Page 110 of (Sur)real
After that, time seemed to slow.
Thomas jolted forward to catch Olivia. The surrounding Urbat lunged at the werewolves protectively encircling our defensive circle. Howls and snarls flooded the canyon, echoing and creating a frenzied din.
I tried not to let any of it distract me from my purpose.
“Urbat are climbing over the werewolves to the east,” I yelled to be heard.
Thomas set Olivia near us, and I reached out to hold her hand as I continued to watch north, west, and east.
“More coming from the east,” Gabby yelled. “Five minutes away. Heaviest concentration is to the north.”
“The south is struggling,” Charlene called.
“Sam, help the east,” Winifred said as she burst into her fur and leapt over us to help those defending us to the south.
“How far away are Isabelle and Bethi?” Olivia asked.
“Ten minutes. Urbat climbing over the werewolves to the south,” Gabby yelled.
One of the Urbat, jumping from head to head, caught my gaze and grinned. The grin disappeared when the owner of the current head on which he stood, gutted him from below. The Urbat fell into the mass of moving bodies.
My line of sight became clearer as more men shifted to their fur. Blood bathed both sides within minutes. The werewolves didn’t give an inch, working together to maul, maim, or kill any Urbat that tried to go over or through them.
Despite their steadfast determination, our numbers began to thin. The Elders fought fiercely. Sam moved from place to place, killing any in his way. Jim struggled against Blake. Both sporting various cuts and slashes from the other.
The Urbat grew smarter and started pulling the werewolves from their positions and throwing them to those further back, clearing paths toward the center. To us.
I glanced at Emmitt’s back again as he fought the first who’d already found their way close. We were losing.
GABBY…
Like locusts, the Urbat horde swarmed over the men attempting to protect us. The sight paralyzed me with fear and brought me back to that night in the field. The moonlight had hidden so much. Now, I saw everything. Blood everywhere.
One man turned, and I saw he had an empty eye socket and half of his face ripped off. I gagged and looked away, focusing on the sparks moving closer. Isabelle and Bethi were near. We needed them both desperately.
Clay backed toward me. His stitches had been removed last night. That didn’t help me feel any better. A wolf, only three men away now, went down under a sudden wave of Urbat. How long until they reached us? Something wet hit the side of my face. I reached up and wiped my cheek, sparing a brief glance at the bit of tissue on my palm. Beside me, Michelle threw up, likely hit by the same thing.
We were going to die. No. Not us.
I looked at Clay’s broad shoulders and fought not to cry.
I love you,I thought at him.
And I love you,he answered.
A sense of peace and warmth settled throughout my mind.
You are the best thing that has ever happened to me,I sent.I’m sorry I didn’t see that sooner.
We’ll be fine. You’ll see.
A wolf leapt over the remaining men, aiming right for us.
“Wolf from the east,” I shouted.
Sam jumped up, colliding with the beast in the air. The wolf he’d been fighting, lunged for him. I gasped. Clay dove forward, swiping his claws across the wolf’s face. More gore. More blood. The air was thick with the smell of it.
“They’re almost here,” I shouted, still watching Isabelle and Bethi’s sparks.
