Kierra

I try to grab for her arm, but something knocks into me before I can reach her, my glasses go flying from the force. At first, all I see are glowing brown eyes, the impact to the ground knocking my breath away, then I cry out as pain shoots through my already injured arm, elbow hitting the concrete. The heavy weight of someone on top of me pushes down steadily.

Anthony raises his head, long tongue slipping out of his mouth as his hands hold my arms down. His face looks weird with glowing reflective eyes. The wet appendage obscenely runs over my face, and as I watch, his face changes, the skin over it moving as if alive. Not waiting to see what happens, I turn mine away and move my legs to kick him off of me. I hear Faline scream.

My legs falter as I panic, my knee sliding off a hard leg harmlessly. He grunts and my eyes shoot to his face. What was a human male face is now gone, and a beast has taken its place. Short, shaggy brown fur covers a canine face but does not hide the open mouth full of teeth. Very sharp teeth.

My mind is whirling. This can't be happening, not for real. This is impossible. I hear my little sister scream my name. I really begin to panic now.

I scream, kick, and claw at the thing on top of me. His hands holding my shoulders down have grown fuzzy with what feels like daggers for fingernails. Claws dig into the bone as I watch, frozen, while his muzzle bears down on me, biting into the hollow of my injured shoulder. I scream as vicious pain tears through me.

Why is no one coming to help us?

Tears run from my clenched shut eyes as his clawed hands rake down my chest and stomach. I can feel the skin split, I've never felt pain this intense. Hot blood scents the air and runs freely.

Opening my eyes, I raise my right arm, hitting at his face, pounding down on his muzzle. He barely looks fazed as he gnaws at my collarbone. Fire trails where he's licking at the blood, then the bone snaps. My breath leaves my lungs in a harsh gasp.

Legs work at kicking him off me, but he's much too heavy now. My left arm is useless, twitching every once in a while from the nerves that he teases with his tongue and teeth. I'm able to get a kick in at his groin, even with his body distorted as it is, he yelps.

The claws slashing at me graze off ribs, I scream some more, trying not to blackout from the pain. My mind is crazy and whirling. I can't hear Faline anymore. Where is she? Is she being attacked by a creature too?

My punches aren't fazing him, just hurting myself more as I push him into my injuries. I aim for his eyes, which are closed as he laps at my opened shoulder.

Steam rises from both his breath and my wounds, white bone protrudes from my torn skin. I only have one chance to get this right, otherwise; I'm dead. I stiffen my thumb and plunge it into his unprotected eye, stabbing into the soft tissue, plunging deep as it gives way; breaking open like a squished, overripe grape.

He rears up above me roaring and howling in pain. What remains of his eye runs down along his canine face, the socket filled with bloody mush. What I see above me is no wolf, but not human either.

A male humanoid body combining with animal fur is on his knees, screaming in pain. His legs start to bend and contort, bones popping. Looking like a seven-foot-tall dog walking on his hind legs, a tail worms out from behind him.

Long fingered clawed hands clutch his face. Not wanting to waste the advantage, I pull my legs into my stomach, and with as much force as I can muster, I kick both legs into his very nude, very male groin. His one good eye shoots open as his tender bits get kicked into his spine. His screams pierce my eardrums.

Good thing I'd already been born deaf in my left ear.

"You bitch!"

He gasps at me while clutching himself. High pitched sounds escaping as he relearns how to breathe. I look around for a weapon, anything to help me.

Of course, nothing is around.

I try crab-walking backward on my elbows, my left side totally lame, leaving me to push myself as my arm just drags next to me. My abdomen and ribs scream at me while using my legs to thrust my body further away.

The rain is still coming down but I didn't really notice it when he was on top of me. I can feel it now as it pelts down on raw nerves. I wheeze with pain, my ribs hurt so badly.

My shirt is in shreds with my blood everywhere, mixing with the sky water. Taking a quick look down at my body, I pray I haven't been eviscerated.

Nope, innards are still in my body...barely.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you slowly!"

My hand lands on a chunk of cement about the size of my fist as he lunges at me. Everything seems to slow down all at once. I see his one eye filled with rage, the blood, my blood, covering a snarling face covered in dripping eye fluids.

I also see long, curved claws reaching for me. Blood drips steadily from between his legs, which is only seen from lightning flashing above us, lighting up the area for a split second. Enough for me to get my aim just right.

I bring up the clump of cement, smashing it into the side of his face just as his jaws open. They snap millimeters from my skull, if I hadn't jerked back, I wouldn't have a nose, let alone a face. As it is, I have to fight from falling back from avoiding the attack, which has my body burning with agony.

The blow knocks him off his course, but he isn't down yet. I bring it up again, hitting him across his busted eye. The crunch of bones cracking can be heard before he yowls.

I try to bring my other hand around, but it won't work. I grip my only weapon in my hand as I pull my legs under me, rising to my knees. Even with the adrenaline coursing through me, the debilitating pain in my chest and belly slows me down.

I reach my feet too slowly for my liking. He's still on his...are they called knees? Nope, he's just crouching really low. His screaming hurts not only my ears but my head, grating like nails on the inside of my skull.

I wobble closer and hit him again. And again. Bringing my arm up and around as hard as I can. He finally falls and the silence is loud, even though the rain is coming down harder.

My breathing comes in loud gasps and pants as I stand above him. The left side of his face is a bloody ruin, while my whole body hurts. Limp fingers drop the cement onto his head. It hits with a wet splat before rolling off.

Faline!

I whirl around looking for her, having to stop for a moment as the dizziness overtakes me, the need to vomit strong. I don't see her anywhere. Blood smears the ground; his and mine.

I look down at my hands. They're both covered in blood, my right hand has a small bone shard stuck in it. I cringe and try to pull out what I can with my injured arm, but it still won't move.

Unable to hold it back anymore, I stumble away a couple feet and fall to my knees. My right-hand flies out, catching me just in time before I fall over and expel everything in my belly. The left side of my collarbone screams at me.

A continuous stream of tears fall from my eyes as the harsh upheavals bring up acids, then nothing. Squeezed shut, color bursts explode behind them. I'd broken my collarbone when I was younger, but I don't recall it feeling anything like this.

The smell of blood is strong around me, not even realizing that I myself am still bleeding everywhere. Wiping my hand across my mouth, I try to stand. It takes a few tries, but I'm finally able to get to my feet.

Opening my eyes as they fill with more tears, I stumble towards the woods. Hard to see without my glasses, but I need to get home. I need to call someone. I need to find Faline.

My blood falls to mingle with the dirt and fallen leaves as I stumble along, falling against trees multiple times, just to drag myself back up. Have to keep going. My mind is blank except for the thought to find my little sister.

I'm in shock, I know that much. With the adrenaline fading from my body comes the onslaught of mind-numbing pain. I'm just walking past the burned-out house when I burst out laughing. My mind has come to the conclusion that this is all a dream, and I'm about to wake up at any time.

"Anytime now. Yup. I would really like to wake up now."

I stumble and fall to my knees, crying.

Faline is gone. I have to find her.

Getting back to my feet slowly, my right hand rubs on my pants. When I notice, I stop, vaguely remembering that something had gotten stuck in it. Hot tears fall from my eyes, making it really difficult to see.

My chest is throbbing, stomach burning, my back feels as if it's been ground against jagged shards of glass. Ribs protest each breath. I can no longer feel any pain in my left arm, but it still won't move. In the back of my head, I remember that being a bad thing, not to mention the exposed and broken clavicle bone.

Rain continues to pelt me as I reach the edge of the tree line that surrounds our house. Leaning heavily against an old oak tree, I stop and look at it.

I have to find Faline.

Blood smears against the rough bark as I push myself away, trying to walk faster to the front door. My ribs shoot pain through me as I try to breathe evenly, it doesn't work, as gasps escape in sobs. Here's to hoping they aren't broken. That would be just my luck. Just walking up the single step sends pain shooting through my whole body.

Unhooking my keys from a belt loop, I move to unlock the door, pushing the key into the lock. Miss the hole, but the door slides open. Weird, I know I locked it.

I step inside without turning on the light. Water and blood drip down to make a puddle as I stop and frown down at my keys. A quick question popping up as to why I didn't try to use them as a weapon. I shake my head, dropping the things as my hand goes to my forehead, pressing hard.

I need to find my baby sister. I have to find Faline.

"Faline..."

I fall to my knees, then forward onto the floor with that as the last gasp on my lips.