Crushing Emeralds

Chapter Seven

There’s nothing like blinded shock. The bright cabin lights fly on unexpected waking me up to confusion and chaos. It takes several minutes for me to full wake up and get my eyes adjusted. My limbs shake from adrenaline as my heart hammers like thunder, frantically trapped in my chest beating wildly to get out.

I can’t distinguish the pounding on the door of the cabin from the pounding of my pulse that throbs in my ears. “Whats going on?” I grumble into the room. I catch a glimpse of Kordie frantically getting her shoes on. “Hey what’s going on?” I glanced up at a clock that hangs above the door, it reads a little after one o'clock in the morning.

“We have to-”

A shriek from outside stops all chatter.

Kordie’s wide eyes scan the windows and door before landing on me. “Get your shoes on. We have to go.” She grabs a fistful of my shirt and yanks me to my feet. I don’t even have my shoes all the way on when she drags me to the door.

“Are you going to tell me what going on? What the hell is happening?” I asked.

Kordie’s speechless as she points to the window across the cabin. My eyes follow the line of her arm. My heart plunges to the bottomless pit of stomach. A smear of red covers the window. “Is that...is that blood?” I began to scrabble around the cabin with the other girls trying to go somewhere, but going nowhere at all.

When a vicious growl fills that shrieking panic everyone goes silent, planted in place where they stand. I swear I heard that howl before. Kordie rushes at, but before she latches onto my arm we’re plunged into darkness.

Kordie runs over to me and begins dragging me forward, “Emerald come on! We have to go. Now!”

I let myself be dragged along without answers. There’s no way that I’m able to get my feet moving on their own, so I’m grateful for Kordie’s initiative in getting us the hell out of here...wherever it is that she thinks we’re going to.

I stand on the front step of the cabin, frozen as I watch people running in one direction, toward the Common Room. The moon brightly shines in a cloudless sky this evening. It sheds on the horrific scene.

Kordie doesn’t waste another second forcing us off the step and into the forest. I don’t think either of us realize the extent of what’s happening. Halfway to the common room doors a strong hand grabs my arm and began pushing me forward at a faster pace. Relief washes over me as I see Evan and Jordan. Jordan takes Kordie almost lifting her off the ground as he grasps her arm.

A deep chills plants my feet firmly into the ground. Unable to control my body, I stuck in place. Body froze with fear, an unexplained fast approaching fear. Evan’s hand slips off me and he runs a few feet ahead before he realizes I’m no longer next to him.

I turn my back on my friends to look out into the forest. That prickly tingle trails down my back, the feeling of being watched. The grounds were empty. Most of the students are already or nearly at the Common Room. We very well may be the only people left out here. I can hear faint cries of fear from the hopeless and possible injured. My eI can hear the hollers of my name being called.

I scan the treeline, straining my eyes to make out shapes in the shadows. I’m not even sure if I’m seeing shadows move within the trees or if my eyes are making them up. My head whips in the direction toward where a twig snap under pressure.

The predator meets the prey.

A wolf...a large wolf with cold lifeless gray eyes steps out from the treeline. It’s prowls forward, mouth open exposing sharp teeth stained red. It opens even wider to let out that bone-chilling howl. It takes a few more steps forward.

As it gets closer, my body gets stiffer. I couldn’t move even though my head is screaming to run. I stand rooted in place watching as the wolf gracefully struts toward me. Stupid Emerald died staring down a wild animal, yeah that would make a great headline. The faint crunch of gravel from behind gets louder and louder. A murmur of my name through panting breaths lifts some of the debilitating fear.

Evan.

He slams into me lifting me off the ground. I become airborne as she swings me over his shoulder. The c***k of my ribs smashing into Evan’s shoulder knocks the wind out of me. My head and arms dangled as Evan runs. I lift my head up and bring my numb arms up to brush hair out of my face. I watch helplessly as the wolf begins to bound toward us quickly closing the gap between us.

My mouth opens to warn Evan, but no sound comes out, only a squeaky grunt as I continue to bounce on his shoulder. When I hear Jordan yelling for the doors to stay open, I know we must be close.

Not even seconds later Evan barges through the doors. the slam of the doors follows immediately afterwards. Not a moment too soon. The wolf slams into the doors rattling them on their hinges.

“A little help here people!” Jordan screams as he struggles with a few others in holding the door.

Evan drops me to the ground where I crumple into a heap on the floor.

Kordie quickly rushes up to me embracing me in a hug. She begins to cry in my ear. I scan the room as Kordie refuses to let go. Everyone is hudled into small groups, most have tears in their eyes, heads down and hands covering their ears. But the puddles of blood is what gets my full attention.

I follow the trail to where two larger groups hover over something...someone. I immediately snap out of it. I can help. I need to help. I toss Kordie off me and march over to the first group, peering over several heads. Before I see anything I hear the gurgling of blood.

“Let me in. I need to see.” I holler. They just stare at me with narrowed eyes. “I can help. Please.”

Desperate they make a small hole for me to sneak into. My eyes quickly find Marley’s mangled body. I swallow a lump that quickly grows in my throat. As I kneel in the growing pool of blood I bark orders, pointing at people without bothering with names. “Get that door blocked and the curtains closed. Towels, blankets pillows. Two buckets with water, two without.” I scream.

That blank dumbfounded look glazes their eyes. “All of that stuff is in this room. Go.”

I place my attention back on Marley. Three large gashes slice into skin that go from the top of her right shoulder, touching her throat, and stop just above her left hip bone. Blood is splattered over her face and her eyes are of a deer caught in highlights of a semi truck. It sounds as if she’s choking on her own blood as she gasp deep raspy breaths.

The towels arrive with the buckets of water. “One bucket of water and an empty one here and the other two over there, divide up the towels. Somebody please get the first aid kit off the wall that is next to the bathroom and can someone please check all the drawers and cabinets for a sewing needle, some thick thread, a knife, and a pen.”

Evan, Jordan, and the rest of the people join the horror after securing the door.

Evan’s hand grips my shoulder, he leans down speaking directly into my ear. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Get me some rubber gloves. It's gonna get messy.” I hear a groaning whine from none other than Kordie. “Jordan, get her out of here.”

Jordan grabs Kordie and tugs her along. they disappear behind a corner somewhere. I stand up.

“Where are you going?” A girl that sits at Marley’s head grips my arm trying to yank me back down.

“I have to scrub my hands. If she makes it through this I don’t want to create an infection.” I stare down at her. “I’ll be back.”

I need to get this done and I need to get it done fast. There’s still another victim waiting.