Little Dawn

Chapter 8

In a swift movement, everyone looked for protection behind the trees. She was pulled by Dyron, who pressed her back against a large and thick oak tree. He put his index finger on her lips, letting her know how crucial was her silence at that moment. 

After an instant, they could hear the creature's sniffs. It knew they were somewhere near. His heavy footsteps put Casey on edge as she tried to imagine the immensity of the unknown thing. It was when she heard a scream beside her that made her heart stop. She felt Dyron jolt. He too was scared, but who wouldn't be? 

He pressed himself against her, his sweat was all over her and she could feel his rapid heartbeat. Then, he stopped breathing. 

"Run", he said before he was brusquely pulled away. A hard thud was heard a few meters away, and a second later the growl of the unknown. Her legs moved before she could think of staying. The steps of It were behind her, wishing to get her and probably devour her flesh. She couldn't see where she was running or where the others were. 

Her mind raced back to Dyron. She couldn't leave him behind, or Aundrea, or Flint, or Alec. She came to a halt and everything around her seemed to have come to a stop. Then, she felt her heartbeat pounding against her ears, the dripping sweat falling down her forehead, and heard the creaking of the leaves and twigs that indicated the closeness of the creature. 

Her body slipped to one side and it hit something solid and rough, but with that swift movement, she saved herself from the figure that thrust towards her. She was left out of breath for a second but she knew she couldn't lose a second. Her feet were up again, running back to the place she quickly left before. She didn't turn to look at the creature once. It was fast, she could hear it behind her. 

A sharp pain run through her back. One, two, three times. She heard herself scream, but she couldn't stop running or she would be dead in a second. She slithered one more time to the side. This time the creature glided with her as she felt it's cold, rugged skin against hers. She hit her head against something hard, it was pounding and her vision became blurry. She could see the trees and plants in front of her. She tried to lift herself up but her legs and arms were not strong or ready enough for her to move. 

She fought to grab her knife and the second she wrapped her fingers around its handle, It was in front of her. It's sharp teeth growling towards her, it's breath filling her lungs and it's red eyes stabbing her own. The moonlight laid upon It. Everything around it seemed to be blurry and the sound of her own breath was stabbing her ears. 

"It's now or never", she thought to herself. In a swift movement, she jumped up, run and then her legs slide on the moss beneath her. She heard the growl of the creature but before it could react she lifted her knife and stabbed the creature on its chest. She suddenly felt something wet and sticky on her face, before she could stand up a huge weight landed upon her, swallowing her. 

++++

"Casey", the male voice sounded distant. 

"Casey", it was closer now. 

Her eyes suddenly opened. She started coughing uncontrollably as she felt a sour taste in her mouth. A second later, she was vomiting. 

She heard the laugh of Flint and felt an encouraging hand on her back. After the disgusting throw-up, she lifted her head and saw Dyron, a small smile plastered on his face. She couldn't help but smile as well, when he saw him there, alive. 

"You killed it", Alec said, crouching near her. His finger pointed to the figure of a dead creature behind them. 

A nasty smell reached her nose and provoked some more vomiting.