The Calling

Chapter 1

I am walking down the cliffy road, it’s dark out with only the street lamp to illuminate my path. I am slightly cold and very irritated at my current situation. I had gotten to my car only to discover the battery dead. Obviously the car would not start, could not even unlock the bloody door via car remote.

Cursing as I walk slamming my feet loud and limp on the paved road trying to vent my frustration at the inconvenience. I had walked a good distance with my new ankle boots that looked pretty but provided no comfort on the paved road. Hungry, tired and now sore I came round a bend when I heard it again.

God I hated hearing it, yet no matter the place or how much time passed since I had heard them last they always returned. I remember the first time I heard it I was beyond terrified, now understanding that no harm came of it I had learnt to benefit from them. I look to my left, all I can see is pitch black forest, of course it would be to the forest. Staring at it a while before blinking, I turn my gaze back on the road and keep going. The sound becoming more desperate and the need for my help becoming ever louder making me come to a halt.

I recall the last time they were like this. I had watched Jess vanish before my eyes, there one second, gone the next because I had ignored the call. I don’t know why I hear these things or how they knew of the things to come but I have been keeping safe with their help for as long as I can remember.

I sigh heavily and reluctantly make my way to the forest, having no idea how I am to see since I had no phone and there was no light in the forest with even the moon’s light blocked off by the thick trees. Feeling scared shitless after a few minutes of walking in the bloody dark I decide that I am not doing this anymore.

I turn to head back to the road when I hear an almost pleading sound from them. “ What would you have me do, I can’t see shit?” Light reaches my eye as I see them showing an almost path deeper into the woods. The light, like hot breath that had a soft blue glow to it.

After a few more minutes of walking I lose the light they had been providing. I continue to try and walk forward and trip over something. “ Fuck!” My hands come forward to shield my face from hitting the moist dirt in front of me, my long brunette hair cascading in front of my eyes. My hand met the ground as the mud seeps between my fingers. “ Gross” I say as I tried to lift myself up, remembering these boots were new and I was now pissed.

I look down at what I had tripped on, narrowing my eyes allowing them to adjust to the dark and dim lighting provided by the moon only to reveal a man covered in blood. I scream hurdling myself off him, my head kissing the floor. I hiss at my now migraine and wonder if I had again come too late for the call. Some tears run down my face just as the sound came.

After many years of being subjected to them I had begun to understand that some sounds meant a beckoning, another sadness, the faster one desperation or worry and this one being that of sympathy, only for the calling of beckoning to come again. They only ever beckoned before the death so I fly up and go to the, I am hoping unconscious man. I hesitated for a moment looking at all the blood and noticing long claw marks over his body, torn skin by his ribs revealing bone, his arms looked beyond repair with deep gashes in them. I force my head on his chest to try and pick up a heartbeat.

I sigh in relieve as I hear the steady bump of his heart. I sit on my knees looking down at him not really sure how the hell I am meant to help, the man was nearly twice my size and muscle mass, looked like a fucking bear. What was he doing in here anyways? Pushing the thought aside for the time being I start examining the wounds on bear man, his arms were cut open but the skin held the torn muscle tight and mostly in place. By the look of it, being no doctor but I had taken a first aid course once. I see the wound on his chest looked by far the worst with skin and muscle cut off hanging loose in flaps, I fight a gag and continue looking at the wound to see what needs to be done, moving closer to it I see that the bleeding seems to have stopped and am relieved since my thoughts when to stopping the blood first.

I halt my movement when I notice he is not wearing any clothes. My face burns with the image of his manhood on display and I turn my head to the side, is he part horse? Bear man indeed.

I stand thinking if I am to help him I am not looking at ‘that’ while most likely dragging his ass out of these woods. I remove my jacket, zip it up, and drag it over his surprisingly unscathed legs to cover the important bits. It’s a very tight fit but, I had gotten the jacket in a larger size since I like layering during winter. I look at him and see he is still out like a light. A bit relieved since I don’t know what someone would think waking up to a stranger dressing them while still having open wounds all around, but the call seemed calm and so was I.

I figured I needed to start dragging this guy out, I feel his back and head for any unseen injuries before attempting to pull him, I am surprised by how soft his hair is and start pulling him in the direction of the road when the call comes, with a small light. I say light but really it looked more like the hot breath of someone during winter, very hard to explain but I understood nonetheless and followed. I first turn his feet to face the correct way thinking that pulling on his arms or armpits would cause pain.

“ Christ” he was nearly impossible to move, he was a very bulky man, young and well…okay looking despite all the blood, I kind of wondered what his eyes would look like.