How Stories Unfold

Round 6: Of Angels And Demons

Angel stood on a mountain top viewing over the river Styx. Just like her scarlet scarf, the emerald trees surrounding the river swayed to the chilly autumn wind.

After a heated argument, Angel had been kicked out off the car.

Ever since that day, she wandered around searching for help. Her phone had died long ago together with her only hope to ever get out alive.

You'd expect a city girl like her to have succumbed by now, but Angel didn't know the word quit.

Instead of wandering aimlessly wondering whether she'd get killed by a predator or end up starving instead, Angel put all her gaming skills to use.

Of course, pressing some buttons was vastly different from actually climbing and fishing, building a place to stay and finding ways to remain warm in this cold weather, but she had seen her avatars do all of that a million times, so mimicking it wasn't so hard, except when it came down to things that required more muscles and a better eye-foot coordination. But that didn't stop her from figuring out more efficient ways to tackle her challenges and soon she had a semi-sturdy looking roof above her head and even fish to eat.

Angel was living her life like a level 1 avatar in any wilderness game and she was set on becoming the strongest most badass creature living in these woods.

***

The sun had barely risen as Angel ran for her life. With every step she took, her breathing became more shallow and her heart pounded faster. She jumped over a log and ran head down under low hanging branches. She slid across moss covered stones and rushed to the steep mountain side ahead.

She jumped up. Her hands scurried for a hold, but the sharp rocks cut her instead. She fell down, her hand bleeding heavily. Angel cursed. She took out her handkerchief and fastened it using her teeth.

She looked back at the steep mountain side and wondered how on earth she'd climb it. There was no way around and high up there was the only safe place to be.

Heavy footsteps approached Angel from behind. There was no time left. Think, Angel. Think.

She hit the sharp rock that cut her over and over again until it came loose. She grabbed it, held it tightly and turned around.

Eyes void of remorse stared Angel down. Its rimpled eyebrows knitted and a grin crossed its pink lips as if it said: "You're mine now."

It calibrated its muscled legs for one last leap at its prey.

Angel gulped. She clenched the stone in her hands and held it in front of her. From all the things that could have killed her, she never imagined it to be a giant Javifluf.

She furrowed her eyebrows and stared it down. "I won't die today!"

Angel let out a battle cry and flung the stone at some twine she had fastened that morning around a nearby tree.

The stone flew passed it.

Angel cursed. She leaped at the tree and undid the twine herself.

A huge net hit the ground and engulfed the Javifluf.

The Javifluf struggled to get the net off of its back, but the more the Javifluf struggled, the more it got trapped in the net.

Angel laughed nervously. "Thank goodness it worked."

She looked at her bleeding hand. "I should probably clean this..."

Angel finger gun pointed at the Javifluf. "Be a good Javifluf and stay here. I'll free you once I've nursed my hand, so don't move."