CACKLE- Book 1

Chapter One

"Faster girl! They're gaining... Run! RUN!!!"

Anna's screams made Remi's heart skip a beat. She could hear her pulse in her ears, the blood rushing to her head. Her calves were cramping, and a flash of cold sweat ran over her body.

A deafening screech came from behind them.

She did not dare look back.

Jumping over fallen trees, crisp and crumbling from the blazing heat, she dodged boulders as she tried to focus on the sound of her boots pounding the gravel. Counting her steps, she increased her speed. Almost there... She could see her destination now. She weaved around the rocky landscape. The sound of talons scratching their surfaces just behind her as a flying demon swept low to grab her.

A wail of frustration from the winged beast echoed loudly in the air.

"Dumb shit. Piss off." Remi shouted, cursing the beast's relentless pursuit. She wasn't sure how many there were behind them now. Four, maybe five? At least 3 fliers that she was aware of and one walker. She could hear its paws colliding with the ground while inhuman panting was closing the distance between them. The walkers were not the fastest beasts but the fliers sure were.

"Remi!" Anna shouted, her voice breaking. Remi's heart sank.

She allowed herself a fraction of a second to look back in time to see a set of razor-sharp talons inches from her left ear.

'Damn... This is gunna hurt.' She thought as she tumbled onto her right side, dodging some of the larger rocks but landing hard, rolling over jagged gravel. A loud crunching snap from the jaws of the walker came from behind her but she was back up and running. That was too close.

Not her most graceful tumble, but it worked. Unable to spare a second to catch her breath, she could feel her body beginning to slow. Her lungs were aching, throat burning, her chest was beginning to feel too tight. Black spots speckled the edges of her vision.

'Keep pushing.' was all she allowed herself to think.

Just a couple feet ahead of her was Anna, who was loading an arrow into her crossbow. Unfortunately, Remi had left her full quiver on a table during their raid. A rookie mistake. She knew better. When the demons swarmed the small shop, they had been scavenging, she had no choice but to grab the sack of supplies she had filled and bolt.

Anna turned, aiming for Remi's head. She took her shot...

It hit its mark. A shriek of agony, high and shrill made Remi flinch, followed by a loud thud as the flier hit the ground. Anna's aim was perfection. Since she had been aiming for Remi's head... Remi cringed at the thought of how close the demon must have been.

'Great. They're gaining,' she thought.

"Almost there!" As if reading Remi's thoughts Anna shouted.

"Finally." Remi panted. Her legs began to feel like stumps, numbing out.

A shimmer of blue in the distance filled her chest with relief. The pool beckoned. Curved like a brilliant smile waiting to greet her. Wrapping around the base of a mountainous volcano. It was the last source of water, which was no coincidence.

"We're going to make it!" Remi shouted, throat dry and raspy.

Anna reached the edge of the cove. They didn't pause, jumping the last few feet they dove in headfirst.

Cool relief kissed Remi's skin as the water embraced her. She could hear the shrill cries from the demons as they were forced to stop. The water burns them; they cannot get to them once they enter the cove.