The Rose Effect

Chapter11 Crossing the river

Cuphead quickly walked along the riverside and once he was out of view from the light he ran. He was almost surprised at how fast he was running but assumed that it was only fear motivating him to go faster. Cuphead quickly dodged the trees and could hear someone following. Cuphead could feel fear creep inside him again as he didn't dare look back. Another pair of footsteps were from behind and another coming up from the left side of him.

Panic was now setting in fast. Was he going to be ambushed?! Cuphead took a sharp left. A hand reached out and grabbed his sweatshirt, Cuphead grabbed at it and pushed whatever had grabbed him away. Suddenly the ground below his feet.

Was no longer there.

It was too dark to see and Cuphead has no flashlight. But he could definitely feel the ground slip away from him. It felt so slow yet so sudden as he fell. He could hear one of the voices shout.

"Oh shit!"

Cuphead cried out as he fell onto something hard. A flashlight flashed down below and Cuphead screamed as his hands were covered in blood, dirt, and maggots. The light was still shining down and the toon cup could see that what he fell on. What broke his fall and possibly prevented broken bones or worse.....was a decapitated moose.

"What happened!" The female voice broke out.

There was silence for a moment.

"Dear God." Another voice said.

Cuphead no longer paid any attention to those who were talking. It looks like he fell from a cliff. That would explain why the ground under him gave way and why they were all talking and panicking. Cuphead got up and tried to clean off the dirt and blood as well as the maggots. The young toon had also noticed that a flashlight had rolled down the cliff.

Quickly Cuphead snatched it up and was close to panicking but he knew he needed to get away from the lights and unit the darkness. Cuphead panted and heaved. One of his arms were sore and his leg had a deep cut going down almost where it reached his ankle, blood poured and seeped from the wound. It hurt to put weight on it so the young cup as much as he had to admit.

Was best off limping and or hiding from those people. Cuphead slowly made his way around a thick layer of trees and could hear the sound of rushing water. He must be near the river again. Cuphead flashed the flashlight on and it was true he was near the river. However how would he get across? The river was pretty wide but there was another side to it. But the river was too fast the current underneath the water would have swept anything underneath it and carry it away.

So what was he supposed to do? ....He could hear faint and soft footsteps as well as voices and there were shards and flashes of light coming from their flashlights. He needed to think fast in order to get away. Maybe....he could make a bridge and get across there that way. But how? Cuphead thought for a moment and leaned against and jolted back as the tree bent due to his weight.

Cuphead stared at the dead tree and got an idea quickly. The young cup stood up and began putting all his weight onto the dead tree. Finally in a last attempt to make a bridge he slammed into it and the tree collapsed making a snapping sound and falling down with a thud. Cuphead quickly grabbed hold of pat of the tree and dragged it across the ground.

Carefully the small toon shoved the tee against the water and since the tree was long enough a bridge was finally made. Cuphead was relieved but he didn't know if it was sturdy enough to withstand his weight. He was a bit surprised that the log of wood hadn't been swept up by the rivers current. Cuphead took a deep breath and kept the flashlight on. He didn't care if the others found him, he didn't think he could survive another moment in the darkness.

He was close to hyperventilating. Cuphead was shocked that he managed to make it this far. The sound of footsteps and flashlights shining in the distance caught Cuphead's attention and immediately his stomach was doing flips.

"He's over there! Near the river!" Another male voice shouted.

Cuphead jumped as he headed into the makeshift bridge and was trying to make it across the river and trying to keep his balance. The fear of was making him tremble and he could hear them getting closer and closer. The water was soaking the wood making it just a bit slippery.

"There he goes!" The southern voice called out.

"Don't let him get away!" The low and scratchy voice shouted.

Cuphead tried not to slip and fall, he could hear them getting close. He could see the blushing lights hear running feet.

Then the worst sound anyon wanted to hear when getting away. There was a low snapping sound.

....The tree was breaking.