Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ryan and I have gotten along better in the past few months now. We haven’t gotten close, not really. Since I kissed him on the forehead, he might have gotten even more distant. If I see him, he’s always doing something and doesn’t have any time for me. He ignores me.

                So today I’m doing something stupid. Reckless.

                He is going to hate me when it’s over.

                He’d gone hunting an hour ago, so he should be back any second. I picked up the gun by the door for my protection and unlocked the door to the cement house. I walked outside. The sun shone brightly and I squinted for about a minute. I hadn’t seen sunlight for forever. The warmth was wonderful, but with a haunting warning. I looked around and didn’t see any immediate danger. I cocked the gun and started walking towards where I knew Ryan hunted. I could see the dustbowl of the city from here. I kept scanning round for any Drailers, but none seemed to be a bout.

                It felt strange to be out here without Ryan. I had no protection besides a gun. That was it. The only other thing that protected me was a torn shirt Ryan had found once in an abandoned house on his hunting grounds. He had talked me into wearing it because it was either that or walk around without a shirt.

                It didn’t take much convincing.

                A snap of a rotten branch startled me. I became a deer in the headlights when I saw a Drailer about a hundred feet from me. We stood there staring at each other for a second. Then my body started to thaw and I could feel my heart racing. The Drailer started to run towards me. I turned to run back to the house.

                “RYYYAAAAN!” I screamed.

                It was useless, but I couldn’t help it. He was the only hope I had of living. I looked behind me to see the Drailer closing in on me. By this rate, the Drailer would kill me before I even touched the house. I could see it was a male. The ferocity in its eyes were something only a demon could muster.

                The Drailer reached out twelve seconds later and ripped my shirt. It dragged me down. My head hit the broken street. I yelped an earsplitting sound as the Drailer sunk it’s teeth into my arm. I could see the hunger in its eyes for not just tearing me apart, but something that only the dirtiest of people think of.

                I screamed Ryan’s name again.

                The Drailer was amused by this. He put his hand over my mouth and sunk the nails on his other hand into my side. He dragged them down my side. The Drailer put his face in mine and his breath rolled over my face.

                I started to sob.

                The Drailer smiled and went to tear me to shreds.

                I remember two parts of what happened next.

                Ryan’s power.

                And his rage.

                He picked up the Drailer by its shoulders and threw it to the ground he shoved me back and I could see the wrath and ferocious urge to protect me plain in his body and eyes.

                He roared.

                The Earth shook.

                The Drailer cowered like a little girl getting scolded.

                Ryan charged the Drailer and tackled him. He sunk his talons into the Drailers face and took it almost clean off. Ryan took hold of the Drailer’s arm and ripped it halfway off. He shredded the Drailer to pieces before the Drailer could ever even think of fighting back. The monster lay there, dead and limbs missing.

                Ryan stood over the monster, looking through me, like he couldn’t see me. His eyes glanced up at my face, and I could see the rage shake his body once again. He walked with that rage smoldering within him. When he was within two inches of me, I could see tears he fought to keep back.

                “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?”

                The boom of his voice directed at me made me flinch and almost fall over. He made no move to catch me. I held my side. It was gushing blood. He looked at it and then back at me.

                “YOU COULD HAVE BEEN MURDERED!”

                I started to cry again. Sympathy shown next to none in his eyes. He grabbed my shoulder and squeezed so hard I thought he was going to break me. He leaned in, touching his forehead to mine, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

                “I almost lost you,” he whispered.

                Then he started to weep.