Prologue
It's howl echoes through the night as I crash through the thicket. I have to get away. I have to keep running.
A group of people and I were camping in the woods. An average group of teenagers. Until our camp was invaded by those things.
They are vaguely human in shape. Ten foot tall with long arms protruding out of their bodies. They have short stumpy legs ending in ferocious claws. Small heads sit on short necks with tiny eyes and jaws that seem too big. Thousands of teeth line them, waiting for the crunch of bones.
They got it alright. I saw one snap it's jaw straight through A girls neck. The others smelt the blood and crowded round quickly. Eager to get their share of the meal.
Bile rises in my throat at the memory. The girls death was horrifying. I hope the rest are fine. I hope they got away.
The trees are starting to thin now. I hope these creatures prefer the dark and stay in the woods. My foot gets caught on a stray root and I fall flat on my face.
Within seconds the creature is over me. A smile plays over his lipless mouth.
Terror tears at my heart and I can only hope this doesn't hurt. I close my eyes and wait.
But it lets out a high pitched squeal and I can hear it banging into things. I open my eyes slowly and see it's retreating back. Confusion slips over me like a blanket. But that's when I notice the difference.
Instead of darkness, the place is filled with a rich silvery light. The moon. I have never been more grateful to see it. Relief makes my heart calm it intense thudding. I can only wish the others have been so lucky.
I continue. This time walking but making sure I don't stray from the patches of moonlight.
When I reach the edge of the wood, I notice nothing out of the ordinary. No one would ever know what on earth I had experienced. I slump on the pavement, just happy to be safe.
But a bloodcurdling scream rips through the science. A scream I recognise.
"Jai!" I shriek. My feet already pounding the pavement.
I find him around the corner, laying in a pool of blood.
"Jai," I sob.
"Shh Rose. It's going to be ok," he mummers.
"No! You're dying."
"Rose listen to me. I want to tell you something," he says. He begins choking on his blood, trying to get out his words. "I love you," he says before going limp.
"No!" I scream.
My tears mix with his blood. My Jai. Dead. He died in my arms. While I could do nothing.
I notice something I didn't notice before. A dagger. Sticking out of his chest. This isn't the work of the creatures but of a human.
My sobs echo through the dimness and my thoughts crash into one and another.
Who did this? How could they? One word stands out the most. Revenge.
