Crimson Hood

T W E L V E

         

I ran.

I ran faster than I had ever run in years. Faster than when I was being chased by those two that injured my leg, faster than when I was chasing down Neila, and faster than when I had to run in Physical education to pass the class.

I bolted. I didn't look behind me, my vision stayed straight. A ferocious growl sounded loudly from behind me which just made me pick up the pace.

My legs were on fire. My arms hurt from swing back and forth. My heart was beating so fast I felt like I could go into cardiac arrest any minute now.

But I didn't give up. I couldn't.

As much as the temptation to turn back and see if the beast was still following me, I knew one distraction would have me tumbling down into the mud and I didn't want that.

I dodged low tree branches and weaved through trees. A roar sounding similar to a lion sent jolts running throughout my whole body. I could feel the sweat from running and from being chased slowly become more predominant.

I felt the heavy thumps of the beast's paw hit the ground multiple time. It was chasing after me. As much as I wanted to run to safety, I knew the beast was faster than me and could easily catch up so I needed a distraction. I spotted a huge branch lying on the ground and raced to snatch it up.

I swung around with the branch wielded just in time as the beast had lunged at me and my branch smacked him right in the face. He stumbled and fell back from the impact. As much as it felt good to fight back. I couldn't help the large feeling of guilt overcome me as I knew that beast was Enzo.

It wasn't Enzo though because the eyes of the beast said otherwise. The eyes were the same shade of hazel brown, yet It resembled the ones his mother had. Anger.

I stood there watching the beast shake off the pain and growl at me.

"D-Don't come near me," I yelled, trying to sound confident but failing miserably. The beast roared showing me its set of pearly white razor sharp teeth. I raised the branch as the beast slowly prowled towards me.

"Enzo it's me, Clancy." I tried to get through the beats and into Enzo's mind. It didn't work. The beast was fast because the next thing I knew it pounced at me.

Suddenly, many small darts whizzed passed me. From the painful groan the beast had let out I could tell it hit him. The beast thrashed until he couldn't move and fall to the floor.

"Tranquillizer darts coated in werewolf poison. That should knock him out for a while." Finn stepped out of the shadows with a tranquillizer gun. His eyes roamed over my body for any injuries.

"Wait, poison? Won't that kill him?" I'm hoping they know Enzo is in that beast body.

"This is no ordinary werewolf; this is a beast. Much harder to kill and has an outstanding pain tolerance." Finn explained to me. I was beyond confused but left the questions for another time.

Men that I have never seen before began filing from behind trees and surrounding Enzo. I saw them tie ropes around him and place him on a flat board.

"Clancy, why were you in the woods at this time? No one should be roaming the woods at dusk unless they want to lose a life." I took my time to look behind Finn and around the forest. It was dark so I couldn't see anything.

"Finn, that's not just a beast, it -,"

"Enzo, yes I know," Finn said in a hushed voice as if he didn't want the others surrounding us to hear him. I raised an eyebrow at him but he shook his head, dismissing my questioning gaze.