Expecting to Die (Alvarez & Pescoli)

And not a rustle, but more of a shuddering of branches.

A muffled sound. Steady.

Footsteps? Someone or something heading her way through the brush?

Well, that would make sense, considering the game. Right?

A twig snapping?

Again, that would be a normal sound.

And yet . . .

From the corner of her eye, she caught movement, a shadow darting. Then the rustle of dry leaves, sounding like the warning from a coiled rattler ready to strike.

Her skin prickled.

The wind?

Not on this still, hot night.

Without another thought, she took off, willing herself up the final point of the hill, hearing the big, snorting beast following after.

What the hell was it?

She wasn’t going to slow down to find out. As she crested the ridge, the trees parted and moonlight filtered from the sky. Breathing hard, she hazarded a quick glance over her shoulder and saw the immense creature, whatever it was, still running, lumbering on hind legs, one eye catching the weak light and seeming to glow. Man? Beast? God, the hairy thing had to be seven feet tall! A low growl emanated from the brute. Oh, no!

She let out a terrified scream and kept running.

It’s a prank. It has to be.

But she wasn’t listening to the rational side of her mind, not when her heart was pounding double-time! All her instincts screamed at her to run, get away, put as much distance as she could between her and the . . . the monster. Downward she sprinted, trying to be careful, not twist an ankle, as branches and cobwebs clawed at her. She slipped and slid on the trail, running blind but trying to see the path. Behind her, the . . . the thing crashed through the underbrush. No longer was it being stealthy, content to surprise her. No. Now it raced in full, noisy pursuit.

Again she heard its growl. A thunderous peal.

Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God!

Down, down, down!

Faster, faster . . . oh, Jesus. She stumbled. The toe of her sneaker caught beneath an exposed root. She pitched forward into the darkness. Her foot caught, her leg twisting painfully.

“Aaaooow.” Her arms flew out. Her knee wrenched as her foot became untangled and she hit the ground. Hard. Bam! Her chin bounced on the unforgiving ground, and she felt the skin split.

“Oof!” All the wind in her lungs c

ame out in a rush.

Get up, get up! No time for this. Get onto your feet, Bianca.

Hot pain pulsed in her shoulder. Too bad. She couldn’t stop moving. She had to get away.

Move!

The forest seemed to shrink around her.

More loudly, the earth trembling beneath it, the monster rushed at her.

“Damn it,” she muttered, forcing herself to her feet, to find traction. Her ankle throbbed. Oh, crap, it hurt, but she gritted her teeth and moved more slowly, not by design, but because the pain prevented her from running all out. Limping slightly, she hurried along the path. Batting away branches, listening hard, she slipped and slid ever downward.