Claws in the Dark | ✔

XXXIII

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The wind howled, the snow coming down heavier and heavier as time went by. Landon, Bill, Isaac, and Dolph trudged at a quick enough pace, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to walk, not just of the thick bed of snow that covered their feet, but also because it was very cold.

They walked in pairs, huddled in each other's warmth so that they would not succumb to hypothermia. Dolph breathed out and a wisp of white left his mouth. He shivered in Landon's grasp, causing him to hold the freezing detective even tighter.

Behind them, Bill stumbled and grunted, wincing as he slowly moved to clutch the wound on his shoulder. It was clearly freezing over, and Bill was struggling to breathe. They stopped.

"Are you okay?" Isaac asked, helping him to stand up, but Bill only fell to the ground again.

A roar emanated from somewhere behind the small group and their heads snapped up in its direction, their eyes widening.

"Come on, we have to get out of here," Isaac said, pulling him up.

"You guys have to leave without me," Bill said, reluctant to move. He was exhausted, his face and hands pale from the lack of blood. "I'm dead weight. I'll only slow you down."

"Oh, not you, too," Landon said as he and Dolph hopped over to them. "We're not leaving you here to die."

"I'm already dying, anyway. And those things are not too far behind."

Landon scoffed and pulled away from his partner, leaning down to help Bill up. "What kind of people would we be if we left you here?"

"You'd be doing everyone a favour," Isaac muttered, earning him a piercing glare from the detective.

"Everyone is leaving this town, do you hear me?" Landon continued. "No-one else is dying while I'm still breathing."

A twig snapped from their left, and a collective gasp left the group.

"What was that?" Dolph whispered as they came together, their backs to each other.

"See? I told you guys to leave, but you're too fucking stubborn," Bill hissed quietly.

Isaac was shaking, his nerves spiking in accompaniment with the fear he was feeling, as he scanned the surroundings. All around was just mist and snow, and they could see no further than five feet in any direction.

"I came a long way, I can't go out now," Isaac whined.

"Would you all just shut up?" Landon scolded coldly. "It was probably just the wind that cracked a branch. Stop reading too much into it." He threw Bill's arm across his shoulder. "Come on, we gotta move."

Landon and Bill continued on in the direction they were heading, and Dolph limped along behind them, wrapping his arms around himself. Isaac took one last look around and, even though he could not see that far around him, he was sure he saw a silhouette move in the same area they heard the twig snap. He rubbed his eyes and squinted just to see if they were playing a trick or not.