Untamed

UNTAMED

WRITTEN BY

STEVEN JERAL HARRIS

EDITED BY

EMERALD BLUE OKIKI

WHAT THE HELL?

Episode 2

‘You’re a brave girl Iva Hill.’ It says to me in a different voice, a man’s voice. ‘Brave but very, very, foolish. Don’t you know a killer is on the loose?’ The thing looks over its shoulder at me, revealing its utterly bizarre facial features.

I flinch hard at the first sight of its hideous face. Since my mind can’t fabricate what I’m looking at, my mind goes void for a second. It appears a man is wearing a dog’s mask of some kind, but when it growls at me I know it’s real by the way the muscles

in its face create an angry expression. Its skin is that of a human, but its eyes are spaced apart with very large droopy bags underneath them like a hound dog, and its nose is large with a mole on its tip. All of its teeth are pointy and its abnormally wide mouth is dripping saliva. I feel another dose of fear hitting my bloodstream, which causes me to hyperventilate. Slowly, it rises off the ground and faces me. The cloak it’s wearing falls off in the process and is carried away by the wind current. This thing is tall, maybe 6ft 6inches in height, and also very thin, maybe 140lbs. Long arms are attached to his narrow shoulders with 3inch razor-sharp nails on each finger.

‘You are afraid,’ it tells me.

Its voice is also very odd. The tone in his voice is very weak and low, like an elderly man. As it speaks, my muscles tenses up, making me unable to move, and my breathing increases which prevents me from talking.

‘You should be, am I not something to fear?’ It asks and then swiftly charges at me with a hand lifted into the air, ready to swipe those sharp nails at my face. Now it’s coming towards me at an alarming speed. It’s fast approaching and I’m too scared to move. My breathing stops and my body tenses up like never before. It’s coming and I don’t know how to defend myself against it. Luckily, instinct blinks on like a bulb before he’s able to swipe me. I swiftly dodge right and stumble onto the forest floor, covering my hands in cold mud and leaves.

The tall creature is now standing where I was with its long sharp nails stuck inside of the tree I used for support. That’s a close call. If I didn’t move, that tree would’ve been my face. Angry at itself, I watch it struggle to pull its hand from out of the tree side. Here’s my opportune moment to flee, so I do just that. For reasons that remain unknown, someone… actually…let me rephrase, something is trying to claim my life. Am I scared? If I could somehow measure the horror I feel right now, it would be in a category of its own. Some say when you’re caught in a dire situation your mind goes into a fight or flee mode. As you can tell, I chose the best alternative for me without hesitating. Seriously, who can blame me for doing so? My small feeble frame wouldn’t stand a chance against this thing.

‘This is not over, Iva Hill!’ The creature shouts through the fog from a distance.

All I can hear is my shoes crunching into the leaves on the forest floor as I continue to run for my dear life. I know death comes for us all, but I prefer the scenario involving no pain and me being a very old woman sleeping in my bed. If only.

I take a quick glance over my shoulder to keep track of the creature’s progression. Luckily for me; it’s not on my trail, not just yet at least. I shift my eyes forward again and notice that I’m surrounded by mist. I can’t see the field anywhere. I stop for a moment to look around for a clearing. I need to find a way out of these woods before it’s too late.

‘Help!’ I scream at the top of my lungs as I frantically look around for an escape route. All I can see are bare trees and the gloomy mist that stretches as far as my eyes will allow me.

‘I’m coming for you!’ The creature’s voice echoes throughout the woods. I yelp and begin to sprint in a random direction, hoping to God it’s the right way.

‘I can smell your fear!’ The creature’s angry voice yells at me somewhere in the distance. My legs are moving as fast as they can, but the fallen trees and large branches on the forest floor makes it hard to run without stumbling. I try my best to hurdle over them so I wouldn’t lose my constant speed. Then, I notice a glimpse of hope; the woods are thinning and the grassy field is coming into view. Come on, almost there, I think to myself as the field gradually approaches. Shortly, I dart out of the woods onto the field of green. The road is roughly 50 yards ahead of me, so I tamper with my limits and run faster to find someone, anyone, who can save me from this—whatever this thing is.

‘Help, someone help me!’ I scream at the top of my lungs as I continue sprinting. Don’t stop running. Don’t stop running I’m constantly reminding myself in my head. I glance over my shoulder again and see the creature bursting from the woods. My soul jumps from my body when I notice it charging onto the field. It stops only momentarily to look around for me. Its large bloodthirsty eyes meet mine. Yet again, my heart cringes with fear as he discovers me. When it spots me running away, this makes the creature angrier. Now, it has become a vicious hunter and I’m its prey of choice. It starts to chase after me with its hands chopping the wind like a professional track runner. My panicky mind is working overtime for a plan B, because my first plan, run for dear life, is failing horribly. I look forward again at the road growing 30 yards in front of me. I push myself even harder, trying my best to move my legs faster than before. I ignore my weakening stamina and the urge to catch my breath. I have to, if I stop now I’m going to be ripped to shreds. Still, as I turn my face to check on the creature’s progression, I witness its speed double. This thing is determined to kill me. What did I do to deserve this? It’s as if the creature’s determination to kill me far exceeds my determination to survive. Just look at it running like a professional track star, yet I can barely move my legs already. I shift my eyes forward and see a small ditch in the grass, but my reflex isn’t quick enough to avoid it. I trip and hit the grass hard, landing on my chest which forces the air from my lungs. I then turn onto my back and see the creature closing in for the kill. The expression on its face is fulfilment, as if it’s been aching for this kill for a long time. It’s too late to do anything. He’s coming so fast I can’t get up to run again or even scream. It reaches its hand back and prepares to drive its long razor sharp nails into my face.

In this very moment, when every bit of hope is lost, a black mass comes leaping across the air, and collides into the creature. Their collision creates a sound similar to erupting thunder. Suddenly, the park bench to my left explodes as the creature’s body goes flying through it. Its body bounces off the dirt like a rock skipping on the surface of water, and then it rolls to a rough halt. Now it’s across the field lying motionless on its stomach.

‘Oh my God, oh my God—,’ my words come out uneasily, mixed together with deep uncontrollable breaths. At my feet, to my left, I spot this huge heap of black fur. Suddenly it begins to rise off the grass until it’s standing on all four paws. Slowly it turns and faces me. I feel my joints tighten harder than before as its deep yellow eyes penetrate through my eyes and consumes my soul.

Then it hits me, I’m staring into the eyes of a male lion. He takes a couple of steps toward me and lowers his huge face close to mine. Off reflex I lean away from him. He stares at me for a moment, breathing deeply through his nose which causes my hair to flow back. I think my heart just stopped.

‘Are you alright Iva?’ The beast asks me in a deep, bold, voice. And for the second time in my life, I’m too appalled, too mesmerized to speak. It’s just too much madness to take in at one time. I’m staring into the eyes of a talking black lion, who is staring right back into mine. He is so close I can feel his breath against my face. I open my mouth to speak but my words are trembling badly.

‘I’ve heard of you—you are—you are…’ I try to speak and fail horribly. The massive lion leans slightly closer and reply boldly.

‘I am Mane.’