Page 19

Her eyes, darting and wide, searched the surrounding darkness, desperately trying to pierce the inky blackness beyond the firelight.

But all she could see was the erratic flicker of the fire's glow playing tricks with the shadows, turning the trees into monstrous shapes.

The forest was eerily, unsettlingly quiet, save for the comforting crackling of the fire – a sound that now felt mocking in its normalcy – and the frantic thumping of her own heart.

The creature's growl grew closer, the sound heavy with malicious intent.

She clutched the knife tightly in one hand, the metal cold and reassuring against her sweating palm.

It was a small hunting knife, more suited to skinning rabbits than being used to defend herself, but it was all she had.

The fire cast flickering shadows on the trees around her, dancing demons that magnified the feeling of being watched, making it hard to distinguish between the living and the inanimate.

Every rustle of leaves, every creak of a branch, sent a fresh wave of fear crashing over her.

Another growl, this time from behind her, closer still.

Ivy spun around, her breath catching in her throat, her eyes widening in terror as she caught a fleeting glimpse of glowing yellow eyes in the darkness.

They were not the soft, gentle glow of a nocturnal animal, but a malevolent, burning light.

What unholy creatures were surrounding her?

Creatures that Shamus had failed to mention.

The beasts emerged from the shadows, coalescing from the darkness like nightmares given form.

Their fur was matted and course looking and foul-smelling, their bodies large and muscular built for savagery and destruction.

Their eyes burned with an unnatural, almost intelligent light, reflecting the firelight with a predatory gleam.

They moved with a disturbing grace, a fluid, unsettling motion that spoke of raw power.

Their snarls echoed through the night, a chorus of hunger that sent shivers down Ivy's spine.

The creature in front of her took a deliberate step closer, and she smelled its foul breath, a nauseating wave that washed over her.

It was a mix of rotting flesh and something metallic, like old blood.

Her mind raced, desperately trying to come up with a plan.

Ivy's fear, potent and paralyzing just moments ago, began to morph into a steely determination, fueled by adrenaline and the primal instinct to survive.

She hoisted a flaming stick and swung it with all her might at the creature directly in front of her.

It yelped in pain, a high-pitched, almost canine sound, retreating slightly, its glowing eyes blinking in surprise.

She had to keep them at bay, buy herself some time, at least until she could come up with a plan.

With a fierce yell, that echoed her fear and defiance, she managed to fend off the ones immediately attacking her.

The fire from the stick lit up the area briefly, illuminating the surrounding trees and revealing the full, horrifying extent of the danger she was in.

There were at least twelve of them, maybe more, their forms shifting in the shadows, and they looked hungry, their gazes fixed on her like she was their next meal.

Her adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her movements faster, her senses sharper.

She took a slow, measured step back, her eyes never leaving the ring of snarling beasts that surrounded her.

The stick was now a charred mess, the flames dwindling, but the fire remained a comforting presence, the only source of light in the enveloping darkness, and the only thing between her and them.

The creature with the injured muzzle, its snarl now laced with pain and rage, lunged again, and she met it with the firebrand, the remaining flame briefly illuminating its twisted, grotesque features.

Its skin sizzled and smoked where the fire touched, and it let out a pained howl, a sound that was almost human in its agony.

Ivy felt a flicker of hope, a fragile spark in the overwhelming darkness, but it was quickly extinguished when more of the creatures closed in from all sides, their movements coordinated, their intent clear.

Her movements grew desperate, frantic, the stick now nothing more than a charred stump, offering little protection.

She swung it wildly, trying to keep the snapping jaws and razor-sharp claws at bay.

The creatures' growls grew louder, more insistent, more confident.

They were toying with her, she realized with a sickening lurch, their glowing eyes gleaming with an unnerving intelligence, a cunning that didn't belong in a wild beast. They were enjoying this.

The creature on her right lunged first, seizing the opportunity, its teeth sinking deep into the flesh of her leg.

Pain exploded through her body, a searing, agonizing wave that washed away her focus.

She screamed, the sound ripped from her throat, dropping the useless stick to the forest floor.

Another took advantage of her distraction and clamped down on her shoulder, its teeth sinking into her flesh, tearing through it with ease.

She stumbled back, losing her balance, falling to the unforgiving ground.

The fire she had so carefully built to keep warm, to ward off the darkness, now seemed like a cruel mockery, a prison casting a hellish glow on her attackers, painting their monstrous forms in shades of orange and red.

The creature in front of her, stepped closer, its gaze unwavering, its intention unmistakable.

Its teeth were bared, long and yellowed, and she could see the stringy saliva dripping from its mouth, illuminated by the firelight.

It was a gruesome, terrifying sight, one that she never thought she would encounter outside the pages of a horror novel.

The firelight danced across its course, matted fur, turning it an eerie shade of orange and black, making it seem even more demonic.

Her instincts took over, a primal surge of adrenaline overriding the pain and fear.

She rolled onto her side, trying to kick the beast away with her free leg, aiming for its face.

It snarled in annoyance, sidestepping the blow with surprising agility, but didn't relent, its weight pressing down on her.

The creature on her shoulder dug in deeper, its teeth ripping further into the flesh beneath, sending another wave of agonizing pain through her body.

She felt fabric tear, the rough material snagging on her skin, as the others around her took their cue and lunged in, their teeth sinking into the fabric of her jeans and the canvas of her backpack, tearing and ripping, seeking the flesh beneath.

Ivy screamed again, the pain unbearable, a white-hot agony that threatened to consume her.

The gnawing teeth had pierced muscle and bone, and she reached for the knife on the ground next to her.

Her fingers, clumsy and slick with sweat and blood, fumbled with the small knife.

Panic tightened its icy grip as she struggled, the creatures' hot, foul breath on her face.

Finally, with a desperate grip, she managed to get ahold of the blade.

With a roar of her own, a primal scream born of desperation and pain, she stabbed at the creature clamped onto her leg.

The blade sank into its flesh, drawing a surprised yelp.

The creature released its grip, flinching back, and Ivy used the momentary reprieve to push herself up onto her knees.

The fire, a meager attempt at a signal now threatening to become a raging inferno, was dangerously close, licking at the edges of the clearing.

But she used its heat to her advantage, feeling the searing kiss of the flames scorch the fur of the creature that had bitten her arm.

It recoiled with a hiss, giving her another precious second.

Her movements grew erratic, a frantic dance of survival.

She hacked and slashed at the shadowy beasts that encircled her, each swing fueled by adrenaline and fear.

The smell of burning fur filled the air, acrid and sharp, mixing with the coppery scent of her own blood, a grim reminder of her vulnerability.

She could feel it seeping from the wounds, a warm, sticky tide threatening to pull her under, but she ignored it, focusing on the fight, on the desperate need to survive.

The creatures were fast and powerful, their movements a blur in the flickering firelight, but they seemed to be wary of the flames, hesitant to get too close.

Her knife glinted in the firelight, a dancing spark of defiance in the encroaching darkness, as she stabbed and sliced, managing to keep them at bay.

For every strike that landed, she received a savage counter.

A claw ripped across her chest, another tore at her calf.

One by one, some of the beasts retreated, whimpering in pain, their eyes reflecting the fire's glow with a malevolent intelligence. But as soon as she had a moment to breathe, a brief flicker of hope in the overwhelming despair, two more took their place, their eyes gleaming with malice, their snarls promising a brutal end. Ivy knew she couldn’t hold out much longer.

Her strength was waning, each movement an effort, and the pain was becoming overwhelming, a dull throb that resonated in every bone.