The beasts of Carbonarium part 2

Carl Barbary is pursued by hybrid man beasts as well as a shadowy group of hired guns.

I backed away fearully from the slowly pursuing group of beasts as they followed me their eyes bulged with their hunger for my flesh. I tried not to show fear as I slashed out at them with my crude spear. They then broke out into primal howls that filled my head with a loud maddening throb. I howled in my own anguish then they slowed to a complete stop and looked at me curiously.

Then all of a sudden I heard two shots ring out one of the beasts fell dead a red burst of blood splattered upward from its chest as it laid there breathing its final labored gasps.The other beasts retreated fearfully into the brush. I watched in stunned silence as they blended seamlessly into the thick canopy of foliage like ghosts of the wild.

Then I saw the cruel eyed man staring right at me clearly I was his next target. He was a good fifty yards away but the rifle he held in his hands could have easily taken me out at that distance. My pulse raced again and I was seized with atavistic survival instinct, I ran quickly dodging in and out from tree to tree. I heard the mans cruel laughter and his stealthy brisk footsteps approaching me. 

I knelt down and watched him he chambered another round smoothly then slowly lowered the rifle taking careful aim. Just as the rifle cracked I lost my footing and slid down a steep ravine my landing was painful but I thanked god I was still alive. The bullet ricocheted with a distinct whine precisely parting the leaves behind me.

Again I could hear my heart pounding accompanying my rapid breathing like a symphony. 

I had scraped my elbow and could see the blood pooling onto the sleeve of my shirt. It was the least of my concerns though my pursuer was still coming despite having lost sight of me. I heard him whistling at me much the same way you would whistle at a dog if you were trying to get it to come to you. I was wise enough to figure out though that what he wanted was to make me angry enough to draw me out. I was also wise enough to stay put.

I lay still with my face to the soft muddy ground my hands were locked behind my head protectively. My heart had slowed down enough to where I heard something approaching me from the other side I looked back slowly. It looked to me like there was nobody there. Maybe it was just one of the beasts from earlier I rather hoped anyway. I may die a painful death at their merciless savagery but at least chances were they would do so quickly. 

I knew almost certainly that my human pursuers wanted me alive although they would kill me without hesitation if need be. They would no doubt rather see me die slowly in some shithole stinking prison where they would torture me sadistically for their own amusement. 

Then I felt the unmistakable feel of a pistol barrel pressed firmly against the base of my skull. "Move one damn muscle even blink an eye and I'll paint the trees with your brains" a voice hissed in my ear. There was nothing I could do if I moved at all he would no doubt shoot me. I began to turn it over in my head. Deliberating in my head whether or not I should make one last effort to kill the man who held the gun on me. The spear I had made was well out of reach now but I had another option a small crude dagger was hid in my boot. I had spent months shaping it's blade and honing it on a smooth stone I carried with me. The handle was crudely made from wood and wrapped in cordage. i held one hand above my head in surrender while moving the other slowly and hopefully undetected toward the inside of my boot.

                                                     End part 2 

Reviews

[Wez Hardyn]

Pacey and relentless action. First person narratives tend to slow things with 'I thought this' and 'I felt this' etc. Can he survive monsters and men with guns? - you bet.