Under a Dark Moon

1: Something in the Woods

 I was tired of running. I could feel my legs straining beneath me with each bound I made. My lungs searing as if a fire was burning inside them. A sharp pain in my side intensifying with every movement. My body was screaming at me to stop and rest. I ignored the pleas and willed myself to keep going.

Unfortunately my will was not as strong as I had hoped. I didn't notice the large rock that was jutting out of the dark mud. My foot smacked into it full force causing me to fly forward and land in a small patch of ferns.

Luckily the fall didn't cause any serious bodily damage. It just took all the wind out of my sails. I didn't know if I could find the strength to get up and run again. Sitting up I surveyed the area as best as I could. It was almost pitch black under the canopy of the forest. Only the faint light of the full moon escaped through the leaves.

I was deep in the woods, if the monster doesn't kill me, being hopelessly lost without survival essentials surely will. I held my breath listening for any sounds that would indicate the monster's presence. There was nothing, just an eerie silence only filled by the sound of crickets.

Inhaling deeply, I used the trunk of a fallen over tree to help hoist myself onto my feet.

For now I had lost the monster. Although, I didn't have any doubt that it would soon catch up. So I headed for the one direction I hoped would bring me safety. It look like it used to be a hiking path. Though now it was overgrown and I assume, unused.

I made my way through the path at steady pace. Moving branches away from my face carefully, as to not make any noise.

The path led to a small stream. Across it was another path, this one was not overgrown. I could see that it lead into a moonlit clearing. This was the first clearing I had seen all night. Hope sparked inside of me. In my panicked state I had accepted that I was totally 99.9% doomed. Instead of giving up I decided even if the .1% seemed impossible I still had to try.

A loud crack of a twig snapping broke my silent victory. I bolted through the stream, ice cold water seeping through my jeans stinging invisible scrapes.

When I reached the other side I took a quick glance behind me, only to see a buck standing where I once was. His head cocked to the side as if he were intrigued by my presence. I let out a sigh of relief and waved to him.

Then out of darkness the monster pounced onto the buck, letting out a guttural sound as it began tearing it apart. I held in my scream and turned running through the path to the clearing.

I didn't stop when I reached the clearing until I realized it wasn't a clearing at all. It was a lawn. The beautifully manicured lawn of a mansion.

I darted across the grass to the cement roundabout and practically jumped up the 2 small steps leading to the door.

Nervously glancing behind me, I knocked on the door with all the force I could muster. Surely my knuckles will be bruised soon. That didn't matter as long as I could find safety. I waited a moment and received no answer.

I didn't have my phone on me so I could only guess it was around midnight and the inhabitants of the mansion were probably sleeping. Exasperated I banged on the door again.

No answer again. I let out a defeated laugh. What a cruel twist of fate that I would survive long enough to find safety only to be denied it's sanctuary.

I could walk down the road connected to the roundabout but it was surrounded by dense forest on each side. Just the thought of that thing trailing alongside me caused a chill down my spine.

Finally the tears broke through. Blurring the view of the path that I couldn't stop staring at. Just waiting for the end, and hoping that the monster doesn't like playing with his food.