Grimwood

The fear held him there, frozen. Even the voice in his head had become a hushed whisper. The moon had just begun to shine brilliantly into the ebon night, but all he could see were those dead, yellow eyes. He was too scared to even breath aloud. The coyote let a growl escape to express his exasperated confusion. That growl was just enough for Daniel to gain some mobility back into his legs. He slowly stepped backwards with his arms outstretched behind him, feeling for the ladder of the hunting-stand. The dead leaves crunched under his foot. The coyote's growl grew louder as it lowered its body, preparing to leap. Daniel could all too easily imagine those curved teeth keenly sliding into his flesh and tearing off gushy chunks. The adrenaline forced a very primal scream, tearing through Daniels throat, "Rrrreeeeeaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!" The coyote paused, seeming to ponder if this next meal would pose much of a problem. Please dear God, Daniel thought, if you could just get me out of one more mess... I promise to help everyone and to always keep my room clean. The coyote took a single step back. Yessss, Daniel rejoiced a little in perfect silence, That's it!

In his mind he could imagine an ancient, wise evil flowing from the coyote's mind. Please God just make him leave. Please cast this devil from my path. I'll never go straight home. Home never seemed so far away. The cold November air expelled a frigid breeze burning Daniel's blistered arms and face. The coyote took two steps forward as if though Daniel's stunted prayer was losing power. Daniel's left hand, still fumbling in the cold dark, found the ladder. Salvation! he screamed in silence, but it was as if this silent scream was heard by the evil coyote who then took two more steps forward, never breaking eye contact. Daniel and the coyote now stood roughly ten feet apart. Daniel felt a warm tear running down its usual path. Feeling this, most of his fear transforms into stubborn anger, "Get out of here! Go! Go on! Get! Get!" The coyote seemed to think this over but stood its ground.

Finally, Daniel could take no more. This stand off had to end. He wasn't prepared for such a life and death decision today, but he had to make it. He started to turn at an unfortunate time because in that moment, the wind picked up to a roar of natural static, causing him to once again become frozen with fear. The coyote flinched but never took a step. Damn! I could've made it! But the watchful eyes of the coyote seemed to suggest otherwise. Daniel had to piss so bad his stomach hurt plus his jaw was hurting from being clenched so tight for so long. How long has this stand-off been going? he thought, Five minutes? Ten? Suddenly, from an impossible distance, came a bark. The coyote peered in that direction. Before Daniel could give it a second thought (or a first), he made his move. He turned and jumped onto the four foot ladder, grabbed the door handle and pulled. It didn't move an inch. He saw the latch where the lock would go was closed. He reached to undo the latch but never got to even touch it.

He heard the coyote's jaw snap closed on the ass of his jeans and was then snatched from the ladder and thrown to the freezing hard ground. He had just enough time to turn his back and see the coyote pounce onto him, mouth open, exposing the white little knives that would soon be his death. The coyote instinctively went for his neck. Daniel pulled his hands up in a feeble attempt to shield himself. Daniel screamed as teeth dug into his forearm. The coyote snatched back and forth creating a disgusting ripping sound as blood painted it's jaws. With uncanny ease the coyote tore a mouthful of flesh and spat it to the side. Still screaming, Daniel tried holding the monster back by pushing back its neck and face. Daniel could easily feel the bones hidden underneath its fur. The coyote snapped at Daniel's neck, barely missing. While holding off the beast, Daniel crudely pushed his right thumb into its right eyeball. It made no sound as it seemed to pop into its slender skull. But this pain mattered very little to this hound from hell with the taste for blood.

The coyote snapped and snapped just a mere inch from his neck. All prayers forgotten and all strength exhausted, Daniel expected a gruesome death seconds away. Then, from the direction of the earlier bark, came a booming gunshot. The coyote instinctively bolted. Daniel, holding his mutilated arm, noticed a man with a rifle standing to his right about thirty yards away. Oh, thank God! Daniel's thoughts rejoiced. But Daniel lost all ability to be grateful when he looked down at his arm. The skin appeared to be peeled around his wound in several places. He even noticed steam rising from the warm flesh thrown aside like a discarded piece of garbage. He started to get himself up when another terrible pain burned through his good arm. He looked down and noticed he only had three fingers left on that hand. They had undoubtedly become a doggy snack. "Whoah, there! Hold up, boy!" the man said as he jogged over to Daniel. "You've lost a lot of blood. Better you let me carry you." Thank God, Daniel thought. He couldn't form any words, just miserable moans of pain.

The man picked him up like a man would carry his wife into their honeymoon suite. "Don't worry" the man said, "you'll be out of this is no time."

"I want my mom... I want my mom..." Daniel cried.

The man affectionately stroked Daniel's head. "Don't worry, she'll see you soon enough..." the man said, "As long as that bitch knows where to dig!" The man placed a cold knife to Daniels neck and pushed it in deep. "I always wanted to try this," he said casually as he dropped Daniel, allowing his knife to rip open Daniel's neck on the way down. The man gave a whistle. "Here boy! C'mon! Over here!"

Welcome to Grimwood, Alabama, a bad land if there ever was one.