Hunted by the Beast

s, and where time seemed to slow down, making life feel more like a gentle walk than a race. After spending most of her adult life here, she h

d of Main Street, with dusty wooden shelves, the smell of old paper, and soft jazz playing in the background. She'd inher

a busy day. The streets were quiet. Too quiet. She shrugged it off, locking the door with a sigh of

ght was

there was something unsettling about the way the evening felt, as if the air itself was holding its breath. She pulled her coat tigh

t... breathe. The trees along the street swayed slightly in the breeze, casting long, stretched shadows across the ro

ps crunching against the fallen leaves. The sound echoed again, growing louder, sharper. A growl. Th

ust the road, the trees, the deepening night. She strained her ears. Another growl. This time, it w

wild dog. There were plenty of them in these woods. But as the s

ng's ou

just being paranoid. The growls faded into the distance, leaving only the rustling of leaves in the breeze

en, it

ho

d, otherworldly sound that seemed to cut right through the air. Emma froze. This wasn't

d to the ground as her breath hitched. The howl seemed to go on forever, and

s screamed a

move, a figure emerged fro

ma

ngly still, like he was waiting. Watching. His face was partially obscured by the brim of a dark cap, but even in the dim light, Em

as low and rough, as if he

respond but couldn't find the words. She just s

whose howl had just sent her into panic mode. But there was nothing. T

ed to ask, her voice shaking

ickering toward the woods, a slight grimace twisting his lips. He didn't

" he said, his tone u

clouding her mind. "Wh

ed, his voice sharp, almost fr

skipped a beat. She looked toward the sound, then back to the man, his eyes now glow

losing the gap between the

make sense. He was so calm-too calm for someone who had just h

this man was, or why he was here, but her body was screaming at her to run. The growl ca

rabbing her wrist w

the street, her heart racing, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The sound of her footsteps was

didn't l

even