The monster lunged.
Its gorilla arms smashed into the dirt where Lira and Finn had been standing, sending a shockwave through the ground. Stones and branches flew like shrapnel. The beast bellowed—a sound like a cow being slaughtered, deep and wet, echoing through the trees.
Finn yanked Lira by the arm. "RUN!"
And they ran.
Branches tore at their skin. Mud sucked at their boots. Behind them, the monster crashed through the jungle, every step like a hammer blow. Trees snapped like twigs under its bulk.
One of the fleeing villagers wasn't fast enough. The beast's gorilla hand clamped down on him, lifting him screaming into the air. With one lazy swipe, it tore him clean in half. Blood sprayed across the leaves as the monster tossed the body aside like scraps.
Finn gagged but didn't stop running. "Don't look back!"
Lira, of course, looked back. "Oh my gods, it's like a farm, a zoo, and a gym got drunk and made a baby!"
Her frill puffed out in panic.
---
The chase tore through the undergrowth. Birds exploded from the canopy, shrieking. The ground shook so hard snakes slithered out of their holes, only to be crushed beneath the beast's fists.
It was gaining.
Finn vaulted a fallen log. Lira tripped on it, flailing. Her frill exploded outward, slapping against vines. By sheer luck, the vines snapped loose, dropping a massive beehive directly onto the monster's head.
The beast roared, clawing at its cow skull as furious bees swarmed over it.
"See?!" Lira wheezed as Finn dragged her onward. "Totally planned that!"
"Planned my ass!" Finn shouted.
---
The riverbank reappeared ahead.
They sprinted for it, but the monster was right behind, bees ignored now as it tore forward with bloodlust. Its gorilla arm swung, smashing a tree so hard it toppled across their path.
Finn skidded to a halt. "We're trapped!"
The beast climbed onto the fallen trunk, towering above them. Drool hissed as it hit the dirt, sizzling like acid. Its cow-skull face lowered, eyes glowing faint orange, breath hot and rancid.
It raised both arms to crush them.
Lira shrieked, stumbling backward. Her frill blasted out—knocking her right into the mud. She slipped, arms flailing, and crashed into Finn, knocking him down too.
The monster's massive fists slammed into the ground just inches from where they'd fallen. The force sent up a shockwave so violent the riverbank cracked.
And then—
The earth gave way.
---
The bank collapsed, sending all three of them—Finn, Lira, and the beast—tumbling into the river.
The monster roared as water engulfed it, its heavy limbs thrashing wildly. Its cow skull cracked against a rock, blood seeping into the current.
Finn and Lira were swept downstream, battered by waves. Finn coughed, flailing for a branch. Lira just spun in circles, screaming, "I HATE BATH TIME!!"
Behind them, the beast floundered, too heavy to swim. It sank halfway, clawing at the water as the bees still swarmed its face.
One final roar rattled the trees before the current dragged it under.
Gone.
---
The river finally spat Finn and Lira onto the muddy shore. They collapsed side by side, coughing, soaked, shaking.
Finn lay staring at the sky, chest heaving. "…We should be dead. We should absolutely be dead."
Lira groaned, spitting up river water. Her frill sagged flat like wet laundry. "…On the bright side…" she wheezed, "at least we got a free bath…"
Finn turned his head, glaring at her with exhausted fury. "…I hate you."
But somewhere downriver, in the black depths, bubbles rose.
And a shadow moved.
The beast wasn't finished.