The Fallen

Chapter Three

I’m here again. Why is everything so dark? Am I asleep or am I awake?

“Hello? Is anyone here?” I called out.

“Hunter.. Can you hear me? Can you see me?” a female voice whispers from behind me. I try to turn around but there’s just darkness everywhere.

“Yes I hear you. Where am I? Who are you? Why is it so dark here?” I ask.

“Don’t you remember me? I need your help… please,” she begs.

“Who are you? You’re so… so quiet. What do you need from me?” Again I question the mysterious voice.

“Ka- Kayla. This is a dream I created. I can’t let them know you know. I need you to find me. Can’t you feel my presence?” she begs.

“How do I find you if I don’t know where you are?” I demanded, starting to get frustrated by the indirect ploys.

“NO! NO DON’T TOUCH ME! SOMEONE HEL-” and just as suddenly as it happened, it was gone. Once again I was upright in my bed with cold sweat flooding my clothes, leaving a puddle behind in the sheets. f**k. What is happening? Was that really her? Was that really my sister? After so many years she’s finally made contact and… in a dream? What the actual f**k Kayla. Getting up I decided to get a drink of water and check the time. Looking out the window it still seemed to be the middle of the night as the moon was still out. Presumably suffocating from the abundance of darkened clouds in the sky. Just barely peeking through, a murderous red light shining dimly on the ground. As I walked into the kitchen, I could hear a low rumble as if the clouds themselves were waking and stretching, getting ready for their next war with the earth.

“Guess it’s ‘bout time it finally rained, huh Winnie?” I spoke softly to the sheepdog that lay gently staring up at me from his self-proclaimed bed in front of the fire pit. His usual tail wag didn’t follow this night though. Instead his teeth barred and another rumble came through the floorboards, vibrating into my feet.

“What’s the matter boy? Ya don’ like the thunda here huh?” I questioned, bending down to pat his head. Just as I made contact, his whole body shot up into a fighting stance. His head facing the door opposite us. Slowly creeping his way towards it, as if no one could hear his warning growl. I’ve never seen him so on guard before, not even when he was chasing a stray rabbit or a fox. His fur stood straight up as he let out the most menacing, deathly roar he could muster. Something between a growl and a bark. He slapped the door like it just told him off and didn’t miss a beat before he started jumping at it.

“Okay, okay. Chill out man, you can go outside. Just don’t go off into the woods yet,” I said, pushing him out of the way so I could unlatch the lock and let him free. But as soon as the latch came off he was gone. Running like a vicious wolf on a hunt for its next meal. I have no idea how he knew or could see much of anything because it was still pretty dark and there were no lights on at this time. But I saw the shadow and I guess that was enough for old Winnie because as soon I saw it, just as soon I saw Winnie flying like he was some kind of bird. A loud thump followed and a scream of a thousand souls pierced the night air.

I bolted at the sound. Grabbing the flashlight we kept in the kitchen draw I ran to the wood where old Winnie was still rumbling like thunder. The clouds were passing with the wind and the moon revealed something just as tragic as its light. Whatever Winnie had caught, it was not living much longer. Pieces of flesh were being torn and thrown by the dog and blood was everywhere. Turning on the flashlight, the batteries seemed to have been old and faded because it wasn’t giving off much more than the moon itself. I pulled Winnie off and sat him back before looking at this poor creature. A hand. It was human. Oh for f***s sake it was a young boy. Couldn’t be much older than sixteen.

“Winnie ya ol’ fool get back in the house right now!” I whisper shouted as I tried to lift the unconscious boy. A long dagger fell out of his hand and the handle of a handgun lay just in sight of his briefs. I took both of them in one hand trying to shove them into my own briefs and lifted the child. Making sure to steady my stance and walk as carefully as possible to keep whatever life he had left intact. Winnie followed suit, still grumbling by my side, ready to finish the kill. Getting closer to the house I saw another figure by the door holding a lantern up in one hand and a shotgun in the other.

“Ey you thur. Who be it?! Ya know what time it is sonny? Middle of tha goddamn night ye hea’?” He hollered down at me.

“Ye, ye I hear ya, you old fool. It’s just Hunta. We found us a nice little meal tonight,” I joked. Kid groaning and whimpering as expected. Well at least he’s still alive. Pushing Don out of the way I proceeded to gently place the boy on the big kitchen table and started a fire to warm the place up and give us better light than an old flashlight and a lantern could provide.

“Go wake up tha ol’ woman. We got some ‘splainin to be had. Dunno what happened but this here young fella got the worst side of his own intentions from Ol’ Winnie here. He need some bandagin’ real quick. Ye hear?” I spoke as I was setting up the wood. Off he went to alert old Maggie that her beauty sleep wasn’t more important this time around. Grumbling her old self to the kitchen her whole jaw hit the floor and her stance went from frail and grumpy to serious motherly worry and pur confusion. Winnie’s snout started to snarl and his teeth shown again as the boy’s hand twitched some, hanging off the table.

“H- he- help,” he whispered in pure agony.