Chasing Tomorrow

Chapter 5

I slowly turn my head, barely daring to even look. And then I see it.

A monster, half-hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching me. It's enormous, its body covered in leathery, pale-gray skin that looks like it's stretched too tightly over its bones. Its eyes are large, black orbs reflecting the firelight, unblinking as it stares at me. Its limbs are long and spindly, like the thin branches of a dead tree, with claws that curl at the ends of its fingers. The mouth—God, the mouth is the worst part. It's wide, too wide, lined with jagged, uneven teeth that look more like shards of bone. It moves carefully, almost slow, like it's studying me, deciding whether I'm worth the effort. Its movements are deliberate, each step making the ground crunch softly under its weight. It's not one of the fast ones—the kind that rip you apart before you even realize what's happening. But that doesn't make it less dangerous. I know these types. They're patient, calculating. And they're always hungry. I grip the spear tightly, barely breathing as I watch it. It's standing just at the edge of the firelight, the shadows making its gaunt frame look even more grotesque. It tilts its head slightly, like it's trying to figure out if I'm a threat or an easy meal. For a moment, neither of us moves. My heart pounds in my chest, the heat of the fire almost forgotten as my mind races. I could fight, but my spear feels flimsy in my hands compared to its sharp claws. Besides I never fought monsters before. I always run. My legs twitch with the urge to bolt, but before I can even move, a deafening bang cuts through the air. I freeze.

Gunshots. Loud, cracking like thunder, echoing through the trees. The monster jerks back, a spray of dark blood bursting from its side. Then another shot, and another. I drop to the ground, pressing myself against the dirt, heart racing in terror. The noise is overwhelming, each shot shaking my bones, making the world spin. I curl into myself, trying to make myself as small as possible, my ears ringing with every blast. The monster lets out a horrible, guttural sound as it's hit again, and again, until it finally collapses, crashing to the forest floor with a sickening thud. But the shooting doesn't stop. Whoever is firing keeps going, emptying bullet after bullet into the creature's motionless body. I can't move. I can't even look up. The world is a blur of noise and fear. My hands dig into the dirt, every muscle in my body locked in place. I don't know if the shots are meant for me next, or if they're just making sure the monster is dead. Either way, I don't dare to lift my head. And then, silence. The gunfire stops, leaving behind only the sound of my ragged breathing and the faint rustle of leaves in the wind.

"Hey," a voice calls softly. "Are you okay?"

It's a girl's voice, gentle but clear, cutting through the silence. Slowly, I peek up from the ground. Standing over me is a girl, her blonde hair glowing faintly in the morning light, her expression soft and full of concern. She kneels down beside me, her gun slung over her shoulder, but her eyes are kind. You can tell just by looking at her—she's sweet, kind in a way that feels almost foreign in a world like this. "You're safe now," she says, her voice soothing as if trying to calm the storm raging inside me. "It's gone." I'm still too shocked to speak, my mind catching up to what just happened. The monster's lifeless body is just a few feet away, riddled with bullet holes, but I barely notice it. My attention is fixed on this girl, this stranger who saved me without a second thought. "You're okay," she repeats, her hand reaching out as if to offer comfort, her face filled with warmth.

"I'm Cady," she says cheerfully, like we aren't standing next to the corpse of a monster. Her voice is light, almost bubbly, and I can't help but blink in confusion. How does someone like her even exist in this world? I sit up, my heartbeat finally slowing down, though the adrenaline still buzzes faintly in my veins. "Cassandra," I mutter, my voice hoarse from the panic. "Nice to meet you, Cassandra," Cady beams, as if we've just bumped into each other on the street, not in the middle of a forest full of monsters. She kneels beside me, her blonde hair falling into her face as she glances at the fish that had been cooking just moments before. Her smile falters for a second, and then she chuckles. "Sorry I came too late. Looks like your fish got a bit... dirty." I follow her gaze, realizing the half-cooked fish is now lying in the dirt, probably covered in ash and grit. Of course. Just my luck.