Red in White

While Marley is relaxing in the heart of the snowing forest, she finds out that there is something sinister and deadly lurking around the forest

(Note that within the story, there would be numbers 1-3, these numbers indicates the main character's thoughts. It will be shown at the end part of the story)

Marley was resting in paradise in the heart of the frozen forest, her entire body sinking right into the loose thick snow. It was still afternoon but the temperature was just right for the time of the day while the sun refracted a vibrancy of rainbow colours. The fresh snow wasn't freezing and a gentle breeze danced around her. The scenery was magnificent as well. There was a large clear pristine lake with a few giant ice floes just next to where Marley was resting. The atmosphere was drowned by the roaring sounds of water coming from a nearby waterfall. Beyond the waterfall, ongoing alpine mountains drew across the background. Ice trees (literally trees made out of ice) paraded around the lake and the skies were presented with a bright blue hue. It was a breath-taking sight.

Marley always loved the wilderness. Born right in the snowing village, it didn't take long for her to get attached to the white beauty around her. She always goes for long walks around the forest alone even when she was young and this habit continued on to her teenage years. Her father was always worried about her safety and would always be slapped with warnings. "Don't venture out into the forest nowadays, it's not safe." This is what Dad always tells Marley and she would just shrug and reassure her worrying father that everything would be fine. And it's not as if she doesn't know about the dangers of the snowing forest. There have been sightings of an azure werewolf lurking in the forest.

Also known as pseudo werewolves, azure werewolves do not have the usual half human half wolf characteristics; they are just wolves with a similar body type of a human. Notorious for their aggressive and fast kill natures, they are known to kill groups of seasoned hunters with their bare hands. But as everyone knows, these werewolves are only nocturnal so it's safe in the day to venture into the forest. However her dad isn't taking any chances today as he passed Marley his flare-gun to her just in case of an emergency which Marley just glumly took it. Reassuring her father that nothing will happen to her.

Marley opened her eyes and rose up. She was still tired after that afternoon nap, she scanned around the lake and froze. Her eyes gazed upon the elusive azure werewolf a few kilometres away. The werewolf wasn't looking in her way as it was looking at its reflection on the lake. Marley was lost, never in her life had she felt her heart stop ever. Even though the both of them were distant, Marley knew she had to get away. Her heart was starting to pound and she was starting to sweat everywhere. Slowly and carefully, she inched her way up, not wanting to make a sound. The werewolf's acute sense of hearing soon picked up some soft sounds. Even with the drowning sounds of the waterfall, it has the uncanny ability to detect other foreign noises which they unfortunately picked up when Marley was slowly getting onto her feet.

The werewolf starts to get excited as its fangs were starting to show. The beast looked around to finally see a girl at the far end of the lake. It started to walk on its hind legs with stealth, pacing its steps slowly towards her. Marley was getting nervous; one hit from that thing will decimate her. The tension got the better of Marley and she darted. Without hesitation, the Lycan was on all fours, charging at Marley. An impending fear was rising in her as the wolf creature with a body of a human, its messy fur was all blue and azure with a long sleek tail that splits into two was giving chase. Adrenaline possessed Marley except that it wasn't from excitement or thrills but the fear of death and demise. She diverted into the forest of ice trees and on the way, picked up a fallen thick ice branch as a defence against the beast. The village was still far from where Marley was so no one could help. Then she remembered; she had the flare-gun with her! Marley thanked her dad wholeheartedly.

Fumbling around in her pocket as the werewolf starts to gain on her, growling and grunting as well. The panicking girl got it and checked the barrel of the gun, two shots left. She aimed the gun to the skies, with a push of the trigger, the flare shot out (1).A sound screeched and broke the afternoon ambience. An explosion of red precipitation soon painted the skies.

Looking forward and backwards all the time, Marley steadied her grip on the tree branch, both fear and desperation already reaching its maximum point. The wolf suddenly jumped to deal the death pounce on the running target. Marley stopped abruptly and looked at the ferocious charging animal; she closed her eyes as tears came out. She took her tree branch and swung it from her right with all her might. The branch miraculously connected with the head of the wolf and "BAM!" the werewolf yelped as he flew to the side and collapsed on the ground but it seemed to be unaffected by this. The powerful impact caused the branch to shatter into pieces but Marley just took off again as the creature recovered within seconds and gave chase again.

Not long into the pursuit, they were out into a clearing. The creature was gaining back lost ground while Marley was starting to feel exhausted. Seeing the target being tired and weak, the werewolf pounced again. Marley turned around to find the Lycan almost on the air, for a second the fear inside her transitioned into adrenaline and payback for some reason. She stood her ground once more, took the flare-gun which had that one last shot. She had the gun aimed right at the leaping werewolf (2). The burning flare missiled out with an angry sharp slash on the air, engulfing the werewolf into a sea of red and flames.

The blast blew Marley off, throwing and twirling her back onto the ground like a ragdoll. She shielded herself with her arms as the parting flames of the flare spanked and burned her as well. The tired girl browsed upon the aftermath, the clearing is now smoked in a nauseating red. Marley slowly gazed in front to see the werewolf screaming and rolling around the snow to extinguish the flames wrapping around it. Marley herself fared no better, with a mixture of red precipitation and blood all over her ripped and tattered clothes and she was losing consciousness from the explosion.

Ignoring the burning wolf in distress, Marley tried to get up. Unfortunately her legs bore no more strength and instead felt pain and surging burns everywhere. Using her remaining strength on her arms, Marley inched away from the damaged site until her arms gave way as well. She started to cry and pray for someone to rescue her. She inched her head up towards the flaming wreckage just to find that the werewolf was nowhere to be seen.

It was still not over yet as she knew Azure werewolves are very persistent in nature. The girl's strength and stamina were now sapped to nothing and it's impossible for her to even think straight but the fear still motivates Marley to keep a half-hearted lookout. The place was now quiet and eerie but a sinister presence was still around, it was the same werewolf. Why? Why is the werewolf still here although it was critically injured? A faint shadow ran though the side trees and Marley shook her head with hopelessness.

This was the end for her as the bushes rumbled and out comes the injured beast. His fangs were all out, his fur was all red and it was falling apart, revealing its flesh. Its eyes were sharp and it spelt revenge. Black smoke blew out of its nostrils, it was the enraged Lycan. It was subtle in its movements at first before the werewolf charged into a frenzy towards the girl. Marley was too tired to do anything but to just close her eyes and wait to be condemned. (3)

Suddenly the beast screamed.

"There's a beast here, get him!" A man shouted. Marley opened her eyes slowly to find the wolf with an arrow impaled through its body. Archers from her village were everywhere as they rained their arrows on the surrounded werewolf. Subdued by the piercing projectiles, the werewolf grunted and collapsed. The man soon rushed in and kicked the wolf away. Before the beast could even get up, the guy landed his axe onto its neck with a clear cut, chopping the head off. The azure werewolf died with a few spasms reacting from the severed body before it sprawled motionless on the snowy ground, the red carcass was a gruesome sight. The man dropped his axe before he crouch down to find his daughter, partially covered in red and crying.

"Oh Marley. Thank god you're ok." Her dad was on his knees before he hugged her lifeless body with tears. Marley could only sob as the ordeal was finally over.

(1) Please Please Please someone look at the skies.

(2) Oh yeah take this bitch.

(3) I am sorry dad. I should have listened...

Music Link: .com/watch?v=wqlAHnU4cHw