บท 185: THE MONSTER WITHIN

The earthly smell of dirt filled my nostrils. My eyes fluttered open to see I was buried face first into the ground. I groaned as I tried to pick myself up from the ground. My joints ached as I turned myself over.

The blue sky stared down at me and morning dew droplets fell on my face.

Wait, morning? I picked myself up from the ground. What I noticed about myself was that I was cold but that didn't bother me. What seemed to bother me was the tangy smell of blood that filled my nostrils. I looked down and noticed my hands were caked with dirt but also, I could see specks of dried blood underneath my fingernails and on my knuckles.

1 drew in panicked breath as I stood up from the ground, looking around the forest I tried to pinpoint the exact location where I could smell the blood coming from.

Please don't let it be Ivan, or my children! Please gods, not them! I pleaded as I followed the scent of blood.