Hunter Prey

seven

PREY

I don't turn around. I don't want to, and quite frankly, I never want to.

It silent. Eerily silent, so silent not even the night makes its usual noises.

I'm going to die, aren't I?

A deep, gravely, husky grumble vibrates against my back, and I nearly cower at the sheer presence it emits.

I have no idea what type of animal makes that sound, but I want no part in it. Nuh uh, nada.

At least it doesn't smell bad. It's close enough to where I can smell it, it's presence a size I don't want to dwell on. It smells like forest, yes, but, a natural essence. Bitterly sweet, in a way.

Like pine, maple, and..soil. I pause. And a very subtle musk. Is it a..male? A guy? Is that what this is? A sick prank?

Before I could convince myself to turn around and confront the creep with a knee to the balls, I realize a human man wouldn't be able to produce a vibration and grumble as..peculiar and frightening as that, especially with a device of sorts. I would know. I know I would.

The shadow of whatever behind me grows very subtly as the moon cascades through the stars, and I feel woozy, my heart nearly stopping as the height increases and..

Are those.....antlers?

Oh boy.

Thick, heavy, large..antlers?

I would assume it's an animal that usually has antlers, but, no.

The shadow is not shaped like any.

It has the mass of an abnormal creature, but the faint outline of a..man.

I begin to feel overly queasy, squeezing my eyes shut.

This isn't real, I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming...am I?

Damn it.

large, long, calloused fingers very faintly and lightly wrap around each arm of mine.

I guess my body couldn't take the adrenaline and went limp.

I mentally facepalm.

My heart leaps when im easily lifted into..arms?

They're fairly too big to be—

they're arms.

Before I loose consciousness (yes, I know, horrible), I catch a peek of the creature's face from below, and the rugged, faint, broken words it mutters.

The sight alone could send someone into cardiac arrest, and someone else into heat. Play your card.

Frankly, it nearly made me crap my pants.

Those beady eyes from before? These are them. Except, they aren't really..eyes. They are, at least, partially. The sockets are for the majority, empty, as it seems like an endless abyss of darkness. And then there are tinsy dots, horribly terrifying, that act as eyes, I suppose. Though, I seen them before. I've seen its actual eyes before. I just know it, that those were its eyes.

I don't really know how to describe its..nose, mouth situation. On the up side, it has lips. On the down side, its canines are poking out.

Vampire? No.

They go away as it closes its..mouth thingy. Its nose is strong, very present, is how I'd describe it. It isn't...ugly.

Scary, though.

A slash goes right across its face, like from an abnormally large claw.

It's too dark to make out its features purely, but that's the gist I got of it.

Besides its bone, strong, structure. It's unnerving. Not human. Obviously. And somewhat..animalistic.

"It..not hunt se-son."

all I remember is the very, very heavy accent slapped into the chilling words.

My eyes open.

and I see the ceiling. Of the cabin. And then my sister's worried, pistachio colored eyes. They comfort me, and her words finally sink in.

"Orla? Are you okay? God, you scared me! I couldn't find you for hours!"