The Blur

Chapter 11

Caz held himself as he marched forward in the snow and fog.
"Fog at night? This really is eerie."
He would jump and glance around paranoid by every concerning sound. Especially the sound of silence. Some parts of the forest were so dense not even wind could brush through.
"Surely it's safer here... It's uncomfortable but, that means it would be even more uncomfortable for the Hissi."
Caz swore under his breath as he weaved through the forest, occasionally tripping over roots and hitting his head on nearby branches. He only had a few scratches but it was enough to leave a small trail of crimson in the snow. He paused, frozen in fear as he heard a shriek of the Hissi. He held his breath as it sounded as though it was only a couple kilometers off.
In the distance, he saw the formidable glow of the Hissi's eyes. Caz's breath quivered in fear. The Hissi let out a deafening scream then charged toward Caz, dislodging trees from their roots shaking the earth around them. Caz started to run as fast as he could as the Hissi approached him.
Meanwhile at the cabin -
Sam locked himself in the bath to relax and wind down. He exhaled deeply then shut his eyes as he listened to the ticking of the clock as he let down his guard.
Ethane made it back to his room with Nugget. He sauntered over to the frosted window and rested the palm of his right hand and his forehead against the glass.
"Caz... I won't let you be out there alone."
Nugget rubbed against Ethane's legs. Ethane glanced down.
"Nugget. Stay here and protect Sam."
Ethane bent down and scratched behind Nugget's ears. Grabbing his satchel and coat he packed a flashlight and some alternative batteries, a bible, and a candle with matches for extra measure. Obeying an overwhelming feeling of caution swelling inside him, he grabbed the bow and quiver of arrows out of the wall and headed out after Caz. Ethane's fragile body shivered under his sweater, dragging his heavy - numb legs through the snow. He grunted as his voice quivered,
"Ugh. Must be. At least three feet... Nugget would disappear into the snow..."
Ethane chuckled to himself at the thought of Nugget disappearing in the snow. That smile quickly faded when he heard the distant screams of the Hissi. Ethane snapped his attention East from where he was standing and through the suffocating fog he could see two embers of eyes glowing. Frozen stiff, he barely spoke, the only way to know that he was speaking was the vapor forming from his breath.
"Hiisi..."
All at once flashbacks from his grandfather's laboratory came rushing into his mind. The way he was tied down onto the table using twine, and at times when it was difficult barb wire. The needles that oozed the fuica liquid that would soon be injected into his bloodstream. The chaotic trembles as he tried to get away, the barbwire dragging into his skin. Streams of crimson flowing down his arm, outlining his lanky figure. All at once, he flashed back into reality and had the Hissi only a few meters from his face. His quivering breath steamed in the damp - cold air. Ethane's eyes shot like arrows to his right to see another Hissi approaching. His pupils shrunk as his mind began to race.
"There's more of them... Far more than we thought. They're so big... So ominous. Where is Caz? Is Caz even alive anymore?..."
Ethane's thoughts were silenced by the echoes of a piercing scream.
"E! -E get out of here!"
Ethane looked to his left now to find a trail of crimson snow, the trail led to a tree, up high in its branches was Caz. A slight sigh of fear and relief lit Ethane's face.
"Caz? CAZ! Are you alright?!"
"IDIOT! YOU'RE THE ONE GETTING SURROUNDED. GET UP A TREE NOW! THEY DON'T HAVE NECKS SO THEY CAN'T LOOK UP!"
Ethane nodded and crunched through the snow as the Hissi charged after him. His limber body swayed out of the attack of the Hiisi. He was lightly cut on his ribcage by one of the Hiisi's antlers. He scurried up a tree that was three trees away from Caz. Breathing heavily, he let his frail body rest up high in the branches.
"You made it."
Caz said with a smile.
"I was worried your noodle arms wouldn't get you up the tree."
Ethane nodded with a soft laugh, his heart still racing from fear.
"They didn't. My adrenaline let me. How hurt are you?"
Caz who was still holding onto his right arm as blood froze onto his face. He looked down to the Hissi as he answered the question.
"My right arm...I can't control it anymore... Hey. E. I'm sorry. For all of this. If I didn't storm out here - you wouldn't have gotten hurt too..."
"Shut up. Will you?"
Caz looked up at Ethane who's pale skin was becoming more translucent and blue by the second.
"You didn't tell me to come after you. I did that on my own... Besides- you and Sam came out here for me. It's my family's cabin and our curse. So if anything, I'm sorry you got involved."
Caz smiled softly.
"You dummy. Don't you make me cry. E, we chose to come with you; not because we had to, but because we wanted too. Don't blame yourself."
Caz was cut off by Ethane.
"I saw it."
Caz a tad startled, started to question Ethane.
"What do you mean you saw it? What is it?"
Ethane looked up.
"The Hiisi. I saw them from the tram. Yet all I did was draw on the frosted glass. I knew these things were out here and I still put you and Sam in danger. We should have turned back then- I PUT YOU IN DANGER."
Caz's face contorted into anger.
"You think we didn't see you? Do you think we didn't notice? OF COURSE, WE DID! Damn it E. We love you. When will you get that through your head? Stop blaming yourself for every damn thing, and let's get through this together. We are friends, yeah. But we're family too. We all have moments when we are down. Those are the moments we spend together. We pick each other up and help each other fly. We knew how important this was to you. You are just as important to us. So chill out and let us help you. You're not alone anymore. You're not strapped down to that table. You're only in our arms E. Let us help you, as a family does."
Ethane's face was painted by a soft rosy hue. His words were soft as the untouched snow.
"I - I don't know what to say."
Caz grunted, with a smile.
"Don't say anything. Just let us help you... For now you can help me by using that bow and arrows to distract the Hissi so we can make it back to the cabin."
Ethane nodded as he dug through his satchel. He pulled out candles, matches, and the bible. Caz gasped as he grasped what Ethane was planning to do.
"Religion and light. Just like Meranda left in the note."
Ethane gave another ginger nod. As he tore out a page of the bible. He then melted some of the candle's wax onto a branch of the tree setting the candle in its wax he was able to make a firm bond and light the candle with the match. Sticking the page of the Bible onto the arrow he doused the page in the candle's flame and let the arrow hit the unsuspecting Hiisi.
The Hiisi let out a bellowing roar as it - itself caught in flames. The other nearby ran for cover at the sound of their fellow comrade Hiisi. Ethane blew out the candle and the two started the treacherous race back to the cabin. The limping men tripped over themselves as the flaming Hissi sang a song of agony. The flaming Hissi chased after them. It's scorched hooves eroded the snow.