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1391 Words
I wake with a pounding headache, momentarily forgetting where I am. As my blurry vision comes into focus, panic grips me tightly.
I'm lying on the ground in that small clearing by the creek. The events from before come flooding back - the massive, wolf-like creature attacking us!
I scramble to sit up, gasping at the sight before me. Larry is sprawled out unconscious, a nasty gash above his eye and claw marks ripped across his chest. Blood is everywhere.
"Larry!" I cry out, instinctively scrambling towards him. But a gentle hand on my arm stops me. I whip my head around to see Charles kneeling beside me, his face grim but eyes full of concern.
"Easy there," he says in a low, calming tone. "He's alive...barely. We need to get him medical help fast."
My heart pounds in my throat as I finally take in the destruction surrounding us. Trees are snapped like twigs and the ground is torn up like a battlefield. Charles has a nasty black eye forming and cuts on his face and arms.
"Wh-what was that thing?" I stammer, sick with fear. "A b-bear or w-wolf?"
Charles shakes his head grimly. "I've never seen anything like it. Not a regular animal, that's for sure." His eyes narrow as he scans the treeline warily. "And I've got a bad feeling it could still be out there, stalking us."
A branch snaps in the distance, making me jump with a yelp. We both freeze, listening intently. The birds and forest sounds have gone eerily silent.
"We need to get Larry help and get out of these woods," Charles says firmly, authority clear in his voice. "I'm going to carry him and you're going to lead the way back to the car at a quick pace, understand?"
I nod vigorously, my lower lip quivering. I've never been so terrified.
Charles scoops up Larry's burly, unconscious frame with a grimace, grunting under the big man's weight. We set off back along the trail at a brisk pace, my eyes darting around constantly in fear.
"Keep talking," Charles mutters under his labored breathing. "The sound will help let anything stalking us know we're still here."
"O-okay," I gulp, trying to keep my voice steady. "Back at college a couple weeks ago, my frie--"
A deafening roar shakes the trees around us, cutting me off instantly. I jump about a foot in the air as that gargantuan, wolf-like beast comes crashing through the brush onto the trail ahead of us! Charles backpedals in shock, nearly dropping Larry.
"Run!" he bellows at me.
I don't need to be told twice. Heart pounding wildly, I turn and sprint away as fast as my legs can carry me. Branches whip across my face as I tear through the uneven trail, blind panic propelling me. That ungodly roar splits the air again right behind me.
Oh God, it's chasing us!
I put on an extra burst of speed, wincing as my lungs start burning and a stitch rips through my side. Stay ahead of it! Keep running!
Crashing sounds behind me suddenly make me risk a glance over my shoulder. The sight nearly makes me freeze in horror - that enormous, fanged beast is hurtling after us through the trees, dodging branches and bouncing off trunks.
I turn forward again just in time to see the trailhead parking lot up ahead. Almost there!
With a final surge, I explode out of the woods and around the car. Frantically fumbling for Charles's keys in my pocket, I find the remote and hit the unlock button. The SUV chirps as the doors pop open.
I whirl around, breathless, terrified that the monster will come bursting out of the woods at any moment. Then Charles appears from the tree line, still cradling Larry's unconscious bulk.
"Get in, get in!" I yell frantically, hopping into the driver's seat and unlocking the other doors. Somehow Charles manages to awkwardly load the big man into the backseat despite his injuries.
Just as Charles climbs into the passenger seat and slams the door shut, the wolf-creature explodes out of the forest onto the parking lot. I shriek at the close sight of its fangs and murderous amber eyes glaring right at us.
"Floor it!" Charles roars at me.
I jam the key into the ignition with shaking hands and stomp the gas pedal to the floor. The SUV's engine roars to life and we peel out of the parking area in a spray of gravel. By some miracle, I manage to get us going down the narrow dirt road without crashing.
In the rearview mirror, I can see the beast charging after us briefly before giving up the pursuit, rearing up on its hind legs and letting out another deafening, chilling roar.
My stomach ties itself in knots as I keep driving us away from that nightmare creature. Charles is gripping the door handle and dashboard tightly, sucking in deep, calming breaths.
After several miles down the winding mountain road, he finally speaks up again. "Pull over up ahead, nice and easy."
With trembling hands, I guide us onto the shoulder. Charles immediately jumps out and rushes to check on Larry in the backseat. I clumsily follow, my legs still feeling like jelly.
"How...how is he?" I ask weakly.
Charles examines the bloodied gashes on Larry's chest and face before finding a pulse. "He's alive but needs a hospital, now." Without hesitation, he scoops Larry up again and loads him into the backseat, climbing in to apply pressure to his wounds.
"Drive us to the hospital in town," he instructs me in a tense, focused tone. "And don't stop for anything, understand?"
I just nod numbly and get us moving again. My mind races with terrifying images of that monstrous beast replaying over and over. I've never been more scared in my entire life.
Thankfully we make it to the small local hospital in the mountain town without incident. As soon as we screech into the emergency room entrance, staff come rushing out with a gurney to load the still-unconscious Larry onto.
Charles gets out covered in blood splatters from the struggle, immediately commanding the doctors' attention and barking out orders. I sit in stunned silence in the driver's seat, looking down at my own shaking, bloodied hands gripping the steering wheel.
What the hell just happened?
Eventually Charles comes over and opens my door. "C'mon, let's get you inside."
In a trance-like state, I let him guide me into the ER waiting room. He sits me down on a couch and gently grips my shoulders, ducking his head to look me in the eyes.
"Hey, you with me?" he asks, calm concern in his gaze.
I give a tiny nod, shuddering.
"Listen to me," he says firmly, giving my shoulders a squeeze. "I'm going to go check on Larry's condition and get more information. You just stay right here and don't go anywhere, okay? Don't want you wandering off after what just happened."
My eyes widen a bit. Is he...protecting me? The thought sends a confusing flutter through my belly, mixing with the lingering dread and shock.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Charles says, his tone softening. "You're safe now."
With that, he heads off down the corridor to find the doctor. I clutch my arms across my stomach as if trying to hold myself together. Deep breaths, Cassie. Slow, deep breaths.
Safe. I'm safe now. But what the hell was that thing?
As I sit there trying to process everything, nurses and doctors keep shooting me wary, concerned looks, no doubt noticing my disheveled, bloody state. I must look like an utter wreck.
After what feels like an eternity, Charles finally emerges back into the waiting area, his brow furrowed. I stand up nervously as he approaches.
"Well? How's Larry?"
Charles runs a weary hand over his face and lets out a deep sigh.
"It's...not good. He suffered severe lacerations and trauma." His eyes bore into mine with grave seriousness. "And he's slipped into a coma."
My knees nearly buckle and I have to grab the couch to steady myself. "Oh my God..."
"Yeah," Charles mutters, rubbing the back of his neck tensely. "Docs say his vitals are stable for now, but the next 48 hours are critical."
- Writer
