Chapter Text
The night was freezing cold, not a single soul seemed to be outside. Everyone hiding away.
No sound carried through the forest. Even the animals were keeping as quite as possible.
The stars dimly illuminated the floor of the forest. A cloud hindered the moon to do the same.
The pratteling of small feet hitting the floor shattered the silence.
It seemed less like silence anymore and more like the forest was holding its breath.
Watching,
A small silhouette ran between the trees.
Ragged breathing echoed far too loud.
Uneven.
Panicked.
They tripped and with a small yelped fell down. Hands scraping over the frozen soil.
For just a hearthbeat they layed there, stuned.
Then, quickly scrambling up, head snapping around.
Looking around. Searching.
A twig snapped closed by. Behind them.
That was enough to spur them back into moving. Into running.
Branches clawed at their arms.
Bushes tore at their clothes.
Uneven steps on roots, soil and leaves.
Suddenly the forest thinned.
It ended.
They stumbeled into the wide open, but didn`t slow down.
Forcing themsef to go quicker, to try to out run IT.
They were told after the forest ended it was almost safe.
Almost safe.
Amost.
Just a few heartbeats later another thing tore out of the forest.
It snapped branches like brittle bones. Crushing bushes like nothing.
It stopped after stepping out into the open.
Looking around, throwing it's giant head from left to right, breathing hard.
Searching. Hunting.
It zeroed in on the small person infront of it.
And charged.
The child couldn't run much further, came the realization. A realization that was just a distraction.
They made it another three steps, barely passing the top of the hill, before their legs gave out. Rolling down several feet, breath knocked out of their lungs.
They tried sitting up quickly, looking around wildly.
The thin hairs on their arms stood up, a shiver running down their back.
The head of the monster was visible over the hill.
The grotesque face. Far too big to be natural. Cruel eyes.
Eyes, so yellow they seemed like the sun.
Eyes, that locked onto them.
It panted, small clouds in the cold night air.
It roared and charged.
They tried to push themself up, but failed. They had no energy left. Their legs did not listen.
They couldn't get up.
Couldn't run.
Couldn't escape.
It was over. They failed.
The beast crested the hill. Lunging for them. The long and clawed hands reaching for them. The eyes wild and staring into their soul. The jaw opened wide, ready to grab them. And kill them.
It's charge came to a sudden stop, as it slammed into something unseen.
The impact echoed like metal against stone.
The creature recoiled with a furious bellow, clawing at empty air.
There was nothing there.
Nothing the child could see.
They scrambled back on their hands, giving up completely didn't feel like an option.
The beast charged again, hitting the unseen barrier again.
Roaring loudly it stared at the child.
They shook their head.
Did they really make it? Were they safe?
The realization came slowly.
Then everything else hit at once, the pain, the burning in their lungs, the bone-deep exhaustion.
Their vision blurred.
The last thing they saw burned itself into their mind. The fury and hate in those yellow eyes would probably never leave them again.
Then darkness swallowed them whole.