Winged

Chapter 2: unwanted visitors

I sat upright in my tiny, moth eaten bed as high pitched screams filled the air. I wiped my groggy eyes and jumped out of bed, pulling on fresh clothes and shoving my feet into my tall boots with crevasses on the sides, perfect for holding knives or other weapons. Looking out of a small broken window in the corner of my room, I caught glimpses of flames in the near distance. I began to sweat as soon as the sleepiness was cleared from my head and I realised what was going on. The safe haven we had created in The Bursko Forest was under attack.

I silently grabbed two sharp knives from a bench to my left, carefully sliding one into my boot and gripping onto the other like it was my source of life. It would not be long before whatever had attacked us finds me. After all, it could just be another human terrorist attack. We had had a few of those recently. That is what happens now, with everybody fighting over measly crumbs of food. But no, I realised that it was not humans because they would never create those curdling animal like howls that now filled the air. I fumbled around in the darkness until I felt the worn handle of my pack and pulled it onto my back with ease as I had done many times before. In this apocalyptic you have to be ready to leave at the ring of a bell. Or in this case, the howl of a wolf.

I snuck out of my temporary house tiptoeing over broken glass and rusted wood, moving as fast as I could away from the torturous screams and wild howls. Like so many others, I had been in this situation many times and had still made my way out of it alive. I had never seen any of the creatures up close before and I certainly did not intend for that to change today.

A woman sprinted towards me shrieking out crazed words that I could barely make sense of. I ignored her clutching my knife even tighter. I could not bare to imagine what was happening to the people who were the ones screaming. I shivered as I began to imagine their flesh in tatters enveloping the blood covered ground. I quickly shoved that thought into the deepest part of my mind and tried to think of something more pleasant. It was a hard thing to do, what with the sounds of wolves demolishing innocent humans to pieces.

I could see the trees of the forest from where I was and I knew that as soon as I made it to the trees, I would be safe from the wolves. Hopefully nothing else will be lurking around tonight. I was so close to the trees that I could almost touched them. I felt relief rush through me until I heard the pounding of heavy footsteps and low growls from behind me. Taking a deep breath, I spun around and froze as I came face to face with a mortals worst nightmare. The wolf had caught me. Not just any wolf in fact, but a ginormous black wolf that smelt like death.
"Help!" I shrieked, my voice echoing through the forest.
It was no use. Nobody would risk their own life to save a girl who would probably die anyway. I shook uncontrollably and stumbled backwards, crashing into a tree. I winced. Even in the gloom, I could see the wolves fangs dripping with what I hoped was not fresh blood. I screamed in horror.

The wolf began to change before my eyes. I gasped as his silhouette began to twist. It was unnatural how one moment ago he was a wolf but now he was a man. I could just make out scruffed up jeans and a ripped t-shirt in the dim light of the new moon. I had never felt terror like this in my life, not even as I watched my parents die. This was something else altogether. It was almost hard to believe that this man had been a wolf only a few seconds ago. The wolf reached out his hand and lifted my chin up so he was looking into my eyes. I shoved his hand away in disgust. His face twisted into a cruel smile.
"The pretty ones always taste so much better," he smirked.
Before I could say anything in response, the wolf lifted me up and slammed me into a spiky tree. I wheezed and twisted my bother in an useless attempt to escape he wolves iron grip. He made me look so weak, holding me to the tree, slowly choking the all the life from me.

Anger kicked inside of me and I lifted my leg and kneed him hard in the groin. The wolf suppressed a groan and slightly released his grip, giving me a little more confidence. I sprung out my leg and kicked at the pressure point at his knee. The wolf crashed to the floor and I took the opportunity to slice my knife across his torso. Before I could try and finish him, he quickly regained composure and jumped up, pummelling me to the ground.
"Oof," I groaned as all the air was knocked from my lungs.
When I saw his fist swing back, it was too late to dodge. I felt the wolves hard fist smash into my cheek, the feeling of a huge rock being dropped onto my face. I cried out at the overwhelming pain and accidentally dropped my knife. I remembered back when the apocalypse had only just begun, a scientist had discovered that if a wolf was losing in a fight, he would turn back into his wolf form. If that happened, I did not think that I would be able to survive.

When the wolf lifted his fist to punch me again, I saw it coming. I blocked the hit with my palm, sending a jolt through my entire body. Then before the wolf could try again, I lifted my legs and back off the ground, pinning one leg behind on of the wolves legs. I twisted over so this time I had the advantage of being on top. I quickly grabbed my knife and before he could attack me, I stuck it as deep into his chest as I could get it. The wolf let out a furious howl and stared at me in disbelief as his eyes glazed over. None of the supernaturals could ever believe that a mortal had the power to injure them, let alone kill them. I was also in a state of shock. I heaved out my bloody knife causing blood to spatter to the ground. I gagged in disgust.

Brushing my hands down on my jeans, I pocketed my knife and turned to the forest. All the noise we had been making must have caused a commotion and it would not be long before other wolves would show up. It would be just my luck to run into a horde of demons at a time like this. I took one last glance at the lifeless wolf and turned, running for my life.

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