The wind howled through the towering trees, their skeletal branches clawing at the sky like desperate hands reaching for salvation. The night was thick with fog, swallowing the moonlight and plunging the forest into a near-impenetrable darkness. Each breath came uneven and sharp as Sandra Price tore through the undergrowth, her vision blurred by the mixture of panic and exhaustion. Twigs snapped beneath her frantic steps, the sound swallowed instantly by the vast, endless expanse of shadow that surrounded her.


    Her side burned with agony. Warm blood seeped between her fingers, painting her trembling hand crimson as she clutched the wound. The torn fabric of her shirt stuck to her damp skin, the sticky warmth of fresh injury mixing with the cold sweat that slicked her body. Every breath was a battle, her lungs heaving as if they were on the verge of collapse. The metallic taste of fear coated her tongue, and her heart thundered violently in her chest, an erratic drumbeat of terror.


    Then, she heard it.


    A guttural, slithering sound cut through the night—a noise that did not belong to the natural world. A deep, heavy breath followed, the air trembling with each exhale as whatever pursued her grew closer. The creature’s presence was suffocating, an unseen weight pressing down upon her shoulders, making her legs feel heavier with each step. It was hunting her, savoring the chase.


    Her feet faltered on the uneven ground, and before she could right herself, her ankle caught on something unseen. The earth surged up to meet her, the impact jarring her entire body as she slammed into the cold, unyielding dirt. A sharp gasp tore from her lips as pain lanced through her body. Her vision spun, the trees above twisting into chaotic shapes, silhouettes of gnarled fingers grasping at the heavens.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Move, Sandra. MOVE!


    Her mind screamed at her, but her limbs refused to obey. The weight of exhaustion and blood loss anchored her to the ground, her muscles trembling with weakness. She clawed at the dirt, dragging herself forward inch by inch, her nails caked with mud as she fought against her failing strength.


    The night air split apart as an ear-piercing shriek rang out behind her. It was close—too close. The sound drilled into her skull, primal and inhuman, a cry of hunger and malice. Sandra turned her head, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the looming shadow slithering toward her. She couldn''t see its eyes but she could make out the twisted grin curled across its grotesque face, revealing jagged rows of serrated teeth, each one glistening with the remnants of its last meal.


    No… No, no, no…


    Desperation surged through her veins as she tried to push herself up, but the world tilted dangerously. Her limbs betrayed her, the strength she so desperately needed slipping away like sand through her fingers. She was trapped, caught in the beast’s gaze, a helpless rabbit before the jaws of the wolf.


    The creature reared back, its long, gnarled fingers curling into claws, ready to strike.


    Sandra’s scream was lost in the wind.