The Way Out

Chapter 5 - The Way Up

My eyes flashed open, my heart pounding, my breath coming in short gasps. A slow light rose on the horizon. I gave a long sigh of relief as I woke up to the big oak tree hanging above me, its branches blocking out most of the rain. The dreary forest grew tall around me like the bars of a prison cell. I thought back to the wolf beast, its jaws only inches away from my neck.
     Thank god it was a dream, I thought.
     Just thinking about its gleaming yellow eyes and blood-stained teeth sent shivers down my spine. I sat up, leaning against the rough trunk of the tree. Rain thrummed against the forest floor and pattered on my head. The ferns swayed by the force of the rain, and the soil felt wet. My bare feet splashed in puddles as I stood up and started walking. My toes dragged against the roots of trees, and fallen twigs scraped my ankles. I looked at the scratches along my arms, deciding it was no big deal. I breathed in the moist morning air as I stretched my arms above my head. There were no sounds in the gloomy woods other than the own tap of my feet and the pitter-patter of the rain. I listened for bird calls, or even the howl of a wolf, but nothing came.
     I don't care if I never see another wolf again, I thought, shuddering.
     I gazed down at my bare feet, bruised, scraped, and covered in mud. They burned from constantly walking on the rough forest floor. As I walked farther, a waterfall sounded ahead. It thrummed against the water pooling below, spraying white foam everywhere. I pulled away the branches of a tree, and ducked under, continuing along my path. I spotted the body of water through the branches of the trees, and headed toward it. The ground slowly sloped upward. After a few paces, I had to use the trunks of trees to help me climb the steep hill. My feet slipped on the mud-covered rise, and I clutched the nearest tree. I scrambled to a ledge of slippery rock, and walked along the flat surface. A cliff lay to my left, stretching tall above me. I looked down at the slope to my right, painted brown with mud. The rain poured down, it's pattering slowly being drowned out the waterfall's scream. The slowly sloping, narrow path of stone spiraled around the hill, getting higher little by little. I walked along it, staying as far away from the edge as possible. I trailed along it, water spraying into my face as I reached a barrier of falling water. My hair grew heavy with rainwater, pulling my head down like weights. I reached my arm out in front of me, feeling the cool touch of the waterfall push against my fingers.
     How am I going to get around this? I wondered, standing still on the wet, stone ground.
     Plants grew around me, shaking with the pouring rain. Trees swayed in the wind, leaves being ripped off and thrown around. I traced my fingers across the muddy stone to my right, until it reached the wall of water. My eyes grew wide as my finger slipped behind the waterfall, sliding on slippery stone into a gap. I stared, poking my foot in. I slid my whole body behind, the water just barely skimming my front. I pressed my back to the stone behind me and faced the waterfall as I carefully stepped behind. I took small steps farther into the gap behind the waterfall, making sure I didn't slip.
     A fall from this height would be fatal, I thought.          
     My arms stretched out, brushing against the rock. I gave a sigh as the stone behind me sloped inwards, leaving a bigger space behind the shield of water. I stepped into it, glad to be away from the water. Stone walls circled me, the floor and roof a shadowy rock as well. As I walked further into the gap, I realized it was more of a cave. No plants grew inside. Instead, bones were scattered into piles. The cave didn't seem too large, but the back was too dark to see.
     Who knows what's back there, I told myself.
     I brushed away the thought. I took a seat at the edge of the cave, pushing away a pile of bones. It felt good to be out of the pounding rain, and the cave seemed oddly warm. I snapped my head towards the back of the cave when a dark grey smoke drifted toward me. I jumped to my feet as a huge flame sprayed through the cave, followed by the massive head of a beast. Its teeth glimmered in the dim light, and it's yellow eyes gazed angrily at me. I stepped to the edge of the cave, backing up slowly. My heart thumped as the dragon-looking creature stomped forward, the water barrier rippling. It roared, making my ears ring. My scream rang through the cave as I ran down the passage behind the waterfall, trying not to fall. I scrambled through, leaving the way I came. I ran along the stone pathway, carefully stopping to look back. I froze as the humongous body of the creature ripped through the sheet of water, and hovered in the sky, flapping its bat-like wings. It opened its mouth and let out a massive breath of fire, barley missing me. Smoke rose in the grey sky as I ran, grabbing the tall wall of mud and stone. I clutched the trunks left behind from torn away trees, my bare feet slipping on the mud. Rain pushing me down, I scrabbled up the wall, stepping on branches and ripped away plants. I panted as I ran, leaving the dragon beast behind me. I gasped as I pulled myself up onto the top of the hill, making it over the wall. My heart thrummed in my chest, my lungs burning. I looked around at the trees growing on the top of the hill, scattered around on the muddy soil. The branches swayed in the wind, sending creaking noises through the air. I sprinted to the cluster of trees, finding one with a hollow opening. I squeezed inside with barely enough room to breath. I held my breath as a roar sounded a few feet away, piercing my ears. My head grew dizzy as I let out a breath.
     It'll never find me, I reassured myself, I'll be fine.
     I let out a gasp as the tree let out a loud creaking noise, and I heard a snap from outside.
     It's coming for me.