12

RAYA

Nick and I haven't said a thing since I took his hand. He kept leading me deeper into the woods. I kept hearing things but Nick didn't even look towards the eerie noises.

Then I heard chittering and roaring. It was almost like I could feel them. I stopped and Nick gestured for me to keep following him.

"The monsters, they're getting closer."

"Don't be ridiculous, Raya."

"Nick, they will eat us." He yanked on my hand and dragged me forward. "I have blood on me and the dead leaves we keep stepping on will being them towards us!"

"Walk." He growled.

"No-"

He then slapped me and I was thrown backwards hitting the ground hard. I let out a groan. And then I felt Nick on  me and for a moment I thought he was going to take advantage of me.

Instead he slipped his hands around my throat and began to squeeze. I clawed at his hands, trying to pry them off of me but he didn't budge. I then clawed at his face. He then tightened his grip.

I couldn't breathe, I was desperate air. This was going to be a painful way to die.

Then I found a bit of strength and shoved my thumb in his eye. He let out a cry of pain and he loosened his grip enough for me to push him off of me.

Once his hands left my throat, I took a deep breath and then tried to crawl from him.

And then out of nowhere a small demogorgon hopped from a tree and landed right beside us, looking at us both.

Then it ran towards Nick. But Nick quickly moved and grabbed his lighter from his back pocket. The demogorgon let out a angry scream and then looked at me.

I froze.

It seemed to be hesitating and then suddenly it flew at me, its hundreds of razor sharp teeth grazing my leg and cutting it.

I screamed and used my other foot to kick it in the face. Then Nick came out of nowhere started smacking the demogorgon with an axe.

Once it was only able to twitch, Nick lit it on fire and we watched it burn.

"Nick, listen."

"I don't hear anything."

"They're should be others."

"Well we don't want them here."

"But we just killed one of them. They're extremely smart. What if they all come?"

Suddenly there was a roar but it didn't come closer, instead it seemed like it was getting farther away.

"They're going back to the lab."

"Where had they been?" I demanded.

"Towards your house." He smirked. "Hope everyone is okay-"

I went to lunge at him but my leg gave out and I landed against a hard rock.

"That looks nasty. Worse than the time you tried to kill yourself." He crouched in front of me and grabbed a hold of my chin. "I wonder if Billy knows that you have so much baggage. He'll want nothing to do with you, will he?"

I spit and he grabbed my hair and yanked it hard.

I let out a cry of pain.

"I would fuck you right here but I don't want to freeze like you. I wonder how much they would have to amputate."

He stood up and looked at the burning demogorgon.

And I looked at the axe, a plan already formulating in my head.

I had to get home.