The Long Dark: A Survivor's Tale

The Aurora, Pt. 2

It was almost like being hit by a car. The wolf slammed into me with unbelievable force, knocking me into the snow. For a brief millisecond, I laid there utterly in shock until my adrenaline started pumping. My first instinct was to cover my face. The wolf pinned me down, biting and tearing at my clothes. Putting my hand up was a mistake as it was immediately bitten, a hot searing pain firing up my arm as the animal ripped and tore at my flesh. Through screams of pain, and as if on it's own, my leg nailed the dog in the stomach. A loud yelp of pain gave me an opportunity to get up and run.

I sprinted through the dark, the Aurora continuing to light up the sky with beautiful fire. I could hear the angry barks and snarls getting closer, no matter how fast I forced myself to move. The wolf was back on me in a matter of seconds. This time, I noticed it was glowing. Glowing a brilliant green, almost like the Aurora. It's eyes glistened an empty silver. I couldn't outrun it. The snow filled my vision as the wolf lunged again, shredding my coat like confetti. Agonizing pain shot up my leg as the beast ripped through my pants, sinking it's teeth into my flesh.

Adrenaline pumped furiously through my body as I kicked and struggled to pull myself away, but the wolf's strength was unearthly. I could only scream in searing agony as the wolf tore and pulled at my flesh. In a final burst of panic, I furiously felt around the snow for something, anything to defend myself with. Then, my fingers found something familiar. My knife. Before I knew it, I was on top of the wolf, my knife slamming repeatedly into its neck, each stab causing a pained cry.

15 Times. I jammed the blade into the wolf's throat fifteen times before I stopped. Thick, red blood absolutely soaked my body and the snow, but luckily my adrenaline was still in high gear which kept the pain at bay. I held my shredded hand close to my body as I examined the dead wolf. It was glowing a brilliant, gorgeous green, its fur wavering like the very Aurora in the sky was in its fur. Then it hit me. Was the Aurora some how affecting the wildlife? I thought back to the other night. The rather explosive display of the Northern Lights, the rather brave deer...the wolves. The Wolves chased me during that first display, and thinking back, they were glowing. They had been glowing the same eerie alien green like the one I just killed. They had the same soulless, empty silver eyes. Then I remembered my watch. It had mysteriously died during the first Aurora...now...now the back light was on again, flickering wildly and the time was going nuts, showing a constantly changing series of numbers.

The Aurora. Solar flares. The sudden bursts of brilliant colors, almost out of nowhere. The planet had to have been hit by some sort of Solar blast. A blast so powerful it had distrusted the Earth's magnetosphere. The Aurora WAS influencing the wildlife. The disruption of the magnetic field was some how making them braver, stronger, more aggressive. As all of these pieces started to come together in my head, I realized how alone I was. I realized how weak I was. I was no longer the hunter. I was at the mercy of Mother Nature, and she was going to throw everything she had my way.