CHAPTER ONE
"Belladonna Louise. That's me!" I wave to the watchful eyes. I was smiling wide, not feeling hindered by the stranger's gazes. After all, I had asked to share my story. "I must say that it will be a pleasure sharing my story with all of you! " I smile cheekily, tilting my head with raised shoulders and my hands clasped behind my back. My long brown curls cascaded off my shoulders at the movement. "It may be a little choppy because I am doing my best to remember everything, but I have a very poor memory so just bear with me! I hope you all enjoy!" With that I straightened and waved. Sending one last smile to you all, I waltz off.
Fear. That is the one emotion I lived with every moment of my life, and at this present moment it was stronger than it had ever been. I had felt fear as my mother brought my brother into this world, and I had felt fear for his safety every second since. Except this time it was a terrifying fear for my own life. Looking back now, I would give anything to go back to the easy life of fretting over my brother.
I was dashing through the forest, running as fast as my little nine year old legs would carry me. My normally braided chocolate hair had come undone and was flying behind me. A few strands stuck to the sweat peppering my face, to my mouth, and even the blood that covered my arms and clothing, yet I paid that no mind. My hands were clutched to my chest, a small fur blanket in my fists. My almost black eyes were scanning my surroundings, taking in every inch of forest. Trees towered over me, their trunks as wide as the monsters and higher than I could ever measure. Most would think these trees would be great places to hide, but I knew better. I knew what liked to hide among the trees. After all, I had grown up amongst the roots of an exceptionally large tree yet still managed to be found.
My breath escaped my mouth in gasping pants, my legs screamed for mercy. However I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. To stop would mean the earth shaking footsteps that followed me would get me. They had already devoured my entire clan in one go. I also knew that even if these footsteps didn't get me, the three following it would.
Hope blossomed in my chest as I noticed a very large knot in the base of a tree. Sap oozed from a whole torn in the center. This was perfect. It not only hid my body, but it also hid my scent. My pursuers would have hunted me anywhere I hid, except here.
I altered my course swiftly, almost falling by the sharpness of my turn. I regained my balance and continued to book it. I could make it just a little bit farther. I wouldn't die this close to a reprieve. I would press on, for the sake of my family.
Seconds from my destination, a fist slammed into the ground. It sunk deep, sending chunks of forest floor showering down around me after I lost my balance. I slammed into the ground hard, yet I refused to stop moving. I began pulling myself closer with one arm before I was able to crawl, then stand. I began my sprint again before the monster even had time to bring his second fist down. Just as the second blow connected with the ground a few feet from the opening, I slid inside. It was an extremely small hole, so small a monster could definitely not fit its hand through. I panted hard, my breathing leaving my throat scratchy.
Tears welled up in my eyes as the adrenaline finally wore off. I presses the blanket to my face and began to let the sobs wrack my exhausted body. Depression and realization hit me like a ton of rocks. They were dead. They were all dead, and I had almost died with them.
It had been a fairly normal day, the clan going about its daily work. I was doing deliveries as usual, handing out packages to all the different families. My little brother was by my side, cheekily holding his poor animal pelt blanket a little too hard. The fur had long since been hugged off, yet he refused to give the raggedy thing up. He was too young to technically be doing any work, seeing as he was only three. Yet he liked to tag along with me and hand out the packages I gave him every now and then. Good practice, was my thought process.
In the clan, children didn't work till they were seven. So me, being the 'mature' nine year old I was, was doing my chores. I had been finishing a delivery to an elderly man living by himself when my brother grabbed my skirt. Huge quakes were shaking the earth.
"Sister?" He whispered, terrified. I patted his back, crouching down to his level. I didn't look at him or answer him as I pulled him into a hug. I did this often as a way of soothing him and giving me a chance to think. I peered over his shoulder towards the only natural light that filtered through the roots. Something was casting a shadow over that light. Something big.
Before anyone had a chance to even scream, a huge hand broke through the roots. My eyes widened in horror as the large fingers wrapped themselves around two unsuspecting women. They screamed as they were lifted up, their arms and legs swinging. One of them broke away, but her cries stopped as she fell to the earth. In the stunned silence, I could hear the crack and squelch as she hit the ground. She was dead.
As the woman hit the ground, it awoke the rest of the clan. Women and children alike began screaming and running wild. My arms gripped tighter around my brother as my mouth opened and shut like a fish. I was frozen.
I watched in horror as the giant creature brought the struggling woman closer to its gaping mouth. I almost threw up as I watched the monster bite her body in half. I shoved my brothers head closer to me as I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my head in his little shoulder.
"I'm scared, Bella!" He cried, and his tears began soaking through my shirt. His voice broke me from my stupor and panic began to build up. I had to find mother! They needed to be safe too!
"C'mon, Mark! We need to find mother!" I tugged on him, standing up. Before either of us could even move, something began shaking above us. Dirt rained down on the two of us, and I quickly engulfed my brother again to protect him from the shower. As soon as it started, it was over. The tree, our protection and the roof of our home, was ripped away.
As the dust cleared I opened my eyes and looked around. I couldn't hold down the scream as I looked into the faces of giant monsters. I had heard about them, but never believed they existed till now. And now there were four horrific faces staring down at me.
"We hafta run!" I cried, trying to stand up. I lifted Mark up to help him stand, but he had gone limp.
"Mark?" I whispered, my horror and panic mounting. I screamed again as I saw the odd angle of my brothers neck and the large gash on his forehead.
"No!" I Screamed, clutching him to my chest. Any one but my brother! Large tears filled my eyes and a sob escaped me. How had it all come to this? How had my life been ruined in a matter of seconds?
After a few moments of agonizing grief I managed to somewhat get my senses about me again. The culprit for my brother's death, a large rock, lay a ways away. I looked around, finally noticing the panic of the rest of the clan. There were many crushed, many mangled, and a few were hanging from the monsters mouth. Myself and a dozen others were the only ones left standing. I was currently farthest from the monsters, and a new hole had been created a little way off. I could escape.
My mind reeled as my arms tightened around my brothers shoulders, his skin going cold. I couldn't leave him. Even in death. My tears returned and I let out one last sob into his tiny chest. But how could I escape? He was too big and I too little.
"I'm so sorry!" I wailed, before gently laying him down. I kissed his forehead, closed his eyes, and sat, there for a moment more. "I'll live. For you." I whispered. I finally stood, choking back a sob. His blanket lay not far, and I made a decision. I grabbed the blanket and ran. I would survive. For him. For everyone.
I opened my eyes as I saw a long monster finger trying to squirm into my hideout. I squeaked, my sobbing stopping abruptly. I wiped my face on the blanket, scooting farther back into the hollow. It wasn't very big, but it would hopefully protect me till the monster lost interest. The finger scrabbled around a little more, the ground shaking as one of the other monsters moved. My guess was they were all kneeling towards my hole.
"How had it all come to this?" I whispered to myself, pulling my knees to my chest. I looked down at my hands aa they held my brother's prized possession. They were shaking violently and blood from the attack covered them. I was positive the rest of my body looked the same. My brothers blood covered my shoulder and chest where his head had rested. I had tried bringing him with me, I had. But I was too weak. All I had managed was this mangled and tagged blanket.
I was cold. So very cold. And hungry. I wrapped the blanket as best I could around my self before laying down on my side. Mt back was pressed against the wall and my head facing the opening. My adrenaline had drained me, and so, on an empty stomach, I managed to drift into a fitful sleep where the horrors of today played over and over again. I knew this was only the beginning of a lifetime of sleepiness nights. However, tomorrow would prove how long my lifetime would be.