(All characters are 18+)
James and Olivia had been married for five years, and those five years had been happy. They married in their mid-twenties, after they both felt their own lives had been established sufficiently.
Their marriage so far had its ups and downs, like any does, but it worked. They had good jobs, though stressful. They had secured their place in the world together: a home, two cars, financially well-off.
Their future was theirs to control.
And then it was all thrown into a fucking blender.
The couple were out for their usual evening stroll. They lived just on the edge of the city, where the transition from urban to rural began. Wooded areas still dotted the landscape, untouched by developers. Wildlife still called this place home. And so did they.
They found the nighttime strolls were a good way to de-stress, discuss their days, or even just walk together in silence for a while. Sometimes the topic was a work project or frustrating co-worker. Other times more social things, like what their neighbors were up to or the latest gossip.
But they had never feared for their safety out here. It seemed the worst that could happen would be coming across a rabid raccoon or a drunk driver.
Tonight would be different. Life-changing.
The two of them were almost back home, the night lit only by the moon and occasional street light. Slick, black pavement seeming to drink it all in. An occasional breeze rustling the early summer foliage on the trees. It was magic out here.
But the rustling of the leaves helped conceal another noise, something far more dangerous than a rabid raccoon. Something was following them, stalking them. A predator hunting its prey. Waiting for the perfect moment.
As they turned the corner, it struck.
From the nearby brush leapt something large and powerful, tackling James and knocking his wife off her feet. Pinned to the ground, claws and teeth snarled at him, shredding his clothes. He desperately tried to fight the beast off, but his soft flesh and fabric were no match for the claws that raked him. The beast's hot breath on his face felt suffocating, the stench of death filling his nostrils.
It was a battle he could not win.
His wife had been momentarily dazed, after being violently shoved to ground. She began to shake herself out of it.
Olivia was a woman who liked to be prepared. Like most women, she was acutely aware that predators existed, most commonly men, and that she may be considered prey by some. Men who for various reasons wanted to harm, hurt, or use women. She would not let herself become a victim. She was prepared.
But this was unlike any normal predator.
Reaching into her jacket, she pulled out a canister of pepper spray. This would have to do.
"Get the FUCK off of him!" she yelled at the unknown beast, aiming at its face and eyes, inadvertently getting her husband as well.
The beast gave a bladder-emptying growl, its absurd and hulking form retreating only slightly. Seizing the opportunity, Olivia pulled up her husband and they ran. Their house was not far and the beast was still dazed, one of its vital hunting senses now impaired.
Her husband struggled to keep up with her, his hand around her shoulder. Neither of them knew how badly he might be injured. Adrenaline coursing through them both. The once safe night had betrayed them, the horror it hid revealing itself.
Finally making it to the door, Emily fumbled for the keys in her pocket, the growling continuing behind them, not knowing if it was retreating or coming straight for them. Her heart was trying to escape her chest.
The lock clicked, the door opened. They made it inside.
*SLAM*
She locks the door behind them and looks at her husband. He appears to have a few cuts, possibly deep, but it's hard to tell for certain. His eyes and face are swollen from what pepper spray had landed on him.
Trembling, she dials 911.
After what seemed like too long of a wait, the police and an ambulance show up. The paramedics see to her husband, while the police question her about what it was that attacked them.
"It was something LARGE. I don't know what it was. A wolf maybe? It was big though. I've never seen anything like it out here," she emphasizes.
A patrolman stayed with them at the house, while others searched the immediate area for signs of the beast. None were found, other than scant traces at the site of the initial attack. They informed them both that they'd be letting animal control and the DNR know about the attack so they could investigate further and attempt to track and locate the animal.
"You're lucky," the paramedic was telling James as he disinfected and finished bandaging the wounds. "These could have been a lot worse."
