The beast within

Chapter 17 the final breath

Jacob then finished undoing the binds and pulled Hannah to him. "Considering you warned me, I'm guessing you can see, so use that and escape, I'll keep the thing busy" Jacob said. Hannah forgot how his voice sounded for a little while and stared in awe at him for a second before nodding and went to dash off, but before she did, she went back and pulled him down a little by his neck and kissed him. She was then shocked when he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the kiss.

"Now go, I'll see you after this Hannah" Jack said and shoved Hannah back the way he came. She then dashed out and went to find the way back but stopped and turned. She decided to wait for whatever came out, whether it be Jack, or the windego.

Jackson was still for a moment after he heard Hannah leave, and then turned his head to where he threw the thing. He walked over and placed his hand down, feeling marks in the ground, dashing to the side. He followed the trail to a bigger room with a lot more dead bodies, recognizing a few of them. "Welcome...Jacob...to your final...resting place..." he heard from everywhere. He then felt a claw scratch against his back and turned to swing, but whatever was there disappeared. Jacob couldn't sense him, because he felt the thing's presence everywhere. Jacob then chuckled and smiled "what's so funny?..." he heard it ask. "I don't know which is funnier, the fact that you think you can kill me, or that you think anything you do will affect me" Jackson responded with. "Plus, i haven't got to let loose in a while, so I have a lot of things built up inside, I hope you don't mind if I take it out on you" Jack said as he then punched the ground and the walls cracked, and a little light spilled in. "No...don't do that..." the windego said. "Really? And who's going to stop me? All you did was just put a hole in my favorite shirt and tear up my mask" Jacob said and ripped what was left of his shirt off.

He then heard a sound from behind him and grabbed what was trying to tackle him. He looked as it turned out, he grabbed a body by the neck that was thrown at him. He threw it out of the area they were in, and sighed. "Real cheap and funny tactics, but this place needs cleaned up" he said as he threw the rest of the bodies out of the room. He then looked at the doorway and punched the wall beside it, making some rocks fall down, blocking off the only way in and out of the room. "Kukuku... you just blocked off...your only escape..." it said. "Correction, I can leave anytime I want, I only did that, so you can't escape the ass kicking your about to receive." Jack said and grabbed it by the throat as It was trying to move away. He applied a bit of pressure, then started to hear cracking come from it as the windego was clawing at it. Jackson threw it across the room and bared his teeth at it. It then got up and dashed at him, clawing the front of his chest. Jack grabbed its leg and slammed it against the ground with such force the whole area around them shook and a crack appeared, making it seem like an earthquake. He then stomped on the leg and heard it snap. He wiggled it a bit and tore it off completely, as the thing screamed out in pain. He went and stomped its head into the ground and forced its head into the ground. Jack then decided to take his arm and snap that off as well. He picked it up by its throat and slammed it against a wall and started hitting the windego in the chest and stomach repeatedly. As blood was pouring out of its mouth and off its forehead and missing limbs, Jack took one look at his hand, and saw the paw of the were-brid and looked back up at the windego. He swiped it across the windego's torso and then grabbed it by its head and swiped at its throat, cutting it into 3 pieces: the head, the chest and neck, and from the stomach down. Jackson then sighed and looked at the doorway that was brought down by his fist.

Hannah waited out front, hearing loud sounds and seeing cracks appear in the wall and cave areas. She didn't know if it was from the windego or from Jack, but she knew she'd hate to be on the receiving end. She heard sickening slices happen and stared at the stars, hoping the thing was dead. Jackson then emerged from the cave with a makeshift body bag, and saw that his shirt was torn off. She knew instantly it was from the thing, but smiled at him, clearly happy. "JACK" she screamed and tackle hugged him. She heard him chuckle and drop the bag and felt him wrap his arms around her, she didn't care if her clothes are soaked in the thing's blood, she now was with Jackson again. She moved her hands up and down his torso, and noticed something. There were lots of scars and marks on his body, she even felt one that was a circular shape and knew immediately he was shot before. She started to grow annoyed at this and looked up at him with a smile as he smiled down. She got off him and smiled with her eyes closed. "Jackson H. Moore, why do you have so many scars and marks on your body, and an old gunshot wound?" She asked, getting angrier. "Life hasn't been easy, it's torn me down and tried to change me again, back into how I was before I met you" He said while looking down and away.

Jack looked away and sighed. "Can I see what they all look like? Besides, I can stitch you up, you know, to stop the bleeding" She asked, and for a moment he thought he saw a hint of blush on her face. He smiled at this and waved her over to a rock, as she sat down. He saw her face turn a little more red and bring out a little bag. She opened it and pulled out a needle and some string. "Don't have what hospitals have so we're going to have to make do with this" he heard her mumble. He chuckled at this and smiled "whatever you want to do" and sat down and faced her as she put the needle into position. "Now this may sting a little" she said as she put the needle through. He didn't even flinch or feel it when she did, and the moment she finished she smiled at him.

They started walking back to the cabin and kept talking about what's been happening, and Jack was being very careful not to let anything slip about him being Jay. "Wait, why are you here? And where is Jay?" She stopped him and asked. "Jay trusted me to handle it. His mask got ripped and he has to get it fixed. So for the rest of the time, your stuck with me instead of Jay" he carefully answered, making sure not to lie or give away too much information. "Hmm, Okay. I'd rather spend this time with you anyways then with him, because at least you show emotion" she said.

They made it back to the cabin, makeshift bag in hand and opened the door as guns pointed at them. "Stand down, Look, it's her. And this definitely isn't a windego, it's a person" said the general. "Thank you sir" Jack said as all the guns were lowered. They had a quick chat about what happened and Jack dropped the bag at the general's feet. "There's the windego's body, but Jay wants the head of it. So we better give it to him" Jack said and opened it up and taking out the head. The general just nodded at this and took the rest of it, while Jacob put the head in a freezer. "It's late, we should all get to bed. Guess I'll just stay wherever Jay was staying" Jacob said, knowing full well where that is. Hannah didn't even object and instead agreed and then the group proceeded into their own rooms as the general and his men left with the bag, after he hugged his son and shared a few touching words.