Hazel
332 Words
Hazel
The monster fought the Grey Men while I cringed against a tree. The transformed warrior had black fur, a giant’s height, inhuman speed, and a heavy muzzle. A tawny fringe along its spine was the only thing it shared with the blond man. That and its fighting abilities.
When the dust settled pieces of Grey Men littered the area. I screamed as a severed arm wriggled towards me and the hand tried to grab my ankle. I tried kicking it away, but it hung on tight until I touched the staff to it. The wood tingled in my hand and the disembodied arm flew off as if lightning had struck it, flopping into the path of the monster. Lethal jaws snapped at it, swallowing it down.
And vomited it back up.
Nasty. It spat, several times. Not good to eat. The voice in my head had a rough quality, closer to a bark than human words.
The monster stood on its hind legs, straightening until it was at least twice as tall as me. It’s form was vaguely man like, with a chest and arms of banded muscle, all covered with black fur.
My breath shuddered through me. I’d seen many horrible things this day, in the lair of the sorcerer, but this beast was the stuff of nightmares.
It bellowed its triumph, and swiveled its head towards me.
Come. Somehow it spoke right into my mind.
“No,” I whispered. As it stalked my way, I scuttled backwards, trying to get my feet under me to run. With the Grey Men dispatched, I had my chance to escape this monster.
It stopped and c****d its head. Grunted as if trying to speak.
I turned and crawled away, only to have a clawed hand grab the scruff of my neck. With a cry, I turned and stabbed it with the staff. The monster bellowed and dropped me in surprise.
Finding my feet, I pushed through the thicket and when it came after me, I let the branches I held snap back into its face.
- Writer
