The hunter

Chapter 18

It was getting dark now and Elliot hadn’t really said much since last speaking with Akechetah and the silence was making my on edge. Not being able to stand it anymore I had to ask him “what’s the significance of an abandoned building, I mean no one will be there it will be empty”. Elliot never taking his eyes of the road “you’d be surprised derelict buildings attract the homeless, drug addicts, squatter’s, teenagers wanting to hold wild parties the building want be empty, and it will be easy pickings for wolves with a nice variety of prey for them”. Well, I wasn’t expecting that but then being a novice in this field it just showed how much I had to learn, and God knows what truly horrible things I will now bear witness too, but this was my destiny, and I could not walk away from this.

The rain had started to fall, and everyone was quiet in the back even the hairs started to rise on the back of my neck and my stomach was starting to act up and I knew it was a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen and my face must have given it away how much dread and anxiety I was feeling as Elliot now spoke up. “You can sense it can’t you Riley, always trust that instinct and it won’t let you down just remember as much as you need to listen to it don’t focus solely on it always be aware of your surroundings we always need to be on our guard”.

He started to slow the van down and as he was pulling into a now unused car park that was now strewn with litter, with dumped furniture and rubbish a fly tippers dream clearly. I could make out the silhouette of Akechetah and my breathe caught in my throat for a moment. Elliot then slowed the van to a stop and put his finger to his mouth as if telling me to be quiet so without hesitation I did as instructed. Turning he looked through to the back of the van as if giving some kind of signal, but I couldn’t really make it out.

Turning the engine off now he exited the van so silently and I knew that we were now on duty which meant it was game on. Watching as he cautiously headed to meet Akechetah there seemed to be loads of arm and hand gestures and then not certain, but I thought he looked at me sat in the front and then he started to walk away from our position. Elliot then reappeared and signalled and mouthed the word out and he reached for where he had stowed his axe. I made it out the van and could feel the dampness in the air and the slight drizzle of the rain as it fell around us, I clutched my axe holding it close to my stomach as if it would offer some comfort. I then heard the van door open and could hear the three of them step down as their feet splashed in the puddles. Then Chris spoke “so f*****g typical Akechetah is such a p***y running off when there are wolves to kill” Instinctively I turned to glare at him and realised that Josh smacked him up the side of the head as if telling him to shut up. “Elliot then got right up in Chris’s face and jabbed at his chest “Shut your mouth he has to go back and track the rest of them with Scott open your mouth one more time I will feed you to the wolves we have a job to do you little pansy”. Elliot then closing the door as quietly as possible and looked of into the shadows taking in everything around him then walked to me and jerked his head signalling that we were to walk ahead to the entrance. The drizzle of the rain started to let up and everything was eerily quiet and gave of an ominous feeling just like the other night when we were being followed.

The only sound was from our footfalls, and I couldn’t help but look around me feeling on edge as flight or fight had kicked in you some bad ass hunter I am. All that I could see was a vast web of darkness even the trees where dark and gave of this cold feeling as if they were wanting no part in what was about to take place. We made it to the entrance and the ground had now changed to from gravel and a carpet of leaves to a wooden walkway. As we walked across the sound that resonated from it was if a drum was being hit alerting anything to our presence, the building was boarded in various sites which lead me to believe that this building was mainly windows. Using my imagination, I visualised it when it was open, and you could see the floor to ceiling windows with bright and welcoming lighting showing the dinners inside happily chatting away whilst enjoying their meals. The doors were boarded up with metal sheets that had been chained and padlocked however the chains were now nowhere to be see and the smell that was wafting through the gap was of stale urine and faeces. Elliot pulled the metal sheet opening it wider and the metal grated against the floor the waft was now intensified that I had to resist the urge of vomiting. Looking at Elliot the smell didn’t seem to faze him in the slightest. Without a second thought he walked through into he disused building and taking one deep breath I followed in there was a slight orange glow where there where small fires that where light and what must have been old cooking pans. The tables and chairs where still here but where now covered in dust and cobwebs all pushed to the very back of the wall and some had been broken clearly to be used for firewood to provide any inhabitants with warmth.

Though I doubted it provided much warmth as the cold and damp perforated the very air of this space along with the rancid smell. You could see soiled blankets spread throughout the floor and to my horror they were all draped across several people. There was movement so they were still alive but there were discarded bottles of the cheapest cider or beer they could afford. With it was also dirty needles and I just looked at Elliot and he simply shrugged his shoulders as if this was normal viewing for him. As Tyler, Josh and Chris joined us they stopped and looked around till they found the old kitchen doors. They then disappeared from site, and you could hear something opening I was now on tenterhooks, but Elliot just put his hand on my chest as if to say it was ok. Chris came out holding an old can of cooking oil and used it to wedge the door open. Once he had achieved this, he then walked past us and stood closer to the entrance. Josh and Tyler then came back in the room and started to pick up the intoxicated people and then went back into the kitchen. There was roughly twelve people that I could make out and each time they were picked up they let out a slight muffled groan, but their arms just feel down to their sides. Once the room was cleared, I heard something close, but I couldn’t make out too much more. Then only Tyler came back in the room, and he just nodded at Elliot, and he returned the gesture.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion Tyler reached is hand behind him and unsheathed his axe and then I heard it the nose as something was clawing away at the boarding. You could hear the wood just splinter and then suddenly there was a window now unprotected and there they were. All I could make out was there out line with their acidic yellow eyes and I dropped my axe to my side as I watched as the glass was starting to vibrate. Elliot pulled my back just as the window finally succumb to its brutal onslaught and the window shattered into tiny little fragments and a shadow figure landed in the room. I already felt cold but the air from outside now entered this room and the fires all started to flicker as if holding a battle of their own. I gripped the handle of my axe tightly and looked at the wolf that was now starting to rise from the crumpled heap and you could hear every drop of glass as it fell to the floor where it was shaking it free from its coat. I then looked ahead at the now open window, and I made out six more wolves slowly slink in each letting out a low primordial growl. Elliot whistled at Chris and gestured with his hand telling him to actually move to where we are but he refused to budge form where he was and I could not believe my eyes he just lazily held his axe I mean what the hell!. Elliot held his dagger in one hand and had his axe out to the side in his left hand and was now slightly bent he never took his gaze from the pack the one that smashed through the window now looked from its left to its right and as if giving of order as if in charge. Three wolves started to come towards me and Elliot as what I could only assume to be the leader moved with one wolf in Tyler’s direction and the last two made their way in Chris’s direction and as I looked at him, he was slowly take backwards steps to the other end of the restaurant.

Snapping my gaze back to what was in front of me I could make out one of the three wolves starting to edge towards me. Snarling and snapping at the air in front of it as if issuing me a warning I then unsheathed my dagger with my left hand refusing to make any further movements. It then started to paw at the ground and came to charge at me. Trying to be as still as possible till the last moment just as it was about to knock me to the ground I spun out of the way and thrust my dagger with every ounce of strength that I had into its shoulders and twisted it as realising the dagger I used my knee to hit the abdomen forcing it to fall backwards and then it rolled over bringing its self on to its hind legs. Even when on all four legs it was near the same height as me but now it was towering over me, and it knocked me and I hit the wooden bar. Ignoring the pain I was in I charged forward swinging the axe aiming for its lower abdomen forcing it to double over. Then thrusting the dagger into its neck, I was then rugby tackled by it grabbing my dagger from where it was lodged in its neck. It was mere inches from my face, and I could feel the heat from its rancid breath and could see foam in the corners of its mouth and it was viciously snapping its jaws trying desperately to take a chunk out of me. Holding on tightly to the dagger I twisted it inflicting as much pain as physically possible so that it raised its head to let out a low guttural whimper. I then pulled the dagger from it and putting my hands underneath placing my palms on its tangled and matted fur it made my skin itch just touching it. I bought right leg up to my chest and then kicked up and using my hands I shoved it forcing it fall backwards into the air. Then putting myself into a grouching position I slowly rose watching as it to righted itself and then it charged at me raising the axe above my head I waited for the perfect moment and drove it down right at the nape of its neck. I was then meet with the blood spray where I has successfully decapitated, I used my arm to wipe the residue from my face. Making out my once clean axe was now tarnished with blood splatter and mangled fur.

The corpse then thudded to the floor I heard Elliot shout my name and then I was knocked to the side where I crashed into one of the deserted tables and me head was knocked against the leg of it, and I could feel a warmth start to trickle down the side of my face.

Holy s**t this one was even bigger than the last one never taking my eyes of it I bum shuffled backwards putting as much distance as possible between me and it. I could hear the metallic dragging noise where the axe was sliding with me. The monstruous beast reached its arms through trying to swipe at me each time though it failed miserably. Now no longer under the cover of the table I slowly rose, and the wolf copied my every movement as if it was my reflection in a mirror.

It then grabbed the tables in its teeth and with all its force never releasing its jaws grip flung the table to the side. You could hear the legs grind against the floor tiles, where it had now successfully cleared a pathway without hesitation launched itself at me and at the same time I ducked, and I watched as it soared over my head. Once it landed on the floor it turned back in my direction and it started to rise on its hind quarters, and I started to charge and dodged from side to side as it tried to land a blow on me as I was crouched, I thrust my dagger upwards and watched as it didn’t just connect with its hand but pierced all the way through. After pulling the dagger back out I was then knocked to the side again with such force it was almost as if I was flying till, I then face planted the floor. Looking up I was expecting it to comeback for me and the last thing I expected was to hear Chris shouting out what he did. “Elliot, we have company” and I could then see the glow of what I could only assume was headlights of a few cars. Looking at Elliot he was swinging down his axe on his attacker that was pining and whimpering on the floor almost as if he was an executioner delivering his verdict on a guilty person.

I looked to my left and saw that Chris had no corpses next to him and I couldn’t believe it he was not on the ground but stood up on one of the higher tables. From my count I could make out two carcasses and watched as Tyler defeated one wolf that was on its hind quarters swinging his axe as if it was a baseball bat and the wolfs head was a ball. The force of it flung the head so that it smacked into to wall. So, correction three dead I could see the other four make a bee line for outside clearly no longer interested in fighting but more interested in feeding a ravenous hunger.

Elliot’s voice boomed authority “Chris you little s**t get off the f*****g table and get out there and do your job”. “Riley you me and there now Tyler change positions you stand guard and free up Josh now move it”. Watching as Chris jumped down and just casually walked towards the entrance I looked to Elliot and followed his lead. Then the silence blanked was removed and there was the sound of car horns honking. We ran out through the broken window and there were three cars and where the headlights lit the space up, I could make out one wolve had someone by the head and you could see the lifeless body just swaying from its jaws. The others were knocking into the cars, and you could see them rocking from side to side. Elliot ran a head and then dropped himself, so he was sliding across the wet leaves as if it was a makeshift slip and slide and raised his legs kicking one of the wolves away from the door. Inside there was a shrill piercing scream from a hysterical female and I was astounded by the stupidity of this women she opened the door and ran out heading in my direction. I screamed at her “Get inside now go to the kitchen” she stood dead in her tracks she was a tall but very fat and was wearing a red corduroy dungaree dress with black leggings and a long sleeved top her short greasy brown hair hung limply around her round spotty face “I’m not going inside there could more of them in there “wow was she really that stupid I then saw it a wolf charging straight at her dropping my weapons used both my hands I grabbed her wrist and pulled her forwards throwing her to the floor. Then bending down to pick up my axe and dagger I felt as she pathetically slapped at my back “How dare you, you hurt me well look at me b***h” I needed this like a hole in a head I turned to face her and screamed “back off and get inside now” turning back as I knew that any moment now it would be upon me. I positioned my axe so I could cut into its midriff however before I could land a hit I was dragged backwards as someone was pulling onto my hood.

She really was stupid and looking into her bloodshot eyes I realised she was high as a kite and clearly lost any bearings of her senses. Pulling free from her grip I shoved her to the ground with maybe a bit too much force. The wolf had stopped and instead of charging forward it was now pacing from side to side “for the love of God get inside now” praying she would finally heed my advice however I saw as she got to her feet and started to run back in the direction of the car just as the wolf was doing its pendulum walk. I decided to follow Elliot’s example and dropped to slid across the wet and decayed leaves raising my left hand with the dagger in and stabbed down on the wolf’s foot. However, it had pre-empted this move and kicked out and I skidded backwards so I dug my heel in and then rocked my back and jumped to my feet and before I could make a move I watched as it raised its claw at the girl, she fell to her knees screaming out in pain. I ran a head charging at it myself and rugby tackled it to the ground and drove the dagger into its stomach. This was clearly stronger than the other wolves I faced so far as it used all four paws to push me backwards. As I fell to the ground, I was relieved that there were so many leaves as it provided a makeshift blanket. The girl was still hysterically screaming righting myself I tried desperately to get to her so that I could block the wolfs pathway to her, but it was faster, and I watched as it lunged at her and its jaw wide opened and latched onto her throat and then I heard a sickening crunch as it bit into her throat.

It had now knocked her onto her back and was now tearing into her flesh where it had finally succumbed to its hunger. Charging at it as soon as I was withing reaching distance of it I bought the axe down on it and as much as it was a clean shot the neck was so thick It only made it a dent in it. However, it raised its head howling from the pain I had caused. Using the tip of my boot I kicked it as if I was a football forcing it to look up at the sky and swung my axe from below and it dug further into its throat. I then pulled it out and bought as much force as I could into my next blow and finally, I cut the head of fully and I watched as the headless corpse fell flat on the now dead carcass of the stoner girl. The smell of blood enveloped me, and it felt like I was tasting it looking up I watched as Josh and Elliot swung low and high and I saw the head fall to one side and the mid torso fell in the opposite direction. Chris then came strolling out of the hedge with his axe just resting on his shoulder. I watched as Elliot went over to the first car opening the door and Josh went to the next car. Then after a few moments they slammed the doors and both cars reversed and speed of in the direction that they came. I then walked over to Elliot “are you just going to let them go what if they say anything”. Wiping the now semi dried blood from his brow “of course the car stunk of Pot there just stoner kids trust me they will drive of and find somewhere else to carry on getting high that they will forget what they just saw, that’s the beauty of drugs it makes people delusional that even if they did say anything they wouldn’t be believed”. Josh then chimed in “Chill Riles, besides even if they did make a report to the police, it would just disappear into the ether anyway wouldn’t be the first time a report like that vanished”. Elliot now turned to Chris “As for you please say you killed the bloody wolf and didn’t let it slip through your hands like last time” looking a bit sheepish Chris very quietly mumbled ‘It knocked me into the tree and got away”.