Chapter 2: Part 2
"Hey stop that kid!"
I slide down the little hill from the highway and continued running straight, following the broken trees and large tracks, shadows passed over ahead and I immediately took cover in the trees.
The swifts I saw earlier circled the area before flying ahead, they probably looking for me now as well as that Walker.
Once I was sure the coast was clear I came out and continued running ahead.
This is dangerous and stupid! oh, now you think about the danger?
What are you even going to do when your face to face with the monster? Are you going to yell at it? Throw a rock?? Or perhaps you were hoping to talk to the thing and invite it over for a spot of tea or have you forgot your fear of them?!
I shut out the voice in my head so I could focus, even though it was right. I don't have a plan, I just ran in without thinking. Focus Zita, you'll cross that bridge when you get there, first try not to get spotted and find that driver before anything happens.
As if on queue I heard screams of panic up ahead followed by a roar. I picked up speed, adrenaline, and fear pulsing through my veins and fueling my legs.
I came to a clearing, the bright sunlight blinding me for a second before fading to reveal a Walker at the base of a tree pacing up and down, its two tails swaying side to side and at the top was the driver clinging on one of the branches.
His clothes were slightly torn and blood was trailing down his forehead but otherwise, he looked okay, for now. "Help me! Someone help me please!" The Walker jumped up and swiped at the branch the driver was on and missed but his feet by 5 inches, inches too close.
I looked up to see if there were any swifts around, but there was no sight of them, which was odd since they flew ahead of me and should have been here already.
Did they get called back?
Or worse, they saw another Walker.
I gulped at the idea of being two of them, which was a common thing as most of them go in packs but a solo Walker just invites trouble.
The Walker growled in frustration, pacing up and down at not being able to get its prey. I looked around to find something I can throw it with, a distraction to get its attention.
A light bulb lit up and I looked at my hands and took a deep breath. Okay, Zee, you got this you just have to focus, although the man's screaming and growling of the Walker wasn't helping.
I shook my head and tried drowning it all and just focus on lighting up my hands, just a small spark.
"Help me please!"
Come on, just a spark, a little spark. Please, give me something, anything!
I could feel the tingling sensation in my hands followed by warmth, I opened my eyes and there was a small little flame dancing in the palm of my hands "Yes!" I exclaimed which I immediately regretted when Walker's head turned to face me.
The instant joy I felt was now washed over by sudden fear and the flames went out "Oh crap." The Walker made a direct beeline to me, its mouth opened and ready to bite down.
I immediately jumped out of the way to avoid its mouth, it crashed into a tree with its sharp teeth hooked into it, now panic and fear course through me.
Using the little window I had, I tried summoning the flames back but to no avail, I looked up and the Walker was still trying to get itself unstuck, eyes on me and filled with hunger.
Realizing I'll be dead if I tried summoning my fire again, I looked around to find something I can use as a weapon, a thick tree branch lay not too far from me and I felt an instant relief before the sound of a tree snapping into pieces crushed that feeling.
The Walker finally got itself unstuck and was dead set on me and charged, I scurried to my feet and ran to grab the stick just in time as it came down on me, in the split second I turned and shoved the stick into its mouth stopping it from closing it around me and snapping me in half.
It backed up, frustrated and trying to crush the branch as it did with the tree and I knew it wouldn't take long. I ran out of my way to see the driver trying to get down, I ran towards him to help him down "Are you okay sir, are you able to walk?"
"Ya I'm fine, I ca-" The guy jumped when the branch snapped and I knew what was coming next. The guy took off without a moment's hesitation, I watch him speed off like a cartoon roadrunner.
Hey, here's an idea; don't just stand there, start running!
I ran deeper into the forest, away from the main road, and to give the driver a chance to escape, now I have to figure out my escape, way to go Zita!
The Walker was hot on my heels, grunting and roaring behind me as it crashed right through the trees, even more, furious that I let its meal go and ready to take out its frustrations on me.
I was running even deeper into the forest, far away from the road, up ahead I could see there was another clearing, I glanced over my shoulder and still saw the Walker bulldozing through the trees. I picked up speed, my legs, and lungs protesting I stop running so fast before they collapsed.
I ignored the protest and made it to the clearing, panting I looked around for a hiding place and spotted a tree thick with leaves. I ran to it and climbed it as fast as I can and sat on one of its branches. I leaned back to catch my breath, exhausted from the run.
The Walker burst into the clearing, I covered my mouth to muffled my erratic breathing, and pray to God it doesn't see me or worse, smell me. It looked around the clearing and started sniffing the area and I could feel the dread in the pit of my stomach.
I took a silent deep breath and took a peak, to see it sniffing the ground and the air, trying to pinpoint my location, which gave me some relief when suddenly I felt the branch slowly give way.
Oh coconuts, no!
I tried standing to jump onto the next branch but my reaction time was too slow and the branch gave way and came crashing down, landing with a loud thud into the ground, pain shot from my left ankle and I cried out.
I pulled my leg close to me, holding my ankle as it throbs in pain, oh please don't be broken. The low growl of the Walker snapped me back into a more serious situation than a broken ankle.
Outrunning it was no longer an option which pretty much told me I was a sitting duck, a scared and soon to be eaten sitting duck. Seeing as how my situation was going south, I tried one last time to get my hands to flare up, even if it's just one hand but nothing happened and that was not helping the sudden panic attack forcing its way into the situation.
I'm so dead and the Walker knew that too as its mouth started to drool, leaving puddles in its wake and it slowly stalked its way towards me.
I should have stayed in the car, why did I not listen to his warning? Questions started surfacing, regret and guilt dancing their way into my dilemma but there was a small droplet of peace, I at least managed to save the driver and all those people on the road including Tetsu, who's been there for me since the beginning of kindergarten.
Flashbacks of younger me hiding behind Tetsu, who looked out for me and protecting me from the bullies and anyone who picked on me, his like a brother to me. Even though I give him a tough time I know he loves me very much and will protect me like I was family.
The Walker lunged forward, claws outstretched, everything seemed to move in slow motion, as it came towards me, I shut my eyes and prepared myself for the pain and then darkness but it never came. I opened my eyes to see a figure drop kick the creature into the ground with a loud crash. I covered my face from the dirt being picked up from the impact.
I sat there staring at the stranger as he leaped off and grabbed the Walker's leg and swung it into the trees, time still moved slowly as I watched the guy knock out the Walker with a single punch before walking towards me.
I flinched when they approached me and instinctively moved back but winced as my ankle acted up again. They reached for me and I shielded my face fearing they would knock me out as they did to the Walker.
What they did next surprised me, they touched the tip of my ear and gently pinched it, my hair must have moved. A blush coated my cheeks as I looked into the dark holes in the mask they were wearing, it covered their entire head, it looked like a wolf's head.
I slapped their hand away and covered my ears, my blush growing more and more intense "D-Don't touch them" I said feeling more embarrassed.
I didn't know what to do in this situation, my heart was racing and I could feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach, the voices of the kids bullying me and calling me a freak resurfaced, I started counting up to ten to calm myself and ignore the voices. The stranger placed a hand on my head, I looked back up to him and I'm sure with tears in my eyes but as I looked at his mask, I felt a wave of calmness and the voices faded away and now all I could hear was the sound of my beating heart.
The moment didn't last long and was interrupted by the sound of the Walker stirring awake.
They seemed to snap out of the trance they were in and in a blink of an eye they lifted me into their arms, I yelped in surprised and instinctively wrapped my arms around their neck as they took off.
Leaving the disoriented Walker behind, I buried my face to hide the intense blush on my face as they leaped effortlessly through the trees, I could still feel their touch on my ear and covered them with my hands again.
I wanted to say something but my chance was cut off when they stopped just before the end of the forest where the main road was and placed me down and turned to leave.
"Hey, wait-"
I reached out to grabbed them but they already leaped into the trees and vanished, not giving me the chance to say;
"Thank you."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone