Iridescent

The Beast Inside

Three sets of feet ran aimlessly through the thick brush of a seemingly endless forest, twigs and leaves crunching under every step. One set of the three were my own, the other two belonged to the snarling wolf hot on my heels, snarling and snapping at me, eager to claim its meal for the night. My lungs burned in my chest, heart pounding, racing, my breaths quick and raspy.

Things were looking grim for me.

I hopped over a small stream and kept running, much to the disapproval of my legs feeling like ten ton weights attached to my waist. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping me going. I dare not look back, to see that hungry, soulless face again, devoid of all mercy. It was dead set on having its meal tonight, and my hope was fading I'd get away alive.

As if things weren't already bad enough, my right foot caught on a tree root, sending me tumbling forward into the damp dirt. I put my arms out in instinct to protect my face from the fall, though it was fruitless as the beast would be upon me. I'd manage to somehow keep a good distance, but as I attempted to get back on my feet, I heard it directly behind me, growling.

A chill went down my spine.

I'd turn around, sitting on my rear, just in time to see it lunge at me, bearing its hungry teeth, pushing me back down against the dirt. I felt a tear slip down my cheek just as it clamped down on my shoulder, just barely missing my neck. The wolf had won and my vision quickly faded to black...

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I woke with a jump.

I gasped for air, frantically checking my surroundings, greeted by the familiar sight of my dim hospital room, and the ambience of beeping machines, signaling my heart rate was rising. I grasped at my gown with one hand and the sheets with the other as I tried to calm down my hyperventilating.

I'd had the dream again.

That fateful night, merely a week ago, I'd been attacked by a wolf who nearly made me its midnight snack, up until something had scared it away. By sheer chance, my life had been spared, though just barely.

"It really is a miracle you're even still alive after losing sixty percent of your blood," I recalled my doctor telling me.

This had been the third night I had the same dream. Though it differed from the actual event, it wasn't any less concerning. With a heavy sigh, I laid back against my pillow. What was supposed to be a fun camping trip with my friends, turned into me nearly losing my life.

I breathed in more of the stale hospital air, feeling at the scabs on my shoulder where the wolf had bit me. I'd be lying if I said that were the only injury I'd sustained. Surprisingly enough, the bite wasn't even the most serious injury. I'd suffered a severely deep laceration on my left thigh...and to put it simple - there's a major artery somewhere in there.

At the time, I hadn't even realized it, but my friends were quick to catch wind of what happened and chased after the wolf to try and save me. I owe them my life. Had they not risked theirs, I wouldn't still be breathing.

Then, the door opened and one of my nurses walked in, heading over to the beeping machine, pressing a few buttons to silence it.

"Everything okay, Jamie?" She asked, turning her head to me. "Your heartrate jumped up for a bit there," she noted.

I nodded meekly. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just woke up from a bad dream is all."