The Beast runs Free

part 2

Heavy, were its paws. However, light, were its steps. Cunning, like a thief in the night. From bush to bush, unseen... unheard, but smelled.

The dogs would start nervously barking, and running in circles while doing so. Barks, that would wake up the sheep and have them staring at the bushes behind the fences. With a rather good night vision, they would be left caught up in the mystery of that terrifying shadow that was making it's way towards the gate.

Not long after that, a pointy nose, would be spotted out of the bush. Eyes, glancing from the moonlight. Pinned to the ground, crawling out like a reptile... truly a master of sneaking.

Caleb couldn't sleep still on one side of the bed. The hot nights of summer made it a standard thing, having to wake up, more than once a night.
The young boy needed something to quench his thirst. However, since he was sleeping on the second floor, that meant he had to go downstairs and get a bottle of water. Our Caleb, being the all-round guy that he was, had already taken precautions and had brought up a bottle of water with him.
He would take frozen bottles of water, leave them beside his bed and if he woke up due to being thirsty, he would find his bottle had already melted down and ready to drink.

Uncomfortable situation or not, he found himself between the thin state of being conscious and taken by sleep.
Tired he was, thirsty also. Which necessity would be triumphant at the end?
And just like that, eyes open yet no clear vision, young Caleb tried to reach the bottle and take a sip.

He then layed on his bed again but it wasn't enough. The window needed to be open aswell. So, he stood up with one eye shut and the other not and opened it. Immediately, he started hearing the dog's cry out, although in a silent manner.
Caleb opened the door and got out in the balcony for a further investigation.

Being the kindhearted boy that he was, Caleb thought the guard dog probably had got hurt or didn't eat enough for the day. So he went downstairs in the kitchen, grabbed some leftover food, after that a flashlight and snuck out.
The dog approached immediately after young Caleb's whistle call. So, Caleb put the food on the ground but the dog didn't even take the time to sniff upon it.

Caleb couldn't help but feel that, it was indeed a strange setting. There were no visible wounds, nothing. The guard dog started circling around Caleb, with its tail between its legs and its ears folded down. Then it stopped... gazed away towards the gate and started running in the opposite direction.
An unusual noise of a fence being pressed down, and something trying to climbing over it was heard. And just like that, it jumped on the inside.

Left confused, neither scared nor curious, Caleb somehow, forgot how to run for a moment. He then remembered to put the flashlight on the direction of the gate, but by that time, he only saw the fence jiggle.

So he decided to sprint inside as fast as he could. Locked the door and ran upstairs in the bedroom, right away under the blanket not to see or be seen by anyone or anything. He had to cover his head and still closed his eyes, not caring less if the rest of the body was left looking out.
But by doing that, he could feel the night breeze gently flowing on his small feet. An indication that, his balcony door was still open.

Left petrified, young Caleb had to make a choice of playing ignorant or standing up and closing the door. What would his grandfather think?
Caleb, "The Warrior" didn't fear an opened door at night! If he disliked it, then closing it, he would!
So, as he was, heart racing and body tight up from fear and adrenaline, he stood and went to close the door.
Close it he did, then turned to get in the bed.

"Greetings to you... my child." Said the creature that had already snuck in through the balcony, during the time it took Caleb to run upstairs and hid itself in the dark.