His eyes go wild, nostrils flaring, and his voice rises to an urgent demand. “Run!”
“No,” I yelp, taking one step back. One more. Away from the beast that wants the hunt. Instinct kicks in as his face twists in a primal sneer that looks terrifyingly much like a wolf.
I spin on my heel andrun.
21
Elina
My legs strain from the burst of energy, my lungs already contracting as I rush off between the trees. I should save some of my strength, but Asbjörn’s feral warning is stuck at the front of my mind, inducing adrenaline into my blood and setting fire to my flight instinct.
Twigs snap beneath my feet, the quiet wind hisses with the speed I move through it, and my breaths intrude upon my senses with loud, frantic pants.
I turn my head. Backward, left, right. No one’s there. Asbjörn and the car are already out of sight. It’s just me, the narrow trail, and the tall trees and big rocks that welcome me in with open arms.
I glance up, though the canopy, at the golden light in the sky. The sight is magnificent—so much that I linger and almost trip on a root.
“Focus,” I mutter to myself, training my sight straight ahead. “Breathe,” I remind myself too.There’s no one here. It’s just the forest and me.
I slow my pace, grateful for the found calm as the trail winds upward. I consider whether I should go off-trail, into thicker forest where I can better hide. But having no idea where I’m going, it’s safer to follow the already trodden trail, so I decide tostick to it a while longer to gain some distance before going into hiding mode. I don’t want to risk getting lost in there.
The deeper I go, the thicker the forest gets, and shadows close in as the treetops steal the light. A twig snaps somewhere that’s not beneath my feet. I whip my head around—from side to side. No one’s there.
A slow panic creeps along the edges of my mind, but I breathe deeply, reminding myself not to give in to the fear. Asbjörn is here somewhere, looking out for me.
Despite the shadows, the forest is kind. I feel at ease here. So when I don’t hear more sounds, I just jog ahead, focusing on the fresh scent of pine and the damp scent of earth.
When I see the first fork in the trail, I consider which way to go. The left one leads me over flat ground but deeper into the thicket of trees, whereas the one sloping right is more open and brighter but leads up a steep mountain trail.
Making a quick decision, I go against the crawling fear of the shadows and decide it’s best to save my energy and follow the flat trail deeper into the forest. Veering onto said path, I decide it’s definitely the best strategy. Up there on the bare trail, I’m exposed; in here, I can hide.
A smile softens my features and lends me a boost of energy that makes me pick up my pace.I can do this, I tell myself, feeling brave and strong.
But the newfound energy wavers when I think I see a shadow moving between the trees. My pulse cranks up, and I whip my head to the side. No one’s there. I pick up my pace.
No one’s there,just breathe, no one’s there,just breathe,I chant inside my head. But then there’s a rustle somewhere in front of me. I pause, a crawling awareness creeping up my spine. I stare into the shadows, eyes wide, heart pounding.
The figure that steps out from between the trees moves quietly. Just a few steps, then pauses, watching me.
My throat constricts, all my muscles coiling, at the sight of a tall man with a bare, muscular torso, jeans, and boots. His long hair, some of it braided, is gathered in a high, messy bun, and the ancient symbols tattooed into his skin are familiar, but all I see is his face. His terrible, terrifying face.
White, black, and red paint cover his features in a skeleton-like mask. The black markings around his eyes draw the shadows inward, swallowing his gaze in two black pits. The red trails smeared in streaks down his forehead and cheeks evoke echoes of blood and violence. A hunter waiting for its prey. No, not just a hunter.
A demon.
I want to scream, but my throat is shut tight, my muscles locked. He barely even moves, and for a moment, I think it’s just my brain playing a trick on me. I close my eyes, inhale, then open again on a long exhale.
And there he is, just as terrifying as before.
With a strangled cry, I break from the frozen terror, spin on my heel, andrun.
My feet pound against the ground. But it’s not justmyfeet. He’s giving chase. Two sets of feet beating against the forest floor. I feel it in the very air—the chase. The air grows fraught with feral intent and fearful desperation. Instinct and hunger collide as the prey gives all it has to escape the predator.
My heart hammers frantic beats in my throat as I feel him closing in. I don’t look back, but the way the air thickens and moves faster tells me he’s getting close.
“No,” I yelp, scrambling up the steeper trail I avoided before.
His shadow moves in my peripheral vision. I put in more effort, panting hard with the effort of scaling the steep trail. In all my haste, I stumble over a rock. And that’s when I know I’ve lost. His shadow moves in, his presence drawing over me, heavy and oppressive.
