Three

5

June stood paralyzed in fear. I nudged her and whispered urgently, "Go!" She slowly took a few steps back before she turned around and ran. I followed behind her.

She stopped. I anxiously looked back and saw that they were still on our trail, and gaining. "June, run!" I shouted. She turned to me, her face whitening when she saw them. I grabbed her hand and practically dragged her along until she snapped out of it and began to run again. I turned when I saw a piece of fabric tied to a tree in a direction we weren't going; I felt incredibly grateful in that moment for however I thought of that idea.

I risked glancing back again. The things were less than 200 feet away. As if whatever controlled my fate had it out for me, I could no longer ignore the burning in my legs or lungs. June was slowing down as well. I took her hand and pushed on, but the farther I ran, the more my pace slowed. I knew without looking back they were closing in on us.

June suddenly bolted to the right, pulling me with her. I was about to question her, but turned back to our predators and understood. They were almost at a stop, searching for where we went. It wouldn't distract them for long, so I mustered up whatever energy I had left to sprint in the direction I estimated our fabric trail led back to our camp.

We stumbled out of the woods onto the beach, but it wasn't where the camp was. I put my hands on my knees and caught my breath; June did the same. I heard sounds coming from the trees behind... They were still following us. Why had I thought they weren't? It's not like they had some fear of the sand, or like there was a magical barrier stopping them from leaving the woods. It obviously wasn't the latter.

"We have to keep going," another guy said. We all began swimming again and we tried to keep a steady pace as best as we could.

The land was getting closer. A girl stopped to tread the water and point. "What's that?" she asked.

I looked to where she was pointing. I thought I was seeing what must have been birds. They were only silhouettes against the sky from this distance, flying in our direction. But they were much too large to be common birds.

Everyone stared at them, trying to figure out what they were. The things were no longer over the land, but the edge of the water. They were easier to see now. The size of a human, all black, with feathery wings. They had some kind of body. Definitely not birds.

We were all still unmoving, besides what it took to stay afloat. "Guys, I think we should keep swimming..." I announced. A few stirred, though no one took their eyes of the creatures. I began to swim. Only two others followed my lead. "Come on!" I yelled at the rest. They did nothing.

The creatures were approaching. It was clear now they were coming for us. I took a deep breath and ducked underwater. I heard the two with me do the same.

I held my breath for as long as I could. When I began to feel dizzy, I pushed myself harder to stay under. I could hear the two near me go up for air, and thankfully, back down. I didn't come up until my survival instincts forced me to do so.

The sight before me was terrifying. Most of them were flying off with bodies in their clutches -- I couldn't tell if they were dead or alive. There was one creature still near.

Its body resembled something between that of a human and primate, but it had long, sharp claws in place of fingers. Most of it was covered in fur, with large feathery wings on its back. Every inch of it was purely black. Including the face.

The face was the worst part. The facial expression looked like one of constant torment. The features were hauntingly human, other than the eyes. They had no pupils or irises, just black. With no gleam, they were endless black holes void of emotion.

It stared right at me. I froze, now understanding why the others didn't move when I told them to. The creatures' gaze was paralyzing.

For some inexplicable reason, it didn't take me. It looked me in the eyes, turned around, and flew off. I pulled the two up from under the water. We watched as the creatures flew away with our peers in their clutches. All but one.

There were three of us left.

The sounds of the creatures chase came closer. The beach may not stop them, but maybe the water would.

I grabbed June's hand and started running towards the water.

"What are your doing?!" she questioned.

"Just come on!"

I pulled her further into the ocean until she was neck deep. "Go down and don't come back up!" I instructed her.

The creatures broke out of the forest and onto the shore. June took a deep breath and went under, as did I.

Even through the water, I heard the formidable noises of the creatures. Maybe because I was too tired from running, or maybe because of some effect the monsters had, I couldn't hold my breath for long. I found myself inhaling only to have my lungs filled with water. Quickly, I emerged from the sea and coughed heavily, trying to expel the liquid from my lungs.

The creatures had been lingering on the edge of the land. They immediately flew with great speed towards me when my head popped into sight.

I froze. They were coming right towards me. I couldn't bring myself to move; I couldn't even blink.

They came incredibly close, but just as before, they stopped and stared at me.

My curiousity overcame the petrifying effect they had. I slowly swam towards them. Immediately after my motion, the one I was closest to gave a bone-chilling shriek. It flew off with the rest following shortly behind.

I didn't make a move for a bit. I was completely perplexed by what I had just witnessed. What was it about me that was different?

I snapped out of it when I remembered June. I pulled her up. She gasped and coughed, but when she caught her breath she was fine.

"You can hold your breath for a long time," I noted.

"I guess so," she said with a small smile, which made me grin widely. She was still smiling after what we just went through. Everything was going to be alright. For now.