“Melissa… Melissa, just wait, okay? Okay?”
The trembling in my voice was uncontrollable, barely able to say a word without stuttering. Her hot breath was hitting my face every time she would breathe out, flashing her teeth like a savage beast. Her eyes never drifted away from me, not even for a second. I was sure she could sense my fear; she was probably watching me so intensely to see how I would react. If I took my eyes off her, she would have lunged at me and start biting away at my face.
I tried to speak to her, but as soon as I opened my mouth she growled at me. She didn’t even sound like a kid anymore. Her voice dipped in tone and sounded as if something was lodged in her throat. Her growls didn’t mimic that of a dog, a tiger, or even a proud lioness; it was just an unearthly sound.
Melissa bared her teeth. One of her front teeth were missing, but all of her canine teeth were particularly sharp and pointed, more like fangs based on how easily she tore through the squirrel—flesh, fur, bone and all. My face would have probably shredded apart with ease if those fangs dug into me. I forced that graphic thought out of my mind—I had to focus on trying to get out of the bush, and away from her.
She brought her face closer, sniffing around my cheeks and neck. I kept still as best a I could, but my arms were beginning to to wobble. Keeping myself upright was a lot more of a strain than I thought, but I had to hold out until I found an opening to try and escape. The sensation of something warm and goop-like trickling down my cheek gave me chills throughout my body. It only intensified further since I couldn’t figure exactly what it was: blood from her last meal oozing out from her mouth, or saliva as she prepared to eat again.
Her voice gargled as she opened her mouth, preparing to nibble on my cheek. This is it—this is how I’m going to die. My face was going to be a snack for this bloodlust-driven child. My nerves were running full force, feeling even the slightest of sensations on my skin. The leaves turned into paper trying to cut through my skin every time I winced. The many thin branches and twigs were prodding all over my torso, slipping into the small spaces between my ribs like knives. I wanted to cry, not because I was afraid, but because I couldn’t save myself. If I tried to escape, not only would the bush leave cuts and scars on me, but Melissa would have lunged straight at me. If I didn’t try to make an attempt at escaping, my face would have surely been eaten in no time, and I wouldn’t be able to contain my screams and cries for help, potentially endangering the other kids in the school.
Her cold fang brushed against my flushed cheek, preparing to take a bite into fresh, lively human. My eyes shut themselves tight, not wanting to see my own blood splash onto the girl’s face. Adrenaline started rushing through my body, probably to help numb the pain of having my face eaten. But after a moment, I noticed that I didn’t feel the pinch of teeth on my face; I didn’t even feel the fang on my cheek anymore. Hesitant, I opened an eye halfway to see why I was still alive.
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