The hyena watched me with a cruel glint in its eyes, its body shifting with ease. I could swear I heard the beast scoffed, it sounded like laughter, as if it was mocking my pitiful resistance.
My arm throbbed in pain, and all I had left in my hand was the spiny frame of an umbrella. To the beast, I must look like easy prey, a foolish human trying to delay the inevitable.
It had already tasted my blood. To it, this was no longer a battle, it was dinner.
The hyena lunged, faster than my eyes could follow, its claws a blur of fire and wind. Instead of going for my head this time, its paw came down on the spiny umbrella frame. Every swipe chipped away another spoke.
My chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. I knew I was on borrowed time. I needed to hurt it, to find some weakness, a point of vulnerability, before it tore me apart. Survival wasn't going to come from running, that much was clear. The only path forward was through this beast.
So I forced myself to advance.
I stepped toward it, jabbing the pole out like a makeshift spear. My movements were clumsy but desperation gave me focus. I aimed for its eyes. The end grazed its snout a few times, earning a few disgruntled snarls, but I couldn't land a solid hit.
Then, in a blur, its massive jaws snapped shut around the metal.
The force nearly ripped the pole from my hands. I stumbled forward, my arms shaking as I fought against the pull. It felt like I had tethered myself to a wild bull, I tried digging my heels in but imagine trying that on loose sand.
And then I noticed something that made my blood run cold.
The section of the pole in its mouth was glowing, red-hot. The metal warped softening from the heat coming from its body. The glow crept closer and closer to my hands, if I didn't act, I'd be forced to drop my only weapon.
"No," I hissed through clenched teeth. "You are not taking the only defence I've got!"
I twisted the pole violently and with a snap, the section in its mouth broke off. The beast snarled, tossing its head.
Seizing the opportunity, I lunged.
The now-pointed fragment in my hand darted forward, and by some miracle it plunged into one of its eyes. Not brain deep, but enough. The hyena let out a pained yip, jerking backward.
I didn't hesitate, I attacked, stabbing again at its exposed neck. My makeshift spear bit into its flesh, shallow but real. For the first time, the beast looked less like an untouchable nightmare and more like a creature that could bleed.
But arrogance is a dangerous thing.
I leaned in too far, convinced I could drive the pole deeper, end it here and now. That moment of over-confidence cost me dearly.
The hyena's paw lashed out. Claws ripping through fabric and flesh at once, a new pain in my leg joined with the existing pain in my arm. A scream was ripped from me, raw and guttural.
I staggered back, blood soaking into my jeans, warm and thick against my skin.
The beast's single wounded eye leaked molten tears. Its gaze fixed on me, wary now, its confidence shaken. For a tense moment, neither of us moved, the sand shifting.
Finally, it huffed, a rumble of frustration, and began to back away. Slowly. Its movements deliberate, its body low to the ground, never turning its back on me. I didn't relax, not for a second. I knew what it was doing. This wasn't surrender. This was patience. It would watch, wait, and strike again if I faltered.
The silhouette of the flaming hyena eventually faded into the storm of sand and heat, but I knew it wasn't gone. It lingered, somewhere just beyond my sight, waiting for weakness.
My legs trembled, and I nearly collapsed. Instead, I forced myself forward, towards my bags that weren't too far. I limped toward it, each step sending fire shooting through my injured leg.
Dropping to one knee beside the bag, I shoved my makeshift spear into the sand and rummaged through with shaky hands. I pulled out a diaper, some baby wipes, and the precious bottle of water. My chest tightened painfully at the sight, reminders of Kane, of why I couldn't give in to despair.
My pants were shredded where the claws had torn into me. The heat of the flames had cauterized parts of the wounds, but not enough to stop the steady trickle of blood. Gritting my teeth, I cracked open the water bottle. I wanted nothing more than to drink it all down, but my survival needed restraint. I took one sip, then soaked a few wipes and pressed them to my arm. The sting was terrible. I hissed through clenched teeth as I cleaned the gashes, then moved to my leg, pulling the denim wider to reveal the angry wounds beneath.
The wipes came away streaked with blood and grit. My vision blurred with pain and exhaustion, but I tore strips from the hem of my t-shirt, hands clumsy and trembling. I pressed the diaper against the deeper gashes on my thigh, it was the best bandage at the moment and I tied it in place with the fabric strips.
All the while, my eyes flicked toward the horizon where the beast had disappeared. I couldn't see it anymore, but every instinct screamed it was still there, watching and waiting.
I packed up quickly, my fingers fumbling as I shoved everything back into bag then secured it to the knapsack. Slinging it onto my back was aggravated the wound on my arm but it had to be done. I picked up my makeshift umbrella weapon as I straightened.
Then I turned. Not toward where the hyena had gone. Never that way. I chose another way, to the right, without hesitation. My wounds throbbed, but I forced one step after another.
The wind howled louder, dragging at my clothes, swallowing my footprints as soon as I made them. Behind me, somewhere unseen, I could almost feel the eyes burning into my back.
But I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
I chose right and I kept walking.