Broken Nightmare

Chapter 13

  I woke with a gasp. I lay on the forest floor, alone. It was still dark out and I had no idea how long I'd been unconscious. I twisted my head to the side and couldn't see anything but the trees near me, with their skeletal branches reaching out at me like fingers wanting to kill me. The back and side of my head were throbbing and it felt like my face was on fire. My previously injured ankle sprouted with some more pain, inviting my newly damaged shoulder to join. I struggled to turn in the opposite direction, moaning as I rolled over.

And I came face to face with bared fangs. I reached out and grabbed a medium-sized stone and slammed it into the wolf's head, knocking it sideways. Then I staggered to my feet and ran again, picking my knees up high to avoid the roots this time.

Behind me, Claire howled and the sound made me stumble. I whimpered and ran faster. And then, it dawned on me that nothing looked familiar, and a terrifying feeling swelled in my chest.

Am I running away from the house?

I was lost and turned around—possibly heading even farther into the heart of the forest. And now I could hear the wolf chasing me again. I couldn't find it in me to worry about changing my course anymore.

I pumped my legs under me and tried to find other routes that might save me. I didn't think wolves could climb trees, but no tree offered a branch low enough for me to leap up and grab. And then, finally, through the pitch black, I saw a light.

Relief soared through me before the wolf hit me from behind and sent me flying, then skidding along the ground. Just as I slammed against a tree, I felt razor-sharp fangs sink into my leg.

An overwhelming wave of pain crashed over me. I tried to kick the creature off, but it held on tight. Then I saw a flashlight. Did I bring that with me? But then again, did it really matter?

I reached out, grabbed it, and brought it down on the wolf's head. It cried out in a high-pitched yelp, releasing my leg, and jumped away. I looked down at the blood oozing from my calf and pooling on the ground around me. I have to make it back to the house and get help quickly. I was losing a lot of blood and the sight of it made me light-headed.

I pulled my act together and tried to stand. My leg burst with pain, and along with my hurt ankle, I didn't make it far before I plummeted to the ground. But I never hit the hard dirt. I looked down to see strong arms tightly grasping me round my shoulders and gently laying me down on the forest floor. I glanced at Nathan and stared into his eyes, which were full of regret and worry. Why would he be regretful or worried?

"Elana! Stay with me! Don't close those eyes. Stay awake! Elana!"

The blackness that has been trying to consume me for a while started to eat away at the edge of my sight and I distantly heard my name repeated over and over. It didn't matter though, because I felt my heavy lids closing in on themselves.

I felt myself come to, but couldn't make myself open my eyes. My leg and ankle throbbed, along with my cheek, shoulder, and wrist. I felt as though I had been hit by a car.

I tried to open my eyes, but my lids seemed to be glued together, as if life depended on it. Just that little act left me exhausted, and I let sleep take me again.

I must have fallen asleep again, because this time, I could feel Nathan outside the door, but could also hear him talking this time. Yelling. But at who?

I tried to strain my ears to understand what was going on, but that felt nearly impossible. The voices seemed to get farther and farther away the more I tried and I felt myself getting utterly exhausted yet again, and this time, I didn't fight the sleep coming to claim me.