Henry

Chapter 5

            …In the mind of Aggie…

            Somehow I had managed to sleep last night. Despite the fact I was sleeping on the damp and rocky gravel, the cave was freezing, and there was an eight foot tall Bigfoot just beside me, I must have been so exhausted from the day that it all didn’t matter to me in the end.

            I awoke to the nauseating smell of rotten eggs and poop once again. Loud snores echoed off the cave walls. I looked over to the large beast to watch it sleep soundly. I really should run now! I thought to myself. But I’d have to control myself more…

            I began to ease myself from the ground but suddenly a sharp twinge went through my knee. I yelped and nearly went down again. But it was enough. The Bigfoot woke up and saw that I was attempting to escape. It lifted itself up on its elbow and howled at me. My hands rushed to my ears to protect them from the extreme volume of its yell as I fell back to the ground.

            It sat up, looked at me, and then looked around the cave for something to do. The anticipation was beginning to take its toll on me. I couldn’t stand waiting for the moment when the animal would pounce on me, killing me.

            “Just kill me already!” I shouted at the Bigfoot. “I can’t sit here and wait for it anymore! If you’re hungry, it me now! Go ahead! Eat!”

            The Bigfoot stared at me again. His deep breathing was the only audible thing besides my heart pumping fast against my ribcage, begging to be released. He slowly got up onto his hind legs and began to exit the cave. I began to get up myself, ignoring the now excruciating pain in my knee. It turned around and howled at me again, a warning for me to stay put. I landed on the gravel once more and crossed my arms over my chest.

            I watched as it grabbed large boulders and stacked them in front of the doorway, more of an obstacle for me to escape. “I need to be able to breathe!” I shouted. As if it was able to comprehend my words, it left a little hole just big enough for my head to fit through. I tried, once again, to get up and walked to the small hole. I watched as he grew smaller and smaller as he trenched deeper into the woods.

            “You beast of an animal,” I whispered to myself. Using the little strength I possessed, I kept attempting to push the boulders away or pull them towards me. They absolutely refused to budge. I kicked and kicked. I threw my body at the wall of rocks. Several bruises and a cracked rib later, I let my body sink to the floor where I had been sleeping. I let myself cry.

            I knew I was in a hopeless state now. I had to have several injuries that needed the care of a doctor. I was hungry with no chance of getting another meal. I was cold from the awful condition of the cave. I would never see my family again. No friends. No Blake.

            Was Blake even looking for me? Does he miss me as much as I miss him? Is he safe? Is he taking care of my horses? Has he taken care of the issue of me not being at my race yesterday? Does he really love me?

            I looked down at my left hand and took the engagement ring from my finger. In the little light that the Bigfoot left for me after stacking the boulders, the diamond glistened magnificently. Despite having been through a lot with me in the past day and a half, it was still clean, unscratched, and beautiful. It gave me a glimmer of hope. I knew then that Blake still loved me and always will. I knew he was safe. I knew he was looking for me.

                                                                        ***

            Many hours passed before the animal finally returned to my new “home”. The bang of the boulders being shifted woke me from a semi-deep sleep. I no longer felt fear, but a new feeling. I was hungry.

            But then I smelled a familiar essence, the smell of raw meat. My mouth unconsciously watered as I watched the Bigfoot enter the cave with a great elk on its shoulder. There were several bite marks on the neck that looked vaguely human.

            I had to shake away the hunger. There was no way I was going to get any sort of food. I watched with envy as it sat down just opposite me, laid the elk carcass in front of him and began eating. I was not disgusted in the least but wished I could join him in his feasting. His large humanoid teeth dug into the skin and muscle of the elk and tore great bloody chunks from it. He looked slightly menacing as the elk blood dripped down the corners of his mouth, but it did not bother me.

            Some fifteen or so minutes went by before the Bigfoot looked up and noticed me staring at the elk. I don’t know what crossed his mind, but he wrapped his ample fingers around the elk’s hind leg, one of the meatiest of the four legs, placed on hand on the elk’s rib cage, and tugged the leg off. He looked me in the eye and handed me the dismembered leg.

            I shivered at the sound of the leg breaking off from its pelvis but gladly took the leg. I stared at the bloodied leg. Was I really going to eat this, skin and all, right down to the bone? Was I really that hungry?

            As my head leaned down, the leg rose to my lips. I didn’t want to think about it—I just dug my teeth into the elk’s flesh and tore a chunk from its leg. I chewed as quickly as I could manage and swallowed. I began to gag but forced myself to keep everything down. It was vital that I eat every last bit of the elk leg if I wanted to stay alive.

            Each bite seemed to get more putrid. Blood trickled down my chin, specks of fur, skin, and muscle dotting the area around my mouth. I wouldn’t let myself stop. I continued to eat until my blood-stained teeth scraped against bone.

            After ten minutes of eating the leg till it could have passed for a dog bone, I leaned back, threw the bone to the side, and took a deep breath. Though my meal had been one I never want to have again, though I most likely will, I felt so incredibly full that my belly was pushed out to its limit, almost too much. I looked down at it and rubbed my hands up and down to sooth the full stomach.

            I looked up at the beast as he was finishing off the elk. He had offered me a piece of his food. Did that mean something? Maybe he isn’t as terrible as I made him out to be… Maybe I’m not in as much danger as I began to think I was. He hasn’t killed me yet or harmed me. If that was his intention, he would probably have done that the night he dragged me away. He needed a name instead of just being called “The Bigfoot”.

            I sunk my head lower to the ground and got his eyes to meet mine. I slowly raised my head back to its original position as he did the same. I stared at him for several seconds before finally seeing a name flash before my eyes.

            “He-Henry?” I asked cautiously.

            The name Henry got his attention. His red eyes widened and then turned to slits as he stared back at me. But his glare wasn’t a frightening one. It was full of curiosity.

            I sighed with relief. Avoiding paining my leg once again, I slid over so I was right next to the fleshless bones of the elk. My hand reached over the remains and waited. Henry looked a little confused at first but soon his hand raised from his side and slowly met with mine. Our palms pressed together, I suddenly felt a connection. I knew that he wasn’t a dangerous being at all.

            My eyes went from our hands to his red, even glowing eyes.

            “Hi, Henry,” I whispered.

I don't usually like putting messages at the end of my chapters--it feels sloppy to me sometimes. But it's necessary! I apologize if you found it graphic at times during this chapter. It won't usually be a reoccurence, the graphicness.. And yes, I sort of got the whole hand idea thing from Tarzan so you don't have to make any sort of negativ comments about it--I admitted it first! Okay, memo done. COMMENT. VOTE. :D