Palace of Wolves

Chapter 4 - Attack

This was not happening. The wolf was drawing closer by the second -I could almost smell its foul breath blowing towards us in the desert wind. His fur was a foul colour like those grey clumps of dried up dirt and his eyes sickly yellow, yoyos of drool swung from his bared jaws. I never been a fan of dogs but this beast made me want to run away and never see even the hair of a canine again. I'd move to china, wasn't that the country that ate dogs? Or was that Japan? Anyway while all these thoughts rushed through my head I was pinned there. I didn't move a flip flop clad foot. The wolf was nearly here.
"What are you doing Sandra? Focus!"
Oh yeah, focus. I had to stick to the plan. But the plan was for a man, I wasn't exactly going to pin down a fully grown wolf with all those claws and teeth ripping at my skin. I took a few steps back, holding my umbrella like a hockey stick, and made it to the other side of the circle of petrol. I grabbed hold of Adrian's hand. I didn't want to be separated.
"When he's close just light the ring and run."
He nodded as he stared straight ahead; face an ashen mask of fear. I could hear his watch. So there I stood, counting the time with the ticks of his watch like I had done on that day that seemed so long ago; except, it was yesterday, Ten ticks till we run. Nine, Eight; the wolf was feet from us, Adrian bent down with the lighter lit, waiting for the right second. Seven, six, five, four; I, still grasping on to Adrian clung onto the carton of petrol and umbrella. Three, two, one. The ring was lit .We ran.
I wasn't a fast runner but Adrian dragged me with enough force to keep me going. Each second I was looking back, the wolf was trapped in the ring of fire, staring intently at us, stepping back, and jumping. Oh no. I saw the paws glide over the flames and heard them thump in the red desert sand.
"He's out" I whispered.
"Then we're dead."
"Not if I can help it. Lighter, here." The wolf had been phased by the fire to begin with. Maybe, just maybe I could hold the wolf back a bit longer by setting the umbrella alight. I let go of Adrian and picked up the carton of petrol dousing the umbrella in it.
"Are you crazy?"
"Yeah, probably. We're most likely going to get killed here and I'm not gonna go down with out a fight and when I say fight I'm thinking something wild. I've barely lived so I might as well go down fighting of a wolf with a flaming brolly."
On the plane I had read Josie's silly werewolf book, it had seemed stupid back then but by god now, facing a real life wolf -all teeth and claws- it was completely ludicrous. I looked up at the sky, our sole piece of light a bright full moon looked backed down. Full moon. Hang on. No. It couldn't be. But what if the stories where true.
"Sandra! He's basically here!"
"Oh, right." I lit the umbrella. Orange flames began to dance on the fabric. The wolf was right at me, I swung at it. I held a yelp as they singed his shoulder blade; I almost felt sorry. But the beast turned towards Adrian. No! I pushed in front of Adrian as the wolf jumped on him, sinking his teeth into his wrist.
"You okay?"
"Guess so, ouch, this really hurts but."
"Nothing worse'll happen if you stay behind me."
All the time I was batting at the wolf as it where a fly and my umbrella a fly-swat. Adrian clung on behind me, arms round my waist. The flames where dying now, but I needed more time. I never had time to think of what would happen next. Then the flames where gone. The wolf must have sensed my helplessness as the next second he was on me. I thudded on the sand which floated upwards in my wake, over the wolf, over me, invading my nostrils. I closed my eyes. All I could do was feel. Feel the rotten dogs breath on me, feel the strands of slobber drag along my face, feel the mouth wrap around my shoulder blade and the teeth sink in slowly, like an injection. I heard gentle thud. I opened my eyes. The wolf had been so startled by whatever had made the sound that he had moved off of me.
"Shoo" commanded Adrian who held a sharp rock, a similar one sat beside me. I knew what the thud had been now. He threw the other rock; it hit the wolf and made the same thud. What was he doing? The wolf would go for him now! But it didn't. It turned and ran back into the horizon.
"Where do you think he's going?" I heard my faint voice. It seemed that when the wolf left he took all my energy.
"No idea."
"I hope's he finds the bus man. I hope he kills him."
"Sandra, killing is never the answer."
I lay back on the sand, not wanting to get up yet. I had gone to through hell this night and I just wanted peace. I looked out on the desert at the bus, the flames of the ring of fire illuminated the area of red desert sun which, despite the terror that still filled me, I had to admit it was beautiful.
However, the thing that I noticed the most was the throbbing in my shoulder. A good portion of the white cotton of my dress near the wound was stained red and the blood had dried into my hair, the pungent odour mixing with the chlorine smell that still lingered on me. I peeled away fabric from the wound and turned away after a split second. I tried not to throw up, I didn't even like to look at skinned knees. The flesh had been ripped apart, torn into ribbons and dripping blood.
"Once we get back I'll need to get to hospital."
"Ok, but how-"
His question was answered by a whirring sound.
"Helicopter!" I cried, "Wave it down, scream!"
Shrieking at the top of our voices we ran towards the light cast by the ring of fire. I was feeling so faint I couldn't run straight, I was going to collapse I knew it. But then, the helicopter began to lower towards us. It was going to be fine! My shoulder would be treated; I'd go home, go back to school and try to forget. I'd eventually get a job and live out the rest of my quiet life; no desert, no wolves, no flaming umbrellas. I climbed into the helicopter and collapsed. Back then I never knew how wrong I was. It was not over, this was only the start.
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Sorry about the long wait there. This chapters been sitting done on my laptop for five days, the troubles been my laptops refused to start up until this afternoon so here you go. (And after I added this authors note this wasn't pasting onto wattpad so technologies really failing me)
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