Chapter 20: Three Seconds to Oblivion
Rhys ran without looking back. He ran until his lungs burned and the forest was a meaningless blur of green and brown.
He didn’t stop until the sun had begun to set, casting long, distorted shadows that danced like specters.
He finally collapsed at the base of a large tree, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
He was safe. He had escaped.
Rhys breathed a sigh of relief, the tension draining from his body, leaving him feeling hollow and exhausted.
The image of the girl with crescent moons for pupils was seared into his mind.
The terror she had inspired made every coping mechanism disappear; he shivered violently until his constitution produced a warm energy that finally dispelled the chill.
Anyway, this encounter was a reminder that there were beings in this world so far beyond his comprehension that he was nothing more than an insect to them.
[The Host has successfully evaded an entity of unknown origin and power level. Survival probability has increased from less than 0% to a statistically significant 0.01%. Congratulations.]
’Don’t congratulate me,’ Rhys grumbled in his mind, his heart still hammering against his ribs. ’Just tell me I never have to see her again.’
[Probability of future encounters cannot be calculated. Data is insufficient.]
’Useless.’