EVOLVE

Chapter 8: Slaughter.

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Apparently no body is reading my book so far but I'll still keep on posting just in case somebody stumbles across it and likes it (plus I have nothing else to do with my life :P)

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***this chapter is STILL UNEDITED***

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The house shook violently as the creature rammed its body violently against the tree trunk. Another shriek sounded from it. Delight at its awaiting dinner hiding in the tree.

Us.

Without a word, Hailey shoved the dagger handle in my hand, wrapping my fingers around it in a firm grasp. Zain had already slipped through the hatch in the floor, down to greet the beast, knives strapped to him, crossbow in hand. Hailey grabbed my elbow, dragging me towards the hatch. The expression on her face said enough. The words that her throat couldn't produce from terror.

Run.

The wood of the tree whined loudly. The world began shifting. Leaning sideways. Hailey's eyes widened, lips parted in pure horror.

The tree is going down.

Without a second thought, a moment of hesitation or even a chance for me to object. She pushed me with all her might through the hatch. My heart rose to my throat as I lost altitude, falling. My hands reaching out in failed attempts to catch branches, to soften my fall. My breath knocked out of me as my back made contact with the ground. I knew I should have twisted myself to land on my shoulder instead; yet, with the scene that awaited me down here. I never could. I could never forget that moment.

The beast was a perfect way to describe this gigantic creature. A creature was a wrong word to match to this... this thing! For it was not created but made. Its giant body, cladded in wrinkly, leathery skin. A long mane ran from the top of its head, between those pointed predator ears, to its tail. A tail with metal spikes welded into it, green goo dripping from its tips.

Poison.

Its head was a mixture of every predator my mind could think off. The canines of lions, the snout of a dog, the gleaming eyes of a cheetah. Eyes full of hunger, delight and pleasure at the thought of food. It reeled back a step before opening that mouth, the yellowing fangs on display as it shrieked again at... Zain...

This man was not a normal Hell-Bayer. The way he positioned the knife in his fist, the way his muscular body moved with unbelievable grace, taunting the beast, avoiding its attacks with paws adorned with claws the length of an arm, charging back at the thing even though it was ten times his size. The throwing knife that was in Zain's hand found home in the beast's back leg. A howl of pain echoed all around us.

"RUN!" Hailey screamed. Only then did my eyes move from the fight between Zain and that thing to see the tree giving away.

I stumbled over my own two feet as I ran away from the leaning tree. Its fall knocking me down again on my stomach. I could feel my ribs bruising up from the impact. I gasped, trying to pull in as much air as I can into my lungs. My eyes fixed on the ground as I clawed at the dirt with my hand, crawling away on my stomach. Vibrations echoed through the ground. Footsteps. I could feel the earth shaking underneath me as the beast approached me.

Flipping on my back, my eyes made contact with those golden eyes, the vertical slits narrowing at me. It bared its teeth in a snarl, teeth that could sever flesh and bone with a swipe, moving closer with anticipation for the hunt that it no doubt enjoyed. My legs were shaking with fear, I could feel my bladder threatening to convulse as I crawled back using my arms, propping myself up on my elbows. The shouts of Hailey and Zain as they tried to draw the beast away from me sounded muted, like I was underwater.