His thoughts brought him to so many places over the last few hours but for the most part he lay there wishing. Wishing he had told his wife, Samantha how much he loved her, wishing he spoke to his son in college more often, wishing he went to visit his aging father with Alzheimer’s more then once a week. He even found himself wishing he had went to the baseball game last weekend with his friends, instead of lazing around the house. “I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore”,he said aloud, just to hear the sound of his own voice.

 Crack,crack, crack, the sound of branches being broken brought him back to the living nightmare. The noise seemed to be coming from behind him. He tried flipping his body over in order to see what was coming for him but to no prevail, it was just too painful. Adjusting his eyes to the dark, Tony raised his head catching a slight glimpse of the beast, it was a lighter color, like tan which could only mean one thing, a cougar. Cougars were known to roam these woods once in a while when hungry enough. “Just my luck,’he whispered, trying to reach for a stick, but again to no prevail.

 There was only one thing left to do, start shouting and hopefully that would scare it away, so with all his might he released a howl that even he was astonished to hear coming from his throat. Perhaps that was enough, he thought, signing a breath of relief when he could no longer hear it.
Unfortunately within the minute the noise was back again and in the corner of his eyes he could see the movement behind the trees, the cougar had not backed down after all and it was getting closer with every second that passed.

 Tony began to shake with an incredible fear, a fear that could rip the soul right out of you. “This is it,” he thought aloud, “I’m done for.” He closed his eyes, trying to take himself to a nice place in his mind so he couldn’t feel the cougar as it bit into him and laying there he waited for it.

 Suddenly it was on top of him and he could feel and smell its horrible breath. The cougar’s tongue slid over his face, as though taunting him,saying, “Just having a little taste test before I eat you.” Tony was now pouring with sweat, no amount of trying to think of nice things was helping now. He didn’t dare open his eyes to stare the predator in the eyes. Maybe it would think he was dead and leave him alone, like bears do.

 The beast’s wet hot tongue was now on Tony’s throat. He knew what was going to happen next, so before he had his throat ripped out, he screamed, “I love you Samantha.”

 In the midst of the ever rising fear, unexpectedly he felt a beam of light shine down upon him. Was he dead, he questioned, no he couldn’t be,unless of course you could still feel pain in heaven that is. Building up more courage then he had ever had to in his whole life he opened his eyes. His wife was there, standing over him and as for the tongue, well that was another matter.

“You found me ,”Tony uttered, completely stunned.

“Yes honey,”Samantha said hurriedly,bending down to kiss him, ”Lucy had followed you this morning as she usually does and when she came back she was in a panicky state, although I couldn’t quite figure her out. At the time I assumed you had found her out and sent her packing, but eventually, when you never came home, I began to wonder so I followed her and she lead me right here to you.Are you okay Tony?”

“Oh baby,” Tony cried “I will be now, thanks to you and Lucy!So Lucy followed me?”Tony questioned, not quite sure he had heard his wife correctly because of the state he had been in.

 Samantha replied with a half smile, “Yes Tony, she always does, didn’t you know?”

 ”Nope,” he said nodding in amazement, “But thank God for disobedient dogs!And by the way,I know it’s not important right now,but hot damn let’s do something about her breath.”

More Short Stories By Mystify

The Keepers (Part 1)

The Keepers (Part 2)

The Keepers (Part 3)

The Keepers (Part 4 The Final Chapter)

Saving The Innocence

A Bad Reputation

Artistic Spirit

Copyright © 2008 Tanya Kime-Wallace