The Beast (2022)

Stay In The Car

Nate grabbed Mare by the shoulder, "Hey, hey, Mare. Mare, are you okay?" She nodded.

"Where's the lion?" Norah asked, looking around.

"I don't know, sweetie..." I said. 

Mare held her head, luckily the impact wasn't too hard so her change of concussion was low. "What the hell just happened?"

"Is it still out there?" Norah asked, shaking.

"Maybe, but we're gonna be okay, okay? Nate, I think you should get away from the window."

Nate nodded, "Good idea."

"What happened to Uncle Martin?" Mare asked, climbing into the back.

Nate winced as he moved to the driver's seat, "My leg, shit, it got me good. We got to go get some help." he tried to start the car, but the engine only sputtered. 

"The tree must've punctured something." 

Norah's eyes went wide, "Are we trapped here?"

Nate shook his head. "No. No, Norah, we're not trapped here, okay? Someone will find us."

"Yeah, someone will come by-"

"We don't know that!" Mare shouted. "Uncle Martin said that this part of the reserve is closed to the public."

"But Banji and all the other workers come through here, we will be found." I said, trying to calm her nerves.

Norah's voice shook, "Guys... what if that thing isn't gone?"

"Easy, Norah, just breathe."

Mare was pale from fear. "No, she's right."

"Wait, girls just hold on." Nate said calmly.

Mare looked around terrified. "We didn't get very far. It could still be out there."

A radio crackled and Martin's voice came through;

"Nate, come in."

"Oh, my god, the walkie!" I fumbled around until I found it in the console. "Martin!" I nearly screamed.

He exhaled heavily. "Kymberly, it's good to hear your voice. Are Nate and the girls with you."

"Yeah, yeah, we're all in the truck. What happened, Martin, talk to me."

"I'm, uh... I'm in a bad way, guys." he said, his breath heavy and uneven.

"You're in a bad way?" Nate asked. "What happened? What kind of condition you in?"

"The lion... the lion, uh, just came out of nowhere, you know? And, um, I can't stand. Um, my leg's, uh... my leg's torn up. I'm losing too much blood."

I felt like I could cry, I'd just gotten him back... "Okay, we-we can fix this." I said, "Take your belt or your jacket, whatever, and wrap it around your leg as tight as you can get it. Cut off the blood flow."

"I did that. I-I think I'm gonna pass out."

"No, whatever you do, stay awake, okay? Just keep talking to me." I released the button so he couldn't hear me, "What do I do here Nate!?"

"I'm thinking, uh..."

"Are all of you okay?" Martin asked, "And Mutende, is he okay?"

Nate answered, "We're fine, but Mutende, he... he didn't make it. And, um, the truck..." he tried the key again with the same result, "It's dead, man. What do we need to do?"

"Okay, you-you want to just, um, stay there. Someone will come." His voice started to sound far away, "And s-stay in the car. I'm-I'm seeing... I'm seeing, uh, st... Whew. I'm seeing stars, man, feeling dizzy."