The Secret Mission

2.

Pain jolts me awake. Hungry eyes stare back at me, The animals bared teeth inches from my nose. Its muzzle is torn and a gash beneath its eye is seeping silver blood. Glittering fur barely hid the deep wounds on its side. Wild eyes reflected the light in my own. I almost felt sorry for the beautiful creature looming above me. But fate ran another course.

It's jagged claws pierced through my skin ripping away any sorrow. The leopard draws back it's parched lips to reveal row upon row of bloodstained teeth. The stench of death is overwhelming.

A sharper pain shoots up my leg as the leopard slices into my ankle cutting deep to the bone. Hot sticky blood gushes out, dribbling vertically down my calf. Another bite tears at my left arm. My arm is was now stained with fresh blood. Flesh hangs from the leopards' jaw...

Black spots cloud my vision and I begin to feel light headed.

My sight sharpens as adrenaline kicks in, I scramble away from the leopard now screaming hysterically. The leopard snarls as I kicked out with my strong leg in an attempt to defend myself. The leopard grabs this opportunity with open jaws. I let out a short gasp as it clamps my leg between its dangerous fangs. Blood drenches the leopard's muzzle, staining his white fur with dark red liquid. Fear suffocates me as the color is drained from my body.

I dare a glance behind me. The pain I was experiencing is now agonizing. My leg is now white as a ghost. Every movement is a huge effort. Pain floods back through my leg as I survey the chamber. I scramble backward as the leopard pads after me. I shudder as my fingers touch the cold stone of the chamber walls. "Trapped" screamed my mind. I pull a menacing face at the leopard madly hoping for a miracle as it slinks closer still.

But I know deep down, death is approaching. I let my limbs grow limp all thoughts of hope fading from my mind. I close my eyes willing to shut out the world. But death would not arrive. The leopard grazes its sharp claws along my thigh, But I was not focusing. The pain is not my biggest fear anymore...

The leopard raised it's left leg ready to swipe me around the face with its huge paw. I curl up in a tight ball with my back to the savage beast preparing myself for the pain of the blow. But it never arrived, I wait a couple of painful seconds before slowly averting my eyes from my lap, slightly aware of the risk I am challenging. Although to my surprise I was not greeted by a huge paw, instead of empty darkness. The leopard's body had dissolved leaving only faint traces of glittering fur. I let out long sigh relieved to still be alive.

But that relief is short-lived as I realize how much blood I've lost and that it was still flowing from my recent wounds.

I wince as I shift my leg to untie my sweater from around my waist and begin to dab at my arm reluctantly. It stings like hell and wool sticks to the fresh blood. I clean it up as best I can and toss the damp sweater aside before turning my attention to my throbbing ankle which had swelled to twice its original size. I gently shift my right leg to get a better look at the other badly damaged leg. The area where the leopard's fangs had pierced is badly bruised and covered in dried blood. My whole leg is considered useless. Cold air blows against my torso as I lift my white top at the hem and pull it over my head. Blood splatters the front and back. I tie my shirt around my ankle. the shirt rapidly changes from reasonably white to a deep crimson color as I apply pressure. Blood oozes from every cut, I faint as a small puddle of blood begins to form on the hard concrete...

Cold forms of death crawl along the concrete floor. I jerk awake as a cold shiver soaks through my skin and chills me to the bone. The disgusting stench of rotting flesh hangs in the dense air. Maggots crawl through my messy hair. The silhouette of a dark figure lies on the ground in front of my bare feet. Its demented hand stretches out towards me as cold blood silently dribbles onto my toes...

I press my back against the jagged walls of the chamber ... and edge around the body cautiously, afraid to touch the unknown figure. The sharp exposed rocks stick out at odd angles scoring deep gashes in my pale back. I can feel the hot sticky blood dribbling down towards my waist. My tangled hair sticks to my back making it uncomfortable to move. Bits of sharp stone stick awkwardly from my back. I scream silently as I grasp uselessly at the sharp bits of serrated stone. The dead stranger lies a centimeter before her bare feet. Maggots squirm along its skin. My memory barely recognizes the greasy black hair combed carelessly across his face. Blood stains his face dripping into his glazed eyes. His unfamiliar face wears deep gashes across both cheeks.

I fumble along the stone walls, desperately searching for a way out. My teeth chatter distinctly as a cold breeze sweeps across the freezing concrete. I crouch down onto my hands and knees, wincing as sharp pain jolts through my legs. I lower my head until I'm eye level with the damp moss clinging to the cracks between the stone bricks.

I release a bloodcurdling scream as the leopard's unwelcome face appears beneath my bitter feet reflected onto the frosty concrete. The leopard's sharp fangs pierce through my thoughts as I sink into unconsciousness. My distorted back presses up against the chambers barrier...

Serrated claws rip through flesh creating several new unwanted cuts. Recently healed wounds are slashed open spraying blood over both figures...

I wake with a start. Sweat drips down my burning face. Hot tears well up as the leopard's silhouette snakes into my mind. Soon tears are carving a river down my face at a steady pace and then dripping onto the concrete. I lower my head and bury my face in filthy palms as I realize who the dead figure is. My chest aches as sobs wrack through my ravaged body. Grief is worse than any physical pain. I wrap my shaking hands around his torso and collapse against his chest. I lie motionless on top of my father as I take deep shuddering breaths willing life to return.

Life flickers between hesitant blinks. I'm still desperate to hold on. Tears trickle down my burning cheeks as I lie slumped against my father's immobile form. My heavy eyelids close for quite possibly the last time as life fades away, swallowed by realms of darkness...