HUNTING THE HUNTERS (1st INSTALLMENT of THE HUNTERS SERIES)

Chapter XI

MELISSA

I walked around the jungle searching for food to bring back to camp.

It wasn't long until I stumbled upon something, a berry bush, a gigantic one. Compared to it I was a small twig, I was shocked. This could not be real. I closed my eyes shaking my head before opening them. I was hoping this would be a dream but it's real. All this is real.

How could I be the size of a twig? How could this happen?

I stumbled back, amazed by my size. I started to panic, I was out here surrounded by skyscrapers aka the trees and wild animals that could attack me anytime. In my state, I wouldn't stand a chance.

I turned on my heels and started to run back to camp. I ran through the grass, pushing it from my face and climbed over the rocks. I stumbled into camp a few minutes later, there was a fire still burning but there was no sign of April. Where was she? Judging by the fire she was here not too long ago.

It was getting dark, I needed to find her but if I left there was a possibility that I wouldn't find her. I didn't even know where she had gone off to. I decided to stay put and by morning she would either be back or I would go look for her.

I went towards the fire seeking warmth, the jungle was freezing, and it was so cold I was getting cold-bumps. I hugged myself, trying to keep warm. My stomach began to rumble, now I feel dumb for leaving that berry bush without picking a nice, big, juicy berry. My mouth watered as I thought about it, I shook my head trying to think of something else.

Suddenly I heard twigs snap, I spun my head around to the direction it came from. I got up and walked over to the area.

"April?"

I heard nothing but rustling.

"April?" I called again.

I heard a low growl, I started to retreat slowly as red eyes came into view. The creature came out into the light, above me stood a huge hellhound. I nearly peed my pants, I looked at it, its body was covered in rocks and there were spaces where lava could be seen flowing within. I turned and ran as fast as I could.

The pace I was running at not even Tyson Gay or Usain bolt could have caught up with me.

Even though I ran as fast as I could it was no use to the hound I was just a little ant so my attempts were doomed but, if there was one thing a hell hound loved to do it was to play with its food. It took my running as an opportunity to have some fun before it devoured me.

I ran through the camp into the woods the moon as my guide. It ran after me, smashing the tent with his foot and dripping slime onto the ground. The slime that drips from a hell hound's mouth is highly acidic when it mixes with air, it will burn through any material that it comes in contact with, except lava based material.

It picked up speed, running in front of me blocking my path. I turned left and ducked as it tried to claw me. I rolled on the ground, turned to face it and flung the blades towards it. It dodged some of the blades with ease but one landed in his left eye. It howled in pain.

"Yes," I said with satisfaction.

I turned, running as fast as I could, dodging attacks and obstacles in my paths. I pulled blades out of my bag, throwing them behind me trying to hit it again, but it dodged them all. It jumped over me, landed in front of me swinging its tail and throwing me into a tree.

I landed with a loud thud, I fell to the ground groaning. I held my head and felt a warm liquid run down my hand. It was blood, I looked at my hand in horror. Blood drives hell hounds wild as much as evil souls. I looked up to see the animal standing over me, its red, hunger eye staring at me. My heart started to beat rapidly, my palms were sweaty and my eyes were flooded with tears. I tried to move but my legs and arms were in too much pain to move.

I started to cry harder, this is how it was going to end. I just wish that Peaches and April rescue Jewels.

It released an ear-splitting howl, then in a swift motion, he opened his mouth, biting down at me. I let out an ear-splitting scream.

---APRIL---

The sound of a girl screaming woke me from my slumber, I jumped up from the leaf I was on.

That scream sounded familiar, I've heard it before. It sounded like Melissa!

I ran to the hole in front of me that overlooked the jungle.

I was in a tree, Peaches had found this when she woke up and started to look for shelter. This was where she stayed and saw the spider attacking me.

I looked over to see if I could spot her, but Mel was nowhere in sight. My mind started to run wild. What if that thing that made the footprints caught her? What if she was being ripped to pieces as I speak?

I ran over to Peaches shaking her.

"Wake up." She rolled over on her back and looked at me bewildered.

"I heard a scream and it sounded like Mel," I said as I stared into her chocolate eyes.

"It was just a dream," she said as she turned back onto her side.

"Go to sleep tomorrow we'll go find her."

"But–"

"April we will find her okay..."

I nodded in agreement and returned to my side and laid down on the leaf, pushing away the negative thoughts out of my mind. Soon, I slipped into a deep sleep.