How to Slay a Beast (Book 1)

Chapter 5 - Del

It was around midnight when I sneaked out. I wanted to get the sword back from the tree fort. And I had never seen danger in my young life. Especially not in those woods. I had no fear then.

I got out of bed and put on my jeans and a long, hooded black sweatshirt. I waited until I got onto the porch to put on my shoes, walking past the other bedrooms in my stockinged feet, so as not to wake anyone. I need not have feared. They wouldn't wake until after I was dead.

I picked up my bike from the porch and wheeled it to the familiar path. The moon shone overhead, but it cast little light through the tall trees. I looked around, thinking then that the woods were very different at night, as the leaves crunched under the rubber tires of my mountain bike. It was a blue bike, with seven speeds. I'd gotten it for my last birthday. Enoch was so jealous, I promised him when I grew out of it, it would be his. I don't think he wanted it in the end.

I heard noises out in the woods before I even reached the fort. I was a little scared. But I told myself it was the wind. Or a dog. Or the stray cats that used to hide under the old porch around our house.

When I reached the fort, I stopped and got off my bike. That was when the noises started to get louder, like something, walking. Something big. Something very big.

And it was breathing. I turned around, letting my bike fall  to the ground. The noises were coming from the path behind me. I looked and I couldn't see anything but a shape. A large shape. I turned and ran into the fort, slamming the door behind me, picking up the wooden sword and backing up against the opposite wall. The woods themselves seemed to be shaking, as my heart leapt in my chest.  The door shook on its hinges and I felt tears trickle down my cheeks. Then the shaking stopped. I took a deep breath.

It was probably nothing, probably wind or a dog or I was just getting scared. I had my sword. I should just go home.

That was when the wall behind fell in on me. I ran, towards the door, as the wood from the wall behind me crashed on my head. for some reason I thought if I ran through that door, I could make it to the path, and make it home.

I pulled on the door, trying desperately to run out of it. that was when the teeth closed on my foot. I was less aware of the bleeding and the pain because I was screaming. And then it was pulling me back, into the wrecked fort, claws on my chest.

I slashed out with the wood sword, smashing at the great beast's head.   but it didn't stop. the claws sank deep into my chest. And it got very very hard to breath. I was slashing with the wood, fighting, turning as my chest split open and blood covered the floor beneath me. I tried to stab its eye with the sword. That was a mistake. It bit off the arm that I held the sword with. I rolled over and tried to just crawl away. just get away from everything. Pull myself away with my good arm, before that too was severed by the beast's claws.

And then I was free. I thought I had escaped. And I ran. I ran back down the path to old house, up the porch and inside. I ran to Merry's room, and shook her shoulder with my bloody hand.

"Wake up---wake up," I screamed. I was screaming and crying. but she wouldn't wake up. she wouldn't hear me.

I ran into Enoch's room and threw the sword at him, he didn't move. I shook him and tried to roll him over but my hands passed over him as though he wasn't real. Then I heard noises again, a stomping coming from the woods. It was still following me.

I turned and ran. I couldn't let it get them. and I was faster than the window now. it could not catch me. but it was always behind me. and I was forever running.

I ran down the street, towards my mother's apartment. All I could think was that the beast was still chasing me, and I had to escape. I didn't realize that I wasn't getting tired. Or that there was no reason they shouldn't have woken up. Or that the wooden sword I still held clutched in my hand wasn't going to do me any good. I ran through the street, there weren't any cars, nobody was out.