The Forest

Natalya looked through the darkening forest, the trees where thick and full with spring time bloom. The only way she knew the time of day was because, when night fell in the woods it got dark. Really dark. The kind of dark where she couldn’t tell if her eyes were opened, or closed. Other than light which wasn’t always reliable, were the sounds of the forest at night. The normal chirping of birds would stop, and things would become silent. Except for the low growling sound, of the forest beast.
She had been running from this beast for nearly a month now, having been dropped into this place by the government in hopes that she would live by their rules upon her return home. This ‘argument’ was persuading her not to become an obedient part of the citizenry; if she survived this bought in the wilderness, Natalya was going to give them hell.
‘Those government bastards.” Natalya thought, her anger rising along with her heartbeat. She had to calm down, the beast could hear the quick thumping of her heart. The faster her heart went, the more likely the beast would attack her.
She heard a twig snap in the darkness, she felt herself freeze, ‘No.’ she thought, making an effort not to breath. Another snap, bigger this time more like a brand breaking under the weight of the monstrous creature. Natalya began singing a Russian song, that her mother would sing to her as a child.
Snap another twig. Crash, the ground vibrated under her feet. Boom, that came from behind her. Slowly Natalya turned, only to see a pair of shinning red eyes staring at her through the darkness. The eyes blinked and suddenly she felt a huge furry creature pushing her to the ground, snarling and snapping at her. She let out a scream of terror at the same moment something wet, and slimy ran down her neck.