Chapter 74：What Is This

I look over the black tar like stuff and decide to follow it further. I needed to know where this was coming from... As I walk farther in I notice the surrounding trees and how they've all been affected. It was like they were all becoming infected by this stuff...

I walk farther still and find it harder and harder to find parts of the ground that had not been infected but what bothers me, even more, was the smell. It was overwhelmingly putrid and if I'm not mistaken... like something dead and rotting.

I feel myself shiver when I realize how quiet everything has gotten... nothing good ever happens when it gets quiet. Suddenly I hear a few high pitched screeches and the sounds of wings flapping off to my side. I quickly turn but when I don't see anything I grit my teeth and follow the nasty goop again.

I come to a slow stop when I see a split in the ground. It was long but not very wide but when I step closer I realize that it ran incredibly deep. Black vine-like things were coming out of the pit but when I got closer I saw them moving. Throbbing was more like it... pulsing.

Something was in the pit... something I'm sure I don't want to see. Was this the second wave?? I suddenly hear movement to my left but when I turn I only see a dark shadow quickly disappearing. Not good, not good. Time to go back Maya. You're good at handling bad guys but creepy crawly stuff?? That's a BIG NO!

Suddenly I look up and find a large crow sitting on the branch of the tree but when I see that the tree is infected and losing most of its leaves I worry about the crow. I flap my hands at the crow to try and make it fly but it doesn't move.

I look back to the pit and the noises it's making and bite my lip. The noises were becoming louder so I didn't want to alert whatever was down there. I look back to the crow "Shoo, shoo little bird. This is a bad area..." I say in a hushed whisper but when the bird turns it's head to fully look at me I feel my soul shake.

It was missing half its face and when its body fully turns around I see it dripping away like melting Ice cream. It flaps its good wing while the other falls off completely. When it splats on the ground the Demon Crow screeches like something straight from the pits of hell.

I scream and take off running as it tries to fly after me. Being that it only had half its body, it falls and begins dragging itself after me. I'm nearly in tears as I play the worlds deadliest game of hopscotch as I jump from spot to spot, avoiding all the blackened areas.

I hear it screech again and nearly fall. I have never heard any animal making noises like that!! It literally makes my soul shake in fear... when I turn to look back at the Demonic bird I see that it's nearly at my feet.

I scream again and run as fast as I can. The bloody thing was fast!! Incredibly fast!! I run with tears in my eyes and forget to watch for the darkened earth. At this point, I was just running for my life! "Maya!" I hear Alec and bolt in his direction. Without even thinking I run straight to him. He comes to a stop and opens his arms and I never slow down.

He looks like a Dark Angel! My Dark Angel! I jump on him and wrap my legs around his strong waist as I try to crawl up him in pure fear. He seems frozen for a moment before he quickly wraps his strong arms around me and growls at the creepy crow.

The creepy thing comes to a stop and whines before Alec growls again. The creepy little thing turns and runs off just as fast as it came leaving me shaking like a leaf. I then quickly kick off my shoes and say "Quickly go back inside! It's not safe out here!"

Alec's deep chuckle has me stilling as he says "Don't worry Kitten, you're safe with me here." I groan and tuck my head into his neck when I see the others watching with wide eyes. Yes, this is badass Maya... Alec rubs my back and chuckles again as he makes his way back to the house. In a way, his laugh and his strong hands worked wonders in calming me so I didn't protest.