No, there would be more.
Ash collapses on an old log, dropping his pack. “Damn, dude. You’re in way better shape than me.” His heaving gasps echo in the silence of the thick humid air.
“You’re lazy,” I snap. “You need to get out of your office sometimes.”
“Man—” His middle finger raises, then falls to his lap. “—we each have shit we’re good at. My hands are the only thing I need to work.”
“You’re lucky you can still see your dick.” I pace the area, following my nose to the base of a large Ponderosa.
Thatmonsterhad his way with her.
I can see the imprints of her breasts in the dirt. And the salty odor of semen almost overwhelms me with the urge to vomit.
She fought him and lost.
“Y’all right? You look sick.” Ash guzzles from his canteen with a sour look.
“We’re on the right path, but they’re way ahead of us.” The creature is outpacing us. “We’ll have to keep moving through the night if we’re to catch up.”
Ash lets out a groan. “There’s no freaking way, man.” He leans against his ruck. “I can barely evensitup, much less run until morning.”
“I’m not stopping,” I growl. “You can stay here or turn back.”
Touching the damp earth where her blood fell reinvigorates me.
She may have helped him escape, but now she’s a victim.
I’ll do everything in my power to get her to safety, even if she tried to kill me.
Giving Ash the benefit of the doubt, I do slow my pace as he groans through every step.
Once darkness falls, it starts to piss me off.
He can’t see as well as I can, so he trips and cusses constantly.
But then a chilling howl makes us both freeze.
Fuck.
“Did you hear that?” he hisses in a loud whisper.
How could I not? “Yea. It sounded close.”
“Think there’s just one?” He slides his sidearm from his holster and points it in the direction of his flashlight.
“Doubt it,” I grunt.
The dogs never travel alone. Only the half-breeds.
When a second chilling call echoes from behind us, we move quickly to stand back to back.
“Shit.” I let the word escape as I catch a glimpse of movement across the clearing.
Two or three of the creatures, we may survive.
More?We might be screwed.
“I saw one.” Ash’s voice is laced with panic.
