Nightmares of the beast

Waking up in the cold bright light hug of the snow Azra suddenly stood up looking at the nights moon rising his brow realizing he might be late.

Picking up his hat and gun he ran towards the hut in the distance, entering it the fire in the fireplace was still burning embracing him to a warm peaceful part of the room but the rest of it was torn apart bed flipped, windows broken, table broken Azra felt a chill go down his spine as he tightened his grip on the gun "I'm too late" he thought to himself.

Walking outside again the moon was now over his head and so bright it felt like day already began. Looking for a trail leading from the hut he sees footsteps of a creature that was neither a human nor an animal, Azra started following it reaching a small creek and on the other side the sight made him freeze like the water he was standing near, looking back at him was a creature of human shape, dark rugged fur covering its skin, hands long and muscular with claws as longs as Azras fingers and sharper than any knife he had its feet had long claws that were sticking out the white snow that was in complete contrast with the creature. Its eyes still fixated on Azra the round red eyes that shine bright at him.

Azra takes his gun and shoots in the beasts' direction, the thing doesn't move when the impact hits its shoulder, now tilting its head and showing Azra its sharp teeth blinding Azra. The beast now stepping on all four Azra steps back

"Can't you remember?"

he screams in the beasts' direction. It twitches its pointy ears but doesn't stop from going on all four and dashing towards him.

Azra now realizing the beast won't stop turns his back to it and starts running in the same direction as the beast looking back as it gains on him with every jump in its run lifting up the snow in to a cloud of smoke with every landing. Coming back to the hut Azra runs in closing the door behind him, the impact of the beast at the door made one of its claws pierce it and the pointy tip went through the leather of Azras coat and in to his skin penetrating his kidney. Azra screamed in pain as he made his way towards the fireplace that now had no fire but the logs were still letting off red lines of heat.

He turns around holding his new made hole that was gushing out blood covering his surroundings in red paint. The noises of the beast scratching the door he was hearing while moving to the fireplace now got quiet and all he heard was the slow cracking of the snow under its feet as it moved to the smashed window. Azra lifts his gun arm in pain and as soon as he saw its face he pulled a trigger but because of the pain he shot out a light above the window. The beast now enraged by Azra jumps on the window and looks at him again, its tongue now slowly reaching out as it felt hungry from the chase. Azra smiled at the beast

"If this is how I have to go so be it but I won't let you bring misery to our..."

his sentence stopped by the beast charging at him throwing the table to the side and jumping over the sofa lifting its front claws to lay the final strike on Azra, but stops as soon as it notices a red stain on him.

The stain same as the one painting the floor came from the beast itself, looking down it saw the fire poker Azra took from the fireplace sticking in the place of its heart. As Azra pulled the poker out the beast collapsed on to Azra, he smiled faintly as he slowly lost strength but he held it in his lap as the dark fur covering its body started to fall off, its claws going back to nails, its teeth going to human teeth, its muscles disappearing and its bright red eyes going to the sky blue color Azra know well.

"I'm sorry it came to this"

Azra said as he kissed his wife one last time before letting his cold breath take his soul to the other realm.