9. Eliza

"Keep going," I pant absentmindedly. "Keep... Keep moving."

My gasps for air come in sharp bursts as if my chest is caught in a vice. My feet fight against the tangled maze of roots, impeding my progress and sending me stumbling through the darkness.

The distant, otherworldly creatures unleash mournful, gut-wrenching howls that pierce through the stillness of the night. My body tenses as their cries fill me with an unshakeable sense of dread.

The air grows thick and oppressive, suffocating me with the putrid stench of decaying earth and death. My heart races like a wild stallion, and each beat echoes in my ears as a stark reminder of my own mortality. I am on the edge, teetering between the realm of the living and the dead, my fate hanging in a precarious balance.

"Abbadon..." I whisper into the night. "Where are you?"

A deafening echo reverberates through the forest, a chilling warning that I am not alone. My heart hammers in my chest as my eyes dart around, desperately seeking any indication of potential danger lurking in the shadows.

The rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs only add to the sense of foreboding that fills the air. Every nerve in my body is on edge, ready to spring into action at a moment"s notice. It feels as though even the trees are holding their breath, waiting for the impending threat to reveal itself. My pulse races like a sprinting horse, fueled by fear and adrenaline. In this treacherous wilderness, every sound could be a deadly predator lying in wait.

As fear creeps into my heart, I strain my ears for any sign of potential threats lurking in the darkness around me. But all I can hear is the eerie stillness of the night, broken only by the rustling of leaves and distant howls of unknown creatures.

My mind spins with the possibility of what could be lurking in the eerie stillness. Is it just my overactive imagination conjuring up phantom sounds to fill the void? Or is there something truly sinister hiding just out of sight, sending shivers down my spine?

The silence seems to amplify every creak and rustle, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. I hold my breath, straining to hear any indication of movement or life in this desolate place.

But all is quiet again, save for the faint whisper of a breeze through the trees. Or is that just another figment of my imagination? I still can"t shake the feeling that I am being watched, and it sends a chill through my body.

The forest"s stillness is suddenly broken by a low, guttural growl. Its menacing tone sends shivers down my spine, and every hair on my body stands on end.

In that moment, I realize I am not alone in these woods. An unseen presence lurks in the shadows, watching my every move with curious eyes.

"A-Abbadon," I call out to him hopefully. "Is that you?"

I listen to the rustling of leaves and branches, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. But all I can hear is the pounding of my heart, and all I can feel is fear creeping up my skin like a thousand tiny spiders. The once peaceful woods now feel like a dangerous maze filled with unseen predators.

Instinct takes over, and I begin to run, my feet pounding against the uneven forest floor. Branches whip at my face and arms as I push through them, fueled by fear.

I don"t know how long or far I run, but eventually, exhaustion sets in, and I collapse to the ground, gasping for air.

In the stillness of the night, I can hear nothing but my own ragged breathing. But deep down, I know that whatever is out there is still watching me, waiting for me to make a move.

Panic washes over me as I realize there is nowhere to hide in this desolate forest. No escape from whatever lurks in its shadows without my demon guardian to guide me.

I try to calm myself down and assess my situation. Maybe if I stay quiet and still enough, it will lose interest and go away.

But the words come out before I can stop them. My voice quakes as I whisper, "Who"s there?" The words barely make it past my trembling lips, drowned out by the rapid thudding of my heart. No response comes, but the dark shadows and rustling leaves seem to echo with an ominous presence—I am not alone.

My breath catches in my throat as I discern a slight movement—a subtle shift in the darkness. I squint, trying to pierce through the thick veil of gloom, and then I see him. A figure looms out from the dense foliage, his form barely more than a phantom, edges blurred by the night.

"W-Who are you?" My voice betrays my fear.

His silhouette blends into the shadows, and he seems to glide forward with an otherworldly grace. But it"s his eyes that truly capture my attention—glinting with malicious intent. They fixate on me like twin coals set to ignite the tinder of my fear. They bore into me like two burning flames, daring me to make a move. My heart races, and my palms grow clammy as I stand frozen in place, transfixed by this ominous being before me.

With trembling hands, I manage to choke out a warning. My words are like brittle leaves in autumn, dry and fragile. But there"s an undercurrent of strength, a spark of defiance that has carried me through years of neglect and hardship.

"Stay back!" I command. "Or you"ll regret it!"

I refuse to surrender without a fight, even as my legs threaten to give way beneath me and my voice is reduced to a mere whisper in the vastness of the woods. The air is thick with tension, the trees looming ominously overhead like guardians of this hidden realm. Every nerve in my body is on edge, my senses heightened as I prepare for whatever may come next.

"Don't come any closer!" I shout out at him.

Ignoring my desperate warning, the figure moves closer with an eerie grace, his steps deliberate and measured. Every movement radiates a predatory patience, like a wild animal that knows its prey is trapped and vulnerable.

A lump forms in my throat and the taste of dread is heavy and bitter on my tongue. My body tenses as if anticipating an attack from the looming darkness that surrounds me. Yet, amidst the fear and uncertainty, a small flicker of hope ignites within me.

The hunter"s shadow looms over me. The branches overhead cast dappled shadows across his face, making it difficult to discern his features. But the unmistakable curl of his lips reveals his malicious intent. He creeps closer, each step creating a loud crunch of twigs and leaves beneath his heavy boots.

"Hush now," the hunter says, his voice sinister and laced with intent.

With each passing moment, my heart beats faster, and my breath catches in my throat as I await his next move. His presence sends a shiver up my spine, like an icy finger tracing along my skin. His sinister aura shatters the stillness of the forest, and I am left paralyzed with fear in its wake.

"Why so frightened, little rabbit?" His voice slithers through the darkness, heavy with mockery. "The woods are no place for delicate creatures like you."

I recoil from the sound, trying to make myself smaller and less noticeable, but it's useless. The moonlight, a traitor in its beauty, spotlights my vulnerability, casting me as the star in this twisted play.

"Please," I whisper, my voice breaking on the word. It"s pitiful and weak, and it fuels his confidence. He knows he has me at his mercy.

He laughs—a low, guttural sound that crawls along the ground and up my legs. "Begging won"t save you."

Before I can even process what is happening, his hand shoots out like a coiled snake, tightly gripping and tugging at my hair. The sharpness of the pain hits me like a bolt of lightning, causing me to gasp and whimper instinctively. With a forceful jerk, he forces my head back, forcing me to stare into those eyes filled with malice and cruelty that are now dangerously close to mine.

"Look at me when I speak to you," he snarls, his putrid breath assaulting my face like a knife.

I am nothing but helpless prey caught in the unyielding gaze of a ruthless predator, stripped of all defenses and reduced to mere trembling flesh.

His voice snarls like a rabid animal, harsh and guttural, as his putrid breath assaults my face like a knife. The stench of decay and aggression fills my nostrils, making me feel like helpless prey caught in the unyielding gaze of a ruthless predator.

His grip on my scalp tightens, igniting a searing pain that shoots through my body like an electric shock. Tears blur my vision as I realize the depth of my solitude in this moment, trapped with nowhere to run or hide. Fear has taken hold of me, squeezing my heart in its icy grasp until each beat is a desperate cry for mercy.

The icy grip of terror tightens as he takes a step closer, his dark intentions etched onto his sneering face. My heart gallops in my chest. Each beat a deafening drumroll, leading to an inevitable fate that I cannot bear. Like a helpless rabbit caught in a snare, I am at the mercy of a hunter.

I close my eyes, and the air is shattered by a deafening roar.