NADINE'S P.O.V
Caine knew just as well as I did that there was no one but perhaps it was his stubbornness that wouldn't let him accept defeat.
The sun was beginning to set and weren't close to the cave, at least, not that I knew.
"We went too far," I told him but he didn't respond. "Do you even know where we are?"
"Just stop talking," he hissed. "Stay close to me and we will get back in time."
"How sure are you? We are out here and exposed because you wouldn't just accept that we're alone."
"For fucks sake-"
It was scary how quickly he went from screaming to completely silent. I opened my mouth to speak but he held up a hand to stop me.
"Don't you dare-"
His hand slapped over my mouth, keeping me completely silent and I saw him looking around slowly, almost as if he was looking for something. I couldn't hear anything, it was just the wind and the rustling of leaves but clearly something had caused Caine to go silent.
I wanted to ask again when he suddenly pushed me back, I fell to the ground and was just about to scream at him when I saw something, it was so fast that it was a blur and it hit the place we once stood. The smell of it hit me,
When I was younger, I came across a dead squirrel, the smell of it clung to my nostrils and for the next few days, I could smell it everywhere. This thing reminded me of that, it smelled like decaying flesh and blood.
"Get into the fucking trees!" Caine screamed at me and for once, I didn't protest.
My hands were shaking with fear. I hadn't climbed a tree since I was a child but that didn't stop me this time. I reached for the branches, grabbing them with both hands as I hoisted myself higher into the air.
I heard the sound of Caine unsheathing his dagger and I made the mistake of looking down.
Whenever people referred to these creatures as monsters, I always assumed that they were like big animals that walked on all fours. I never got the chance to see what they looked like but I was not expecting this.
It looked like a man but it wasn't. It was covered in long matter hair and it had claws that looked like knives. It was taller than a man, bigger too and it had sharp teeth. I was frozen in my spot. I had no idea how Caine could stand there with his weapons out. I would have died. I was in a tree and I felt like dying.
I knew it was an experiment gone wrong but this- this was barbaric.
It lunged at Caine and I wanted to look away but I couldn't. He expertly weaved away from the creature but it was fast and I knew he couldn't avoid it for long. He needed my help but I had no weapons, I couldn't fight it.
I had never felt more useless than I did in that moment.
He was going to die and the creature was going to come for me next.
Something sharp poked my side and I turned only to find a low hanging branch sticking out. It was almost falling off the tree and I got a wicked idea. It was insane at best but it was the only thing I knew to do.
I grabbed a tiny stone and threw it. It hit the monster in the back of its head, getting its attention for a split second. It turned to me, bared its teeth and growled. It took me back to that day in the dark closet with Caine. It was the very same growl. It was the creature. I was right.
"Stay in the fucking tree, Nadine," Caine snapped but I ignored him.
I had perfect aim and I knew it so this time, I broke off the branch and aimed it straight at the monster. It went through its leg and it screamed, a blood curling sound that I felt all the way to my toes. Caine moved quickly, sending his dagger into the chest of the monster. I watched it bleed.
I wasn't sure what I was expecting, maybe some weird black color to let me know that it was not human but it bled red, just like me.
"Jump down, now, we have to go! That scream was a call, others will be coming soon."
Caine sounded panicked, in a way I never heard him sound before. I jumped before I even knew what I was doing but he was right underneath the tree, his hands around me, keeping me steady before pulling me into a run.
The dead creature lay behind us.
My heart was pounding furiously in my chest. A part of me wondered if we would make it, especially when I heard a howl come from somewhere deep in the forest.
I didn't come this far just to die so I pushed my legs harder.
When I heard the waterfall, I could have sobbed in relief. I jumped in, not caring that I was clothed and swam straight for the cave. I heard Caine jump in after me and it wasn't until we got to safety that I allowed myself to breathe.
I lay flat on the uncomfortable ground and heaved a sigh of relief. "Fuck. What the hell was that? How did you- I can't-"
I turned to Caine only to find him already looking at me. He looked pissed, his eyes were wide and his jaw was clenched. I opened my mouth to speak but he held up his hand to stop me.
"What the fuck were you thinking?" he yelled. "Are you insane? I asked you to stay in that tree."
"I didn't even get down. What are you going up about? I saved our lives."
"The branch could have hit me. It could have killed the both of us."
"It would have killed you," I snapped back. "None of this would have happened if you had listened to me and let us come back when I asked but you were too stubborn."
"I had it handled."
"No, you fucking didn't!" I didn't like to curse but he was asking for it. "Look, we are stuck here together and I know you're used to being right and being with your friends who know everything and can help you in a fight but I'm not them."
"I can clearly see that."
I ignored his jab. "You don't trust me and I understand that but I can help if you stop treating me like a dumb child. I have perfect aim, I wasn't going to miss. If I wanted it to hit you, it would have. I can throw daggers better than you can spell your own name."
He snorted, "I'll believe it when I see it. "Give me a dagger and I'll show you."
"I didn't pack weapons for you."
"Of course you didn't," I mumbled. "We are stuck here together. You're going to have to trust me at some point."
It was silent for a full minute and a part of me expected him to agree, to say something but at the last minute, he turned away from me and pulled his shirt over his head.
"Take your shit off before you catch a cold."