CHOCOLATE HEARTS || remus lupin

i. race

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MY EYES fluttered open to a dark forest around me, the trees closing in but, at the same time, seeming to stretch up into the sky in a never-ending columns. They were thin and their bark was black, something I questioned as I sat up and rubbed my face.

My palms came away dirty, my face gritty with flecks of dirt and mud and whatever else the forest floor was covered with. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten to the forest but, as I pushed myself onto my feet, I had the distinct feeling of being watched, stopping my pondering.

Something rustled to my right but, when I looked over, there was nothing to be seen. There were no bushes of any sort and the trees had no branches this close to the ground, all their limbs reaching for the sky above.

I stood up straighter, now feeling more alert. The rustling came again and all of my instincts told me to start running. I turned the other direction and pushed off, running over the uneven ground as the rustling started up again in a persistent rhythm.

As the seconds passed, the sounds continued to track my every move. It never seemed to fall behind and it certainly didn't seem to tire, based off the steady thump of footsteps. My own breathing was becoming labored as I pushed myself forward, asking more of my body than I knew it could give.

While I skidded down a small slope, the growling started.

It was a harsh, deep sound and I knew immediately what it was as I righted myself. It was gaining on me faster than I would've ever imagined but I couldn't seem to shake it, since there was no cover under the trees.

There were no hints of other life in the forest so I had no hope of calling for help, making my only choice to keep fleeing. I risked a glance back but I couldn't see anything, even though the snarling had to only be six or so meters away.

I could hear my own heartbeat drumming in my chest and it almost drowned out the sound of heavy footsteps chasing after me, mirroring my every move. I had no idea how long it could run but, however long that was, I knew I'd lose the race.

I couldn't keep going, especially not with the ground becoming more uneven and dangerous as I went. As the thing started to gain on me, the footsteps became more distinct and turned into paw steps.

A creature was pursuing me.

I could hear its teeth snapping against each other as it neared, getting ever closer. My legs were burning and my lungs hurt with every intake of breath my brain forced them to take, keeping myself conscious even though fainting would've been less painful.

I found myself climbing a gentle slope but the different terrain caused a slip as I reached the small peak. My foot hooked through a root as I started to descend and I crashed down the other side, my face pressed into the mud and leaves lining the forest floor.

Mud worked its way into my hair as I struggled to push myself back up, sliding in the filth. I tried to regain my footing as quickly as possible but it wasn't working, instead I appeared to sink deeper into the ground the more I tried to move.

My thoughts slowed as I looked for anything I could use to pull myself up, panic clouding everything until my eyes caught on a branch on a nearby tree. It was the only one that low on any of the trunks but I couldn't stop to question it.

I reached out, straining to grab ahold of it, but it was just out of reach. A few centimeters away. I shifted forward and my fingers barely grazed the tip of it. I made a wild grab for it as a sudden snarl came from behind me, much closer than any of the others had been.

I was so close to being freed but, in the back of my mind, I knew I was too late. The branch seemed to shorten as I made one last, futile attempt of reaching it. I let out a scream of frustration and let my hand drop back into the mud around me.

I could hear the thing behind me breathing, now, and the soft steps as it padded closer. I squeezed my eyes shut and fell still, trying one last resort of playing dead to make it leave me alone.

It didn't work because, moments later, I heard it huff as it neared. It was no longer growling but it was moving closely, curiously. I could feel its hot breath on me as it circled, sniffing at the mud smeared across my limbs.

It huffed again then, without warning, sharp pricks of what had to be fangs pierced my skin and they pulled back, tearing at me with more force than should be possible.

My mind forced itself to shut down as the thing pressed down on me.

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