Page 58 of Shrouded in the Dark
“Becca,” Axel kept his voice soft, “when I tell you, you run to the cabin. You don’t look back. You don’t stop. Activate the full security system. You call the others as soon as you're safe in the cabin.”
“What?” Hissing softly, I kept my eyes on the wolf monster, “what are you going to do?” Surprisingly, I wasn’t having an anxiety attack. I think the adrenaline of the situation was holding it back.
“Just do what I say.” He moved slowly into a stance where his right leg was pulled back like he was about to start sprinting at the beast. “It’s going to be alright.”
I didn’t have another second to tell him no when the monster took the decision from me. It snarled looking at Axel and bunched up like it was going to leap.
“Now! GO!”
I found myself running in the direction of the cabin, fueled by my terror, while keeping the creek within my sights. The sounds of snarls followed behind me. When the snarling started to fade, I tripped over a branch. I stumbled to my knees as my breaths started to come out in quick succession. I was not a runner. My hands dug into the sparse grass in front of me.
What was I doing? Axel told me to run, but how could he take on something like that monster? He had the bear spray but he hadn’t even glanced at it when he looked like he was moving at that thing! He was sacrificing himself for me! I couldn’t let him do that!
It might already be too late, but I had to do something. I fumbled in my pocket for my phone. Turning it on felt like time slowed down. As soon as I had a bar, I dialed Seth’s number all the while my hands shook. He answered after three rings. I didn’t let him get a word in.
“There’s a monster wolf thing that’s attacked us. Follow the creek from the backyard about two miles. You’ll see it.” The phone was back in my pocket not even a second later as I stood. I wasn’t going to let Axel do this alone. I had to believe he was alive.
Running back to the clearing seemed to take less time than it had when I was running away. As I got closer, the snarling was back, except that it sounded like another animal had joined in. There was a roar followed by the quick sound of a yip that had to have been the wolf monster. Axel wasn’t making any noise, maybe he’d gotten away.
As I came up to the clearing I hid behind a large tree and glanced around it, trying to get my bearings of what was happening. My heart felt like it stopped.
The monster was still there. It stood facing me but it was now fighting the biggest grizzly bear I’d ever seen. Even in documentaries. What the hell was a grizzly bear doing in Colorado? We only had black bears!
At least it was keeping the wolf monster busy. Scanning the clearing, I had to stifle a cry of remorse when I noticed Axel’s pants, shoes, and socks all torn to pieces close to the now overturned picnic basket. Just as I started to back away to run, a logical observation held me in my tracks. His things were torn, there should be blood everywhere, but the only blood I could see was still around that monster’s mouth.
What the hell?
The bear, with it’s very deadly looking claws, slashed at the monster as it dove at him. It tried to avoid the claws but the bear got a hit in on its right shoulder, enough to expose muscle beneath its fur. It yipped again.
The wolf swung itself around from the left side of the bear. I had to slap my hand over my mouth to stifle my cry when it jumped on top of the grizzly, digging its teeth deep into the back of the neck of the bear. The bear bellowed as it shook its body trying to dislodge the wolf.
The monster just seemed to dig its teeth in deeper. Its own claws were trying to rip into the back of the bear. That’s when the bear swung toward me, noticed me, and everything I knew changed.
The eyes of the bear that looked at me in panic were those of Axel’s. There was no denying those beautiful brown eyes that pulled you in. Axel was the grizzly bear being attacked, and hurt, by this monster thing. No wonder his clothes were torn.
“Ram it against the tree sides!” In case he didn’t hear me, I pointed repeatedly at the trees near him.
He seemed to understand because the wolf found its back that still hung off the bear, no, Axel’s body, was suddenly bashed over and over again against the trees. It growled maliciously as I watched its mouth clamp down harder into the back of Axel’s neck.
No. No. Whatever Axel was, I couldn’t lose him. The bear spray! I was looking for it on the ground around the turned over basket, but a thought from another random documentary popped into my head as I looked for something to help with. Wolves didn’t like fire (who did?). Sometimes bear spray didn’t work on certain animals, wolves included.
Good thing I had the lighter and bear spray I’d brought along! Scrambling over the scattered rocks that used to be the little play area, I found the lighter next to my drawing supplies. I didn’t see the bear spray in that area. I grabbed the lighter and started to search for the spray while keeping an eye on the fight.
Axel had started to weaken. He was starting to get slower as he attempted to get the monster off his back.
“Come on, Axel! Get him off of you!” The pleading in my voice carried over the clearing. We met eyes again. I breathed a sigh of relief when his hardened with determination.
That’s when I saw the spray. It had gotten thrown across the clearing. It was sitting next to the creek. I’d have to go around the fighting pair to get to it. Squaring my shoulders, I ran. I stayed away from the fight as much as I could and had it in my hands within seconds.
Popping the top off, I was just in time to watch Axel finally throw the monster wolf off of him. He wobbled where he stood watching the monster get to its feet again, before shaking its fur out. Axel was hurt, he fell to his side. So was the monster, but it looked like it was ready again to tear into him. The wolf looked like it was grinning as it took a step toward Axel.
“Hey! Ugly!” I threw up my arms waving to get the monster's attention. “Look! Easy prey! Come on, you big ugly fuckface!”
Oh, it didn’t like that at all. Exactly what I wanted. I flicked the lighter on, getting ready myself for the monster wolf to come at me. Axel was growling weakly as he started to try to get up again. The monster looked at him again, his tongue came out as if he were about to lick his lips. No more waiting. If I didn’t move, Axel was going to get hurt more.
“LOOK OVER HERE, YOU FUCKFACE!! COME AT ME!” I sidestepped twice, putting a little more distance between Axel and I. I’d have to hope it was enough.
The wolf snarled as it snapped its teeth at me. It shifted and I knew it was getting ready to lunge. That was my cue. Just as I swung up my arms, with my right hand a little further out then the left that held the aerosol, it ran at me. I waited for the last second when I saw the blacks in its pupils before moving.
