The Lurking Shadow...

Chapter: 3

The crescent moon was lit up, showing a claw surrounded by an eternal glow. Millions of stars were sprinkled behind it, creating a twinkling blanket over the sky, making the earth below visible in the twilight. The forest was sombre with the haze —embracing the woods, kissing the blushing leaves. 

Under the night sky, in the forest a wild boar was busy drinking down the water hungrily from a pond, not giving attention to its surroundings. The pond was the same water source from where Omkar drank water and washed earlier. Though it looked safe during the day, it wasn't the same during the night. 

While the boar was busy sipping down the water, a sharp pointed-sword-like, furry appendage lengthened from water, indiscernible to the boar, it already pierced through its gut, leaving it no chance to steer out of its grasp. 

Oink! 

The Boar cried out, but to no avail it failed to unbind itself from the incognito predatory appendage when some other elongations protruded from under the shallow water, creating a dreadful buzz. 

The extensions were sharp and were similar looking to the tentacles of an octopus, but a texture of tree roots and mud, perfectly camouflaging themselves, identical to the surroundings. 

Oink! 

The boar bumbled, yet was dragged away by the unspecified predator, leaving behind a bloody mess and crimson water. 

___

On the other side, Omkar was snoozing soundly inside the self-created tent. He was not foolish to sleep negligently without any care of the world. However, his body response made him shut his system down for the day. Inconspicuously, he was exhausted and worked up a lot and needed rest. His body was getting frigid, showing signs of Illness. His eyes were heavy, making him drowse inside the warm tent. 

Outside the tent, some rumbling sounds echoed through the quiet woods, getting the attention of a sleeping squirrel in a tree hole on the trunk. 

Curious, the squirrel sniffed and looked out of the tree hole, navigating its gaze, and fell on a shadow going around a discernible structure. 

Having a poor site, the squirrel was unable to discern the shadow, however, instincts alerted it to run away, thus backing off from vision and hiding inside the trunk again. 

___

Meanwhile, the dark shadow kept lurking around Omkar's hideout. From the looks of it, it was clear that the creature was trying to find his location. Maybe that creature had already sensed him inside. 

The dark shadow extended its sharp furry root-like tentacle, producing a murmuring sound, and rolled it around a small tree branch above the tent, which Omkar had placed before. 

Slowly retrieving the branch, another tentacle tried entering Omkar's tent but again failed to, as another tree branch stopped it from getting close to Omkar. 

Inside the tent a small piece of a wooden stick —having leaves, fell on Omkar's face—Disturbing his sleep and scaring him to snap out of his respite instinctively. 

" Huff! Huff!" 

As Omkar sat up, he searched for the object fallen on his body and intermediate surrounding, however, he found nothing. He snapped out thinking it was a bug or an insect that fell on him, nevertheless failing to see in the darkness he sighed and silently slept again, closing his ears with both hands.

After sleeping for almost 2 minutes his sleep was interrupted by a small wooden stick falling on his face from above. 

Trip! 

Getting up again he peeked from the opening created by the falling of the stick. Looking out of the opening he saw nothing. And the sound of something circling aro inexistent. 

Unaware of things happening around him, he went into his slumber, waiting for tomorrow to rise. 

___

Getting onto the other side… 

Earlier, when Omkar looked out and saw nothing but moonlight entering through a gap; that time the shadow was alerted by the movement of the squirrel outside, running away from danger, thus getting attention of the creature onto it. 

___

[Next morning: Day 2.] 

Omkar woke up with sun rays gleaming in his eyes. He opened his eyes, rubbing them as he got up from the place. The first thing he felt after leaving the hideout was a heavy headache, running through his forebrain and to the rear. His eyes were drowsy with tiredness, despite taking a good sleep. His body was strained since he slept in the wrong posture. 

A cold breeze tickled his skin, saying good morning by giving him goosebumps, and bringing shine to his face. 

'A fresh morning,' Omkar stretched all his strained muscles, making way for fresh air to pass and relieve his body. 

Even though his head was heavy with headache, he still felt reenergized due to the fresh air in the surrounding area. 

Looking down, he took out a candy from his pocket, unwrapped it and put it into his mouth. He was thirsty and decided to go to the pond to collect water. 

However, when he reached there he was welcomed with a foul stench of iron, which made him get all his senses active. He searched for the source and what he saw kept him terrified. 

A stream of dried blood outlining its flow till the edge of the pond. Sprinkled over the yellow-green grass was blood on the way,creating a crimson mess which somehow looked grotesque. 

Following the blood trail with his eyes he saw the bloody water which made his face go pale. Not because he was disturbed by seeing so much blood. He was a doctor and had experienced seeing so much blood during his practice, thus he had no issue with the scene in front of him. 

True reason for his expression getting pale was that he now has no choice but to search for a new source. And it all depended on his luck. If he found it then it's good and if not then he has no other choice left. He has to depend on the bustling river. Thinking about it made him breathe harder. 

" Freaking PTSD. "[1] Saying so, he clenched his fist and breathed heavily. While his other hand rubbed onto his chest trying to calm him down. 

___

Gaping at his surroundings he tried finding evidence of struggle but he failed to find any, as there were no marks on the ground nor dispersed marks. Nearby plants were also in good condition. 

'What would've happened here? " Was it a carnivorous animal who hunted and made this mess? But why is there nothing but blood here? There was even no any sliding marks?! Water? A conclusion hit his mind as he decided to examine the water. 

Swip! 

…

Notes: 

[1] Post traumatic stress disorder

Also called: PTSD

A disorder characterised by failure to recover after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event.

The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.