I do not own any of the known disney characters.
new layout.
Chapter 4: In the darkest woods.
The bark hurt under her feet, and many of the branches were covered with small twigs, but Kim continued climbing upwards the tree.
She finally settled herself on a big branch, she looked down. She was about 30 feet above the ground. Down below the darkness was everlasting, she could see a few feet down the trunk of the tree, but that was it.
Kim listen the best she could, the woods was silent, but she knew that was no insurance. The werewolf was still there, she knew it. It could be sitting right under her right now looking up at her. She shivered, and hugged herself, she needed to feel safe.
Her thought continued to turn towards Josh. Her face filled with pain as she thought of him. She folded her hands and prayed.
"Dear God, I beg of you, let Josh be okay, let him survive this nightmare. Even if it means I won't make it out alive!"
Tears ran down her cheek, as she wept in her hands.
"… Please God, save him!"
The sound of a twig snapping was heard, and Kim jolted in her seat, she had to grab around the trunk of the tree to settle her self again. She looked down, but nothing could be seen. She leaned back against the tree. She thought of Josh.
The werewolf lowered its head from the sky, a looked at them with amber eyes, which glowed with an inner indescribable force. Kim and Josh, stilled shocked of what they just had witnessed, stood in the moonlight covered glade, unable to think or move.
The werewolf leaped at them, and Kim instinctively reacted, moving out of its way. She made a side roll and got up in kneeling position. She looked up just in time to see the wolf close its jaws around Josh's right shoulder. Josh screamed, and the wolf snarled as it threw josh to the right with a yank of its head. Josh landed on his arm and screamed again in pain. His sleeve soaked with blood, and drool from the werewolf's mouth, himself almost passing out from the pain. Kim knew she had to get the werewolf away from Josh, so she did the only think she could think of at the moment, she pulled of her shoes, and threw them at the wolf. The first shoe hit the back of the wolf, it turned away from Josh, and the next one hit it, toe-first, in the eye. The wolf whined and growled of irritation, and now turned its attention at Kim, then it launched towards her. Kim turned around and ran, and it was here the hunt through the forest began.
Kim was pulled out of her thoughts brutally, as she felt the trunk of the tree shake violently. She looked down and saw a hand-paw emerge from the darkness, followed by the werewolf with glowing eyes and open jaw. Kim screamed and tried to avoid the attack, but she fell backwards over the branch she was sitting on and fell down from the tree.
Kim's body was ravaged as she hit other branches and twigs on her way down, but thanks to her cheerleader training, she managed too land on the ground safe, but not unharmed. Her dress was now more of a rag, and she had bloody scratch and bruises all over. She didn't pay attention to them; she hoped the werewolf wouldn't be able to come down from the tree anytime soon, but her hope faded as she heard the sound of branches break and a loud bump as something heavy landed on the ground, it was followed by a howl that made her blood freeze.
She picked up her pace, and zigzagged between the trees in hope it would make the wolf lose track of her.
»Who am I kidding!« she thought, and began running in a straight line.
»I can't shake him off! I have tried, but he stays on my track, its hopeless, I am dead!«
She felt a urge to just stop and end it all, but then she saw some lights moving around not too far away, and as she ran closer she could hear voices. The lump of fear and panic that had in cased her heart fell apart, and a smile showed it self on her face, a smile of hope. With a feeling that she was flying she made her way to the light, and soon after she ran into the arms of a woman in uniform.
The woman gave out a small cry of surprise, Kim wrapped her arms around the woman a buried her face in the woman's chest.
"Help me, please help me!" she said not loosening her grip.
The woman looked at the three other policemen with her.
"I think we have found her!" she said, and laid a hand on Kim's head.
"Excuse me, are you Miss Kimberly Ann Possible?" the police woman asked in a soft voice.
Kim looked up at her, small tears of relief ran from her eyes, and nodded. The policewoman smiled at her.
"Don't worry, your safe now, we are going to get you home."
One of the men came over, scratching his head with a surprised look on his face.
"Well, that is the first time in a search, I have seen the missing person coming running right into our arms!" he said with a smile, but Kim suddenly felt the fear returning to her.
»What have I done!« she thought.
She had been afraid, and panic had gotten the better of her, when she had seen the light of the policemen's flashlights, she had thought the now the nightmare would be over, but in her relief and hope she had momentarily forgotten him!
She pulled herself from the policewoman.
"Easy, Miss, what's gone into you," the woman said as Kim began pulling her onwards, away for the danger she knew was lurking out there in the woods around them.
"We must get out of here!" she scream, panic was over her again, and she looked in every direction and was aware of any sound her ears could pick up. Nothing caught her ears or eyes, but he was out there, ready to attack.
Then they all heard three sounds, they lasted only a few seconds. The first was a quick rattle of some bushes, then a short shriek, and a loud cracking noise. All the officers turned in the direction of the sounds, grabbing hold of there guns, but nothing was to see.
"What was that?" one of the men asked, looking at the others, then he notice something.
"Hey, where is Frank?"
That was the only, and last thing the policeman would ever say again. The attack came fast and without a sound. It moved like a ghost, attacking from the front. It swung its claw and tore of the face of the policeman. Then the forest was filled with loud bangs as the remaining officers fired their guns at the monster.
Kim saw where the bullets hit the wolf, small clouds of blood stood out from its body from each hit, but it didn't seem to hurt it, just make it angry. The werewolf grabbed one of the men's head and ripped it clear of. Then it launched it self at the last policeman. He screamed as he was tackled to the ground, the werewolf buried its claws in his chest and ripped it open.
The werewolf turned around to face Kim and the policewoman, who now was shaking so violently that she couldn't hold her gun straight. The werewolf took a step towards them, and she fired the gun. The shot went into the woods, missing the wolf by 2 feet. She fired again, this time it hit the right shoulder of the werewolf, she pulled the trigger again, but the gun just gave out a little click.
She quickly tried to reload, but dropped her gun in the process. It was just then the wolf leap towards her. She screamed and dropped to the ground. She felt a brush of air across her back, and then everything went quiet. She looked up and saw that she was alone, it was only her and the bodies of her dead colleagues.
»Where is the girl?« she thought and looked around, but couldn't see her anywhere. She took the radio in her belt, and held it up to her mouth with a shaking hand.
"Group 1 to central, group 1 to central…"
Mrs, Possible was sitting at the kitchen table, her head resting in her hands, her tired eyes just stared out into the dark night, beyond the kitchen window. Her body wanted to sleep, to rest, but she wouldn't allow it. She would stay awake until they got home. She yawned, and held a hand in front of her mouth.
»How mom managed too stay up all those nights, I'll never know.« She thought, and then cursed herself for it.
The thought had brought back memories long forgotten, now they all came rushing back.
The dark hall, her doll, the image of her father standing over the corpse of her own mother, with his cane-sword in his hand!
She straightened in her chair, and looked out into the hallway. Under the coat rack stood, Charles's cane, a 39 inches long black staff with a silver orb as handle. She got up from her seat, and walked out into the hall, she looked down at the cane. She bended down and picked it up, she held it with her right hand under the silver handle, and her left hand further down the staff. She twisted the upper part with her right hand, and pulled. The part she held with her right hand came off easily, revealing a 34 inch's long blade. She looked up and down, the gleaming edge, mysterious symbols was carved into the metal. She put the cane-sword back together, and placed it back up against the wall. It looked just like a normal cane; no one would think it hid a razor-sharp blade.
She turned back into the kitchen. She shook her head, and sat back down at the table.
"Man, why did I pick up that cane." she massaged her temples.
"That what happens if you don't sleep, you do irrational things."
Slowly her head began to hang.
"No," she mumbled.
"I have to stay awake, I…"
Mrs. Possible drifted away into sleep.
The hall was dark and scary. The shadows changed shape in the moonlight, monsters with sharp teeth, longing for the flesh of a little boy or girl.
Little Annie hugged her rag doll, Mr. Boo, tighter, the doll had a bald head, and big buttons for eyes, it was dressed in a red tuxedo with a blue butterfly. Many found Mr. Boo's looks bizarre and scary, but not Little Annie, Mr. Boo was her friend and he would protect her from the monsters, her daddy had told her so.
She came from the hall into the living room. She walked over the carpet on bare feet, she could see light out in the main hall.
»Maybe daddy has come home!« she thought.
She looked out into the hall, but saw no one there, the light came from the kitchen. She walked over carefully, and peeked around the corner, a woman was sitting by the table. She was still dressed in her everyday clothes, but it was clear that she was tired, she was lying with her head on the table, her orange red hear covered her face, and her body rose and fell with her breathing. Little Annie walked into the kitchen, and stood beside the dozing woman.
"Mom, are you awake?"
The women raised her head startled, and looked around confused for a moment, then the woman's eyes fell on Little Annie, and she smiled calmly.
"Annie, is it just you, you shouldn't frighten me like that."
She took little Annie under her arm's, and put her on her lap.
"Now, what are you doing up?"
Little Annie looked into Mr. Boo's button eyes, before she looked up at her mom.
"When is daddy coming home?"
Her mom just smiled at her, and stroked her orange red hair.
"Annie, I told you that you should go to sleep, daddy will be back when you wake up."
Annie looked up in her mother's eyes, even though she was just a child, she could read the worry and fear in her moms eyes, she looked back down at Mr. Boo.
"Its dangerous work daddy does, isn't it?" she looked up at her mom again, and saw she bid her lip.
"Isn't it?!" Little Annie asked again, and looked at her mother, who was still hesitating on the answer.
Then she looked Little Annie right in the eyes, seriously and said.
"Yes, Annie, what daddy does is dangerous, but you must understand that, your dad is capable of taking care of himself and…"
"But what if something really bad happens to him?" little Annie burst out, letting out of the fear the which had kept her awake longer after her mother had tucked her in.
"What if he doesn't come home?"
She wrapped her arms around her mother, and her mom pulled her closer in, and hugged her tightly and comforting.
"There, there, Annie, don't be afraid of that, he will always come home, I know he will!"
"How do you know" Annie asked.
Her mother stroked her hair again, and said.
"Because, he promised me!"
Just at that moment, they heard the door open, followed by fast foot steps. A 6 feet tall man appeared in the doorframe to the kitchen, the man breathed heavily, his face was all sweaty, his dark hair, who had some shades of silver, was sticking to his forehead, in his eyes was the unmistakable gaze of terror.
"Charles!" Little Annie's mom said, her voice shaking.
"Dad?" Little Annie said, more wondering, she had never seen her father like this.
They both looked up and down Charles. In his right hand he held his cane-sword, the blade, shined red with blood in the light from the kitchen lamp.
"Sara," Charles said, his voice was hoarse.
"Get Annie out of here… now!"
Little Annie didn't know what was going on, but her mom, just took her in her arms, and walked out of the kitchen, passed Charles, and went through the hall and the living room. Charles followed them.
Just when her mom was about to leave the living room, they heard front door being smashed in, and a horrific creature appeared in the living room door. It was crouching, so Annie couldn't tell have big it really was, it was covered with fur, especially around the head, like a mane on a lion, its feet was big and flexible, it hands was claw-like, at the end of chimp-like arms, and from its behind it had a long rat tail. But what scared Annie most about the creature was its face, it was a wild boars, snot and drool dripping from its mouth and snout, its eyes was small and swamp green. If Annie would give this thing a name, it would be… a Troll!
"SARA, ANNIE, GET OUT NOW!" Charles screamed, he faced the troll, and raised his cane-sword in battle position.
The troll squealed.
»It even sounded like a boar« Annie thought in her moms arms.
The troll attacked, it dashed towards Charles who counter attacked, but the troll jumped out of the way of his blade, and somersaulted over his head, kicking him in the back while still airborne. Charles fell forward, and hit the floor hard, the troll was over him in an instant, clawing his back, ripping through clothes and flesh with ease.
The troll grunted and squealed, and Charles screamed in pain, as the troll buried its claws deeper into his flesh.
Sara put little Annie back down, who could do nothing, but stare at the scene. Sara grabbed a footstool, and swung it at the troll. It gave out another squeal, and was thrown of Charles.
"Charles, are you okay?" Sara asked, bending down to help her husband. Charles turned haft around.
"Sara, get out, I said get…" Charles looked at his wife, saw the concern and worry in her eyes, and her love, to him, to little Annie, but it was torn away from him, as the troll leaped at Sara. It grabbed her head with its long fingered claw, and pushed her backwards, and with a force six times stronger then that of the average man, it crushed the back of Sara's head against the wall. It released its grip on her head, and Sara's body slid down the wall, leaving a trace of blood and grey matter on the wallpaper. She ended next to Little Annie, who just stood there paralyzed, staring into the hollow eyes of her mother, who for a moment ago had been alive.
The troll's attention was now on Annie. It was standing a few feet away, its small eyes widen, as it looked at her, a purple tongue licked around its mouth, and then it spoke!
Its speech was most a gurgle, but she understood was it said.
"Yum, tasty kiddy meat!"
It reached out its hand towards her, and she screamed!
Then the troll was violently pulled back, it growled, and turned to see Charles holding its tail.
He yanked in the trolls' tail, and swung it around, and smashed it into the living room table. Charles didn't waste time, he jumped on top of the troll, and thrust the cane-sword into its back.
He screamed at the top of his voice, while he again and again, thrusted the cane-sword into the troll.
At last he stopped, and turned around to face, Annie. She saw tears running down his cheeks, as he walked slowly over to Sara's body, still holding his cane-sword in his hand.
In the back of her mind, little Annie knew, that she would never forget this image, of her father standing over the corpse of her mother. Then Charles began to sob.
"I told you to get out," he said," I told you!"
Mrs. Possible woke up from the dream, and looked around. She saw the kitchen watch saying. 1.16 AM. She rubbed her eyes, she had been sleeping for 16 minutes, and John and Charles had been gone for tree hours.
She stood up from her seat and began pacing back and forth; she was unable to find rest.
Jim and Tim was sound asleep upstairs, unworried in their dreamlands. She loved them, her kids, and she knew that if anything should ever happen to them, she wouldn't know what to do.
Sometimes she was scared of what Kim did, going on missions, battle all sorts of villains and terrorists. She was not only worried for her sake, but also for theirs
She feared that, one day Kim would come home, not knowing that some criminal had followed her and would attack the minute Kim came in side their house, and that Kim would not be able to fight back in time.
»Just like dad!" she thought.
Her father, she had lost her mother, because he didn't fight back in time, because he had led the troll to their house!
"Stop it" she said to herself.
It had been those thoughts, which had broken her relationship with her father, she had blamed him, and she had rejected him and everything he stood for.
Then they had tried to patch things up again after she had met John, but that had all been destroyed again by Charles, he had wanted Kim too follow in his footsteps, but Ann had seen through his plan, and told him, that if he didn't stop, he would get too see his grandchildren again.
Ann stopped for a moment and looked out into the darkness through the window. Her farther, he was out there with her husband, she hoped they could find Kim.
Kim came bolting out of the woods.
She stopped as she saw her surroundings; she was out of the forest! Before her laid a bare field, and a few yards ahead she saw a car passing by on a road.
»I made it!« she thought.
Another car came up the road, and Kim began too run towards it.
»If can reach that car, and get a lift, I'll be safe, then he wouldn't be able to get me!«
As she run she heard the unmistakable sound of something make its way out of the forest.
She was exposed out here, and she had no trees too hide behind, or climb up in, the only thing she could was run, and hope she reached the car in time.
»But what if I can't get them to stop«
The thought made her run faster, but her tired legs couldn't anymore, therefore when she tried to pick up her pace, she tripped.
All the air was knocked out of her, she tried to get up and force air down to her lungs again, when she saw a shadow covering her. She looked back and saw the werewolf standing tall in silhouette against the moon light, its amber glowing eyes being the only clear features, and they looked right into her soul, it was a look of confident, as if it whished to say.
"This time I have you, girly, and boy its going to be good!"
Kim closed her eyes, and waited for the inevitable blow from the werewolf's claws.
Then a loud bang ripped the air, followed by an agonizing yowl.
She opened her eyes again, and saw the werewolf grabbing its left shoulder, blood was oozing out between its fingers, and a stream of smoke was rising up from the wound.
"GET YOUR FILTHY CLAWS AWAY FROM HER!" the voice came from behind her, it was demanding, firm, and familiar, but overall furious.
Kim turned too see who's voice it was.
Up by the road, next to a car stood Charles Edgar Hartmann, and in his right hand he held a smoking six shooter.