wilderness | paul lahote

{17}

I slowly got up from where I was sitting. A smirk grew on the woman's lips as she cocked her head to the side. Studying my face, my every expression.

I didn't show no fear. I tried hard not to. Something deep in my mind screamed that I was in danger. With one swift movement she was closer to me. My eyes hadn't registered when she had moved or how. My breath hitched in my throat. She laughed. Her voice a silky soprano, echoing throughout the forest around us.

"Well aren't you a sweet little snack? I could smell you from a mile away." She said, her voice melodic. She walked closer to me, her lethal steps slower this time, yet they held such grace.

"Who are you?" I asked, gathering every and any bravery I could find deep within me. She came to a stop. Her eyes squinted as she still looked at me, never once breaking her gaze. I stood fixated at the spot I had been in before. I didn't dare to run or escape, because somehow I knew it would've been impossible.

She scoffed. "I'm your worst nightmare, sweetie." In the blink of an eye she was gone. Vanished from where she had just stood before me. I stumbled back against the tree I had just sat against moments before, trying to breathe I decided to try and escape. I started walking back to where I assumed I had come from.

But there she was, falling perfectly to her feet from the tree above me, just like a cat. She was in front of me again. A smirk playing on her beautiful face.

She moved towards me without me even noticing, her face inches from mine, her icy fingers tracing lines along my neck. I could feel her sweet breath on my face as she licked her lips and took a deep breath in.

"For a girl who runs with wolves, I thought you'd know all about the creatures lurking the woods," she hummed. "Don't you know it's dangerous?"

My body shook as I stood there, unable to move, as if being hypnotised by this inhumane creature before me. My heart was racing, as if it was fighting to keep me alive.

In a millisecond I felt my back crash against the tree behind me. Her fingers laced around my neck, her face ferocious. Like a predator ready for its kill. Her eyes - the deepest shade of red I had ever seen - were full of hunger, malice.

Her face moved closer to where her fingers had just been on my neck. I closed my eyes. Awaiting for whatever would be happening next. I tried to breathe, but I couldn't, my body didn't cooperate with my mind anymore.

"I'll make this quick and easy." She whispered, as her cold hand snaked around my neck once more, tilting my head lightly to the side.

Everything happened so quickly. I fell down onto the wet ground beneath me, hitting my head in the process. The cold touch was gone from my skin, replaced with the warmth of my blood pulsing through my veins in what felt like a million miles an hour.

She was gone. Just like that, she was gone. And I was left there on the ground. My mind foggy, my neck burning and a pulsating sensation on the back of my head.

I tried to come to my consciousness. Somehow I had sensed that the threat was not gone. And through the darkness of my vision I understood my senses had indeed been right.

In front of me, I could make out two huge figures standing where me and the lady had just stood a minute before.

They were enormous. Bear-like almost. Yet they held such canine features. Wolves. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. How on earth would a wolf be so big?

A grisly snarl rolled out between one of the wolves teeth before it leaped after the red haired woman. Her brilliant locks like fire, gliding so effortlessly through the trees.

The other monster, smaller than the other reddish brown one that had gone after the woman, growled loudly before turning its head slightly towards me. Its fur dark silver, gazing at me intently. I whimpered in fear. I had never seen an animal - or a wolf for that matter - as big as this.

I wanted to get up and run. But I was in complete shock. My body shivering, hyperventilating as if the air around me was coming to an end.

The wolf's face almost grimaced, I was sure I had imagined it. It positioned itself in front of me now, facing me. Looking into its eyes, I couldn't help but picture Paul. Regret and sadness flooded my mind. I closed my eyes as my body shook. I was sure this would now be the end of me. These had to have been the creatures everyone had been worried about. The ones Sam and the others had been trying to catch.

Through the fear I was starting to lose the little consciousness I had left. Through my dreamlike state I heard shuffling from behind me. Something warm touched my shoulder and my cheek, but I couldn't see. My eyes were unwillingly closing. The tears flowed along with the rain now, down my cheeks.

"We need to get her out of here," someone shouted from beside me. I tried to open my eyes. The sound was ever so familiar. The wolf before me stomped closer.

"Paul, go after Jacob," I recognised Sams voice. The wolf haltered to a stop before us. I wanted to warn Sam and Paul, about the monster, but I couldn't.

"Paul! Go! We'll handle her!" Sam ordered. The silver animal growled lowly before turning around and following where the other two monsters had disappeared to. It was almost as fast as the woman had been, only lacked the grace of movement.

I was so confused. My body grew colder and colder, yet my skin felt as if I was on fire.

I felt myself being lifted. I was crying now, I could feel my body shaking but I couldn't feel anything more. I hated myself for breaking the promise. I hated being saved by Sam again. I was nothing more than a burden on these people. I wanted to disappear.