Boy, was she wrong. Soon, running from people in helicopters and on foot became a very regular occurrence. It would happen every few days. It would cause her to fly into a panic at the first sign of change in the area. Even if it wasn't caused by them, which only alienated her further from the other animals. She was terrified. She didn't want to live in a total state of absolute fear and distress anymore. She saw that same man from the first chase time and time again. She didn't know why but for whatever reason, the trigger-happy redneck seemed to be determined to shoot her. Keena knew that guns were deadly. She could only vaguely recall why. It caused her to lose a friend... a dear friend. One of the many factors to her distain and depression. She'd instinctively run away. Always chased by bullets and verbal abuse and threats. She just wanted it to stop. But she didn't know how to make it stop...
Wandering the land, Keena kept her head down and dragged her feet limply. Despite her lethargy, she was ready to run at the first sound of a helicopter or gunshot. When she finally lifted her head, she saw that she was on the top of a hill, overlooking the surrounding area. There was no sign of anyone from here. Sitting on her haunches, she looked up. It was twilight. The darkness of the approaching night blending with the warm glow of the setting sun like running paint. Keena sighed and lowered her head.
Suddenly, she noticed light in the far distance. There were many lights. It must have been a settlement. It was on the other side of a motorway, several miles from where she was. Keena lowered her eyes, thinking. As far as she could tell, despite everything she loathed about them, humans had food. And she had also noticed that the beings never seemed to be active during the nightly hours. She had seen it everywhere she had been in her life. It would seem like the world was barren and silent. Huffing, Keena made her decision. She would go now, so that it would be night when she reaches the city. That way there wouldn't be anyone there to see her, and therefor torment her.
Inhaling heavily, she began her trek. She would stop every few moments to scan her surroundings before, seeing nothing, continuing. The world was quiet and the darkness was beginning to dominate the sky.
It was almost completely dark when Keena came to the tarmac road. She climbed over the crash barrier and stopped. She looked left, then right, then left again before striding across the wide road. Her heart raced as she did, knowing at any second a car or lorry could come screeching down the lane with its blinding lights and monstrously loud engine. She got half way across the road when her fear was confirmed. Seeing a pair of bright yellow eyes racing towards her, Keena screamed and took off into a run, struggling on her bad leg. She got across the road, the lorry barely missing her. She panted and collapsed onto her haunches, trying to calm down from the near-death experience. At this point, she was contemplating that she should stop and give up. But her hunger was too great for her to ignore. She needed something to eat. And nothing was going to prevent her from getting something. Shaking it off, she got up and continued.
When she finally reached the outskirts of the city, it was complete darkness the bright red and orange lights casting onto the city's roads and buildings, basking it in an eerie glow. Keena saw nothing. No humans at all. After one final check, she began to gingerly step through the deserted street.
There was practically no noise whatsoever. Which was a good thing, but it left Keena feeling alert and on edge. One false move could have disastrous results. As she walked, she would turn her head from left to right, taking everything in. The buildings were tall and towering above her threateningly. The lights bored onto her like in an interrogation room. They were everywhere. But the emptiness of the streets was a source of comfort. She continued to walk, glancing around in the hope of seeing something.
After walking for some time, Keena noticed a row of houses, all with gardens guarded by chain link fences. All their lights were off. Keena waited for a few moments, just to be sure before climbing over the fence into one of the gardens. Still, nothing happened. She noticed a metal can next to the front gate. She had seen that people put things in it. Sometimes pieces of food. With a swipe of her arm, she knocked it over and began to rummage, desperately looking for something, anything to eat.
"HEY!" Keena suddenly heard a door slam open, making her spin around to face the source of the noise. There was a dishevelled man standing at his door, gripping onto a bat. Keena froze, whimpering and showing her teeth. This only seemed to enrage him even more.
"GET OUT!" He screamed, brandishing the club at her, making her shriek and back into a corner. He was practically throwing the weapon around, trying to strike her. But she couldn't back away any further, her back was pressed completely against the corner of the fencing. There wasn't any way to escape! Her shrieks seemed to be attracting more and more attention. More people were coming out of their homes, some of them holding weapons. She kept trying to escape from the original aggressor. But it wasn't until the man actually stuck her on the chest with the bat. She screamed, opening her mouth as far as it would go, grabbing the bat in her mouth. She ripped it from the man's grip, snapping it in her fists before throwing away. The man was screaming and gripping onto his hands. Keena could see that there were wood splinters stuck inside his hand.
Keena screamed and jumped the fence, taking off. Behind her she could hear the man screaming "IT BIT ME! THAT BEAST JUST BIT ME!" As if it was a trigger, many people suddenly started roaring, brandishing their weapons and a few began to run after her.
Keena screamed and ran as fast as her limbs would allow. The quiet and eerie area had suddenly turned into a loud and terrifying hellhole. It looked like a huge wave of rage-filled monsters coming after her. Her heart raced painfully in her chest as she charged through the street desperately. She could now hear police sirens in the background. Why were they so angry?! Keena shrieked and charged into a deserted alleyway and swerving behind a dumpster, hiding her from view. She groaned as she curled up in a tight ball in an attempt to comfort herself. Why did this keep happening? Couldn't just leave her alone?! She huffed and wrapped her arms around herself, rocking subtly, praying for it to end.
A sudden growl pierced through her senses, her eyes snapped open as she noticed a large Alsatian glowering at her, its hackles erected on its neck and back and its ivories poised threateningly. Keena squeaked and stood upright, trying to back away but was cornered by the wall. The dog snarled and pounced at her, making Keena snap in retaliation. This was clearly a mistake, as the dog suddenly leapt and sank its canines into the flesh of her forearm. The piercing pain raced through her whole arm. Keena screamed violently and tried to shake it off. But it only sank its teeth further into her flesh. Keena howled and swung the canine with all her might, slamming it against the dumpster. An audible crack raced through the dog's body and it wailed in agony. Keena swung it numerous times in a rage, she'd teach that animal a thing or two about deciding to bite her! After a number of swings, she dropped the bloody dog, who was out cold. She thought it was. But she didn't care.
She exited the alleyway slowly and gingerly, alert and on-edge. But the second she stepped into a lamp's light, something enormous struck her from the side. Keena screamed as a huge jet of water rammed into her ribs, the force was so powerful that it threw her onto her side and caused her to tumble several yards before she tried to stand up, but she would be pushed back onto the concrete. Every attempt to get up failed and the feeling of being wet terrified her. It wasn't until the firehose was finally turned off that Keena could actually get up. Dazed and unsteady, she took off again, the sound of screaming people, sirens and cars echoed into her ears. She shut her eyes as she ran, desperately wishing that this was just a nightmare.
She didn't know how long she ran for. It felt like an eternity. She couldn't understand why all these people were so angry and upset, she wasn't hurting anyone! She just wanted some food! Something she hadn't had in a long time, why did they have a problem with that? She was desperate! She didn't think this could get any worse! Being sprayed by a firehose, attacked by dogs and chased by people with weapons, how could it?!
Suddenly, Keena heard something that made her blood run cold. Gunshots. Keena screamed and tried to keep running, but she was exhausted. She wanted to stop but she knew that she couldn't or she would get killed.
Suddenly, Keena felt acute piercing pain in her shoulder area, as several bullets entered that area. She shrieked, the agony was absolutely intolerable, but she couldn't stop running for her life!
The chase lasted much longer than Keena had ever imagined. She would hide anywhere she could such as an alleyway, someone's garden or in a patch of trees. But she would always be found and the chase would resume. This lasted for many hours. In that time, she was shot at, attacked by dogs, struck with firehoses, electrocuted and hit with any weapons that any of those people had. It was horrendous, she had never experienced this much pain and terror in her life!
Finally –as the sun was beginning to creep over the buildings and the light was sweeping onto the streets, the chaos died down. The angry mob had lost sight of Keena, but there was still a search. There were still policemen and helicopters all around the area, searching for the "Ferocious beast".
This lasted many hours, making such a huge fuss of this.
Keena, beaten, exhausted and weak, stumbled around aimlessly. She struggled to keep her balance and her vision was becoming more and more clouded and blurry. The pain in her system was unbearable and she could barely stay on her feet. She struggled through a small patch of trees and grass, trying to keep going. But she couldn't... she just couldn't... Keena groaned as she collapsed onto her back in the grass, sighing in pain. She couldn't move anymore... or keep her eyes open. Her head pounded and everything was spinning violently. She groaned and kept her eyes closed. She couldn't do this... she just wanted it to stop...
She was barely conscious... too far away to hear the voices, to feel a pair of comforting hands cradling her head, the feeling of having her limbs touched and examined, and for her whole frame to be lifted... she couldn't react... she wasn't aware...
Too far away...