Vivian Confidential - Part Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I caught up with G before she reached the edge of the clearing. Whatever was behind us was bearing down rapidly upon us. A storm-damaged oak tree lay directly in our path, canted at a 45 degree angle with the ground. Grabbing G’s hand, I raced up the tree with her in tow. Using the knobby branches like a rungs of a ladder, I managed to quickly climb ten feet or so into the air, something large and mean nipping at our heels.

What ever was chasing us wasted little energy growling, but I could see from its shadowy figure that it was either a very large dog or else a wolf. Whichever, it apparently couldn’t climb trees. That didn’t mean it was giving up on us. Below the tree, it began stalking in impatient circles.

"Oh my God! We’re dead," G said.

"We’re okay. It can’t reach us."

By now my eyes had adjusted to the forest’s dimness and I got a good look at the giant beast below us. It was definitely a wolf, solid black except for a snowy white patch beneath its jaws. If I were standing beside it, the beast’s shoulders would have come to my waist. From the way it was pawing the ground, I could tell it wasn’t friendly.

"Throw something at it," G said.. "Make it go away."

"That’ll just make it madder. We’re stuck here until it decides to leave us alone."

"That might be all night," G said.

"At least we’re safe here."

G took a deep breath and squeezed my arm, settling back against a branch. I prepared to do the same when I heard someone shouting from the far side of the clearing.

"Eric and G. Where the hell are you two?"

Below us the wolf issued a throaty growl. In a crouch, it started back toward the clearing.

To Be Continued
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