ods was replaced by the sound of her pounding footsteps and the faint rustle of leaves in the night breeze. She s

, trembling, her mind racing with questions she couldn't begin to answer. Joel had fought that... thing like it was n

ched. What had

spered, the soun

her. She shook her head, forcing herself to

lor

pping out of the shadows. His leather jacket was torn, and blood stained

abbing his arm. "What happened? A

m fine," he said, though his voice was

l, stop brushing me

glanced around, his blue eyes scanning the dar

ice silenced her. She followed as he led her down

where Joel finally stopped. He leaned against a tree, his hand pressed to his s

he said, her voice tr

tree. "It's not as bad as it looks," he said

him, her worry gro

The gash on his side was deep, the blood still fresh.

you to a hospital

ckly, his voice hard. "They'll

ding out! You need

d, his gaze meeting hers.

on? What was that thing in the woods? And how did you-" She stopped herself, re

s head back against the tree. "Yo

voice firm despite the fe

ime, she saw something she couldn't quite

't you?" he said s

nodded

. "It's something... more. And I've be

with them?

I don't have a choice. Someone has to protect pe

there's more of them? And what about y

Because I'm one of them," he said fina

he air, heavy and im

head. "What do you mean? Y

h. "I wouldn't believe i

he distance, chilling her to the bone. Joel tensed,

e," he said, his voi

derstand what was happening, but one thing