The Long 7 Days

The beast's charge was like a freight train crashing through the fragile calm of their camp. Its snarling maw seemed to suck the air out of the clearing, a guttural roar reverberating through the trees. Alex felt the vibrations under his boots as it barreled toward them, the arrow protruding from its shoulder doing nothing to slow it.

Eve was already nocking another arrow, her movements swift and practiced. She loosed it as Alex sidestepped the initial charge, the beast missing him by inches. The second arrow struck its flank, burying deep, but the creature barely flinched, its focus locked on Jack, who stood frozen near the fire.

"Move, Jack!" Alex shouted, rushing forward to distract the beast.

The young man snapped out of his paralysis, stumbling backward and narrowly avoiding a swipe from the creature's massive claws. Alex dove low, aiming his knife at the beast's exposed belly, but it twisted with unnatural agility, swiping at him with its paw. He rolled, narrowly dodging the blow, and scrambled back to his feet.

Eve's third arrow struck the creature square in its neck, and this time, it let out a pained howl, staggering slightly. But the fight was far from over.

"Alex, we need a plan!" Eve called, retreating toward the edge of the clearing to get a better vantage point.

Alex didn't answer immediately, his mind racing. The beast was unlike anything he had encountered before—faster, stronger, and more resilient than any wolf. Its eyes glowed faintly in the dim firelight, and there was something almost unnatural about the way it moved. He gritted his teeth, gripping his knife tighter.

"Fire!" Alex yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We drive it into the fire!"

Jack, still trembling, looked at the roaring flames and then at the beast. "What if it doesn't work?" he stammered.

"Then we're dead anyway!" Alex snapped, lunging at the creature to draw its attention.

The beast snarled, its yellow eyes narrowing as it turned its focus back to Alex. He darted to the side, leading it closer to the fire pit. Eve, understanding his plan, began to circle around, her eyes locked on the beast as she readied another arrow.

"Keep it moving!" Alex shouted, dodging another swipe from the creature's claws.

Jack finally found his nerve, raising his rifle and firing a shot. The sound was deafening in the enclosed space, and the bullet struck the beast's hind leg. It let out a furious growl, stumbling slightly, but the wound didn't slow it much.

Eve took the opportunity to fire again, her arrow finding its mark in the creature's other shoulder. Blood now matted its fur, but the beast showed no signs of giving up. It turned on her with a feral snarl, charging in her direction.

"Eve, down!" Alex yelled.

She dove to the side just as the beast leaped, its massive form crashing into the underbrush where she had stood a moment before. Alex seized the chance, grabbing a burning branch from the fire and swinging it toward the creature. The flames flared as they caught its attention, and for the first time, the beast hesitated, its glowing eyes narrowing in confusion or fear.

"That's it," Alex muttered, advancing with the burning branch. "You don't like fire, do you?"

The beast snarled, backing away slightly, but its instincts seemed to war with its fear. It lunged at Alex, swiping at the branch with its claws, sending embers scattering. Alex jumped back, narrowly avoiding a slash to his chest.

Jack fired again, this time hitting the creature in the ribs. It howled in pain, staggering toward the fire. Eve, now repositioned, loosed another arrow, striking its hindquarters. The beast faltered, its movements slowing as blood poured from its many wounds.

"Push it back!" Alex shouted, brandishing the burning branch.

Eve grabbed another piece of wood from the fire, following his lead, while Jack fumbled with his rifle, struggling to reload. The creature seemed to realize it was outmatched, its glowing eyes darting between the three of them. It let out a guttural snarl, then turned and bolted into the darkness, disappearing into the forest with a rustle of leaves and a trail of blood.

For a moment, the clearing was silent, save for the crackling of the fire and their ragged breathing. Alex lowered the branch, his arm shaking from exertion. Eve slowly relaxed her grip on her makeshift torch, though her eyes remained fixed on the trees where the creature had vanished. Jack collapsed to his knees, his rifle clattering to the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Jack gasped, his voice trembling.

Alex didn't answer immediately. He tossed the burning branch back into the fire and wiped sweat from his brow, his gaze scanning the forest for any sign of the beast. It was gone, for now, but he knew better than to assume it wouldn't come back.

"Something we weren't prepared for," Alex said finally, his tone grim. He turned to Eve. "You hit it with everything you had. It should've been dead."

Eve nodded, her expression hard. "It wasn't natural. That thing... it moved like it was something else."

Alex's jaw tightened. He didn't like the implications of that, but he couldn't ignore the evidence. "Whatever it was, it's gone for now. But it'll be back. And next time, it might not run."

Jack looked up at Alex, his face pale. "Next time? You think it'll come after us again?"

Alex met his gaze, his expression unflinching. "If it thinks we're a threat, yes. And if not us, then someone else. Either way, we need to be ready."

The rest of the night passed uneventfully, but no one slept. Alex and Eve took turns keeping watch, their weapons at the ready. Jack sat by the fire, staring into the flames, his rifle clutched tightly in his hands. The fear in his eyes hadn't faded, and Alex could see the toll the encounter had taken on him.

As dawn broke, the group began to pack up their camp. The tension between them was palpable, but no one spoke of the creature. It was an unspoken understanding that they didn't have the answers and wouldn't find them by dwelling on it. Survival was their priority.

Alex checked the perimeter one last time before they set out, his eyes lingering on the blood trail left by the beast. It led deeper into the forest, disappearing into the shadows. He frowned, his instincts screaming at him to follow it, to learn more about what they were dealing with. But he knew better than to split the group or take unnecessary risks.

"Let's move," he said, turning back to the others. "We stick to the creek for now. Stay sharp."

Eve nodded, her expression unreadable as she slung her bow over her shoulder. Jack gave a hesitant nod, his grip on his rifle tight as they set off.

The forest felt different in the morning light, the shadows less oppressive, but Alex couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The creature was still out there, and it wouldn't forget them. He just hoped they'd be ready when it came back.

As they moved through the trees, Alex's mind raced with questions. What had they encountered? Was it just a mutated animal, or was it something worse? And if there were more of them, how would they survive?

He didn't have the answers, but one thing was clear: the world was more dangerous than he'd imagined, and the challenges ahead would only grow.

And for Alex Kane, that was all the more reason to keep moving.