After I see the dead man I stumble my way down the mountain. All the boys have to know that there is no beast. I barely pay attention to what I am doing, bumping and scraping my way down the tree line. The dark clouds loom overhead, threatening to let loose a downpour at any second. This fills me with a sense of urgency. They are having some sort of gathering, so at least they are all in one place. That will make telling them that much easier.

I practically run through the forest, tripping over tree roots and fallen fruit as well as getting tangled up in creepers. One of them loops around my ankle, causing me to fall flat on my face. Ignoring the pain shooting through me I carry on, racing against the storm. The first rumbles of thunder sound and lightening steaks across the sky. There is a definite impact, the sound echoing as fat water droplets fall from the sky.

The sound of the boys becomes louder as I near them. As I get closer my pace quickens. I can see the much lighter gap in the trees. I'm almost there. My reckless running causes me to fall once again. Thunder and lightning rage on as the boy's chanting and screaming becomes even louder. At this point I'm forced to crawl to the edge. Still, they must know at all costs. I think I hear something about killing the beast. There is no beast.

"There's a dead man on the hill! The beast isn't real; it is only a body..." They surround me and I end up in the center of their chanting circle. Still they say something about killing the beast.

"It's a man on the mountain, a body!" Sharp pain shoots through me as I am jabbed with their weapons. It takes me a moment to realize the screaming is my own.

"No, oww, stop! There is no beast! No beast..." Eventually the pain takes over. No longer can I speak to warn them. The beast they believe in doesn't exist. All this time fear was for no reason. In the final moments I am left alone with the pain. Slowly it fades away, sound dimming and receding as darkness takes over. My last thought is perhaps I was right. There is a beast, but we are the beast. Then the darkness swallows me until there is nothing. I am dead.