Moon Crossed

Chapter 11

Please Vote if you enjoyed and let me know what your favorite part of the chapter was 🙃🙃

******

I bent and grabbed up the flashlight. My knees suddenly felt weak. A cold wave of panic swept over my body. I heard loud animal grunts. Another angry snarl. I forced myself to move. I had to get away from here.

A clump of fat shrubs rose up in front of me. Clutching my camera case, I darted behind them. And dropped to my knees. Hidden behind the bushes, I struggled to catch my breath. To stop my heart from thudding so hard in my chest. I couldn't see around the fat leaves of the bush. But I could hear the animal's grunts and growls. I ducked lower, hoping I was completely out of view.

Hoping it couldn't smell me. And then I heard the crash of heavy feet on the ground. A high wail of anger, like a cry of attack. A frightened bleat rose up. So high and tiny. A terrified cry - cut off quickly. Snapped off.

Leaning into the shrub, my legs trembling, my whole body shaking, I heard a struggle. So close. So close, I felt I could stand up - reach out - and touch the attacker and his prey. So close, I heard every grunt, every frightened cry.

A thud. A growl. Another tiny, helpless bleat. A loud ripping sound. Wet chewing. The slap of jaws. More rapid chewing. An animal burp. Another ripping sound. I shut my eyes, picturing what was happening right in front of me.
I heard a thud. Then silence. The hiss of the wind seemed to grow louder.
A hiss....then silence.
I opened my eyes.
I stood up shakily.
And heard heavy footsteps. Twigs and leaves crackling under heavy feet. The footsteps approaching rapidly. Coming my way.

Coming for me. The creature - the hungry creature - was moving towards me.

"Ohhhh." A low cry of terror escaped my throat. Gripping the camera case tightly, I spun away from the clump of shrubs. And started to run. I heard animal grunts behind me. Heavy breathing pants. I didn't glance back. I ran deeper into the woods. I thought I heard the splash and trickle of a creek on my right. Wolf Creek ? I didn't stop to see. A branch scratched my cheek as I scrambled past it. Pain shot over my face.

I raised one arm to shield myself as I ran. Ran blindly. Ran through the darkness. Where was the flashlight ? Oh, no. I had left it behind in the bushes. It was no use to me, anyway. I was running too fast to keep to the path. I lowered my shoulder and pushed my way through a patch of tall reeds. They snapped back, slapping me wetly as I shot through them.

My foot caught on a half-buried rock. I slid off it, somehow keeping my balance. I leaped over an upraised tree root - kept running. Over the harsh gasps of my breath, I listened for the heavy, thudding footsteps behind me. The animal growls. Was the creature still chasing me ? I grabbed a smooth, damp tree trunk and stopped. I hugged the trunk, struggling to keep my legs from collapsing, struggling to catch my breath.

I turned my gazed back. Nothing there. No growls. No grunts. No bang of heavy feet on the ground.
I sucked in breath after breath. My lungs burned. My mouth felt so dry, I couldn't swallow. I am okay, I told myself. I'm safe - for now. I gazed into the deep darkness. And the creature hit me from behind.

*****"

Thank you for reading !! ❤️❤️