After an exhausting few hours of traipsing over stony hillsides in the deadening heat, they finally reached the outskirts of the lush forest. It started with one lonesome tree but gradually they became densely packed. No longer would they have to keep one eye on the sky in terror.
Tabitha appeared to relish the change of environment as she ferociously hacked her way through the dense undergrowth. I simply let her at it. I was already tired and my face was burning sore from the light source. The shade was of immense comfort.
He smelled the threat over the flowers a few seconds before hearing it. It was the smell of rotten flesh. Tabitha froze before looking back at me. Her face was frozen in fear. Then we heard its roar. It reverberated through every cell in our bodies. The ground was shaking. I pointed to the base of a large tree and we both tried to hide behind it.
Then an enormous beast rushed passed us. Its long neck flapped back and forth before the beast sunk its teeth into its lower neck. The two of us looked into each other’s eyes and then ran trying not to trip on the roots and brambles. We need not have worried. It had its prey.
After a few minutes, we stopped and took a breath.
“Your face is all red. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I replied, “it’s my white skin and the light.”
“Not good, I am worried about you. Come on, this way.”
Sometime later, we finally reached the railway line. The plan was simple. To stop the train so we could board.
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