Upper World
an excerpt

I wake to the sound of pounding feet and screams. It's dark in my hut, but it always is. I fling off the animal skin and run to the flap. People are running down the main dirt road, terrified looks on their faces. Then I see Simon running toward my hut. His long dark hair that is usually straight and perfect is tangled and covered with spots of blood.
"Hannah!" he yells as he sees me stepping outside.
"What's going on?" I scream, just now seeing the bloodied bodies of people I know lying on the ground around me.
"The lykens, they're here." He replies, fear in his voice. "Grab some clothes and lets go."
"Where's mother and father?" I ask, praying that they be not among the bodies on the ground.
"Don't worry about them right now." He grabs up a spear that was jutting out of the mud and turns around, guarding my hut as I get dressed.
I jump inside and pull on a ripped gray dress that comes to my knees. I grab my arrowhead necklace that Blu made for me and slip it on; anxious to find him and know he's all right. I run outside and yank on Simon, letting him know I'm ready to go. His green eyes are searching the streets, while trying to hide the fear inside him.
Then we're off, running with the others, bumping into some, pushing others along, hoping that we can make it out alive. I hear a scream behind me and turn, eyes wide in horror at the sight. A lyken has jumped onto Tarn, Blu's little brother. He has lived but ten years, and tears creep to my eyes, wishing I could help.
"Tarn!" I yell above his screams. The beast has Tarn on the ground, and is tearing off Tarns back. With the skin gone you can see his muscles. He wasn't much weaker than Blu. Blu was a hunter, one of the best for his age, and he taught everything he knew to Tarn, who now lay lifeless on the ground, as the monster eats his insides.
I continue running, catching up to Simon who is only steps ahead of me. We get to the end of the village and make a turn into the forest. Once there, we slide behind a tree and catch our breath.
"They're dead aren’t they?" I ask, knowing the answer, but having to hear it for my own sake.
Simon turned so I wouldn't see his tears. "Father tried to stop them, hold them off so that mother could get to your hut, but one got him." He paused, reliving the moment.
"I tried to help him, but he shoved me away, telling me to save you and mother. I nodded and left to find mother, but I couldn't see her, and I knew I had to save you because you're the only one that's left."
I cry, but I know that we have to continue. I grab Simon's arm, his muscles tensing at my touch, and pull him. We continue through the trees, walking, knowing that if we step on a twig it could attract the hideous creatures. After a couple minutes I hear it, heavy breathing from behind us. I think first that it could be another survivor, but then it growls. I suck my breath in and get ready to run, but Simon grabs my arm and puts his long finger to his red lips. He turns slowly, spear in hand, and gets ready to lung at the beast, but there's nothing there.
His heart pounds loud enough for me to hear .He motions for me to run. I take off and hear his footsteps behind me, our feet taking hold of the same rhythm. I know he does is that way if something sneaks up it will get him first, but I push it to the back of my mind, not wanting to think about it, or what I would do if it did.
I turn toward the river, hoping that maybe the human wolves will get thrown off just as dogs do. I leap off the edge of the rock Blu and I usually skipped rocks on and dive into the water. It's cold, even though it's the time of the year when it is the hottest. I pump my arms and kick my legs, swimming faster than I ever have in my life. Simon becomes even with me half way across the water.
"Underwater." He says, knowing that us kicking is making to much noise. He dives under. I take a deep breath and follow.
It's dark. I can't see anything. The only thing I can do is swim straight and pray to Zophar's eyes that he sees us, and that the lykens aren’t on the beach waiting for us. After many seconds I return to the surface and take another breath. We're almost to the shore so I dive down and swim quicker, anxious for this all to be over.
The water level lowers and I can feel the mud and rocks under my feet. I stand up and start to walk, looking for Simon. Once I get to the shore I start worrying. Where could he have gone? He knows how to swim, can the werewolves too? I start to tremble, knowing I won't be able to make it on my own.
"Simon." I whisper into the shadows. "Simon!"
I turn to the sound of a cough. Someone or something is walking toward me, bent over, breathing heavily.
"Simon?" I ask, not recognizing the sound of my own voice.