Warning : Gory scene ahead

Back to present :

Gathering courage, she grabbed a nearby branch trying to climb a tree atlest wolves can’t climb trees , she thought, when she felt something grab her leg . She shrieked and tried kicking off its hold on her leg but instead it’s claws dug into her skin as she let out a sharp cry.

Distracted, she lost her balance and slipped from the tree landing on the ground with a loud thud. Ground? No, no, no .

Lia sat up at once wincing at the pain at her leg but that was nothing compared to the fear that crept her heart when her eyes met glowing brown eyes.

Oh God. She cried. Is this how her life was going to end?

She knew it was a bad idea coming here but she was just too intoxicated to care. There was a reason why haunted houses were avoided by sensible people but she had bluntly and stupidly arrived to her death.

They were exploring the haunted house when they heard a deep guttural growl, the next they know they were being chased by a rabid wolf who was keen on hunting them now.

Hyperventilating, Lia tried to run but tripped on a root and fell face flat on the floor .

“Ouch” She winced but didn’t have time to check her wounds cause the low rumble from the wolf dragged her back to reality. She was in really deep sh*t.

The wolf didn’t lunge at her , just circling and watching her quietly and intently. It was probably figuring out the slowest and pleasurable way to end her since they were bloodthirsty savages.

Suddenly, their eyes met sending a shudder down her spine. She tried to avert her eyes having read somewhere that one shouldn’t look a wolf in the eye, cause it’s seen as a challenge and doesn’t end too well but it was too late.

The wolf leaped towards her which she narrowly escaped but incured some injuries. She looked down on her stomach,to her horror, she discovered her clothes were soaking with blood.

She sucked in a cold breath leaning on a nearby tree. Thankfully the moon was bright tonight , illuminating the whole woods that one could see without the aid of a torchlight.

Sorrowfully, she sighed.

She was really going to die on a such a beautiful night. She glanced at the wolf and swore she saw a bone chilling smile on its face.

She’s definitely dead meat.

The scent of her blood seem to excite the wolf with the need to ravage her and it acted upon it, launching its second attack.

This time it pushed the escaping Lia down to the ground, it’s powerful jaw snap and slobber just inches from her face as she struggled to push it away.

Successfully launching a kick that tossed it a few meters away from her, she cowered away squinching at every movement she made.

She clasped her stomach tightly, she was bleading profusely. The wolf had slashed deeper at her stomach and arm during its second attack .

She snorted, so this was where she would actually end up? It was quite funny . She suddenly realised she hasn’t done a lot of things in her lifetime. Heck! she hasn’t even had her first kiss yet.

Lost in her trance, she slid her hands unconsciously into the pocket of her dress and took out the mini led pocket touch.

Earlier before coming to the acceptance party , she had ransacked the basement and found this item along with other strange items that probably belonged to her dad.

She had taken a fancy to the touchlight due to the intricate logo crafted on it’s side and kept it in the pocket of her dress hoping to study it when she returns. But atlast, she was studying it on the verge of death.

The mini torch was in the form of a stylus pen with gold coating and a logo of a small humanoid creature carrying a quiver of arrows on its side.The logo was fascinating, definitely a masterpiece.

The wolf stood on its hindlimb preparing to launch its final attack. The kick from Lia was infuriating, so it hoped to finish her this time with one clean sweep . It growled , propelled itself madly towards her.

Concurrently, Lia choose that moment to spontaneously lit the torch, it’s beam landing straight on the wolf’s eye.

Immediately, a long, loud , high-pitched cry rent the air. The scream, so inhumane and distressing that it caused her to close her ears with her hands. She recognized that sound right away, it was the scream of someone in pain.

Did the torchlight hurt it? She pondered. She had never heard of a common torch having the ability to hurt a wolf unless this wasn’t an ordinary torchlight at all . There must be more to it than the eyes can tell , She thought realizing she has tumbled upon a rare gem.

If there was anything she learned in Little Town in this few hours, is probably the fact that nothing in this town was normal. There seem to be a lot of secret paranormal activities going on and no one was complaining.

Lia realized she might have a chance to stop this rabid animal from consuming her body, atlest she wants her body intact even if she dies eventually and not in the belly of some animal.

With a killing intent, the wolf rose again but this time she stared it straight in the eyes hoping her feelings would be conveyed. This time she wasn’t scared, she was angry and would fight to death.

As if it understood her message clearly , it roared in protest but when it saw Lia’s determined and attacking stance, the wolf slowly backed away and then ran off.

Once it was no where to be found and never returning , she slumbed against a tree with her chest heaving , exhaustion taking over her body.

She have fought a good fight.

Suddenly she coughed sputtering large amount of blood , she wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Eventhough she emerged victoriously, she suffered a great loss, one that was irreversible .

Even if help arrives at this time, she’ll probably die from bleeding before reaching the hospital. This was a pretty large wood, it’ll take some time before she’s located.

She let out a hysterical laugh, it was pretty amazing what alcohol can do to the human brain . She was so intoxicated that she had covered such a large distance in a short time, infact she couldn’t remember most of the journey, she had only sobered up a bit after entering the haunted house.

She thought of the tomboy, was she calling for help? or did she orchestrate this all along?

Lia looked up at the bright moon as if searching for answers.

Was she a victim of some crazy conspiracy?

If true, what’s their goal? What’s the benefit of her death tonight? Why her? A lot of questions roamed her mind but no answers.

She thought of her family and suddenly wished there was a way to warn her family to leave this crazy town.

She had a lot to do and say to them. She wanted to tell Trevor she was going to miss his taunts, warn Rex not to jump on her bed in her absence and thank her mom for raising her but nay, no time.

A tear slipped down her cheeks, this was really the end.

“Cold and lonely ” She murmured before her eyes closed in death.