We ran blindly through the trees hoping to find somewhere to hide as the air filled with the sounds of the rain creatures. It started out as hissing and growling, but quickly rose to howls and shrieks. The rain had woken them and it wouldn't be long until they stirred from their dens.
Their cries echoed across the forest alongside the sound of the pounding rain that poured down on us. We finally came to a small rundown building with broken windows. Its gray paint was sliding off, pooling around its foundations and leaving it a bleached white. Its door was lying on the ground from where it had been busted so it was easy to scramble our way inside.
The inside was lined with shelves that seemed to be full of vines and gardening supplies. We ducked behind one of them and settled on the cracked grey tiles of the floor. I panted heavily as I looked over at my shaking parents.
"Now what?" I whispered.
My father shook his head and shrugged. "We wait till it stops and those creatures go back to sleep."
My mother swallowed as she looked between us and nodded in agreement.
So we waited for a while, but the rain didn't stop and the sounds of the creatures began to draw nearer. I tried to relax, but my heart refused to slow down. My parents weren't in any better shape, both of them clinging to each other as their eyes flicked around the room.
We all tensed as the sound of claws on metal filled the air, shortly followed by a loud clanging and a sharp snarl. It had come from the back of the building and as I peered around the shelves I caught sight of the creature. Its shaggy fur was matted to its form and it hung down to the floor, leaving wet trails as the creature sloshed through the store. It was almost as tall as the shelves, its pointed ears reaching the height of their tops. Its paws had curled claws that scrapped against the tile. I blinked as I noticed that said tile was cracking under the creature's weight. What was that thing? I'd never seen one like that.
We sat frozen in place and tried to breath quietly. I tried to resist sucking in a large breath when I caught sight of the things head as it moved between the shelves. Its snout was held open, black tongue hanging to the side and dragging on the floor. Its lips were curled back, almost looking melted, reveling the thing's jagged, glassy-looking teeth.
My mother let out a whimper as she caught sight of the creature and its ears immediately swiveled in our direction. I held my breath as the creature inhaled through its open mouth. It let out a snarl as its orange eyes landed on us.
We were on our feet and running out the door as soon as the creature prepared to pounce. The clattering sound of falling shelves followed us as the creature knocked them aside.
We rushed back into the forest, only to turn around when we heard a bang and the sound of cracking drywall. The creature was too wide to fit through the door and was now stuck there, glaring at us and snapping its teeth violently. The walls around the doorway didn't look like they'd hold long, so we quickly turned back to the forest and tore through the foliage.
As we ran we could hear the startled shrieks of the creatures as we passed them and the crashing of the underbrush as they gave chase. My lungs heaved as I followed my mother and father, but we were soon halted when something streaked out of the bushes and blocked our way.
It was dripping wet, water running off its large plated scales and jagged tusks. There where long spikes along its back that trailed down to the tips of its forked tail. It hissed at us through spiny teeth and ground its clawed feet into the damp grass.
We were frozen for a moment and only recovered when the thing pounced. My parents and I had jumped aside in opposite directions and I found myself alone as I ran further into the trees.
My heart beat against my ribs as I crashed through the underbrush, leaving snarling creature behind in my wake. I looked over my shoulder, but the only creatures behind me were new ones. I felt my heart grow cold at the thought; the tusked beast must have gone after my parents.
I had to get back to them, but with these creatures after me I wouldn't be able to look for them. I'd have to loose these things and try searching when they had gone back to sleep.
I ran till I was almost about to collapse, winding around trees and dodging lunging monsters. In my weary state I tripped on the soaked grass and skidded into an unseen ditch.
I grunted as I hit the bottom; it wasn't that deep, but it was still enough to make my ribs throb. I lied there for a while, gasping and too exhausted to move. I tried to keep my pants quiet as I heard the creatures moving through the bracken above me. They ignored the hidden ditch and simple jumped over it, chasing the way they thought I had gone. I didn't dare move, waiting till my breath slowed and listening to the sounds of the creatures and the rain grow fainter.
~ ~ ~
I slowly blinked, taking in the bright greenery around me. When had I fallen asleep? I sat up, grunting as I felt the stiffness of my limbs. Sleeping on the ground had never been pleasant.
I rubbed my eyes and groaned as I tried to remember what happened before I fell asleep. I recalled being sniffed at...
I jolted. The cannibal had curled up beside me. How did I manage to fall asleep though?! I had been almost panicked and then...? I guess my exhaustion caught up with me. Either that or I passed out from terror.
I gulped and quickly checked my surroundings. The cannibal wasn't there, and the ground beside me was still warm. It hadn't been gone long, then.
I hurriedly went about cleaning my shoulder wound. It was scabbed over now and less red. I pulled my shirt back on just as the bushes behind me began to rattle.
I swallowed and slowly turned around to face the creature as it stepped out of the foliage. It seemed to be softly chewing on something and I shivered. Hopefully it wasn't the remains of another human.
The cannibal seemed to perk up when it noticed I was awake and I could already hear its pleased purrs. It pranced over and sat down in front of me before dropping whatever was in its mouth into my lap.
I would have screamed, but the object in my lap was merely a slightly chewed on paperclip. I picked the saliva-covered thing up and raised an eyebrow as I looked back at the cannibal. Why a paperclip?
It was looking at me expectantly and seemed rather pleased with itself. I guess I didn't have any choice then. I wiped the paperclip off on the tail of my coat before slipping it into my bag.
I looked back up at the purring cannibal to find its lips quirked up in a smile. I cringed as it leaned closer and nuzzled my cheek. I swallowed in an effort to keep myself calm as the creature moved to my side.
I almost expected it to curl up against me, but instead it nudged me with its shoulder and grumbled at me. The creature repeated the movement when I blinked and didn't move. Did it want me to get up? Might as well.
I slowly got to my feet and looked down at the cannibal to see that it seemed pleased with this action. It rubbed against my legs with another grumble before bouncing off a ways and looking back at me. So it was follow the cannibal time again?
I heaved a sigh, before following the creature through the plant life. The cannibal walked slowly enough that I managed not to loose it in the tangled greenery this time. When I had been led out of the greenhouse the cannibal started to head towards the apple tree. Huh. Maybe we were headed into the woods?
My thoughts were confirmed when we walked passed the apple tree and its pond before making our way into the mini forest.
I looked around as the cannibal led me down the paths and tried to actually pay attention to where we were going this time. If I could remember then I'd be able to get out of here later.
After we passed a beaver statue, a rock that looked strangely green, and a blueberry bush I was staring to think the cannibal didn't know where it was going either. I hadn't seen any of these landmarks before though, so maybe not?
Sure enough, fifteen minutes, five of which spent staring at a disturbingly life-like statue of a headless horseman while the cannibal looked at me strangely, later we made it out of the trees and into the meadow at the exit to the gardens. I stopped and glanced over at the open space between the walls, but there was no way I would make it out without the cannibal noticing.
My longing gaze was missed by the cannibal as it continued making its way to the stream that ran through the corner of the garden walls. I reluctantly started to follow the creature again when I heard it give a gruff bark.
When we reached the stream the cannibal stopped and I came to stand beside it. I looked down at the creature to find that its expression was rather blank. It was just standing there. What did it want me to do here?
I jumped as it rose to its feet, my eyes widening as the creature grew closer. I could feel my heart in my ears as it raised its clawed hands, lips curling into a smirk. Now it was going to eat me?
I yelped as the creature shoved me into stream, water splashing up and raining down on me as I landed. I sat up sputtering, water dripping from my purple hair and clothes soaked.
I quickly looked up at the cannibal, ready to run. I probably wouldn't escape, but I was still going to try. I blinked when my eyes met the sight of the cannibal slipping off its fur shirt. I watched, frozen, as the creature moved, lithe muscles stretching under its pale skin. Yeah, I wasn't going to be able to get away from something that lean.
I continued to blink at the creature as it stripped down to its boxers and began washing its clothes in the stream. I glared then. The creature had no intention of eating me; it just wanted to throw me into the stream. Was it implying I needed a bath? Did it think I smelled bad?
The creature must have felt my gaze because it glanced up at me and snickered, a smirk tilting its lips. I narrowed my eyes and was rewarded with more snickers. This creature... He liked messing with me then?
I let out a huff as I climbed to my feet and peeled off my jacket, shirt, and bag before slogging back to the bank. My clothes and I could do with a wash anyway.
I sat down a good distance from the cannibal and sat my bag aside before attempting to scrub the dirt from my clothes. This would be so much easier with soap. Why hadn't I grabbed a bar while I was at Gator Pharm? After a few moments I gave up getting my clothes any cleaner and wrung them out. I placed them on the grass behind me before standing up so I could remove my pants.
I'd long since deemed it hopeless to ever get them clean again, but it would still be nice if they were somewhat cleaner anyway. I lightly scrubbed at the blood and dirt covering my pants while trying to ignore the fact there was a cannibal not too far away. If he brought me here to do laundry, then I might as well. Do as the natives do, I guess.
I looked up at the sound of shuffling and found that the cannibal had scooted closer; the good ten feet reduced to a measly two. The creature wasn't looking at me, its gaze held steadily on the clothing it was washing.
I swallowed thickly, gut tightening as I glanced back to my pants. It wouldn't do to start freaking out. It apparently wasn't going to eat me anyway.
A light splash of water caught the side of my face and I snapped my gaze back to the cannibal. I blinked at the creature that looked for all the world like it hadn't moved from its washing. What?
I didn't bother trying to think about it, I just went back to scrubbing my pants. I wasn't going to start a splash fight with a cannibal.
The cannibal must have had other plans though. It wasn't too long before I was splashed again, this time with a bit more water. I didn't bother looking and settled for ignoring the creature.
That bought me a longer pause, but the third splash soon hit me in the face. My bangs dripped down my face, covering my right eye and sticking to the side of my nose. Why did I like this style of bangs again?
I glanced to the cannibal who still looked like it hadn't moved. Fine then, if it wasn't going to give up it could have its battle. I dipped my hand into the water and viciously flung it at the creature.
It startled with a hiss before turning to give me a sharp-toothed grin. I felt my chest tighten at the sight. Well, I did know what I was getting into.
The creature sent a splash my way and I quickly retaliated. Soon we were swatting water at each other, laundry completely forgotten and left to float down and catch in the grates of the walls.
The creature shoved me into the stream and I quickly tore back through the surface, throwing water everywhere. It rained down on us as I snatched one of the creature's wrists and dragged it in with me. It let out a grunt and twisted out of my grip as we crashed into the liquid.
I resurfaced and got to my feet in the waist deep water. The cannibal soon followed, standing on its feet a few feet across from me and a grinning smirk on its lips.
I glared at its smug look and like that we were violently throwing water again. Soon we were at a standstill, panting and soaked with water dripping off of every angle. The cannibal was still grinning, had been the whole time, and I clinched my teeth. Why was he so smug!?
The cannibal growled lightly at me and purred before tossing its head in the direction of the bank. I blinked, that had sounded rather cheerful. Maybe it hadn't actually been a smug expression? He just wanted to play then? Weird creatures.
The cannibal and I made to collect our wayward laundry before heading back to dry land. I deftly snatched the rest of my stuff from the ground as the cannibal trudged back toward the woods.
The creature was slightly hunched and its steps seemed a bit shaky. It almost seemed out of balance as it walked, its clothes held loosely in its arms. I guess cannibals didn't walk on two feet that often.
I followed slightly behind the creature as it led me back through the woods. It took more time with the cannibal's slower pace, but eventually we made it back to the apple tree and its pool.
I paused and watched the cannibal as it continued over to the tree. It hung its clothes on a low hanging branch before stretching out in the sunshine. I guess it was going to sundry?
I glanced back towards the woods, but the creature soon called my attention back with what almost sounded like a choking noise. I turned back to find the cannibal watching me with an amused expression.
I sighed and followed the creature's example by hanging up my clothes before sitting down at the base of the tree. Friendly or not, I was still going to keep my distance if I could.