Alissa Swan

Part 57

Nate and I tramped through the shadowy, mist-laden woods. I studied my iPhone GPS.

"We're going the wrong way," I realized.

"Who cares?" Nate asked. "Enjoy the scenery."

I slapped a mosquito: "And the West Nile virus." I heard a rustle and stopped. "You hear that?"

"If I knew you were such a wuss, I'd have brought my grandma," Nate replied, rolling his eyes.

"Could be one of those giant bears," I said.

"There are no giant-"

Another rustle came. Nate stopped. Then, from the opposite direction, we heard another rustle. Then another, and another, from behind, from in front. It's either more than one creature or it's
moving with extraordinary speed. We were terrified.

"What the hell is that?!" I asked.

"I don't know!"

We both searched the trees, facing away from one another. Suddenly, there was an eerie silence.

"Think it's gone?" I asked.

There was no answer.

I turned around, and Nate wasn't there. He'd disappeared.

The rusting started again, and intensified.

I bolted. I was tearing through the woods, too scared to feel the branches smack me in the face. I looked over my shoulder and saw something giving chase, flattening foliage and bending thin trees in its path. I ran harder.

A couple cars passed. Civilization. Safety. I ran for it.

I burst from the tree-line. I was almost to the pavement. I was going to escape.

Something yanked me out of frame at an unnatural angle. My scream was abruptly choked off, leaving nothing but a disturbing silence.