Feral

Before completely heading towards the forest, I needed a friend to accompany and assist me during my evening hunt. I made a quick stop to a ferret cage located at the side of our house. There, I spotted my cinnamon-pelted ferret, Rikki Tikki (though he responds when I call him "Rikki") occupying himself with a toy ball. I cooed at him and he perked up.

"Hey, Rikki! Wanna go hunting?" I tried to get him excited with a few simple choice words. He happily skipped to me within his cage. I opened it and he immediately climbs up my arm to wrap his body across my shoulders behind my neck. His tiny tongue tickled my cheek and neck in short, quick laps. I laughed and scratched underneath his chin with my right index finger. "I missed you, too, buddy. I hope they've been taking care of you while I was gone." And with that reunion, I felt even more enthusiastic about the hunt.

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Over an hour later, I finally made it to the woods. The sun has been setting fast, so I've accepted the fact that I wouldn't be able to make it back home before dusk falls. Avery's gonna be pissed at me, I'm sure, but she'll get over it once I bring back home a deer carcass. I've covered a lot of forest ground to reach an area where no one could blatantly spot me. I grabbed Rikki off of my shoulders and set him down on moist foliage covering the forest floor.

"Alright, Rikki. You know what to do," I clicked my tongue twice and off he went. I've trained him to hunt rabbits ever since he was kit, so I'm expecting a dead rabbit when I call him back. While he's ferreting, I'll be doing my own hunting.

It's been a little over 20 minutes tracking fervently for any sign of a deer's presence. The sky was blanketed with swirls of pinks and yellows, but it was becoming quickly hued to dark blues and violets. It's only going to be a matter of time before it gets completely dark and I wouldn't be able to detect anything. It has been rather quiet, too, until I hear a twig snap within earshot radius.

It could be a deer, but my initial reaction was to find a tree closest to me and hide behind it. One has to consider the possibility that either someone else might've been here before me or followed me here. If it's the latter, I'm suspecting a Feline. With my back still pressed against the tree, I quietly prepared my bow with an arrow's shaft on the rest and point the bow down. After breathing deeply a few times, I slowly peeked my head from behind the tree, careful not to reveal too much of my face in case they were to spot me.

Fortunately, it was a buck trying to tear off bark from a tree a few meters away. I breathed a sigh of relief at not only the fact that it wasn't a Feline following me, but also because I found food sooner than I expected. It must be my lucky day.

With that, I drew by broad-headed arrow, the nock attached to the bow string, and steadily concentrated my aim at the heart in the deer's chest. I know that the heart will be shielded by ribs and lungs, but if I were to aim for it nonetheless, it'll still be a win-win situation. If I were to hit either of the vital organs, it will sure die by impact. After I breathed a lengthy and relaxed exhale, I released the bow and in a matter of seconds, a painful bellow emanating from the deer followed.

Thank goodness it fell almost instantly upon strike. Otherwise, I would've been trying to track it down by trails of blood which would be hard to detect in the growing darkness that will soon envelope the sky. I padded towards the deer carcass to carefully examine it. He wasn't the largest deer I've ever hunted -- a little lean on meat, but he seemed healthy and I see no signs of sickness, so it'll do. He might be able to satisfy us for a week if my sisters and I were to ration wisely.

With that, I attached my archery set to his antlers and begin to lift the carcass up to my shoulders. He sure was heavy, but I couldn't help to feel proud of my accomplishments. My pride outweighed the burden, enabling me to lift it almost effortlessly.

The moment the dead weight is comfortably straddled across my shoulders, I hear another twig snap -- this time, it was louder. I swiftly turned around in full alertness. "Rikki?" I called out. Of course it wasn't him. He wouldn't be able to make a noise as loud as that. I turned a complete 360, but I didn't spot anyone or anything. I brushed if off as a mild hallucination.

As I begin to turn around to head home, a glisten in the distance was caught in my peripheral. Indeed, it was growing dark, but a small portion of the sun is still in view as it was setting into nothing. I took a quick double-take, my curiosity flickered. I squint my eyes and the object glistened again. I was in a conscious battle against my rising curiosity and I halted as my hesitation paces back and forth in my decision-making. Ultimately, it was to no avail because eventually I carefully made my way to the object.

Walking closer and closer to the object, a different scenario came into clear view. I discovered a body -- mutilated with bloody bite wounds all over. Skin was freshly sheared open across its body, some lacerated off of it; so explicitly that you can see strings of muscle meat cascade out of the corpse. Internal organs were visible inside the open carcass. You can even see bones and parts of the skull patched behind whatever skin was left. It was a horrific sight. My stomach inevitably turned and I nearly threw up in my mouth.

I nearly forgot about the glistening object that led me here. My eyes followed the corpse up and down as I scanned it. It lays limply against the trunk of the tree and eventually I found a gold dog tag chained loosely around the neck. I kneeled closer to the corpse, taking the buck off of my shoulders and placing it beside me. I held my breath and tightened my face, fighting off the irrational fear and disgust that I had while carefully handling the corpse.

Within seconds, I was able to take the dog tag off from around its neck. I held it briskly in between my right thumb and index while lightly holding the chain in my left hand. I adjusted it so I can avoid inducing a glare from the sunlight on its gold-plated surface. It read:

'Canines'

"'Canines'? What is a Canine doing in Feline territory?" I stared at it blankly as I pondered this. "Better yet, what happened to him? No Feline could have done this. They're not that heartless." Or at least I would like to believe that. But I wasn't going to stay to find out. This corpse is fresh after all. With that in mind, I hastily pocketed the chain.

Before I turned to the deer, I wanted to strip search the corpse to see if it had any valuables that could be of use. Fortunately I was able to find and pocket sufficient amount of money, a dagger, and a flashlight. Clenched tightly in his hands, there were a set of realistic dog ears attached to an elastic headband, blood dotted randomly all over in varying spots. I'm not sure how helpful this item would be, but I decided to wrap it around my neck for safekeeping.

Before deciding to finally abandon the scenario, I returned to the deer and straddle it across my shoulders again. I walked only a few meters away from the mutilated body before I stepped on something that triggered a subtle sound. I ceased all movement including my breathing -- different clamors sequenced one after another, reverberating the stillness of the forest. Within seconds, a rope tightened around my right ankle and suddenly begins hoisting me in the air. In one swift motion, I hit the back of my head hard and blacked out.

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I struggled to open my eyes after minutes of unconsciousness. I hissed and groaned in pain as I was dangling above the ground, my weight fully supported by a sturdy tree limb. I grabbed the back of my head with both of my hands, hoping to reduce the throbbing sensation coursing through my cranium. I almost completely ignored the fact that some of contents of my pockets fell out when I took my hands from the back of my head to feel some sort of wetness on my hands. "Fuck!" I exclaimed under my breath. I must be bleeding.

As minutes passed, the throbbing slowed down sufficiently, but my head still hurts. My vision is blurred and I hysterically looking around to deduce if anything happened while I was unconscious. I must've triggered a trap administered by a Feline. Luckily, I haven't spotted one yet; however, I wouldn't be able to tell because it was now too dark to detect any movement.

I then tried to look up only to find the noose still grappling my right ankle. I tried lifting up my torso to reach my ankles, but quickly gave up because my head began to spin uncontrollably. I was severely light-headed on account that the blood may have rushed to my brain while I was hanging upside down unconsciously. I strained to reach again, but for my pockets this time. It wasn't too much of an effort. I wanted to see if I had anything that'll get me out of this predicament.

As I searched for my right pocket, I found out that my whistle haven't fallen out. I sighed heavily at the realization that Rikki is still out there. I blew into the whistle and its shriek interrupted the dark silence of the forest. It alarmed me of how loud it was, especially since I'm still adjusting to my senses upon waking up from unconsciousness. Even so, I blew it again and again to ensure that Rikki hears it. He was trained to come at once at the sound of this whistle. I just hope he isn't too far where he wouldn't be able to hear it. Or worse -- I hope nothing bad happened to him.

While waiting for a sign that Rikki's presence is still viable, I reach for my left pocket and discovered my pocket knife. "Thank God!" I couldn't help but to express my relief. I unsheathe the knife and placed the blade in between my teeth, then used my hands to climb the bottom half of my body up to ankle and begin sawing the rope.

For two minutes, I vigorously sawed the rope to the halfway mark. I let go of my hold and swung into a dangle with exhaustion. My chest heaved up and down as tired breaths followed suit. I noticed that Rikki hasn't appeared yet.

Suddenly I heard distinctive chatter in the distance. I turned my head and I could see several small lights constantly beaming in random directions.

"I could've sworn I heard a whistle from over here somewhere!"

"I think I heard it, too!"

"It must be coming from this general direction!"

I have no doubt in my mind that they are Felines. My eyes widened as the brightness of their flashlights grew, the beams gradually coming closer within seconds. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" I exclaimed underneath my breath. A heavy grunt escaped my lips as I try to fold my torso up so I could reach my right ankle again. I begin sawing the rope vigorously with the pocket knife. Sweat was beginning to perspire to my palms and my eyes dart back and forth fleetly, all natural indications that my body acknowledges and responds to the impending pressure that danger anticipates.

Roughly over a minute later, the rope snapped and I was caught completely off guard as I fell. I landed on my back with great impact, causing me to experience a mild whiplash. Thank God I didn't lose consciousness this time. My face grimaced tightly as I altered my posture to a fetal position, trying to avoid causing any contact to my backside. My mouth agape, though careful not to produce perceivable sound even while the pain numbs any sensation in my back and head. Soon after, I hazily looked up by finally supporting my body up with an elbow. The Felines were dangerously close -- an estimated 10 meters away. "Shit!" I cursed again.

I scuttled all over the forest ground to quickly recover some lost items. I went to the buck and detached my archery set from his antlers. Familiar to the touch, I also found and pocketed the dog tag and some money that was scattered all over the ground. I found the dagger as well, but I decided to prepare it in my hand for combat -- if it were to come to that. Afterwards, I silently ran behind a nearby tree that sits several feet across from the one I was dangling from.

My breaths shortened in breaks as my chest heaved up and down in an unrhythemtic pattern. I tried to muffle the sounds escaping my lips ajar. The pain was mercilessly throbbing in my head and back. I try holding back the tears beginning to brim at my eyelids. They were now stinging the back of my eyes -- the pain was utterly unbearable. I anticipate my heart to jump out of my chest now at any moment. With that, I clenched my chest to prevent such an outlandish scenario to occur, hoping that I can calm down my rising heart rate.

The crunching of the leaves from underneath their footsteps are becoming louder, the proximity of their presence becoming more apparent. I tighten my grip around the dagger with both of my hands, closed my eyes, and silently let go of a breath I was holding in for a while.

"Woah!" My eyes shot open to a random vociferation sounded by a Feline. I was expecting to be spotted. Fortunately, I haven't been discovered, yet.

"What?" Another questioned in alertness.

"It's a ferret over here!" My eyes widened even more at the sound of the word 'ferret'. I immediately assumed they must have coincidentally discovered Rikki. He came afterall.

"What's a ferret doing out here? Are there usually ferrets in this forest?"

"I'm not sure. It must be a feral."

"He must've got snagged in our trap, I assume. Look up there."

"That bastard's a smart one. He chewed his way out."

"Shame. Well, it seems clear here. Let's keep searching."

I released a quiet sigh of relief. I waited for nearly a minute to ensure that the Felines were out of earshot radius before calling out for Rikki. First, I tried to summon him by producing deep, yet audible purrs from the depths of my throat. I hear him shuffling among the leaves. I then clicked my tongue a few times before whispering out his name. "Rikki? Rikki! Come here, boy!"

Eventually, I felt his tiny paws climb up my arm. I never thought I would be so grateful to feel his familiar fur in my hands again. "Thank God it's you. Be still, why don't you?" I whispered as I grabbed him and stuffed him in my pockets. I hurriedly strapped on my quiver and bow over my shoulders, grabbed the dagger, and begin making a run for it.

The moment I darted from behind the tree, I came face to face with a masked Feline. What an unexpected turn of events. A loud gasp escaped me as the rogue Feline lunged for me. We both fell to the ground. I dropped the dagger upon contact. After much squirming, he eventually reigned on top of me, his knees straddled tightly against my waist to arrest motion, trying to restrain my arms to the ground. I struggle to free my arms, but he has overpowered me. I vainly kicked the air behind his him in hopes of hitting him. A mixtures of growls and grunts filled the forest air while the altercation takes place. At one moment, I was able to free one of my hands from his sweaty, slippery ironclad grip and begin trying to punch his face through the hard mask, but to no avail of inflicting any injury. Instead he begins to fasten his taut, rugged hands around my neck and strangle me.

With a firm grip hardening around my neck every second, I am beginning to feel the pain of strangulation. My esophagus completely obstructed -- no air was coming through, no matter how hard I tried to breath. I started to give in and allow death to take me until suddenly I hear a bloodcurdling scream spear through the air and I could no longer feel the Feline's weight restricting me.

I frantically came up choking, desperately taking in some much needed oxygen in sharp and aching breaths. While doing so, I looked up to immediately witness the Feline being ferociously mauled by an abnormal, disfigured, grisly humanoid creature.

"Oh! Fuck!" I screamed in horror.

Just from a quick glance, I can tell it is an 'Infected'. A once-human being that has contracted a mutated virus that has tainted his or her neurological functioning, rendering them submissive to primitive, cannibalistic behavior, unable to consciously control their actions. Their appearance varies widely, but they are typically seen with their bodies littered in large, scabby-looking lumps or warts that disfigures their limbs and joints and distort their faces which has become the prioritized manifestation of our fears. The last time I've seen an Infected was during the catastrophic and apocalyptic outbreak over a year ago. That viral pandemic has devastated civilization all across the globe, wiping out nearly everyone. The survivors are pinnacled as valuable remnants of reduced civilization, a foundation of promising hope for a new era; however, social oppression still haunts the security of those who has nothing to fend for themselves, practiced only by anarchists (in this case, taken in the form of Felines and Canines) who utilize their savagery and inhumanity to take advantage of the helpless in hopes to selfishly advance their conspiring cause.

I sat there immobilized, watching the Feline futilely fighting for his life. His violent pleas for help were pale in comparison to the heinous and ravenous snorts resonating hungrily from the Infected. Squirts of blood spouts in different directions as the Infected clawed at him viciously. The graphic scene unfolds like the gory ones in scary movies. I remember going to movie theaters with my sisters to watch horror flicks. While my sisters cringes and screams at graphic scenes, I would laugh hysterically at them. But this is no laughing matter. Not this time -- this is real.

I broke out of my paralysis due to Rikki's constant squirming in my pockets. I realize instantly that I have to get out of here. It's my chance to flee while the Infected was currently occupied. I noisily scurried to retrieve the dagger on the forest floor.

The second I picked it up, I jumped to an eerie and hair-raising scream from behind me. I swiftly turned around and was pounced on by the Infected, prompting me to drop the dagger once again. I screamed in short, frenzied screams repeated after another, scuffling underneath its weight. I tried to hold the heavy, repugnant beast above me. The monster fights back vigorously, biting at me in succession, growling with a fervent voracity. My strength wanes as fear and panic continues to consume my willpower. I grit my teeth tightly in hopes to regain my strength and keep the goddamn monster hoisted above me.

Sometime during the course of our struggle, I was bitten on my left arm for a brief second. I yelled in pain, causing a rush of adrenaline to stimulate my arm to suddenly find strength to push the Infected off of me. It crashed roughly 2 meters away. It seemed surprise by my retaliation as it tries to recover itself. I waste no time in reaching for the dagger a few feet away and neither has that bastard waste any time charging after me.

The handle of the dagger is gripped securely in my hands and I slashed at the neck of the humanoid while it pounces at me in midair. It screamed in pain as it tries to bandage its neck in its hands. I took this opportunity to gouge the dagger in its eyes. I relentlessly stabbed its sockets in successions, my expressive grunts combats its agonizing cries in degrees of volumes. I delivered one last blow to the cranium to ensure its defeat. It tries to sustain life with one last wail, but eventually falls to its demise.

Broken breaths escapes my lungs and my dramatic shivers overwhelms my body to a hysterical mess. I stare at the Infected's body -- now lifeless. Going into shock, I can feel my heart beating uncontrollably and I clench my chest to sedate the rising heart rate. Soon after my breathing slowed, I clutched the ridge of my nose, then wiped my face down with my hand, hoping to reintroduce reality through my own touch. With the dagger still solidly clenched in my other hand, I unsheathed the dagger from its deformed skull.

"Over here! I hear a commotion!"

My eyes widened as I hear accompanying Felines in the distance. I don't even bother to look to see how close they were. I just ran off, back towards the city. I try to stifle the tears from brimming to the surface, a caustic sensation swelling in my eyes.

What I had just endured, it all seems to unreal. This has to be a dream. I'm sure of it -- or at least that's what I want to believe right now. If not, I just want to go home.

I wince in pain as I took a hold of my left arm with my right hand. Apparent molds of that damned Infected's teeth was fleshed into my skin, drowning in blood.

I can only hope..