The Chase

Ramona's heart pounded in her chest as fear gripped her like a vice. The terror she felt was like nothing she had ever experienced. Her legs trembled, but without thinking, she took off running as fast as her heels could carry her. She didn't dare look back.

She couldn't.

The growling of the two Lycans echoed in the night air, a chilling sound that urged her to run faster. They were still a distance behind her, but she didn't know for how long. The thought of looking back made her sick with fear.

She pushed herself harder, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She needed to find somewhere to hide.

Her mind raced as she turned down a narrow alley. Just ahead, a dumpster loomed in the shadows.

Without a second thought, she bolted toward it, her heels clicking on the pavement before she dove behind it.

She pressed herself against the cold metal, doing her best to remain as silent as possible. She covered her mouth with both hands to stop her erratic breathing.

What were those things? Lycans? What the hell was going on? She had read about them in passing, in novels—creatures of legend, part wolf, part man—but this was real. This wasn't some fantasy. Her heart hammered in her chest as panic threatened to take over.

Am I going to die? she thought, the thought chilling her to the bone.

"God," she whispered, though she wasn't sure she believed in Him. "Please, please help me. I know I don't deserve it… I know I haven't been a good person, but please, Lord, if you save me from this, I swear I'll be better. I'll give my life to you… Please, God."

She muttered countless pleas as tears streamed down her face. She heard footsteps drawing closer, then a snap. A loud, horrible snap that sounded like bones breaking.

She stifled a sob, closing her eyes tightly, trying to hold in her terror. Then, there was silence.

Ramona stayed perfectly still, her body shaking with the intensity of her fear. Her ears strained to catch any sound, but there was nothing. A faint voice reached her ears. It was low, almost a whisper.

"Stupid witches," the voice hissed. "If they had stayed, this one wouldn't be dead." A brief chuckle followed. "Heh, heh…"

The second voice replied, its tone dripping with disdain. "Yeah, that's why they're stupid."

The first voice came again, more focused now. "Did you see her?"

"She's around here somewhere," the second voice answered, its tone sharp.

The first voice responded, frustration evident. "Find her. No matter what you do, you must find her. She can't be alive. She can't know our world exists. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Alpha."

The sound of footsteps faded as they moved away. Ramona held her breath, not daring to move or make a sound. Were they leaving? She waited for what felt like an eternity. Her mind raced with questions—why hadn't they found her? Wolves had the sharpest senses; surely they would have smelled her hiding. Was she really that good at hiding, or had they just given up?

After what felt like an hour, she heard no further footsteps. It was silent again. The sounds of the night returned, distant and eerie. Her heart still hammered in her chest, but the immediate danger seemed to have passed. Carefully, Ramona peeked around the edge of the dumpster. The coast appeared clear.

Slowly, she stood up, her legs wobbly from fear and exhaustion. She quickly checked her phone—11 p.m. Her heart raced again. She had narrowly escaped whatever fate awaited her, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being hunted. She had seen them—two Lycans. One with blue eyes, and another with red. Their forms had been terrifying. But why? Why were they after her?

She wiped her tear-streaked face and steadied her breath. She couldn't linger. If she stayed out here, she might not survive another encounter with those creatures.

With her heart still thudding in her chest, she hurried down the alleyway, back onto the street, keeping an eye on her surroundings. The night felt colder now, darker. Ramona walked quickly, not trusting her own feet as she pushed herself to move faster, to get home where she could feel safe.

When she reached her apartment building, she quickly slipped inside, her pulse still racing. She locked the door behind her with trembling hands, making sure the deadbolt clicked into place.

Inside her room, everything seemed still, quiet. But her mind wouldn't stop racing. Antonia, her best friend, was fast asleep in the other room, oblivious to what had just happened. Ramona could barely feel the weight of her exhaustion. The adrenaline coursing through her kept her from feeling the weariness of her body.

She collapsed onto her bed, her hands gripping the sheets as if they were the only thing holding her together.

What the hell just happened? What was going on?

She kept replaying the events in her head—how the voices had called her name, how they had seemed to know her, how they had been searching for her. And the creatures… those Lycans. What were they? How were they connected to whatever had been chasing her? She couldn't comprehend it.

And then there were the purple eyes. Her body shuddered just thinking about them. Was it some kind of omen? Some twisted warning? She didn't know what she had just encountered, but she knew it was only the beginning.

The image of the Lycans, their terrifying eyes and massive forms, kept flashing in her mind. She was still too scared to sleep, but there was nothing else she could do. She lay still, her thoughts swirling in a hurricane of confusion and terror.

One thing was clear: her life was never going to be the same again.