Night Fright

As soon as Ella stepped out of the club, the chill hit her, She shivered and pulled her thin jumper tighter around her. She wished she had brought a coat, but it didn't matter now. With a sigh, Ella began the long walk home. She had been walking for a few minutes when a roll of thunder echoed around the night sky and the first few drops of ice cold rain began to fall from the dark clouds hiding the stars from view. Ella glanced up, letting the fresh water run down her face. "Typical!" She groaned as the wind picked up and lightning flashed across the sky. She quickened her pace slightly, anxious to get back to the warmth of her flat.

Ella walked past the park and stopped. The park was large, dark and easy to get lost in. It was also, if you knew the way, a shortcut to Ella's flat. She groaned and looked around as another rumble of thunder reached her ears, shortly accompanied by lightning. "I've walked this was lots." She reminded herself, heading into the depths of the wooded area. Carefully, Ella picked her way through the gloom, the path occasionally lit up by the brief flash of light. The storm worsened and she sped up again. Ella hadn't walked far before falling to the ground, cutting her knee and spraining her ankle. She let out a cry of agony and froze as the bushes beside her moved and a low growl was emitted from them.

The smell of blood and the cry of wounded prey had alerted it to Ella's presence. It crouched low and growled as it's blood red eyes fixed on the helpless girl lying in the mud. Ella's own brown eyes widened as the next bolt of lightning lit up the figure advancing on her. She gasped in pain as she struggled to her feet. The creature's eyes narrowed as it train it's attention solely on her. Ella pulled off her high heel and threw it at the creature stalking closer. As the sharp heel came into contact with it's face, it let out an ear-splitting scream. Seizing her chance, Ella ran as fast as she could, limping. She chanced a glance back over her shoulder and saw the creature closing in on her. Ella screamed and carried on stumbling through the park, rain whipping at her skin. She waited for the blinding pain as the creature tore as her skin. But it never came. She looked, confused and saw the creature gently slowing down. Ella frowned and watched as it sped up again. She stumbled on further, eyes still watching the creature pursuing her. Just as it reached her, the thing slowed down. With a sudden wave of bone-chilling realisation, Ella gasped in horror. It was playing with her. She remembered seeing it on a Natural World documentary about wolves. They sometimes played with their prey before, when it was weak from running, killing it.

Ella had been running for 10 minutes now and she was getting tired. The thing behind her had not relented and she could tell it was getting bored. Her ankle was shooting pain up her leg with every step she took and the loss of blood was making her weak. In her heart she knew that the creature could sense she was weak and it wouldn't be long before it would be tearing her skin. As she ran, Ells swore she could hear the dripping of the saliva as it fell from the creature's jaws. Tears of pain of frustration rolled down her cheeks as the torment continued.

Ella peered round the dark. "I should be home now." She whispered to herself. She sighed in sadness. "I must have taken a wrong turning back there." She hissed as pain shot through her ankle again. She had to keep going. There was no way Ella was going to let this thing kill her without a fight. She looked down at her hands, one still clutching her other shoe. Ella's brown eyes narrowed and she spun round to face the thing. It growled and began to circle her. Ella's eyes followed it's movements waiting for the right moment. As the creature lunged for her, she dug the heel into it's flesh. It let out a strangled howl and backed away. Ella tried to run, but exhaustion was taking over rapidly. She hadn't got far before the creature pounced on her. Ella fell forward as the storm died down and the clouds cleared. As the first jab of pain that accompanied the first bite washed over her, Ella raised her head to the sky and screamed in pain. She gasped a the creature's claws raked down her back, tears springing to her dull brown eyes. She felt a sticky liquid run down her back and stain her long black hair. She lifted her hand, touched the liquid and raised it to her face. Her eyes widened as the red fluid gleamed in the dim moonlight. Horror filled her heart. 'This is it.' She thought. 'I'm going to die.' The creature bit down harder on her neck and let her blood stain her own pale skin.

The creature drew back, ready to deliver the final blow to Ella. It snarled and clamped it's pearly white fangs onto her neck, relishing her final scream of pain. It stood, backed off and let out a bone-chilling howl. Ella's vision began to blur and her world started to succumb to the darkness. The last thing Ella remembered before the darkness of death enveloped her senses was the howl of the creature and the clear full moon shining down from high above her.

As the sun began it's slow accent into the early morning sky, a naked form sat huddled by a rock. The man rocked back and forth on his heels, his eyes trained on the body of a girl covered in blood. He raised his blood covered hands to his face and let out an anguished yell as he grieved his last victim, the girl, Ella. His little sister.