"When I woke up the next morning my family was dead and my hair and had started to turn white," I kept my eyes closed as I told him my story. I was almost able to watch the events happen again like a movie in my mind. I only opened my eyes when I he...
Howls could be heard off in the distance as he dragged me towards a part of campus I had never been to. "Stop screaming, you're going to draw attention!" He protested, failing to realize that was the point.
"Just let go of me! I promise I will never come back," I pleaded with him as I continued to fight. There was another set of howls and Kieran went still, but didn't let me go. "Halfway there, just let go." He didn't reply, just put a finger to his lips as he looked around. We were completely alone, but something had him spooked. The cries of the wolves seemed to get louder and now it was my turn to tense. I started running forward and I tugged on his arm, "Come on, we need to run!" I said quickly, my mood changing from fear of him to fear from my past.
Kieran didn't protest as he sprinted alongside me, "What is it?"
That was an excellent question. "I don't know, but they will kill you." I pumped my legs faster, but once again my attempts to get away failed. As we sprinted towards safety, two sets of glowing red eyes appeared from the edge of the forest.
I skidded to a halt and Kieran pushed me behind him in attempts to protect me. "Stay behind me." He said with a set jaw as he watched the animals carefully as if they would attack at any moment. "Do you know what those are, Tasnia?" He said not looking back to me.
The truth was I had no idea what they were called, but I had seen them before. As they stepped forward and into the moonlight I gripped tightly onto Kieran's shirt. They have blue-grey skin which clung tightly to their bodies, showing every bulge of muscle and bone. They had glowing red eyes and a white mane which acted more like quills than hair. "I know they will kill you." I whispered softly as they continued to snarl and growl, blue-tinted drool fell from their mouths and onto the ground, the earth where it hit instantly died.
"Most people call them hellhounds, they only answer to one Master. Someone is trying to kill you, me, or both of us." Kieran muttered as they slowly stalked towards us.
The two hellhounds started to split from each other and we became trapped between them. "They're here for you," I whispered as memories of similar events flashed through my mind. I tightened my grip on his shirt feeling it frost under my grip, "On the count of three, run."
"Tasnia, that isn't-"
"One," I started to count, I knew it wasn't a good idea and they would catch up. "Two."
Keiran's muscles tensed and I knew he was getting ready to run. "I hope you know what you're doing."
"Three!" I called out as I let go of Kieran's shirt and he started to sprint, but I didn't move. I turned towards the hellhounds and raised my arms as they started to sprint after Kieran.
For a second nothing happened and they got closer. I exhaled and the air temperature around me dropped and my breath could be seen. A wave of ice and frost shot out from my hands. Their pace slowed as every time their claws touched the ground they were frozen to it, but it didn't stop them from chasing Kieran. "Tasnia!" Kieran shouted, realizing I wasn't following him.
Shaking my head I continued, but my legs started to shake; I couldn't do this for much longer. "Just go, they don't want me."
My protest fell on deaf ears as he sprinted back to me and grabbed onto my arm causing it to drop from its place. My concentration was broken along with my spell allowing one of the hellhounds broke free. "Kieran look out!" I shrieked as I pushed him to the ground and used my body to shield his. I felt claws dig into my back, cutting through my shirt and tearing my skin apart like a hot knife through butter. I bit down onto Kieran's shirt as I screamed in pain, but didn't move. I wouldn't let another person die because of me.
I waited in fear for a second attack which never came. Blood poured from the wound in my back and I took shallow and short breaths as I struggled to breathe. Kieran shoved me off of him, "Tasnia? Why would you do that?" He protested, but he sounded concerned. I didn't reply as the feeling of pain took control of my body as my head started to spin. "Tasnia, focus. Focus on me," He begged as he started to shake my shoulders. I didn't know if it was blood loss or pain, but everything slowly started to blur together. "Come on, keep your eyes open!" I hadn't even realized they were closed. "Shit... just hold on." His voice sounded distant and soon it disappeared all together.
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Can a story live on if the main character dies?
Tasnia gets a blast from the past as she comes face to face with the monster from her memories; one she is determined to make sure doesn't hurt anyone else. Now Kieran is left the challenge of trying to keep a girl he barely knows alive.
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