The Unfound

Chapter Two

I always hated thunder. I quite liked the storm. Just not the thunder. There is just something so unsettling about it. "The sound after destruction." That's what my father always said. I lay still while the rain dripped down my face. The storm lasted two more hours, then slowly faded away. I sit up, half drenched in water. I suppose my best option is to keep walking.

My stomach growled. I probably haven't eaten in days. But, to my luck, there was a bush of wild strawberries near a big oak tree. I snatched some off the small bush. There weren't many, but it was enough. I ate the small berries and then continued my search.

I wished I had my phone on me. Then again, it fell into the water and sank to the bottom with me. I let out a half chuckle. I imagined sinking into the bottom of the lake, taking out my phone, and taking a selfie. Of course, it was stupid, but you have to do what you have to do.

 I walked and stole a few more berries on my way. I felt nauseous. But not because of miscellaneous berries I found in the woods. Maybe it was just the feeling of being completely alone. When I was younger, I always had a problem with feeling alone. Not lonely. Just alone. It was a sickening feeling, and I hated it. It still comes back from time to time, though I had thought I had gotten over it.

I tripped over a bit of twig and fell face forward into the ground. Or maybe I'm just alone with my stupidity.

I slowly got up, realizing my body was sore from sleeping the night before. Great, now I have to deal with this all day. I trudged along without finding anything useful.

I stopped. A feeling that I wasn't alone anymore triggered my brain. I let out a shudder as the eerie feeling crept through my body.

In the distance, a twig broke behind me. I snap my head around quickly and look into the darkness behind me. I know I'm not alone. I look harder. Then I saw them.

Big yellow eyes, dark and full of hunger. Wolves. A whole pack of them. I quickly turn around and run for my life. I could hear them growling and barking behind me.

I ran faster as if that would do any good. Wolves can probably run two times faster than I can. I trip over a tiny log and fall to the ground. Crap! I let out a small yelp as I struggled to get back on my feet. I feel a sharp pain in my leg. One of the wolves had latched onto it. I could see the blood staining my jeans. I kick the rabid beast in the face as hard as I can.

It let out a small whimper and unlatched itself, but not before another one nipped my foot. "Gah! Get off of me, you mutt!" I kick my other leg in an attempt to hurt it but failed. I got up as quickly as I could to avoid getting dragged away. I couldn't feel the pain in my leg because of all the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I can see a little stream up ahead. I run faster towards it. Maybe they can't swim? It was a dumb thought. Of course, they can swim. I could feel my heartbeat in every part of my body. 

Then one of the wolves pounced on me.

I fell over, and it started to drag me back with its teeth latched onto my arm. I let out a scream of agony and frustration. I was scared and mad. But more mad than scared. I was so tired. I needed to find out what had happened to me, but I couldn't let a pack of wolves devour me whole in seconds. Or at least not yet.

 I summoned all of the strength I had left in my body. I knew that some animals hated water. I guess it just depended on the animal.

I extended my fingertips towards the water with all the energy I had left, tensing up every muscle I had. But I didn't do exactly what I thought I would do. I felt my entire body pulse like a giant heartbeat through my whole body. I wanted protection, just something to surround me. Then something that I never expected to happen....happened. The water from the stream floated and enveloped me in a dome and then froze in place. I smiled as the wolves ran into the ice dome face first.

But, the victory can't be celebrated. The ice started cracking. No. Not this time. Please. I keep myself tense. Then out of the corner of my eye, I see something fly through the air and hit one of the wolves straight in the back. It fell to the ground. I saw the handle of a throwing knife sticking out of the bloody coat of the corpse. Woah. How on earth can somebody throw a knife with that kind of aim? I looked around to find a shadowy silhouette in a tree, probably the person who threw it.

Then out of nowhere, a dark figure wearing a hood appeared behind the pack of wolves, leaving black dust particles floating in the air. Did that person arise out of thin air if it was a person? The "thing" was carrying what looked like a metal bat. They started hitting the wolves on top of their heads, taking most of them out. Then I heard a thud behind me. Great, what now? A high-pitched whistling sound pierced the air. The wolves did NOT like that. They started whining and barking, trying to cover their ears from the sound. To be honest, it hurt my ears too. The ice around me cracked even more. But then the wolves ran away, except for the dead ones. I look around.

 Who were these people?

Pictured: Winter