LEA

The bat in my right hand feels heavy, and I transfer it to my left. I wipe the sweat on my jeans, swallowing nervously. We were in a dead ended alley, and the plan was to make a lot of noise. Ensuring at least one monster to come.

If I feel nervous, Chance looks more so. Every moment that passes looks like he wants to bolt. He's been strangely silent the whole morning, only speaking when spoken to, and then with short terms.

"Ready?" I ask, trying to make my own self ready too.

Chance gives a short nod, and his nervousness is replaced by a determination. It lifts my spirits somewhat, and I start to envision being home again, with my family and friends. Not having to worry about monsters around every corner.

"It might not..." Chance stops talking, clenching his jaw shut. He's already told me that it might not work about a hundred times this morning, and I can tell its taking all of his effort not to finish his sentence.

I don't respond to him, instead calling out, "Hey monsters! We're over here!" My words seem to echo, and my heart has started thudding. Every logical fiber in my body doesn't want me to call out again, but I do, trying to be even louder.

Just don't be a dragon. Or a poisonous one. Or the bear one. I roll my eyes at myself. Frankly, I don't want any of them to come. But, guess what I'm trying to do? Get them to come.

Despite being summer, the weather in this dimension has gotten colder and colder, turning into fall. I can see my breaths in the cool air.

I'm about to call out again when three monsters come out, facing us. Then another one joins them. And another.

"Great. Now we have to deal with five of them." Chance snaps irritably, and I'm too scared to snap back. "Scratch that, six. Seven." Chance counts as two more join the group. Along with the ones we've dealt with before, there are new ones. One of them looks like a tiger, except about three times the size and black with white and red stripes. Its eyes stare at me, hungry and ready to strike. This was a horrible idea.

"This was a horrible idea." Chance echoes my thoughts exactly.

"Okay, I'm starting to agree with you." I admit, as the monsters start to move closer. I don't see a poisonous one, and hope one doesn't turn up. I can get better from cuts and scratches. Poison is an unfamiliar area to me.

I grip the bat's handle with both hands. The pistol we had earlier is strapped to my waist, as a last measure resort. I can't afford to waste bullets on something I could take care of with a simple whack from the bat.

The monsters are gaining speed, and I desperately hope that the portal will be finished quickly so that we won't have to deal with all of them.

All of the monsters are focused intently on me. Why not Chance? I shove the thought aside. It'll just distract me. I need to focus on fighting. On getting through the portal.

Chance stretches out his hands, and the giant tiger walks slowly over to him, its whiskers flick slightly, but other than that, its motions are completely controlled by Chance. The power Chance has over it is complete, and astounds me.

The bear monster, which is in the lead of the rest of the monsters lets out a earth-shattering roar, and then charges forward towards me. The rest of the group quickly follows suit, and I see the tiger pause as Chance looks at me, terrified.

"Get the portal!" I snap, holding the bat ready. When the bear gets in range, I realize quickly that the bat won't do anything against him. So instead, I sidestep, swinging my bat at the next monster in line. This one looks like a dog, except that wings are sprouting from its shoulders, and half of its body is covered in scales.

The bat whizzes through the air, as the dog takes off, flying over my head. The next monster I see is a blurry figure, shaped like a human. It glitches in the air, and then disappears. Next thing I know, I hear a shattering breath intake behind me. And then a blade stabbing through my shoulder.

I scream in pain, and Chance yells my name. Without waiting any longer, I swing my bat around connecting with something solid. I hear another breath intake, that sounds like glass shattering. Then the blade in my shoulder simply disappears. The pain goes away instantly, but I don't have time to be shocked.

I swing the bat again and again, connecting and missing monsters all around me. One of the monsters grabs my arm, and I stifle a scream. Its hand is like acid, burning into my skin. It feels wet and slimy, and I wrench my arm away. The next thing I know, teeth are sinking into my other arm. Without meaning to, I drop the bat, and hear it fall to the road. The monsters are everywhere, scratching and pulling at my arms and legs and hair.

I manage to free an arm, and pull out the pistol, firing at the first thing I see. Green blood splatters on me, and I shudder. It's cold as ice on my skin.

I keep firing, and slowly the crowd around me lessens. I manage to get an opportunity to look over at Chance. One of his hands is on top of the tiger's head, the other is pointed mid air. A black hole is flashing on and off, not staying long enough to see anything through it. Chance's eyes met mine, and then disaster strikes. The tiger roars, starts for me, and then stops. And turns on Chance.