Book 2 Chapter 35: Gams

Book 2 Chapter 35: Gams

I walked for another two days, brushing off the voice Id heard as an under stimulated mind. I heard no Russian whispers the next night, and managed to chew through a few of the rations Id located in spite of the fact that they were almost certainly no longer potable for anyone other than a deadman, biting through some of the harder portions wouldve been difficult for most Deadman even, though I had no trouble.

I started to detect new scents in the air. Greenery, moisture, and musk started to hit my senses even before anything other than outstretched wastelands and the ruins of old buildings entered my vision. I came across a small lake, irradiated to hell, with bright green grass surrounding it that glowed slightly wherever I touched it. I knelt down and scooped up a few handfuls of water, drinking them directly. The water was surprisingly cool, and I splashed some on my face.

When I looked up, I saw a massive bird. It was bent down across the lake from me, its neck long and pink, no covering at all until the creatures massive body which was covered in feathers that were thick and black. When it lifted its head from the water, I realized it was taller than me standing straight.

I slowly pulled my rifle from my pack, and took aim. The creature didnt react, simply tilting its head back down to the water to have another drink. I was hesitant to use up ammo, as I was unsure of my ability to resupply, but my craving for fresh meat overrode that concern. I took careful aim at where I estimated the creatures heart would be, and pulled the trigger.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

The bird was knocked back slightly, and made a hideous noise somewhere between a scream and a roosters caw, then it leapt clear across the small lake toward me. The jump was easily thirty feet, and I was so surprised by it that I didnt have a chance to move before the beast landed on top of me, pushing me to the ground.

Forest of Teeth was as vague a description as everything else. Was it metaphorical? Were there trees in the forest shaped like teeth? Were there predators in the woods with sharp teeth that hunted those who entered them? Was it an old name that the Pilgrim had simply known it by his entire life? Was it literal? Considering how metaphorical everything else had been I was inclined to believe that the second option, that it was full of predators, was the most likely.

I drew my sword and pistol and made my way inside. The forest was thick, and before I was more than a dozen steps inside, I had to start cutting my way through it. It was slow, dull work. It took more than twenty minutes to make what I estimated to be a mile into it. I kept my eyes, ears, and nose open, doing my best to detect any predators before they closed in on me, but I heard nothing, just the thwacking of my sword through the brush and my own breathing.

I paused. That was strange. Forests didnt tend to be quiet. Even the ones Id traveled through that were deep in deadzones were always full of noise and teeming with life of some kind. It was usually life that was bent on killing and eating me, but still, the quiet was almost more unnerving than that.

I cut deeper into the forest, my sense of unease growing as I moved. I was another mile inside, when I decided to take out my canteen and have a sip of water. As I did so I looked back to check my progress. I tilted the canteen down. All I saw was forest. The path Id cut through everything was completely gone, and I couldnt see any gaps in the canopy above me. It had all grown almost as quickly as Id moved through it. I picked up my pace, holstering my pistol so that I could tear branches and bushes out of the way with one hand as I cut them down using my sword with the other.

I made it another mile in half the time, but stopped when suddenly I felt a flash of pain in my hand. I pulled it back, and saw a small line of blood leaking from it. It started to heal almost immediately, but the wound looked suspiciously like a bite rather than a bramble. I felt my heartbeat speed up and let red creep into the edges of my vision. I sped up even more, I felt more cuts, and bleeding, but I ignored it, healing faster than any damage was done to me as I tore a hole through the forest as quickly as possible.

I made it almost three miles this time, when I realized I was hearing something other than myself. I calmed my breathing and let the red in my vision fade away, returning my attention to the forest around me rather than just the path forward. The plants all around me were grinding and gnashing teeth that they hadnt had before. Their trunks split open to reveal horrifying mouths, and their branches slowly moving toward me. I had been wrong, Forest of Teeth, had been meant literally after all.