Cutie and The Beast

Episode Six: The Hunter Woods

It was quarter-past eight and Graysen was eating some chocolate bars. I heard Helen come home and Paul shouted out again, "Helen, Helen, is that you Helen?" I heard her reply too. "Helen! Graysen wants to take Zia to the forest tonight. Okay?" Helen waved us off and Graysen spent ten minutes in the bathroom before putting his black hood on and walking out the door.We walked out into the bitter cold summer night (in Australia, nights are hot as!). We walked for half an hour, stopping to tie a shoelace, pull the hood over or play with rocks and sticks.We entered into the forest and I looked at the sign. 'The Hunter Woods - Wolfhaven Peninsula,' I turned to Graysen, "You ready?" I nodded and trekked into unknown territory. "Just a little further Zee," Graysen shouted to me. I saw a dim-lit wooden treehouse up in a tall tree."We're going up there?" I exclaimed and I saw Graysen look up."Yeah," it was a half-hearted answer. As Graysen grabbed hold of the wooden slabs acting as a ladder, he grabbed my hand and pulled me up with his tremendous strength. We climbed for five minutes, as getting to the treehouse was hard.When we reached the treehouse, Graysen shoved me up into the small hole that was the only way in. I looked around and Graysen sat at a table, in the middle of the treehouse and he gazed at me."Come sit, I have things to share with you." I obeyed Graysen and sat across from him. I heard a few growls around the base of the tree. "Hey, hey, hey, Zia, no looking down. I want to tell you everything," he leaned in closer, I heard some rustling leaves, struggling trees, and someone at the base of the tree, "AMBUSH!"Graysen got up and panicked and I followed, "What's happening, why won't you tell me?!" Graysen grabbed my waist and threw me to the ground, eleven metres down. I sat on the forest floor, catching my breath and listening to screams of war, I heard animals, feral animals. I turned around and a dog figure rushed past me, salivating all over me. "Ew!" I exclaimed.I heard Graysen yell, "Get the human to safety! She can't know!" I saw a dog prance up to me, in closer inspection, it was a wolf. I stared at it in horror, are these the monsters?I saw the wolf transform into a human man, about my age, and he tried to seize me. I ran. I heard alarms and people shouting, I felt sticks and leaves crackle under my boots, as a bright light shone all over these woods. Would they find me? I was running and panting as hard as I could. I tripped and everything went white.