Anchor
I felt pavement again, not daring to go any
further into the path of traffic. I watched transfixed as the light came to tree line, and then I
muffled a shout as the light split and blinked.
Not like a flashlight with dying batteries.
The light grew and revealed a creature, or at
least that’s how I was able to think of it. It was
feline in nature, like a panther or mountain
lion, but foggy and indistinct. It glowed pale
like the full moon light spilling over its ethereal
form. The body faded to mist entirely around
the ankles and trailed away into a fog that
permeated the boundary of the woods. The
eyes glowed yet brighter than the body, and
they turned to me. The cat held its gaze against
me as it slithered onto the pavement to block
my path. When it made sudden motion toward me, I abandoned my gas can and bolted
in the general direction of my car. As I turned,
though, it was before me in a brilliant flash of
light, still making its advance. I struck left of the
bridge then, sprinting down the sloping pathway toward the river.
My breath hitched with chill air on the descent,
my heart racing in panic. Cold and clammy
sweat spread along my chest and arms. Even
as I ran, I saw myself outlined in the shadow
of the creature’s light. I spared a frenzied look
over my shoulder, and my foot caught a large
rock embedded in the dirt. My arms pinwheeled, and I fell forward, landing face down
against my chest and sliding several breathless
feet before friction turned me on my side and
gravity sent me rolling. With each rotation, the
bridge loomed higher and higher above me.
My descent ended on the river bank. Silt and
pebbles grated against my hands as I tried
pushing myself up