Fiery Messiah: Arla
1172 Words
Arla
It was fresh in my head, etched painfully–the way they tore Lukas apart like a piece of paper.
I remember seeing the blood drip to the ground, before his lifeless body hit the ground. I remember the way my chest tightened at the sight of losing the only family I had. I was tired, my body hurt and I felt bruised all over.
My vision blurred out every now and then but the fear of having them rip me apart kept me moving. His last word was for me to run but deep within me, I wished that thi was all some elaborate prank.
It’s Halloween night–people play all sorts of pranks on each other, right?
Heart pounding, I clung desperately to this–a far wish that this was all unreal. I crawled forward, against the screaming instincts in my head,wanting to verify. M wanted to get up to him, and he would spring up and say -’got you.’
And then, we’d laugh it off.
But the blood trickling down my face forced me to believe the reality of the situation. I was bleeding, and hurt badly. Lukas would never do anything to hurt me.
The moment that belief solidified in my heart, the Lycans spun around to face me. Their murderous eyes glinted wildly as they watched me.
I froze, stunned by their massive sizes, easily reaching 6 ft or more. Saliva dripped from their mouth as the ground shook heavily under the weight of their approaching steps. Realizing what this meant, the blood on the ground, the blood from my head, I yelped.
Especially as suddenly the lead Lycan dashed for me.
My heart exploded into terrific pumps, as I screamed louder in fear. I sprang hurriedly to my feet. Without bothering to gain balance first, I hit the ground running as the Lycan speedily gained on me.
I didn't know what happened. But before I knew it, something sharp grazed my back. I yelped in pain, and under the force of its momentum, I stumbled forward. My vision blurred but I bit my lower lip to stay awake, against the searing agony I felt.
When I looked back, I saw the Lycan stop its chase, and howl into the air, in a somewhat excited way. Its shoulders quaked and the other Lycans casually walked on, their shoulders quakin too.
They're laughing?
The lycan edged its jaw forward and made a gesture that seemed to say ‘run away’.
I didn't hesitate. I scrambled to my feet again, hurtling down the strangely deserted, dark alley with the smell of garbage and the scurrying of rats here and there. But the moment I got my first step in, I felt that sharp pain rake across my back, as I tipped forward, rolling in agony.
When I looked up, the Lycans seemed to be laughing, howling excitedly. Then the gesture again, for me to run.
I picked myself up, slowly. I was scared but I was also mad–mad that I had become their spot when I was not sure if they’d let me live. When I put my first step in, my instincts flared and I tried to duck.
Only to feel the raking claw on my back, as I fell forward.
This time, I was livid, frustrated and scared. Hot tears of dejection ran down my face, mixing with the still trickling blood. Beyond all, the alley I got into was a dead end– there was no getting out.
I was done for.
“W-what… What do you want from me?” I cried as I curled into a ball on the ground.
I was tired, and now, I knew this was it. The end of my life right on the same night I realized I had been lied to. My throat constricted and felt hoarse from so much crying. Just as the Lycans closed on to me, and I waited with bated breaths for them to rip me into half, something heavy landed.
I shut my eyes thinking that another one of them had come. The more the merrier, as their mocking howls got louder the closer they got to me. Heart rending, I waited, counting the seconds as I resigned to my inescapable fate.
But just then, I heard the sound of something tearing–the sharp grunt of pain, the shift in the howls from amusement to outright pain. I flipped my eyelids open to the horrifying sight of blood, fur and fire.
There was a fourth person in the mix. But unlike them, he was mostly human, except for the fire breaths every now and then. And the way he effortlessly plunged his hand into the hearts of the Lycans, ripping their still pulsating hearts one by one.
The last Lycan was missing a limb but it crawled on its fours, howling in agony. The man with his blood stained shirt walked up to the Lycan, shaking his head, his face a mask of fury and rage.
And then, from behind the Lycan, his hand plunged into the back. I gasped as his heart came out the other way, sinking in, until he was shoulder deep. And when he pulled his hand out, a pulsating heart was held tightly, as the Lycan fell limp, unmoving.
Just as soon as it started, it was over.
Except that he began to move towards me. My heart exploded in fear and panic, as I scrambled backwards. If he killed them without hesitation, then he was going to do even worse to me.
“No, no, please, stay away. Please. Don't harm me.” I begged weakly.
I was weak, and my muscles ached, every part of me wanting to just lay and give up. But the blood dripping from his hands, the feral glare in his face, and the occasional fumes of fire exhaled from his breath kept me shivering with survival instincts.
I can’t die here.
“Please…” I begged weakly, as he kept walking towards me.
Through fading vision, he squatted in front of me. When he reached out a bloody hand, I yelped weakly, and then the world faded into a dull black.
I gasped into wakefulness the next instant. Only to see his face closer. And his voice, deep and echoing.
“It’s okay. You're safe now.” He said.
Safe?
My brain screamed at me, recalling how he killed those lycans. I shivered away from his touch, tense and frightened.
Up until my vision blurred and I slumped, again.
When my eyelids parted slowly again, I was several meters high in the air. I tried to scream upon realizing I was airborne and those bloody hands were the only things holding me up.
But the darkness enveloped me again.
The last thought on my mind– was for anyone to help, that I wanted to live, wanted to be safe. But the darkness claimed me as I fell back into the sturdy frame behind me.
- Writer
