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It’s going to kill me. We both know it’s only a matter of seconds, and as the creature raises one furry paw, I can see its claws glinting in the afternoon rays of light.
One swipe, and it’ll all be over.
I close my eyes, ready for the inevitable, but then I hear it.
Voices in the forest.
“She’s over here!”
“I can see her!”
“It’s got her!”
“Move!”
I close my eyes, squeezing them shut. I still feel dizzy, and everything hurts. There’s no way I can move, even if I wanted to, but I don’t have to.
Someone has come for me. Someone has come to save me.
Forwal.
It has to be him. I know he’s come. He wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. He’ll do anything in his power to protect me. I know this more than I know anything else.
The pain grows and worsens, threatening to force me into sleep, and I struggle to stay awake. The creature is screaming, and someone else is yelling. Several someone’s. They’ve come for me.
They’ve come to save me from the monster.
I hear a loud thump, and I know without opening my eyes that they’ve killed it. It’s dead. I just know it, and I don’t care. I should be sad that something has died today, but I’m not. I’m relieved, and overwhelmed, and I’m so very, very tired.
“Open your eyes, Evelyn,” I hear his voice, and I have no choice but to obey. No matter what happens to me, I know that I must obey Forwal. There are some times I have options, but this is not one of those times. Even though it hurts, and I feel nauseous, I open my eyes.
And I see him.
He looks so strong, so fierce, but there’s something else there in his eyes.
Fear.
Why is Forwal afraid?
He’s never afraid.
He’s my brave, brave monster.
He’ll never let anything happen to me.
“Can you understand what I’m saying?” He asks. “Did he hurt you?”
“Yes,” I whisper. “He kicked my head.”
Forwal curses, but lifts me into his arms. The motion is fast and my stomach turns, but I manage to keep from vomiting. I can see the monster lying on the ground: an arrow sticking out of its left eye.
“Close your eyes,” he whispers. “I’m taking you home, Evelyn.”
“I don’t want to go back to the village,” I say, surprising myself. The idea of returning to my father sickens me and I don’t know why. I can’t imagine leaving Forwal. I can’t imagine leaving this life we have here together. I just can’t.
I don’t want a world without him in it.
I only want him.
