It’s been a few hours since I last saw the drake. I’ve been making my way through the trees blindly in the hope of finding civilization. I didn’t notice at the time, but the trees aren’t quite “green”. There’s hints of purple in the bark. I’m not a botanist but that’s clearly not normal. Then again I don’t think I can call flying lizards normal either.

I’ve had some time to think in the last couple hours. Surprise, surprise! Rolling my eyes at my lame attempts at a joke I try to recall how I got here. I still don’t recall what happened to me. I also don’t recall my hands being so tiny. I suspect that I’ve gotten “smaller”? The clothes I’m wearing, my pajamas to be exact, are as I remember it, just too big for me. I also noticed that unlike what I originally thought, I wasn’t wearing my spectacles but I could still see clearly. In any other circumstance I would call this a miracle. Going from partially blind to being able to see so clearly is a miracle. Right now though, this miracle seemed more like a disaster instead.

In the last couple of hours I haven’t seen much life in this place. No chirping of insects, no birds no rats. Nothing. That scares me. I’ve been having this feeling that something’s been stalking me but when I turn around I don’t find anything. It’s a gut feeling. In the past, if I had ever heard someone say that, I would call bullshit, but now, I’m not too sure. Then again if I’m being stalked I would probably have been eaten by now. Why? Because I’m easy pray. I’ve been trudging through a forest in my PJs, my feet cut all over and my trail through the undergrowth clear for all to see. I’m no ranger who was brought up in the hillside nor some military veteran. I am just a simple software engineer.

“Haaaaah” deep breaths Kael. Keep calm.

I’m starting to lose it. This silence is getting to me.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

~

Two pairs of red eyes watch Kael as he stumbles through the forest.

The human is weeeeakkk.

He has the scent of a traveller. A weak traveller is still a traveller.

But he’s weaaaakkk. He does not cover his track. His armour is thin. He is weeakk.

Wait. Wait for sunset. The darkness will be our strengths. If he is truly weak we shall feast tonight but if this is a trap, then, we shall be at our strongest to face it.

Yesss

~

The sun’s setting. The shadows are getting longer and the cold is creeping in. I’m hungry and thirsty and I have found no other living being since I left the clearing hours ago and that is scary. At this point even seeing the drake would be a welcome sight.

I finally see a glimmer in the distance, a glimmer heralding water. As I get closer I can hear the sound of moving water and I come across a small lake. Finally water. Cupping my hand I taste the sweet water. Yes, it could be poisoned and no, I don’t care. Surprisingly sweet my parched throat shudders in pleasure as I drink. As I bend over to just drink right out of the lake, I hear a crunch of feet on leaves. I stop, not making a movement. That sound implies movement and movement implies life. And as much as I want to see another living creature, I can feel the ice cold grip of death around my neck that tells me this is one creature I do not want to see. Without making any abrupt movements I stand up slowly and turn around.

I can see numerous red lights. No! Not lights, eyes. All in the shade of the trees making it difficult to make out what they are. The largest of them all step out of the trees and I can finally see what it is. Wolves. Wolves that looks like they are made of shadows. My back against the lake. The wolves in front I can’t help but utter, “Ah God, give me a break!”.