Make Me Soar (Monster Match season two)

Chapter Four

S omehow Perry didn’t scream. He wasn’t entirely sure how he didn’t because he almost shit himself when she spoke. The puff of air on his left ear had Perry shooting off to the right. He heard her laugh again but ignored it as he shot through the trees in the opposite direction from where he’d heard her voice.

Jumping over fallen logs, he barely took in the fog that lay thick and heavy on the ground or the way it wrapped around his legs. Perry struggled to see what lay ahead of him, a thick blackness all around him. He knew the moon was out, but here under the canopy he only saw shards of light breaking through. It was dark, and he knew he had to be careful, but he couldn’t risk going too slow in case she caught up to him. He had an active imagination, but he didn’t need it then. He knew what she would do to him if she caught him.

Something hit the ground in front of him, and Perry skidded to a stop. Another drop followed by another. Rain. It was raining, but it looked strange. Like rain, but more viscous, heavier, thicker. Perry didn’t have time to investigate because he heard a grating laugh close behind him. Far too close.

“I can smell your fear, human. I want to roll in it. Cover my skin in it and let it sink in deep. It’s like a drug that I want to wallow in.”

Perry whimpered and took off again. He only managed a few steps before he tripped over a root and fell. Fortunately, a branch broke his fall when his head hit it and he lay stunned on the ground, the cold water seeping into his clothes, tendrils of fog wrapping around his body that appeared to caress his damp skin.

Struggling to stand, Perry staggered to one side but managed to right himself. He placed a hand on a tree trunk, then snatched it back when it felt like something had licked it. He stumbled away and almost fell again, but somehow managed to remain standing. He heard running coming straight at him and he took off in the opposite direction, ignoring the branches that slapped at his face or ripped at his clothes. He would rather be dead than let her get her hands on him.

He also had to find a way back to the safe zone. The longer he was out here, the more danger he was in and not only from the monster that chased after him. There were things out here that could hurt him, even kill him. After they had spent God knows how long torturing him for fun. Maybe break his bones and eat his flesh or skin him alive and feast on his screams. He had to circle back to the safe zone, but he had no idea where he was or what direction he needed to go in. All he could do for now was stay away from Grailaine and hope he didn’t run into anything more deadly than her.

“Come here, little human. I only want to taste you.”

The voice was far too close for comfort, and he put on a burst of speed running from Grailaine and where he thought her voice came from. He ran out of the trees and across a field with hip height grass, or what looked like grass. It shimmered in the moonlight, and Perry stood transfixed as the shimmer ebbed and flowed along each strand. He walked on, his hand running along the strands, before he glanced behind and saw Grailaine burst from the trees. She saw him, grinned, then ran after him, eating up the distance between them at a speed that shocked and terrified Perry.

Perry gasped, then sprinted away, somehow faster than before, finding the energy from deep inside. The grass slowed him down but he kept moving because slowing or stopping wasn’t an option for him. Either of those risked a higher chance of being caught, and he knew she had something nasty planned for him.

The blob-like rain still fell and Perry wiped his face, heading towards the trees in front of him and shelter from the weird weather around him. A shadow rushed over him and Perry looked up but saw nothing. He made the mistake of looking behind, his eyes bulging from his head when he realized Grailaine was literally feet away.

He rushed toward the trees in front of him. He had to make it to them so he was out of the open, and when he reached them, he shot inside and jumped over logs, stumbled over roots, desperate to get away. Suddenly he was flying backwards, and he landed on the ground in a heap and lay stunned for several seconds. Hearing a soft chuckle, he glanced to where he’d heard the sound and saw Grailaine watching him, crouched low to the ground.

“You gave me a good chase, but I got you in the end.” Grailaine crawled over to him and Perry scurried back, then spun around, pushed up, and ran back toward the field. Something hooked his jacket and shirt, catching his skin, and he ripped them open, shrugging his shoulders so they fell off, and he ran back into the field, glancing over his shoulder. Grailaine had hold of his clothes and, as he watched, she lifted it to her nose and inhaled.

“The sweet scent of fear. Intoxicating.”

“Fuck off! Go and find a human who wants to be with you and likes all of this. I want to go home.”

“My my, little human. You are home. This is your home now. You won’t be leaving and there isn’t anything your precious laws can do to help you. You left the safe zone, Perry. You ran out and whatever happens now is on your head. You’re in my world now and I know things that you don’t. I know what kind of monsters live here.” She took a step closer, and Perry took a step back. “Where are you going? Nowhere, Perry. There is nowhere for you to go. You’re mine, little human. My pet, and I’m going to do whatever I want to you.”

Another shadow rushed over the grass and Perry quickly glanced up, then back at Grailaine, who laughed. “Don’t worry about him. He likes to watch but never gets involved.” Walking closer as Perry walked away, Grailaine stalked him, her eyes laser focused on every move he made.

“Leave me alone. You’ve had your fun now. It’s time for me to return home.” Perry kept walking backwards, watching Grailaine stalk him. “Just fuck off.”

“Silly human. You think I want to date a human? No, I want a toy, a slave, and you looked good enough, and now I have you.”

“A what?” Perry shook his head, then spun around and ran back the way he’d come. He hoped he was heading in the right direction, but at that point, he didn’t care. He needed to put distance between him and Grailaine. He ran forward, then was suddenly flying backward through the air again, to land in a heap on the ground. He stared up into the night sky, the dark clouds flowing by quickly, the full moon bright when it appeared. A shadow crossed over it and Perry blinked his eyes. The rain had stopped, but it didn’t matter, and why was he noticing that?

Laying stunned on the ground, Perry ignored how wet and dirty he was and lifted his head. All around him, the tall grass swayed gently in the soft breeze, and he pushed himself up into a sitting position, groaning as pain flooded his body. He didn’t see anything until he heard a dull thud followed by a scream filled with shock and anger. “No! He’s mine!”

There were two of them out there? “Fuck.” Perry scrambled to his hands and feet, then shot off running, and he didn’t care where he headed. He only knew he had to escape.

He heard what sounded like a fight behind him, followed by another scream. but he didn’t look back. Running back into the trees, he found one that had plenty of branches and began to climb. Once he was halfway up, he braced himself against the trunk and sucked in lungfuls of air as his heart threatened to pump itself out of his chest. He had to calm the fuck down because he didn’t want either of them to hear him.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on picking up any sound around him. There was nothing. No sound at all. Then he heard a grunt followed by a groan, then low whispers of sound like Grailaine and whoever had stopped whatever had happened between them and were now talking. Were they coming up with some plan to capture him and roast him over an open fire? Gnaw on his bones? Suck the marrow from them?

Perry shoved his fist into his mouth, biting down hard in an attempt to keep his whimpers quiet. Pulling his legs up as close as he could without falling out of the tree, he shivered as the cold air brushed his clammy skin. Having no shirt on meant Perry had no defense against the weather, and he’d been soaking wet for some time now.

A scream suddenly filled the air and Perry pushed back against the tree, closing his eyes as he tried to regulate his breathing. When he heard Grailaine scream, “He’s mine!” he almost pissed his jeans. They were fucking arguing over him? Like he was a piece of meat? Maybe he was to them. Grailaine had made it clear she thought he was less than her because he was human. Why the hell had he agreed to this date? All for a bet? Was it worth it? Because he wasn’t feeling it right then. What he was feeling was terrified!

“No! You can’t have him!”

Perry curled up as much as he could. He considered climbing down and running away, but he had no idea what direction he needed to take to make it back to the safe zone and he didn’t want to risk running into Grailaine and whoever or whatever it was she was arguing with. It was better to stay where he was and wait it out. Eventually they would leave and then he could find his way back to the portal and never, ever return!

He’d completed the bet, and he was never taking part in another one. No chance. No matter what the bet was, he would never take part in it. He could watch the other three, but he would be a firm no from that day onward. No more bets for him, and that way he would never lose one and suffer this hell again.

That’s if he got off this world in one piece. He wasn’t a religious person, but right then he would pray to any and all gods if he got home alive and relatively healthy. Shivering, he gritted his teeth together to stop them from chattering. His goosebumps had goosebumps, and he held his breath when he heard a branch snap nearby. A minute passed, and he heard what he assumed to be a bird or some birdlike creature swoop through the trees and pass where he was hiding.

He needed to find out how long he’d been hiding for, but he’d lost his phone somewhere along the way, so when he felt enough time had passed, Perry gingerly climbed down the tree and tip-toed out of the trees and into the field. Pausing, he searched the area, but didn’t see Grailaine anywhere. Exhaling, Perry rubbed his head with his hands and made his way across the field. The grass was wet, the ground muddy, and each step felt like it took Perry an hour to make.

Cold and scared, Perry kept his head on a swivel, looking everywhere while he was out in the open. As soon as he reached the other side and made it back into the trees, he’d be safe. Well, safer. Kind of. He thought. Actually, he had no clue if he was safe or not, but he couldn’t stay out in the wilderness. He had to try to get back to the safe zone, then the portal, and go home and forget this place ever existed.

Each step took him closer to the portal. That much he knew to be true. Maybe. “Fuck. I could be going the wrong way for all I know.” He squeezed his eyes shut, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. His throat ached as he forced back his tears. He couldn’t fall apart right then. He had to get back to the safe zone.

Rubbing his arms, Perry’s teeth chattered, and he shivered in the cold night air. “I’ll probably die from hypothermia before I make it back.”

A shadow raced over the grass and Perry dropped into a crouch, looking up. The moon shone brightly, and the thing flew in front of it, blocking out all the light. Perry held his breath, his eyes growing wide. What the hell could fly and block out the light from the moon? It had to be huge. Dropping onto his hands and knees, Perry crawled towards the trees ahead, looking up and around, pausing to listen to the surrounding area. The shadow didn’t appear again, but Perry knew he was a sitting duck out in the open. From the height whatever it was flew at, it would easily see Perry on the ground. He had to make it to the trees, so he was out of sight of whatever monster flew overhead.

The shadow appeared again, but this time it appeared larger, and Perry froze, his body trembling. What the hell was it and, more importantly, had it spotted him?