The problem with running away from a scary blob of utter darkness when you’re carrying a hundred and fifteen pound woman is that you have to stop. Often. And if you don’t stop often, because adrenaline and fear are making you panic, you start to operate on desperation alone. I was at my breaking point.
I stumbled on the slick leaves, almost dropping Susan twice as I ran down the hill. I knew I was on the right track from the rocks I had tucked into the trees, but that hardly mattered. I just wanted to get away. My panic had put me in fight or flight mode, and I was definitely fleeing.
As soon as the creature was out of sight, the necklace stopped glowing, but I didn’t stop to worry about it. I had bigger issues. Was it following me? I couldn’t hear anything, but that meant nothing. My feet were creating so much noise that a whole herd of horses could have been behind me and I wouldn’t have noticed. If it was following me, could I fight it off? My body screamed ‘no!’
I did know one thing. Whatever was happening was the explanation for what had happened to Ryan Holt and all those animals. It was an explanation for Susan’s condition. Only, it explained nothing. How did a scary blob of darkness kill people?
I wasn’t far down the path when I heard a different sound. It wasn’t growling, but it still scared the crap out of me. It was the sound of metal tearing into metal, and it was coming from the direction I had just fled. Rip! Screech! Tear! Rip!
A terrible yell reached to the sky, a keening sound of sorrow. I stopped, exhausted and terrified, the yell tearing into my soul. I leaned against a tree, gasping for breath, fighting against the fear. Tears welled up in my eyes.
When I had planned this rash act to find purpose, I hadn’t thought I would find so much of it all at once. How could I compete with things that didn’t make any sense? Should I turn back and make sure no one else was in trouble?
The tearing metallic sound abruptly cut off, then I heard a yell of rage. It roared across the mountain, echoing back to me in triplicate. I shouldered the woman and scrambled towards the car, more afraid of that human sound than the inhuman growl.
As I stumbled over unseen roots and rain slicked leaves, a wickedly cold wind sprung up, bringing with it the smell of smoke and a very disgusting stench; like something evil and dead was being burnt. I choked on the smell.
A snapping noise and the sound of feet on the leaves behind me made me freeze again. The blackness had caught up with me. I couldn’t run anymore. I was too tired. This time, the necklace wasn’t glowing, protecting us from the darkness. I would have to fight.
I set the woman down behind a tree and covered her with leaves. If I didn’t find help soon, she would die, but if I didn’t fight off whatever was after us, she would die regardless. Maybe, if whatever it was killed me first, it would lose interest in Susan and the hunters could find her.
I found a branch and hoisted it, ready to die fighting. The sound of running got closer, and I prepared to defend the two of us. Fear made me braver than I felt. “Get back!” I yelled.
The feet slowed, but didn’t stop.
“I mean it! Stay back!”
Daniel and Jackson appeared around a bend in the trail. Their shirts were covered in silver liquid and their faces were grim. I saw violence etched into their faces. When he saw me, Daniel’s face changed from violent to surprised. Then, he switched to angry. “I told you to stay out of the forest,” he said.
I felt a wave of relief and all my adrenaline drained away. The slick stick dropped from my trembling hands. Darkness tried to take me under so I could rest, but I resisted. Daniel started to rush forward to help me, but I flinched at the movement. What was he doing here? He noticed my fear. He stopped two feet away from me and lowered his hands.
“You should have known better,” I told him. “Hospital.” I pointed at Susan.
Daniel’s eyes flickered to her then back to me, like he hadn’t noticed her lying there. Jackson went to her without a word, his feet silent on the forest floor.
“You carried her down the mountain?” Daniel asked incredulously.
“Yes. You didn’t have anything to do with this right?”
“Of course not!” he said, his voice indignant. His green eyes told me he was telling the truth.
“Good.” A swirl of dots appeared in front of my eyes. “Daniel…”
“Yeah?” Daniel was watching Jackson check on Susan. I saw the inky dark flashing against the green.
“I think I’m going to pass out now.”
I fell forward and felt him catch me before I lost consciousness.