Chapter 11: Predator & Prey (1)
Dried dirt crumbles down from the side of the pit where Nova's foot slipped again. She clutched at the vine and stepped back, her breaths coming out uneven. She'd almost felt compelled to lean closer, to observe the large man slumped against the pike, his head flopped down, his long, messy midnight black hair falling over his features, shadowing them.
Nova gnawed at her bottom lip and brushed her sweat-drenched locks behind her ears as she scanned her surroundings. This was an eerie part of the forest, with little to no life, no sounds. Yet, there was a man tied up in a pit.
A pit that was filled with spikes that could kill. From here, Nova couldn't see if there were any other injuries on him. But for this to be some sort of trap to lure prey in... it wouldn't make sense. The entire pit had been covered, intent to kill whoever fell into it.
I shouldn't. Nova backed away a few steps. Even as she did, her heart clenched at the idea of leaving someone there. Why was he there in the first place? Had he fallen into the pit, couldn't get out and whoever created it then tied him up for some snack later?
Nova glanced around, shivering slightly at the idea of something even worse that likes to eat its prey later. Spiders? No, he wasn't covered in silk. She gnawed on that lip again.
If there was something watching and waiting, she was dead either way. The eagles wouldn't even fly in here, and they could easily escape quickly.
The man's low moan snapped her into action. He was in pain. Without pondering further about the man and this eery part of the forest, Nova pieced together a plan as she looked at the pit and how to get down there and hopefully provide some help.
Nova shoved her phone into her bra and bounced to make sure it stayed put. She looped the clipped heels over one wrist, grabbed the vine that had broken her fall, and gave it a firm tug to test its strength before tossing it down the pit.
She parasailed down the pit, focusing on the vine and trying not to swing from side to side and fall to her death, or slip and fall on a spike, also to her death. On top of her minor fear of bats, okay huge fear of bats, Nova wasn't particularly fond of heights either but once she focused on the task and was confident in her abilities, her racing heart and shortened breaths calmed.