Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 3 2018 | Page 168

A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
Island School, Hui, Yu Hang, 13
He’s so close now.
I
can smell his flesh, his fear coming off in waves. I can hear his panicked breathing, his feet straining to
reach safety.
The thing chasing him, it’s so loud. He will hear it long before it reaches him. Does it expect to capture its
prey by out-running them? That’s a fool's plan. They’re scaring away all the animals within miles. I will
have trouble hunting in the next few days. It doesn’t matter though. I will have something else to feast on.
For once in my life, I have the Gods behind my back. My mouth is moist with anticipation. What will he
taste like, I wonder? Will he taste like a normal human being, ruby-red blood brimming with sweetness, or
will he taste special? Will I feel the golden ambrosia trickling down my throat, sending heat waves down my
core as it travels through my body or will I feel it go through me in a flash?
What will satisfaction taste like?
He’s so close now.
∼
The forest seems to go on forever, giving no clue to those unfortunate enough to venture in the next time
they’ll feel the sun shining on their face. Leaves and gnarled branches with a life of its own gave him no
mercy as he ran past, the heavy robes useless against the shrouded evil.
The dense canopy of leaves seems to go forever, with only the occasional streak of moonlight reaching the
forest floor. Only his crinkling footsteps thumping against fallen leaves and his pounding heart indicated that
he still remains free from the clutches of the monster behind him.
His legs are struggling to keep running, his heart laboring to keep pumping, his lungs fighting to keep
breathing, but he mustn’t let it succeed in reaching its goals. He didn’t know how long he had run, but the
sky was bright when he started, and he hasn’t stopped since. All he knew was that he had to keep running,
no matter how his body begged him to give up.
An eternity had passed before a clearing appeared in the distant. No, it was the end of the forest, a great big
field open to the sky. Keep running, he thought, you would be safe if you reach the field. Keep running.
His body refused to cooperate. The forest was pulling him down. His eyelids were dropping. Keep running.
Keep running. Keep running.
He was too tired. His vision had started to blur, and he can no longer run straight. “Keep… running…” He
stammered out with his remaining strength before his legs buckled and sent him sprawling into
unconsciousness, a fingertip’s length away from the field.
∼
He woke up to the clear harmonies of bird and the leaves rustling in the slight breeze. The smell of leaves
doused in morning dew slowly brought him back to consciousness. It reminded him of his home, of a time
before running and fleeing.
It was almost too comfortable to wake up from. With a jolt, all the memories from the last few days caught
up with him. The beast is not far behind.