I stopped dead in my tracks, breath hitching as my eyes locked on those glowing yellow orbs cutting through the darkness. The shadowy creature stepped forward, and as it emerged from the inky blackness, my heart threatened to burst. Its body was massive, covered in thick, dark fur, and its claws gleamed like polished steel under the faint moonlight.
It growled, low and menacing, the sound vibrating in the pit of my stomach and sending a chill down my spine.
"No," I whispered, barely recognizing my own trembling voice. The beast crept closer, its gaze never breaking from mine.
My hands fumbled for the trap clamped around my ankle, sharp metal teeth biting deep into my skin. The pain was blinding, a relentless throb that had my head spinning.
"Come on, come on!" I hissed at myself, my fingers scrambling desperately in the dirt. They brushed against something solid—a branch. It was rough and splintered, but it would have to do.
I seized it, my hands shaking as I held it up like some pitiful shield.
The beast let out another rumble, a sound that seemed to mock my efforts. Its lips curled back, revealing rows of sharp teeth, and I could see the faint sheen of saliva glistening in the moonlight.
"Stay back!" I shouted, my voice cracking, but it only kept coming, slow and deliberate, savoring my fear.
Then it lunged.
I screamed and swung the branch with every ounce of strength I had.
CRACK!
The wood connected with its side, and the beast stumbled back, letting out a deafening roar that echoed through the trees. My ears rang, but I didn't stick around to see if it would recover.
Biting down on the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming, I yanked my leg free from the trap. Pain tore through me as the metal ripped at my skin, blood pouring down and soaking my jeans.
I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
Dragging my injured leg behind me, I crawled, each movement sending fresh waves of agony shooting up my body. My breath came in ragged gasps, and tears blurred my vision, but I kept going.
The sound of the beast's heavy footsteps sent my heart into overdrive. It was close. Too close.
Then I saw it—a river, its surface glinting faintly under the moonlight.
"There," I gasped, my voice barely a whisper. I clawed at the ground, forcing my body to move faster even as every muscle screamed in protest.
The growls grew louder, the crunch of its steps closing in.
"Come on, move!" I begged myself, panic clawing at my chest.
When I reached the riverbank, I twisted around just as the beast pounced again. With a wild cry, I swung the branch, missing its snapping jaws by a hair.
Its claws raked the ground where I'd been moments before, and it snarled in frustration.
Without thinking, I turned and threw myself into the water.
The cold was like a slap to the face, stealing the breath from my lungs as the current dragged me under. I thrashed, fighting to keep my head above the surface, but the icy water was relentless.
The beast roared from the riverbank, pacing and swiping at the water, but it didn't follow me in. Relief flooded me, but it was short-lived.
The current was stronger than I'd anticipated, pulling me under and tossing me like a rag doll. Water filled my lungs as I choked and gasped, struggling to resurface.
"Help!" I screamed, though I knew no one could hear me.
Rocks slammed into me, each one sending fresh bursts of pain through my battered body. My injured leg felt like it was on fire, and the cold was seeping into my bones, sapping what little strength I had left.
Finally, the current slowed, and I was spat out onto a muddy bank. I collapsed there, gasping for air, my body trembling violently from the cold and the pain.
I tried to sit up, but my strength was gone. The world spun around me, and darkness started creeping in at the edges of my vision.
I lay back against the mud, chest heaving, the forest spinning above me. My last thought before everything faded was simple and despairing.
I'm not safe yet.
"Is she alive?"
The voice reached me like a whisper carried on the wind, muffled and distant, barely cutting through the roar of the river still pounding in my ears.
"Barely. Look at her leg—it's a mess."
I forced my eyes open, the effort draining what little strength I had left. The world above me was a blur, dark shapes moving against a canvas of endless night.
"We can't leave her here," another voice said, softer than the first but tinged with hesitation.
"She's trouble," the first voice shot back, sharp and annoyed. "We don't need more problems."
Trouble? They were talking about me. My head lolled to the side, and I caught a glimpse of boots stepping closer.
"She's hurt," the softer voice insisted, pleading now. "If we leave her, she'll die."
I tried to speak, to tell them I wasn't trouble, to ask for help, but nothing came out. My throat felt raw, my body too weak to obey even the simplest commands.
"She might've seen it," the first voice muttered, low and cautious.
Seen it? My sluggish thoughts tried to piece together what they meant. The beast—they were talking about the beast.
"Even more reason to take her," the softer voice argued. "If she saw it, we can't risk her talking."
There was a long pause, the air thick with tension.
"Fine," the first voice finally relented, though there was no kindness in it. "But if she causes any trouble—"
"She won't," the softer one interrupted, firm but gentle.
A shadow loomed over me, and I felt strong arms slide under my battered body. Warmth enveloped me as I was lifted from the cold, wet ground, cradled against a solid chest.
Through the haze, I heard the soft voice again, this time closer, laced with quiet concern.
"Hang on, stranger. You're safe now… for a little while."
The words followed me into the darkness as I let it take me, too weak to resist.
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