Fair Game

Taken

The sun didn't rise the next morning. Clouds ominously loomed in and rain pounded the countryside. Icy winds blinded other animals in the area and even killed some. The waters began to flood the rivers and create a pool around the cabin. The tall grass became nearly fully submerged, being frozen beneath the surface. Waterlogged and dead deer, bird, and rabbit carcasses floated idly in the water. The winds howled and screamed. Branches, leaves, and mud was picked up by the wind and flew east. Luckily, the area where the friends and cannibals were staying was at the peak of a hill, allowing them shelter from the elements. The house was silent, all slept in high hopes that they would awake in the morning and Daniel would be there, that the window would still be there, that Brittany and Collin were not injured, and that it was just a dream. The group's optimism began to dwindle, the twinkle in their eyes began to fade. They began to understand the true gravity of their situation. Madeline, Collin, and Brittany were going to do their best to survive and make his or her way out of the hell alive. They were unsure of the creatures' origin or how they found them. They focused more on what they could do to live, rather than their odds of dying. It was unsure if they would because Madeline hadn't ever punched someone, how could she kill something? Brittany talked a big game, but when it came down to it, she never fought; would her fire burning within keep her afloat? Collin got suspended twice for fighting, but he never instigated it and immediately felt remorse after the showdown; would he have the heart to knowingly kill another being? The group will find themselves at the edge of a precipice, with two choices: go backwards and die, or face the monster and fight.

"No! No!" Screamed Brittany. She began to convulse and she shook herself awake. She opened her eyes and looked around her. She peered around, the window was fully intact. The silence caressed her ears, the sunlight caressed her face. The lugubrious light that slid from beneath the cracks in the black clouds tripped through the windows, permeating the dark room. The dust danced carelessly in the air, so light and free.

"It...it wasn't real, it was a dream." She mumbled to herself. She rolled over to the left side of her mattress and tried to stand up. She screamed in anguish and fell to the floor. She pushed her palms on her sore back, when she pulled her hands away she noticed that her hands were washed with blood. Brittany stared at her hands with horror.

"But-but it was a dream, the-the window...but how the...?" She trailed off. She got on one knee and tried to stand up, she grunted in pain.

"You can do this." She encouraged herself. She finally stood up, she smiled. She walked over to the door and opened it. It was dead silent. A wind swept from inside the house and it made her shiver.

"It's t-t-too damn c-cold." She complained. She tried to seek one of her friends, she opened the door in front of her. The old oak creaked as she slowly pushed it in.

"Maddy?" She asked. There was no response, she tiptoed inside and looked around.

"Oh, my God." She gasped. Glass was scattered on the floor, pools of dried blood stained the oak floor, the window was shattered. She sunk down and began to sob.

"I must've fallen asleep in Daniel's room. It all really happened." She quietly cried. There was a sudden knock at the door.

"Brittany?" Someone asked. Brittany darted her eyes to the door and immediately stopped crying. She wiped the tears off of her face.

"Brittany? It's Maddy." Said Madeline sweetly. Brittany grinned in relief and opened the door. Her and Maddy immediately hugged, tears streaming down each other's faces as they tried to erase the horrors of last night, by doing do in a warm embrace. It seemed like eternity that they shown their care for each other, they finally let go of one another. The door opened again.