Ed couldn’t catch his breath, but his legs were carrying him as fast to safety as they could. There was a howl from behind him and he pushed harder through the pine trees. He looked up at the sky, it was dark, the stars even darkened by the clouds. Ed was sure the beast could smell his fear inside of the droplets of sweat that ran down his slightly round pudgy face. When his short legs began to feel numb he slowed down, coming to a halt behind a large oak tree. He searched his right hip and realized that he had dropped his weapon several yards back. As his breathing began to settle there was a snap behind the tree that made him hold his breath before turning to take a glance behind the trunk. There was nothing there.