The monster was slowly getting on her feet. She coughed, pressing a hand against her chest right where Mark had shot her. It was as if he’d only given her a good wallop and not an actual shot to the chest from a revolver. The monster shook her head once, twice, and then stood on an unsteady footing. For a second, her ears flattened against her skull, and she gave another deep cough before she straightened her shoulders.

On one side, the pack was looking at her and up at Mark. On the other, he and Veronica were staring down at the creature in disbelief. “But...” the young man whispered, his grip on the gun tightening. Mark’s mouth clenched shut tightly as the canine creature turned over her shoulder to look his way. Red eyes gleamed in the forest gloom. The snarl that followed made his blood chill.

Monster and human held each other’s gaze for a long moment.

There was a bark that drew everyone’s attention. Two of the smaller members of the pack were ripping out the roots that protected Barry. The younger sibling was shouting and kicking, trying his best to avoid being snatched. But even from up in the tree, Mark could tell it was only a matter of time.

A shriek followed as one of them grasped his leg and yanked. The young man was flung out of the hole in one swift move, as if he weighted no more than a sack of potatoes. Barry rolled across the dirt, crying out and clutching his bad ankle.

“Barry!” A shout, a scream. Mark raised the gun and took aim. The distance was at least fifteen meters. Would he be able to hit? What happened if he missed? He only had so many bullets. The monster might do that shadow thing right back up. Could she catch up instantly? Maybe he could scare her off?

He aligned the sights. Maybe a shot in the chest wouldn’t be lethal, but what about if it was in the head?

BLAM

The nearest dog that had been digging into the roots cried out. Blood sprouted out of her thigh. She stumbled and clutched at her leg, crying out. The noise had been loud- loud enough to startle the whole pack.

BLAM BLAM

Two more shots. Both missed, but the monsters moving towards Barry scrambled off, trying to avoid getting hit. The others began barking at him, the sound a cacophony of noise that punctured into his ears. Mark narrowed his eyes, sprinting towards the branch that led down to the ground. “Barry, run!” He shouted.

BLAM

How many bullets did the revolver have left? The anger rushed through his head like a ringing bell. His blood was pumping as he saw them hesitate, looking at his approach with apprehension. Veronica called out to him. He didn’t hear more than a muffled voice; he couldn’t hear anything other than the ringing that drowned out all else.

BLAM

This one hit one of the smaller ones in the shoulder. With a scream, she stumbled, spinning around and running. Others followed. It only fueled Mark to move faster towards his brother, turning his aim at the one with the white mark on her face. But she was gone before he had the chance to pull the trigger.

It was as if the shadows had swallowed her whole.

The human hesitated, looking over his shoulder, behind him, above, and to the sides. Where was she going to emerge from? He couldn’t see anything move or shift. Had she opted to run as well?

“Mark!”

The cry made him snap back to his brother. The larger black monster had reached Barry. With a yank, she pulled him into her grasp, placing him between herself and the armed human. The look in her eyes spoke it clearly. ‘I dare you to shoot’, a threat, the younger human being used as a shield. Mark felt his finger falter in the trigger. His grip was shaking. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to avoid hitting his brother.

For a heartbeat, it almost seemed like it was a stalemate.

Until the shadows crept up their bodies, letting the monster sink into the ground, sucking them both into the darkness.

“NO!” Mark roared, rushing forward.

The spot the black monster had been in had nothing in it, just dirt and moss.

“Over there!”

Veronica’s voice made him turn her way, seeing her finger pointed into the forest. He snapped his attention in its direction. Barry was slumped over the shoulder of the larger black-haired woman, thirty odd meters away. She was running, following the others into the woods. And she was running fast.

Mark instantly tried to run, to chase. For ten seconds he pushed himself to go as fast as he could.

But the monsters were faster, way faster.

He lost sight of them before he had even lost his breath.

A wordless scream left him. Heavy breaths followed. His hands clenched as he screamed louder.

Staring into the uncaring gloom of the forest, a tightness clung at Mark’s chest, his legs shook and everything appeared to collapse around him. Mark couldn’t look away from the darkness where he’d last seen his brother as he felt a punch of ice lance through his gut.

Slowly, his gaze turned to the gun. His fingers trembled, he pulled the revolver open. No bullets left. A second scream joined the first as he threw the firearm as far as he could. “FUCK!” Closed fists hit dirt. The pain helped him contain the red that was spreading across his vision.

“Mark.” The voice was soft, soothing. He didn’t stare at Veronica, keeping his eyes shut instead.

“Fuck,” he said again.

“We need to move.” Her hand gripped his shoulder, tightening as he punched the ground. “They might be back, we can’t stay here.”

“They took my brother.”

“I saw.” She knelt next to him, reaching down to grab his hand in her own and squeeze. “But we can’t stay, or the next ones will be us.”

“I…” He took in a long, shuddering breath. “I have to get him.”

“How? We’re slower, weaker. We don’t have any more bullets either.” She gently caressed the back of his hand. “And the black ones were bulletproof, it wouldn’t matter, anyway.”

“I don’t…”

“Mark, look at me.” Veronica reached down, caressing his cheek and nudging him to glance up, to meet her eyes, those black orbs that seemed to stare right through him with an extreme sharpness. “Barry wouldn’t want you to die like this.”

The name made his throat tighten, but he couldn’t look away. He deflated with a defeated sigh, nodding. “I…”

“You can mourn him later. We have to move.” She squeezed his shoulder. “Survive, it’s the best thing we can do.”

A second, much slower nod. The young man stood on shaking legs. He glanced around for a moment, spotting the discarded gun and moving to pick it up. His grip tightened on it before he placed it into his pocket. His mind felt as if it were moving on automatic, there were too many things buzzing across his skull to be able to focus on any one of them.

A long gaze stared into the forest, in the direction they had taken Barry.

He was still half of a mind to follow.

“Here.” Veronica gripped his arm, nudging him in a different direction. “Let’s get going, we have to find somewhere safe to rest.”

As she squeezed his hand, he clenched his jaw and nodded numbly.