Mark ran faster. Faster and faster through the narrow path, trying to go faster. He just had to get away and quickly.
"Raaaaaaaaaa!" the beast roared in rage.
" I must get away, must get away from this beast and quick, what’s that?" Mark spotted something. Something in the distance, the outlines of the object came clearer. It seemed to be a church. The local church, the church, which was at the end of the road that lead to Mark's house.
" I must be home," cried Mark," I must be."
Mark beginning to feel relieved but still extremely exhausted put all the energy that he had left in his body and sprinted forward.
"Ouch." He cried in unbelievable pain. He had stumbled over a moss covered log lying across the narrow lane. His head collided with the ground with great force sending pain throughout his body. He could no longer move his body. It was paralysed from the accident. So close, Mark was so close, and now he was done for.
"Helllllllp anyone, someone, help me. Please."
Marks cries were useless, they were undetected and now the eight foot, muscular beast crouched over his frightened body. A heavy drop of wet saliva fell upon his cool lips from the beasts dangling tongue. It felt warm and surprisingly dry. He could barely see the beast’s face although it was only a few inches away the mist was so thick. Moving one of its enormous paws over Mark's pale face, the beast snarled.
Mark lay helplessly on the ground, but suddenly had an idea. He reached for the log that he had tripped over and got a firm grip on the moss. He only had one chance and he had to take it now.
"Raaaaaaaaa!" the beast roared again then licked its lips.
Mark slung the heavy object into the beasts unsuspecting face, and then again and again until the beast lay unconscious on the ground.
" Was that it? Was that the beast that has killed so many people over the years? It isn't that tough."
Mark now feeling quiet smug with himself, stared at the beast. The creature laid face first in some of the thorn bushes. A dribble of blood flowed from its paw, which was penetrated on a shape thorn. Mark kicked the creature with his leather boots to see if it would respond. It did. The creature began to move. Slowly but surely it was regaining consciousness. It removed its large injured paw from the thorn and used it to try to stand. Mark in a panic gripped the log he was still holding then hit the beast's body with all his might. The beast stopped moving for a few seconds but began to awake. Mark pelted the log at the beast and then reached for another weapon, this time a rock and again he pelted the object into the creature. Reaching for yet another rock he examined the creature with his tired eyes. The beast was life less. It seemed to be lifeless.
"Yes," cried Mark, " I've done it."
Now feeling relieved and in way a little proud of what he had just accomplished Mark crawled slowly to the end of the narrow path. His head throbbed with excruciating pain and his legs were badly bruised, but now he just had to get home. He turned the corner and then moved slowly down the slightly wider road. Although the road was wider it was just as scary to Mark as the narrow path. There was still much thick mist, and the temperature was still very low. Thorn bushes still lined the road and a forest was on either side of him.
Mark looked up at the moon and he thought he could see some thunder clouds, he wasn't absolutely sure though, as his vision was blurred and his mind was full of thoughts.
A drop of rain fell upon Mark’s head, it ran down his face and then onto his thick sweater where it was absorbed into the woollen fibres. He tried to stand but it was pointless. Each time he pulled himself up he just fell back down causing more pain to his injuries.
"Nearly home now, just a little further."
A few minutes of painful crawls in the rain finally paid off as Mark reached his house. He looked up at the oak effect door, and then located the door handle. Giving the handle a tug the door opened. It slammed into the dinner table behind sending a china plate to the floor.
"Oop's, I forgot about using this front door."
The plate shattered and the noise created was very loud, it echoed throughout the quiet house disturbing someone up stairs.
" Whose there?” a voice from upstairs said in confusion.
" Mikey, its me Mark, I'm down here." Mark replied, now feeling absolutely relieved to here his brother’s voice.
" Mark it is 1 o clock, why are you not in bed?"
" Its a long story Mikey, come here and I will explain, I'm injured and I can't come up these stairs.
" I'm coming.”
Mark closed the door behind him and waited for his brother. He had a lot of explaining to do but he knew his brother would understand.
" Well Mark what's wrong? Where have you been? Why are you injured? You know it is not safe yo go out at this time of the night, you know of the creature that has killed so many people over the years, you know that dad was killed by that creature, where have you been? Answer my questions now!" Mikey, his face red with anger and beginning to get very worried moved over to his younger brother and stared at his face close up, he needed answers and he wanted them now.
" Mikey calm down it is alright, listen to me, I'll explain."
Mark moved over to the staircase and with his brother’s assistance and sat down on one of the wooden, carpet removed steps. Mark, with a breath full of air began to tell of the story. Every so often Mikey would interrupt to ask a question or two.
" Mark, are you telling the truth?"
" Yes, I promise you Mikey, I swear on dads grave, look if you don’t believe me."
" You said it was down that narrow lane?"
" Yes. You know the one, that one near the church, where dad is buried."
" Right get my gun and grab a torch, lets go."
" You sure Mikey?"
" Positive, lets finish this once and for all."
Mark now a little recovered from his accident could stand and even walk a little, but only very slowly. He stood up and opened the gun case under the staircase. A double barrelled shot gun presented neatly in the case; a present from the boy's dad for Mikey's 21st birthday, lay on a layer of foam next to a box of unused gun cartridges. Mark removed the heavy object and the box of bullets and passed them cautiously to his brother, who had just finished buttoning up his long, green coat. Gripping his weapon loaded with bullets and a pocket of spares, Mikey opened the door and stepped out. Closely followed by his younger brother holding a flashlight, the two brothers made their journey into the darkness.
They walked cautiously down the quiet road. The rain had stopped after a heavy downpour and the thick mist seemed to have cleared a little. The flashlight that Mark held cast a thick, concentrated beam of light onto the road, it luminated the area very effectively as the batteries were brand new.
"Mikey, I'm afraid."
" So am I Mark, so am I.”
Mikey lead the journey, listening to the faintest sounds of the night. Owls hooted. Their low, deep voices seemed loud as the sound waves echoed through the forests around. Crickets croaked and birds fluttered. The sounds and noises were countless. Mark followed closely behind in his brother's shadow. Limping, as his foot still hurt very much from the accident; about an hour ago. He turned around every so often to check that no one or nothing was following.
Frogs could be heard splashing in a lake, camouflaged in the green undergrowth of the forest floor. The impact of their little bodies on the water was small, yet ripples made from the collision eroded some of the soft soil away of the bank.
Mark moved to his brother's side. His brain was confused, his cold ears rang for no apparent reason and warm sweat ran down his neck from his thick hair. Mark scanned the area in front with the flashlight and something came into view.
"There's that road Mikey, the creature is down there."
Mikey turned the corner first and examined the view.
" Mark shine the light down there."
Mark held the torch high and the beam shot down the lane. Both boys froze in horror. A patch. A dry patch was on the ground formed from the rain stopping after falling onto something.
"Mikey it was there."
Mark moved the beam across the thin lane as quickly as possible, back and forth looking and waiting for the beast to appear. The beam of light highlighted something. Something worrying.
"Raaaaaaaaa!!” the beast was there. It stood fierce and ready to attack.
" Mikey shoot it, shoot it now quick!"
Bang. The gun exploded. The sound was tremendous. Two metal shotgun cartridges penetrated into the creature's broad chest passing directly through its skin and bones. They moved directly through the creature, like two missiles aimed with precision and out the other side. The beast fell backwards in a cluster of blood and onto the ground.
The disgusting corpse of the creature laid head hidden, back facing the boys. Two visible bullet holes on the beasts back, the source of the red blood that was flowing out of the injuries.
" Is it dead Mikey?"
" I think so."
It sure wasn't, the creature turned, then leaped onto Mark.
"Mikey help me, get it off!"
The beast in anger lashed out scrapping Mark's face, it then lifted its head and bit his arm.
" Mikey."
Bang. Mikey aimed the second bullets directly into the beast’s head. Blood splattered onto the thorn bushes beside the target. The head of the beast fell from its neck, killing the creature for sure.
"Mikey, get it off me."
Mikey kicked the body off of his brother and lifted him to his feet. Mark, badly injured hugged his brother.
" Its ok, it’s all over now Mark, lets go home."
Mikey supporting his little brother struggled home then bandaged the injuries.
" Is it finished Mikey?"
" It sure is Mark, It sure is."
Or was it? Little did Mikey or Mark know the creature he had killed had given birth a week before to six, dependant cubs each inheriting their mother’s instincts.
