Ryan ducked under a branch and kept up the sprint. He had never seriously RAN a day in his life and his lungs felt like they were going to burst in the cold forest air.

Still running he turned his head to see if he could still see it behind him, but saw only darkness.

“Did I actually lose it?”

THWACK

Ryan crumpled to the ground. He sat there in dazed confusion, unsure of what had just happened.

“Did it hit me? Am I still alive?”

He felt his forehead and his hand came away spotted with blood. He looked up and saw the source of his attack; a thick tree branch that now sported several drops of red.

Remembering where he was he shook the fog from his head and climbed back to his feet. He didn’t hear it anymore, but he couldn’t see farther than a couple trees in the moon lit forest.

He didn’t dare check his phone to see what time it was or give away his position, but he didn’t have any service anyway to check on his friends. When it had crashed into their campsite they each had made a break for the tree line. He thought about Jenny and a tight knot formed in his stomach.

“The wildlife is more scared of you than you are of it.” Bullshit. He had never seen an animal like that in his life. Whatever that thing was had chosen him to give chase to as he ran for it. At least Jenny had time to widen the distance between him and that thing.

Regardless, he had to get back to the ranger station.

*swip, swip*

Ryan froze. He scanned him immediate area with his eyes, afraid turned his neck would be too much noise. His eyes locked back to the branch that had resulted in his stumble, and caught something flicking across it.

“Is that a tongue…..?”

He followed the shape up the tree, and found a red pair of eyes staring back into his.