A circular light illuminated an expanse of darkness as animalistic roars echoed in the distance. Within the dust tinted rays of light, a broad shouldered man was hunched over, his muscles spasming from exhaustion.

Come on. Move. Thoughts of escape flooded his mind. It's getting closer.

The man's intuitive brown eyes squinted frantically into the void in order to search for a means of escape, but the blackness didn't reveal the slightest clue of where he was or how to get out. He clenched his jaw and breathed in. A sudden surge of heat coursed through his chest as his panting expanded his lungs. Whatever was in the darkness has already gotten to him.

The man felt his broken ribs sliding against his sternum, forcing his skin to protrude outward from the inside. Each breath he took filled him with torment. The man continued to try and focus through the aggravation, but each tremor from his wearied arms sent piercing burns throughout his body, making him unable to concentrate. He dropped a calloused hand onto the chill, cement ground beneath him. He couldn't let everything he worked for, all of his sacrifices, die in this wasteland.

The man forced another look upwards to his surroundings. Each blink made his head throb from the arduous staring. Focus, the man thought. Find it.

A sudden cacophony of roars surrounded him and interrupted his thoughts. There's no time now.

With a new urgency, the man gripped his side, winced at the pain, and then forced himself to stand upright. He lifted his foot forward, and looked around him. There was no other light, no space for him to go, but he knew that he had to continue to fight the thing hunting him. The man was determined to live, so he limped into the darkness.

The horrific screams around him stopped as soon as he entered the void. Hesitation crawled along his spine as the man paused his limping strides. Something was watching him now, observing his weaknesses. He could feel it.

The man slowly forced himself to look behind him. The incessant light he had left showed an inhuman creature. It was tall and had an ape like stature. The creature's neck was long and thin and connected to an oblong head that contained soulless blackened eyes with glistening razor fangs. Its skin was an ashy grey and it had black veins that protruded and bulged from its body.

The man tried to take a step back from the horror in front of his eyes, but the figure in the light quickly cocked its head sideways, holding a prolonged gaze that stared right through him.

The man broke the silence by turning his back to the creature and propelling himself into a half sprint into the oblivion. The wails of the creature seemed to have a new tone as the thing readied itself to run. The monster was enthralled by the idea of facing another wild hunt. Let the chase begin.

The charge was short lived. A sudden fire consumed the man's back as his face made contact with the hard stone beneath him. The man found himself pinned underneath the muscled haunches of the beast. He tried to fight, tried to get the creature away, but his struggles only made the grotesque figure more angry, making it force him into compliance.

The man became paralyzed as the thing's mouth crept closer to his head. He couldn't see it, but he could hear it breathing and feel its thick saliva around his neck. The monster lurched forward and bit the prey. Hate was the only thing the man could comprehend as the beast began to devour him piece by piece until there was nothing left.

***

In a fit of chaos, Cal tore off the blankets that were layered on top of him. He sat on the edge of his bed dazed and in shock. He took his shaky hands and felt along his torso out of a lingering fear that it wasn't attached to him. He was relieved when he only felt his damp shirt; made wet from the sweat that had stuck it to his chest. Cal tried to calm himself, but found that his fingers had to clutch onto the mattress in order for him to regain composure.

A groggy, feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. Her tone was kind.

"Cal, what's going on?"