Thirty Five
*Freya*
I was still running as fast as I could. I could hear the growls of the monsters behind me but I could not take a moment to stop. I needed to get out of this forest as soon as possible before I got eaten. The forest seemed to stretch on endlessly, the ancient trees creating a maze of shadows that danced in the fading light. I could feel the roots and rocks beneath my feet, threatening to trip me up at any moment. The growls of the monsters behind me echoed through the fog, their hot breath on my neck pushing me forward.
As I pushed myself harder, my heart pounding in my chest, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the trees, sending a cascade of leaves swirling around me. It was as if the forest itself was trying to hinder my escape, each leaf was an obstacle in my path. I stumbled over a root, pain shooting up through my leg as I fell to the ground.
Gasping for breath, I tried to push myself up, but my ankle throbbed with each movement. The monsters were getting closer now, their snarls growing louder with each passing second. Panic surged through me as I realized my escape was slipping away. Desperately, I crawled forward, dragging myself through the underbrush, every movement sending shards of pain through my injured leg.
The shadows deepened around me, the darkness closing in like a suffocating blanket. I could hear the monsters drawing near, their foul stench filling the air. With every ounce of strength I had left, I jumped over a huge wall and tumbled all the way to the other side, falling over another part of the forest. The horrible stench assailed my nose before I opened my eyes to look at where I had landed.
A horrific sight stopped me dead in my tracks. There, across the forest floor, was the battered skin and bones of several massive wolves. Their flesh had been torn apart, revealing glistening and jagged bone. Worst of all, their eyes had been gouged out, leaving behind gaping, bloody sockets.
I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle a scream. These were no ordinary wolves – their sheer size attested to that. They could only be werewolves, And yet something, or someone, had slain them with vicious brutality.
If even these fearsome beasts could fall victim to the evil lurking here, what chance did I possibly have?
Despair threatened to engulf me. I sank to my knees in the blood-soaked earth, barely registering the warm wetness seeping through my tattered skirts. Trembling, I gazed heavenward through a veil of tears.
“Please, Rafe,” I whispered brokenly. “If you can hear me somehow, I need you. I can’t do this alone. Find me, please. Save me from this place.”
I knew it was foolish to hope for rescue, but picturing Rafe’s handsome face, his arrogant smile and strong embrace, gave me a flicker of strength. Enough to haul myself back to my feet and stagger onward.
Thick droplets of rain began to pelt down, quickly building to a heavy downpour. Chilled to the bone, I swiped at my eyes, trying to clear my vision. In the gray gloom, I spotted a darker shadow jutting from a hillside. A cave. Shelter. Safety. Sanctuary. I almost wept with relief. It somehow felt like Rafe had just heed my prayers and offered me a solution.
With a burst of desperate speed, I sprinted for the cave mouth. Once inside, I pressed myself into a narrow crevice behind a boulder, trying to quiet my ragged breathing.
Beyond the thunder of the storm, I could still hear them – the footfalls, the eerie wails, the snarls and growls. They were still hunting me.
Clapping my hands over my ears, I squeezed my eyes shut and curled into a trembling ball.
“Go away,” I mouthed soundlessly. “Please, please, leave me alone. Just go away!”
But I knew my silent pleas were futile. The horrors that inhabited this forest would never stop, never tire, never give up. They would hound me until they claimed me… or until by some miracle I escaped their clutches. I felt myself start to succumb to exhaustion and blood loss, I tightened my arms around myself and began to pray harder than I ever had before. I prayed for salvation, for hope, for Rafe to somehow find me, but most of all, I prayed for the strength to endure this dark night of the soul.
After what felt like an eternity, the terrifying sounds gradually faded into the distance, replaced by the steady down pour of rain. I dared to open my eyes and lift my head. The creatures, it seemed, had moved on, leaving me alone in the damp, chilly cave. Finally, I was a bit safe. I wanted to rise up in excitement but I was beyond weak. Every part of my body screamed for rest. I needed to sleep just a little. With a pained groan, I tried to shift into a more comfortable position, but it was a futile effort. Every inch of my body throbbed with pain. I looked down at my leg and nearly retched at the sight. A deep gash ran from my knee to my ankle, oozing blood. My arms were stained with bruises and scratches, some still seeping crimson.
I was losing too much blood. Even if the monsters didn’t return, I knew I might not survive the night. Tears of despair streamed down my cheeks, mingling with the rain and grime.
“I’m so sorry, Rafe,” I whispered hoarsely. “I never meant for it to end like this. I’m sorry…”
My vision began to blur and darken around the edges. I was slipping away, my strength fading like the tide. As I was on the brink of oblivion, a shimmering figure materialized before me. Her face looked so soft and divine and I felt an instant calmness allover my body.
“Mom?” I breathed, not daring to hope. “Is that you..?”
She smiled at me tenderly, her face luminous in the gloom. Kneeling beside me, she pressed a gossamer hand to my brow.
“Don’t give up, Freya,” she murmured, her voice echoing as if from a great distance. “You’re stronger than you know. Fight, my darling girl. Fight for those you love.”
I reached for her, yearning for her comforting embrace, but my arms felt too heavy. The darkness was rising up to claim me. As my mother’s glowing image began to fade, I summoned the last of my strength to whisper:
“I’ll try, Mom. I promise…”
Then the darkness crashed over me like a wave, dragging me down into a sea of blessed oblivion.
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