Destiny Unveils

Chapter Ten

Jason and Brendan stood still their eyes scanning for the beast. Where was it hiding? Brendan thought as he edged forward slightly. He snapped a twig and tensed. Leaves rustled but he could not see the flash of orange or the black shadow. Jason stepped forward too and looked all around and up above him. The canopy of trees towered high above him and it was out of the corner of his eye he saw one large orange eye and a huge black mass surrounding it. He felt a lump rise in his throat. It was watching them and how it got up so high baffled him. Just then he saw it move and the large wings rose. Jason bit his lip, he had forgotten about its wings. Suddenly from nowhere a stone flew at him and smacked his shoulder. He cried out and rubbed his shoulder. He looked around and his eyes fell on Arianna as she hoisted herself above the ditch. He raised his eyebrows and she gestured behind herself with her head and he understood what she meant. He gave a quick nod and slyly nudged Brendan. Brendan turned and then looked at Arianna he figured out the plan fairly quickly and started walking forwards as Arianna lowered herself. Jason grabbed him and whispered in his ear, "Hold on, it will see us!" Brendan took in a breath brushed his hand along the ground and picked up a rock and then in the same movement threw it as hard as he could at the beast's single eye. The stone landed true and again smashed the eye. With a agonising roar it tumbled off the branch and thrashed about wildly. Brendan grabbed Jason's upper arm and dragged him over to Arianna as fats as he could. Jason tugged himself free and ran ahead and Brendan scowled and followed. They drew closer to the bank and Jason looked back and saw the beast rising from the bush growling fiercely, he gulped and then threw himself over the muddy mound and Brendan followed and they slid down fast until they hit the bottom of the slope. The girls dirty and dishevelled looked down at them then slid down to join them.

"Nice of you to join us," Jess said as she folded her arms. Jason gave her look and ignored Arianna's gesture to help him up and rose to his feet. Arianna helped up Brendan instead and raised an eyebrow at Jason.

Brendan coughed awkwardly before speaking, "I think we should follow this trail down the beast will smell us soon enough we must be fast."

The other nodded and began to walk behind him has he lead the way at a jog. Brendan cleared his throat, "oh and uhm, I know I told you to run, you should have listened by the way, but thanks for not." he smiled and the girls smiled back. And Arianna brushed his arm lightly with her hand. They continued down the track for about twenty minutes. Jess groaned and stopped, panting, "Can't we stop for five minutes?"

"No, don't be so stupid we have a beast on our trail, we have to get out of here," replied Jason exasperated.

"Well I am sorry that I am exhausted, in pain and have just about been killed by some monster!" retorted Jess.

"Well aren't we all? Yet we have to keep moving." Jason glowered at her, his cuts bleeding and clothing ripped and muddy. Jess held his gaze then sniffed and turned away.

"I think we should rest," said Brendan quietly. Jason opened his mouth to disagree but Brendan held up his hand, "We need our energy for running away if we are seen if we continue to travel so fast we will be rendered useless, so everyone just please take a moment to rest. It will not be a long rest though," he added hastily as he caught Jason's outraged glare. " Jason is right we need to get away from here." Jess breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground her chest heaving and Jason snorted and walked over to a broken tree trunk and sat down. Arianna looked at the two of them and shook her head and Brendan sat down next to her looking away from Jason, irritated. They sat in silence for a few minutes and then that was broken once more by a terrible shrieking. They all stood up quickly.

"Now can we keep on going?" asked Jason gazing around.

"Yes, everyone this way," whispered Brendan jogging off into the trees. Jess and Arianna quickly followed and Jason was bringing up the rear. They constantly looked behind them and then out of no-where there was a snapping of branches and the beast smashed through the bushes and out right behind them. Arianna screamed and broke out into a run as a new lease of life burst into her and Jess thundered after her the boys groaned and powered themselves on after the girls as the beast dashed behind them it was roaring and its great paws pounded the ground and its eye flashing brightly. Arianna couldn't stand the running anymore she had to get away she wanted this nightmare to end she wanted to wake up in her bed and see it was all a dream but she wouldn't wake up, she couldn't, this was as real as anything. She felt her eyes fill with tears. They needed a miracle if they were ever going to escape. Suddenly she looked ahead and saw no more ground but a great hole. She let out another scream as she couldn't stop herself. She panicked and her arms flailed as she tried desperately to stop. She then fell forwards over the edge.