EPISODE 3

Just as the wolf's jaws were about to close around me, a deafening gunshot echoed through the air, causing the wolf to recoil in surprise. I turned my head, expecting to see a hunter or a saviour, but instead, I saw a man figure all in black standing by the shattered car window.

It was him, his hands still smoking from the gun he held. I tremulously exhaled, feeling thankful to the heavens for this man who had saved me from the clutches of death.

With a swift motion, the man stepped forward, pushing the wolf away from me. His presence

seemed to command authority, and the wolf cowered before him. It was as if he possessed some kind of superpower, a connection to the wild that allowed him to control even the most ferocious creatures.

As the wolf retreated deep into the forest, the man turned his attention towards me. His gaze is unpredictable.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice croaky.

I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. "Thank you… I thought I was going to die.

Suit yourself. Now go back to wherever you came from and never set foot here again. He said dismissively before walking away. I couldn't believe this man. Is he for real? How could he leave a vulnerable woman alone who is barely able to walk after that shocking encounter?

My legs were still trembling with fear. I quickly exited the ruined cab, hoping to catch up with him and avoid encountering another monstrous wolf. However, my shock intensified when I realized he had vanished without a trace. Panic surged through me.

In a hushed tone, I called out for him to return, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. Raising my voice was out of the question, as it could attract more wolves or other dangerous animals. I stood there, stunned by his callousness. How could someone be so heartless? It was clear that he had no regard for anyone other than himself. Anger welled up inside me, but I quickly pushed it aside, focusing instead on getting myself out of this shit before it gets too dark. I took a few steps and suddenly tripped, causing me to fall onto a soft surface. As I looked down to see what I had fallen on, I was horrified to discover the headless body of the taxi driver. My hand instinctively landed on the ruined, bloody neck. In a state of panic, I let out a frantic scream that seemed to last an eternity until I finally ran out of breath and passed out.

When I opened my eyes, it was pitch black. My heart was still pounding in my chest, but somehow, I found myself on the side of the road. How did I end up here? As this question lingered, I noticed a car approaching. Swiftly, I rose to my feet and waved my hand to get its attention. The car slowed down, its headlights illuminating my disoriented figure. As it came to a stop, the driver's side window rolled down, revealing a concerned face peering out at me.

"Are you okay?" a voice called out from within the car. "Do you need help?" Relief washed over me as I realized that I had finally found someone who could help me out of the danger zone.

I hurriedly approached the car, grateful for the chance to escape the mysterious darkness that had enveloped me.

The car doors unlocked, and I didn't wait for her to tell me to get in. Once inside, I almost gasped at how late it was, according to the car's clock: 10:26 pm. That meant I had been unconscious for three hours. It was

unsettling that I didn't wake up in the forest... lying on a dead body. I shivered.

The entire ride was quiet, and I wondered why the woman hadn't asked me any questions about how I ended up alone on the roadside late at night, especially considering she had seen my condition. I had blood on me, which should have prompted someone to inquire about what had happened. But she remained silent and steady, like a rock.

After a while of driving in silence, she brought the car to a stop in the town centre. For the second time, she spoke up, saying,

"Whatever happened back there, don't tell anyone about it. And most importantly, don't go back there." I was stunned and replied,

"Excuse me, what?" She interrupted, "You may leave now.

I watched in shock as she turned the car around and drove in the opposite direction from where we came. But that's not the case. It's what she had said. She repeated the exact words spoken by that unsettling creepy man. How can they expect me to remain silent after witnessing such a tragedy? Someone lost their life, and it is highly likely that he has a family. It is imperative that I inform the police so they can locate the victim's relatives.

Without hesitation, I made my way to the nearby police station. As soon as the officers saw the distress on my face, they swiftly sprang into action. I wasted no time in recounting everything that had occurred in the forest. The police reacted promptly and escorted me back to their vehicle. Naturally, I

had to guide them to the exact location.

When we arrived, the officers kindly opened the car door for me. I requested that one of them stay close by as we ventured into the woods where the damaged cab and lifeless body were supposed to be. However, to my astonishment, I came to an abrupt stop when I discovered nothing…

"Miss Keilah, can you please lead us?" one of the officers said, though his words barely registered in my overwhelmed state.

It…it. … it was here," I stammered, my voice trembling.

What?" the officer asked, clearly confused.

"The car, I managed to say, pointing to the empty space. It was here. And the taxi driver's body… was over there."

The officer looked at me skeptically. "Are you playing games with us, miss?

"No, I swear!" I pleaded. "The body was right there. I tripped over it and fainted out of fear. And... and the taxi was there. I was inside it."

"It doesn't make sense," I wondered, furrowing my brows. How can a car just disappear like that?"

Exactly. The officer said, before adding, "Miss Keilah, do you realise what you're doing can result in jail? You brought the busy officers all the way here just to play around."

"I'm not playing around," I pleaded. "Please believe me. There's a big wolf here. It attacked us and killed the driver."

The officers looked at me as if I were crazy. I felt a wave of despair wash over me that I wanted to cry. However, one of them seemed to notice my distress.

"I can't believe this,"he muttered. Grabbing my face, he forced me to look at the empty space. "Look carefully. Do you see any sign of a crushed car? He asked.

He was right. Despite the confusion, there were no trials or evidence of anything. Not even the shuttered glasses. Tears escaped my eyes as I realized the gravity of the situation.

We need to return to the police station because she has a lot of explaining to do.

They said and took my hand to lead me back, but we all stopped when we heard a menacing growl. "Did you hear that?" They asked each other.

"We have to leave. It's…" I couldn't finish the word "wolf" before the wolf emerged from the trees, growling with its eyes glowing in the darkness. It was black and larger than the white one. "We're done for," I muttered.

"What in the world is this thing?" One of them

exclaimed, his eyes wide. They grabbed their guns and started shooting at it, but the bullets seemed to have no effect. I watched as it leapt towards us, knocking down all the officers. Before I could even consider running, it was too late.

I stumbled as the wolf turned to face me, fear gripping my body.

"Stay away from me!" I stammered, crawling backwards. The wolf towered above me, snarling and breathing hotly into my face, causing me to shudder. At the same time, that handsome creepy man's voice echoed in my head again, this time in an angry tone, saying, "I told you not to come back here." I quickly turned my head, scanning the area for the man, hoping he had come to save me once more. But he was nowhere to be seen. That's when I realized that today was the day I would die. The thought of dying without a fight surged within me. I jabbed my fingers into the wolf's eyes. As it staggered, its paw came in contact with my skin. The pain was excruciating, but I had to do whatever I could to survive.

Summoning every ounce of courage, I dug my teeth deeper into its fur, piercing its skin. It let out a guttural growl, a mixture of pain and fury. I could taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth, a stark reminder of the brutality of this encounter.

As the wolf continued to struggle, I knew I had to act swiftly. With one final surge of strength, I released my grip on its limb and pushed myself away. The wolf, disoriented and wounded, staggered backwards, momentarily stunned by the unexpected turn of events.