Beneath the Surface [ON HOLD]

Chapter Two - The Dark Forest

Chapter Two - The Dark Forest

Branches scratch at my face and arms, leaving bright red welts on my too-pale skin. My lungs burn painfully and I gasp for breath, my heart pounding painfully in my chest, its sound filling my head. Every now and then I catch glimpses of the beast's hulking form in between the trees and I can't help but think these might be the last moments of my life.  

My dark hair whips around my head, my blood-red cloak fanning out behind me. I force myself to keep on running, even though my body begs me to stop. But I know if I do, the beast won't hesitate on making a quick meal out of me, and I won't let that happen.  

I feel the ground beneath my feet change, and instead of snow covered forest floor, I'm on a worn out dirt path that seems to have been used often, and for the first time that day I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope. The path has to lead somewhere, and with this in mind I run faster, glancing behind me every so often. 

I reach the massive wrought iron gates, just as the beast lunges at me, pinning me underneath the weight of its body. I gasp in pain and screw my eyes shut, not wanting to see the flash of his razor sharp teeth, or the glimmer of his merciless yellow eyes. 

A loud noise fills my ears, like the sound of a harsh wind, whistling through a tunnel. Almost immediately the pressure on my chest eases, and my eyes fly open in shock. I stare around me in confusion, the beast nowhere to be seen.  

I hesitantly press a hand to my chest, needing to be sure that my heart hasn't stopped, and sure enough I feel it, hammering against the palm of my hand.  

"I'm alive." I whisper and I can feel my hands begin to shake at the rush of adrenaline, "I'm alive!" I shout to no-one in particular. But instantly my mood sobers, there's no way the beast would have given me up so easily, not to mention disappearing into thin air. Something isn't right.  

I stood up gingerly, still breathing heavily from my near death experience. I stare around me, taking in my surroundings, I'm still in the dark forest, but something feels off.  

The back of my neck starts to prickle and I can't help but get the feeling that I'm being watched. 

The castle in front of me looks dark and foreboding - an immense wall of stone jutting out of the landscape. Battlement upon battlement arises before me, empty windows staring out at their surroundings like dead eyes, examining the countryside around it. Gargoyles are scattered along its turrets and even from this distance I can practically see their cruel smiles. A cloud of dread seemed somehow to cling to its roots, and I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine. 

Hesitantly I touch the gates that I had, only moments ago been so glad to see. They are twisted and bent out of shape, vines clinging to their marked frame.  

Tentatively, I push them open, the rusted metal creaking on its hinges. I slip inside and close the gate behind me, wincing as it clangs shut, the noise loud in the quiet of the night.  

I walk up to the entrance of the dark castle, the heavy oak doors scarred from the harsh winter weather.  

Before I push open the doors I glance behind me, still uneasy. Someone is definitely watching me. If only I knew who.

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A/N: Hi guys! Sorry this chapter's so short, most of the action happens in Chapter 3, so I guess this is more a filler chapter - but anyways! If this chapter sucks arse let me know 'kay? Thanks for everyone who's reading/commenting/voting for this, you guys are my motivation!! Chapter 3 should be posted up in actually quite a while - sorry guys. Science exams are for like two weeks (yay for me. Not.) but I promise it'll (hopefully) be worth the wait *fingers crossed*. So yeah! *huggles* x