gasp as her chest hit the ground. Her legs had been caught in a matted twig.

"Fuck!" She muttered, trying to get her legs off, no longer caring about her missing camera.

The beast's footsteps were now gettong closer with each inch, and she could see her grave before her eyes. Sweat dripping down her forehead, fingers getting torn as she tried cutting off the twigs with force and also tries to deal with her twisted ankle. That evening could only get worse.

Bang!

Something jumped before her. It was now standing, facing her with its wall-towering height hovering above her. It snarled, revealing a fairly frightening amount of fangs; saliva drooling from it. She looked into its eyes and could see a pair of hazel eyes staring back at her. There was compassion hidden in them. She swallowed, unsure of what to do.

As she turned, grabbing the grass to propel herself away, she felt a strong hand wrap around her ankle along with sounds of bones crackling and painful cries. Slowly, she turned her head and saw him crouched behind her. With his hands pressed on her ankle was a tall, broad-chested man with hazel eyes looking at her. Confused and lightheaded, she gave in to the darkness and collapsed.

"...in Willowbrook, again we have found yet another victim murdered in cold blood just few hours before sunrise today, 12th January, 2015. Investigations are ongoing..."

Eden opened her eyes lazily, greeted by the bright reflection of sunlight on her face. The TV was turned on and she wondered who had turned it on. Her mother wasn't supposed to come visit until next month as she is out of the country. As lethargic as she felt, she swung her legs down the bed and made for the wardrobe. The high-pitched sonorous voice of the reporter continued in its long practised tone of sympathy for the murdered.

A pang of headache hit her head, and she patted her ruffled blonde hair, trying to remember what had occurred the night before.

Reaching the living room, she crossed to the TV and grabbed a remote to turn it off when her eyes caught something. The headlines made her heart skip a beat and then foggy memories began to form in her head.

The way she had dressed up, preparing to go hike and suddenly coming across what she thought was a bear and took a picture of it came to her memory. Unfortunately, the flutter caught its attention and it chased her in the woods. As she tried to remember what happened after that, her headache was again triggered, then she had no choice than to drop it. However, someone had died in that same woods, and according to the reporter,the cause of the death seems to be a bear attack. The TV turned off as she clicked the power button.

Later, in the shower, Eden let the water pour down her hair, then her body was adapting to its warmth. Skin pebbled, she enjoyed the feeling it gave until it started burning. Creasing her forehead, she turned off the water and looked at all her body. They were covered in tiny blisters.

Her memory cleared again, and she remembered falling while her ankle got snapped. Turning her ankle now, it wasn't aching a bit, but the burning still persisted.

"Eden!" She heard someone whisper her name, and she peeped from the bathroom, wondering if it was her mom.

"Mom?"

No answer. Now, she was feeling scared. The side of her neck stung like snake bite that she was forced to leave the bathroom and check the wall mirror. She quickly brushed her hair and turned her head to the side only to be met with the shock of her life.

A deep burning pink scar stared back at her from her reflection. Touching it, she only cried in pain. It looked like a bite. Hazy memories came up and she remembered seeing him and his hazel eyes. They were dangerous, yet calling. She didn't know what to do.

Grabbing her phone and car key, she marched outside, but suddenly remembered one important thing.

Her gun...

After getting her double action revolver, she set out for the day, getting into her car. Getting on the road, she turned on the radio and it was the same discussion. Interviewers were asking guests on air what they think about the recent incidents that have been going on.

"Recent incident? For how long has this shit been going on?" Eden asked more to herself. She shook her head at the thought of having been too careless. She could have wound up dead last night.

"Eden!" The voice called again, and this time, Eden was getting creeped out.

As the sun continued to rise, she drove on the long road bridge by the mountain side, overlooking the town and the water it's surrounded with. She reached the woods, then got down from her car. Getting closer, she could see yellow tapes all around, indicating that non-security agents should not cross it. Flashes from camera shutterings and reporters trying to get words from the cops were seen at the scene.

Eden got to the midst of the cops, and she waved her ID card at them, eyes focused on the place she had been before.

"Long time no see, eh!" A tall, lanky man with eyes almost lost in his sockets showed up beside her with a pack of fries in hand.

"Good morning to you too, Willy." She said, voice expressionless.

"Come on, Eden. For days, you went off and didn't tell anyone you won't be coming, not even me." Eden paused in her tracks.

"What did you just say?"

"Uh? You haven't been at work for days now, and I just wanted to know why, as a concerned colleague." He explained, but Eden was lost in thoughts.

"What was I doing these past days?"