The Great Forest

Yellow Eyed Monsters and Burning to Death

Mikail stood frozen as the leathery beast circled the fire. He watched as it beat it's wings through the smoke rhythmically, keeping it airborne. As the confusion slowly turned to fear, he thought back to the inquiry of Mr. Horris only two weeks ago. The Priest had said someone's sin was responsible for the monsters, so did that mean someone is responsible for this too? How could they know who is it? Could it be anyone?

Could it be me?

MIkail felt a hand pull on his arm. Suddenly he was being dragged away from the awful sight and into the street where a crowd was forming. He looked to see William holding his arm in a painfully tight grip. He didn't need William to save him, he was old enough and brave enough and could do it on his own. "Will, what are y-"

"We have to go, Mikail."

The tone in William's voice suddenly made the situation seem real. "Wait, waitwaitwaitwai-"

"We have to go now."

Fear and confusion began to tighten. "But w-w-what is, what is that... that thing?!"

A woman screamed behind them. Mikail turned to see, and saw her pointing towards the sky, horror clearly etched on her face. He looked up to see what she was pointing at, and the fear hit him full force. In the distance, the beast was no longer circling, but instead swiftly gliding towards the village. Chaos erupted in the street as a mob of frightened people swelled. Mikail felt William let go of his arm. Panic threatened to take control. Mikail screamed for his brother. He was scared to be alone.

A surge of people pushed him forward. He lost his bearings, and not wanting to get trampled, let the flow take him to wherever it led. Like a stream the crowd dissipated at an eight cornered intersection. Mikail saw his chance to escape the crowd and took it, bolting for the nearest stone building. He ran into the alley behind and saw a man enter a grey wooden door. The man caught Mikail's gaze, and quickly shut the door and bolted it. "Wait, no! Let me in!" Mikail shouted. He ran up to the door and pounded his fists against it. "Please let me in! Please! Hey! Help me! LET ME IN!" Someone screamed in the distance. The sound of crashing wood and stone sounded shortly after it. Another person screamed. Mikail looked up to see the roof of the building on fire. I have to find somewhere else to hide, he thought. As he turned back towards the street, he stopped dead in his tracks. At the entrance of the alley, the head of a ginormous, black, scaled lizard with burning yellow eyes stared directly at him. It flared it's nostrils and breathed in, the scales on it's throat and chest reddening like embers. The moments seemed to drag on for an eternity as the beast opened it's jaws to reveal fresh blood dripping from it's teeth. Just as Mikail saw a flame rise from the monster's throat, an arm swiped him to the side and into a dark room. The anonymous savior pulled Mikail close to their chest as the room flooded with fire. Mikail felt the heat on his back burn intensely, and screamed at the sudden, searing pain. Close to his ear, he heard a woman cry too, and realized she was the one who had saved him. Just as quick as the fire had surged it was over, but left the interior of the room burning. The woman, still holding Mikail close, walked towards the back of the room towards a stone stairwell leading down. She ushered him in and closed a big heavy door behind them. Blinded by the sudden darkness, Mikail ran as fast as he dared down the stairs until he found the bottom. To his right, he heard the striking of a match, and turned to see the man from earlier lighting a candle.

Michael looked around the small room. There was a bookcase to the far wall, a couch in the far corner, a rug, several unlit candles, and a bed in the corner behind the man. On the bed were three small children huddled together in fear. The youngest, no older than three, was crying. The woman came up behind and wrapped an arm around Mikail, who's burns began to ache, and guided him to the couch. The man gave the candle to the girls, lit another one, and followed the woman. 

"Why did you do that?" he asked the woman. She sat down beside Mikail, and he saw that she was older, most likely 60. "You shut him out," she responded. "The monster would have gotten him."

"But you're hurt. To risk you life for someone you don't know-"

"-Is the right thing to do. Now," she turned to Mikail. "Let's see your burns."

Mikail turned so his back faced the woman. "Oh, dear..." she said under her breath. 

"Natalia, you have your own wounds to attend to! Look at your arms! Let me fix those before you help this stranger!" the man raised his voice. The woman, Natalia, sighed as the man took her hands. Mikail began to feel very uncomfortable; he was confused, dazed, in increasing pain, and shy at the strange, unwelcoming man. He waited as patiently as he could as the man cleaned and wrapped the woman's arms and hands. The girls sat transfixed on their bed, the littlest still with tears down her face. They yelped as the ground briefly shook, dust sprinkling from the ceiling. Mikail's back ached and stung tremendously now, and hoped these people had something to soothe it. 

"There we are," the man said as he finished wrapping Natalia's hand. The bandage completely covered her hand, leaving no room for movement. "You will have to fix him, too, Reginald." She said gesturing towards Mikail. "I can't with these bandages." Reginald looked to Mikail and frowned disgustedly. "Alright, take off your shirt, I'll need to see your burns to fix 'em." Mikail did as he was told, but a sudden jolt of pain stopped him halfway. Reginald noticed Mikail's struggle, and helped him the rest of the way. The pain seemed to increase with every second, and it was becoming difficult not to cry. Mikail winced as he felt Reginald wipe at his burns. It took all of his strength not to cry. The ground shook again, and screams could faintly be heard. I just wish William was here, he thought. I hope that he's ok, and that he finds me. 

"I have nothing to bandage you with," Reginald said in the silence. "We don't have enough."

"You'll stay here tonight," Natalia spoke up. "Or for as long as you need." Reginald gave her a nasty look. He didn't like the thought of sharing this cramped little room with yet another person. "Thank you," Mikail said in a shaky voice. He suddenly felt very tired, and remembered it was only half past midnight when the tolls had rung.

"By the way, what is your name, boy?" Natalia asked.

"Mikail Colton. My father owns a butcher shop."

"Nice to meet you, Mikail. I'm Natalia Swarth, and this is my brother, Reginald Swarth. Those girls are my grandchildren."

Natalia started to tell a story about her grandchildren, but Mikail was too tired to listen. Before he knew it, he was asleep on the couch, lying on his stomach, dreaming about yellow eyed monsters and burning to death.