Shifters

Chapter 16

It's short I know! lol and a lot of descriptive writing without dialogue so bare with me! :)

Chapter Sixteen

            The pain got so intense that I screamed. Soon I didn’t know where one scream ended and another started. Finally the pain subsided some and I lay on the floor panting. I looked around to notice the cuffs and chains pooled around me. I was free! I looked down and noticed I had four legs and they were covered with a soft white fur. Wow I did it! I was a cat. I slowly tried standing and wobbled a little, still weak from the change. That had been even worse than the time I first shifted to wolf form. I could only hope it got easier from here on in.

            I padded softly to the wall with the window, looking up at it from my vantage point on the floor. It seemed really high with me just being a small cat. I bunched my muscles and prepared to jump, praying I made it. Pushing off the floor I aimed for the window ledge and thankfully I landed it, just barely. I used my claws to help steady me.

            Now that I was on the window ledge looking out I was thankful that this building was abandoned and the glass had long disappeared. I surveyed the land stretching out from the tower and my heart sank when I realized I was two stories up. Oh crap now what. I looked to the right and noticed a tree was growing alongside the tower not too far from the window. Well I hoped it wasn’t too far because I was going to have to jump to it. That being my only option, I bunched my muscles and prepared to make the far leap to the tree.

            Unfortunately I misjudged the distance and hit the trunk instead of the branch I was aiming for. I was tumbling uncontrollably, hitting branches as I went. Damn this was going to hurt! I tried to grab onto anything I hit with my claws, even trying to turn my body so my feet were down, just like a cat would. I felt something crack in my side as I hit a large branch and yowled with pain. Next thing I knew the hard ground had finally come up to meet me. I blacked out.

            How long I was lying there I don’t know before I came to, but when I did I whined in pain. I knew I had to get up and move though, or else my whole escape would have been for nothing. Getting up, I staggered and started to walk in the direction towards town. It was slow and agonizing, but I pushed on.

            Sometimes I picked up the pace until I couldn’t stand the pain anymore and I would continue walking. Roosville soon came into view and I sighed with relief. I was getting closer.

            I darted through town unnoticed and I couldn’t help but wonder if my father had discovered my absence yet? That drove me harder and made me check behind me nervously every few seconds, like I was being hunted.

            Once I reached the other side of town I could smell freedom. I pushed harder as I climbed the side of the mountain our house was situated on. My side was on fire, and I was pretty sure I had a broken rib. Ignoring the pain I ran until our house finally came into view. I had never been so happy to see my house in all the time I had lived there. It was amazing how we took the simple things in life for granted until they were nearly taken away from us.

            No one was around and I prayed someone was home. I took the stairs slowly, whimpering in pain. Collapsing on the front porch I shifted back to my human form. It felt like a release after having my form compacted down so small. Sighing I reached up and knocked on the door, closing my eyes. I heard the door open a moment later.

            “Ella!”