Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
I even found a black raspberry bush that I’d been able to snack on as I sketched.
I’d had to take my coat off as all the walking around had worked up a sweat, and finally went back to the cabin to grab some lunch before I trekked back into the woods and took the second trail I’d seen.
This one was a little rocky with a steep incline, but it led me to a gorgeous creek. I spent a good chunk of time there, continuing to sketch and even feeding crumbs of my muffin to a squirrel that was courageous enough to get close to me.
I’d been outside most of the day and lost track of time, and before I realized it, I was quite a way from the cabin and the sun was setting.
The temperature had dropped considerably and so I buttoned up my coat and put my hood on as I held the basket. I collected more wild black raspberries and decided I’d eat them with dinner tonight.
As I started making my way back, I realized I had wandered further off than I intended. Although I was still on the path, I could no longer see the cabin.
I glanced up at the sky, the waning sunlight peeking through the tops of the trees, casting shards of light.
Everything had since dried from the rainfall, and I could hear birds chirping overhead, and small wildlife scurrying around me.
I glanced at the ground to watch where I was going. Boulders, pebbles and debris from the weather scattered across the clearly unused trail.
And then I felt this tightening on the back of my neck, this prickling sensation that had me lifting my hand and rubbing my nape.
I stopped and glanced around, unsure what I felt, but knowing there was something out there. But there was nothing around. Despite that, I still felt this uneasiness of not being alone.
My heart was racing, my body knowing something I didn’t, that instinctual survival part of me was urging me to move quicker.
So I picked up my pace, feeling as if I were being watched.
A twig snapped in the distance, a flock of birds scattering overhead. I was panting now, running, my haste causing me to trip several times.
The heavy sensation around my body increased, and when I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see something following me, my foot got caught on an exposed root, taking me down.
I fell onto my hands and knees, the little basket dropping out of my grasp, my sketchpad and the berries scattering all over the place. I made a gasp of pain as pebbles dug into my palms, but I pushed the discomfort away and got back up, running again.
By now the sun was swiftly setting, dusk covering the sky. Because I was in the woods, everything seemed more ominous, more shadowy.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
I should’ve been paying more attention, especially with the bear activity the other night. I only focused on getting back to the cabin, not caring about the basket or berries or even my sketchpad that was now left behind.
And then I heard it… something moving toward me. It was picking up its pace, twigs snapping under its heavy footfalls.
Whatever was there was huge, and all I could see was some big ass black bear charging toward me, starving and ready to tear me apart. Involuntarily, I gave out a startled cry and heard the creature move even faster. I was crying now, my vision becoming blurry.
And then it huffed out, made this deep, rumbling sound that was far too close.
I screamed when I felt something reach out and touch my hair. No way was I going to slow down or look behind me. Fuck that.
“Running only excites me,” I heard it whisper.
I felt my eyes widen. Oh God, it wasn’t an animal. It was a man. He was stalking me, chasing me.
And when I felt something skate down the length of my spine, I screamed again and went down hard, my ankle twisting, my body falling to the side and right down a small drop-off. I lifted my arms to brace myself from the impact as I rolled.
When I landed on the bottom, a harsh breath left me. I was dizzy, my body sore from the fall, and for a moment I couldn't move as I panted. But then I heard twigs snapping far too close for comfort and forced myself to roll onto my back and pushed myself up.
And then I saw what was several feet from me. I crab walked backward as the creature came closer. That wasn’t a man. That wasn't even human. How did it speak, then?
My lungs burned as I hyperventilated.
The creature was wolf-like, but… not. It was some monstrous animal/human hybrid that was plucked out of my damn nightmares.
It came closer, his body hunched over as it walked on all fours.