Norbert started jogging again, looking up at the cliffs and seeing the wolves still following him. After eating a bar, making it to the rapids; continuing to run, knowing at least where he was now, surprised about how far away he had travelled when exploring the cave. Passing, he took out his water bottle, drinking while still jogging, making sure not to smash his teeth. Bending down, he filled the water bottle with the river from the water before stowing it back into his backpack.

Continuing, they went, chased next to the cliff, the purple canopy of roots thin enough to stop the wolves from dropping in from above. The cliff at the top slowly coming down to meet him, the sky above starting to go out, darkness consuming the forest. Looking up, he saw the flecks of yellow looking at him.

As he took out a glow stick, cracking it and looping it around his neck, he spotted what he had been dreading this entire time ahead. The cliff once more turned into a hill, allowing the two parties to meet at once.

Looking up, Norbert tested the grip of the bat, palms sweaty. He re-gripped it slowing down and breathing in the air. The wolves overtook him, the howling consuming them; he tracked the sound down the hill and towards him.

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the rest of the glow sticks, lit them up and threw them onto the ground, allowing some light around him.

Norbert stood and waited, waiting for the wolves to come closer.

Inching towards the light, Norbert saw them come out, counting he saw five wolves coming down, forming a semi-circle around him. Arms by his side Norbert steadily walked towards the pack, waiting to see who would make the first move. The lead one bent down and growled at him; it was now go time.

Norbert stepped forward, moving the bat backwards, ready to swing; the wolf launched itself straight at Norbert, mouth opened wide. Sliding underneath the wolf, Norbert turned upwards, the bat digging in and cutting into flesh, digging into the beast's guts. Looking forward, now surrounded, Norbert swung from his left, bashing his bat into the snout of one of the wolves, the force strong enough to continue through and knock a second one to the side.

Hit from his right side Norbert went flying into the cliff. Falling in a pile, he looked up, a wolf already above his head, mouth gaping wide ready to snap down on his throat. Holding himself with one hand, Norbert punched up into the mouth of the wolf. Feeling the teeth clamp down, Norbert roared in pain, his hand slick with blood. Pulling the knife from his pack and stabbing it into the wolf's jaw, the body instantly went limp, pulling him down.

Broken and bloody, Norbert looked up at a wild animal. Moving backwards, he cut around at the wolf's jaw, freeing his hand and feeling the cold air bite into the wounds, a trail of blood following him. With a pause, Norbert's back hit the cliff; with a start, he looked back at the wolves.

As one, they came for him from all angles, leaving no opportunity to escape. If he struck for one, the rest would shred him to pieces. Gripping the bat once more, Norbert stared back at them, shouting for all he was worth and met the charge.

In the centre, they met again, his arm again taken. He looked on shouting and thrashing the bat about, feeling the impact ricochet up his arm, now numb.

Pushed back on the ground, they were on him, only seeing teeth Norbert looked up and closed his eyes, seeing his body for the last time.

A light was once more surrounding him, and knowing that not even that could save him, Norbert pushed back at the wolf on top of him with all his might. As a surprise, it flew into the air.

With a rush, he leapt to the pair on the right, punching down and into the skull and kicking at the other legs like a basketball. With a crunch, the wolf fell, whimpering at him. Pushing off, he charged to the left, tackling one on the right, dragging his knife through its side. Pulling as hard as he could until it could go no more, slipping out of his hand.

Turning, Norbert faced two more wolves, both rounding on him. With a final roar, he charged, but it was useless; both wolves blended into the background, the once green fur turning grey like the stone and disappearing, only leaving the eyes left before he charged through them, like wisps of wind. Looking down at his arms, both shaking, he left the path of destruction and headed towards the river.

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Each step is more challenging than the last, each shaky step. Head swimming, he walked to the water to wipe off and clean the wounds. Reaching for his backpack, it was no longer there, torn apart in the struggle. He was looking behind him, seeing the destruction, three wolves near one area, single punches going through their body, a knife broken and sticking out of another. Grabbing the final one by the leg, Norbert went to the river.

Shaking once more, he turned his back to wash his hands, not caring about the wound, unable to feel it. He looked down at his hands, their veins slowly fading, the purple light leaving them. Tiredness overcame Norbert as he fell into the flowing river.

***

He was once more surrounded by wolves as far as the eye could see, everyone towering over him, mouths gaping and open, saliva trickling down, making pools at their feet. Swallowing his nerves, Norbert looked to find a place to run to and hide, but there was nowhere to go. All that surrounded him was death. Looking at the wolves, they charged at him, ripping him to pieces. Every time a part was removed, it would come back instantly, only to be ripped off again. Growls and screams pierced the forest. Slowly there were no more screams, Norbert's throat dry, voice horse, unable to even utter a single word, but still he was shredded.

Piled up so high the wolves were almost creating a mountain, and Norbert was at the centre of the moving mass, lying still with everything, an existence with it all of the pain, until even that slipped away. Lying there as time passed, the wolves slowly and indeed came to a still as well; what had once set their blood thirst moving now stopped. All was still as the stars shone down on the mountain of flesh.

BADUM, BADUM, BADUM

Norbert's eyes opened up. He would not die in this eternal forest, being defeated by some simple beasts; he would at least once more look up at the clear blue sky, at the stars spotting the night sky.

HE

WOULD

LIVE

I

WILL

SURVIVE

With an almighty push, Norbert stood up on shaky feet—the weight of a thousand lives resting upon his shoulder. Everything went to the side with a twist; all the wolves alarmed at what had happened.

Norbert looked down in shock, a river below flowing down and the fall that would be all their doom.

Grappling the wolves, Norbert started to climb one hand forward while reaching for the next. With a push, he rushed past, grabbing and pulling the next one along.

Like this, Norbert started to climb, each one getting more manageable and more accessible, and his body feeling lighter. With each wolf passed, his arms began to shine purple once more, glowing brighter and brighter. Until each pull sent a wolf toppling down and him flying up, now a light step sending him flying, like there were wings attached to his feet, even the air itself being heavy enough to push off. Norbert powered through wolves flashing by, no longer touching them, just moving to the left and right until even that was unnecessary as there were no more wolves to dodge, but still, he climbed higher and higher up into the sky. He went past the trees and the canopy and up into the clouds.

From up high, Norbert looked down, seeing the slanted world again. Norbert looked up, a tear forming in his eye, able to see the stars again. Looking at the consultations, not a single one was off home, but still, they brought a smile to his face; at least he would have one last victory. With this, he started falling, and down Norbert went. Smile still on his face Norbert looked up.

Falling, he passed the clouds, the canopy, and the trees, splashing into the river.

Submerged, Norbert looked around; completely underwater, he looked down and could not see the depths or the sides. He was looking up, and the surface was just a pinprick. Looking around, two yellow balls appeared, each twice his size. Formed out of the water, a wolf appeared, snarling at Norbert. It waited, Norbert snarled back, not caring about the consequences. With a push, both came together, Norbert cocking his arm back, his entire arm glowing purple, pushing out the darkness around him. As his fist connected with the beast, the world turned black.

***

Norbert opened his eyes, staring at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. Slowly sitting up, his body cried out in pain; falling back, he landed on the bed, a sigh escaping him. Looking around, he was in a small wooden room with a window looking outside. On the right was a chair with his clothes draped over it. Moving around, he found he was still clothed but not in his regular garments, wearing something that could almost be a potato sack. Looking around, nothing else caught his eye in the sparsely decorated room.

The memories of the fight returned to him, the chase, the conflict and falling into the river. Not knowing how he appeared clothed and in a wooden room, panic rose. Grabbing the sheets, he pulled himself out of the bed. Falling onto the floor with a bang, he looked down at his hands, covered in bandages. Slowly he moved towards the door; just as he was about to reach it, the door swung open, hitting his arm. Pain shot through his entire body, the events from before all were replaying to him at once; all the pain coming back, he screamed. Still aware, he felt his body getting picked up and placed on the bed again, getting tucked in and the little boy watching over him, tears forming in his eyes.