~ Chapter Four ~

I screamed and ran. I don't know if Jonathan followed suit, and I didn't care. I had to find Jack. I stopped and looked around. Everyone was in a panic, running. I didn't see Jack. I had to hide. I saw a low branch nearby, and swung up into the tree. I kept climbing higher and higher. When I finally stopped for a breath, I looked around. It was absolute carnage. Bodies, torn apart, were strewn everywhere. I started to cry. Why was it hunting us? I'm sure it must need food, but there were plenty of animals in the area, according to Jonathan. So why was it hunting us?
I heard a crash, and a scream. I looked down to see it, the creature. It was tearing at another victim. It tore him apart before my eyes. I started to cry again. It suddenly whipped its head around at the sound. I whimpered, and shut up. Its cat-like eyes searched the surrounding area. Good thing I was in a tree. It walked with fluid movements, its skin rippling over strong muscles. Its fur was a course black. It looked like a sort of panther, but it was as big as a bull. Too large to be a normal wildcat. It opened its mouth in a growl, its ears pressed back against its skull. My heart beat faster, if it were possible. It's teeth were at least a foot long. It roared loud and clear, its long tail and longer claws whipping about everywhere. My heart jumped into my throat. Its cries soured through the jungles. A flock of birds took off from my right, scared off by the beast's roars. It took one last look around, and then it bounded away. I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath, and let it out shakily. Then I broke into tears.

~**~

I must have fallen asleep while I cried. My back was stiff, and my joints creaked painfully from lack of movement. I looked around. I still didn't believe it was safe to get out of the tree, but I couldn't stay here forever. I cautiously made my way down. I jumped down from the low branch I used to get up into the tree, and landed on both feet, crouching. I quickly looked around, and then ran for the camp. When I got there, I searched for Jack. The people were already packing up and moving on. I screamed Jack's name. No answer. I asked a few of the stragglers, but none of them knew english.
I couldn't give up. I knew Jack was alive, I just knew it. Finally, I ran to an old woman, hurrying to catch up with the group. I asked her if she'd seen the man I came in with. "Tall man, dark hair?" she asked. I was so relieved that she spoke english, even if it was only a little. I nodded. She pointed north. "He run that way, creaming name," she said, "Muh-leese- uh! he scream." I cried out a thank you, and headed north.

~**~

As I traveled north, screaming Jacks name, I realized I had to eat something. I searched my pack, and found a few biscuits. I sat down, and nibbled on one. I really wasn't hungry, but I need to eat. I was humming, contemplating how many biscuits I could eat a day to make them last, when I heard a crash behind me. I stood up, whirling around, brandishing the sword Jack had given to me. Jonathan came stumbling through the bushes. I grabbed him. "Oh, thank God!" I cried, "Where's Jack?"
Jonathan looked at me and sighed. "Not well, I'm afraid." I watched him for a moment. "Well," I said, "take me to him." We walked through the jungle for a few minutes. I heard chanting. We came to a clearing. I gasped when I saw Jack. I ran to him and dropped myself by his side. A man was chanting incantations over him. Jack was cut, a deep gash across his chest and shoulder. I t wasn't too deep, or bleeding very bad, but the cut was infected. There was greenish-yellow pus oozing out of it. He was feverish, sweaty. I rubbed my hand through his tangled dreadlocks. "Jack," I whispered, my voice cracking, "can you hear me? It's Melissa." Jack continued to moan.
Jonathan grabbed my arm, and pulled me away to talk. "It ran at him. He was lucky he jumped out of the way when he did, or you'd be looking at a headless man." I nodded, and looked at them man saying incantations. "Who's he?" I asked. "That's the village priest, Mek-una," he said, looking at me, "I found him wandering around, so I brought him here to heal Jack. He does that."