Chapter 3: Boy’s Best Friend

"Come on," the boy sighed.

Sparks launched from his flint and buried themselves into the deep snow. Each strike took with it a little more of the boy's hope. There were only a few hours of True Night left. The sun will finally be here, he reassured himself. Five days with no sun nor moon was his limit, but he could push past it and prove to himself—to his tribe—through this rite, he was worthy of the prophecy.

Another strike. More sparks. They fizzled out on the damp wood and he cursed himself once again. The boy leaned against the rock wall in defeat. It was cold. Colder than he ever remembered, yet despite the numbness in his limbs, he was warm. He curled into a ball and stared into deep void before him.

The snow crunched under the paws of his pursuer. Four days of fleeing from the beast but the boy was not afraid. Maybe his final throes of life were exhausted. Or it was delirium finally embracing him. It was all the same in the end.

The beast was close now and the boy could feel its breath on his face. It paused, studying him in the dark night with senses the boy couldn't comprehend. The tension released from his body as it lay down against him. The boy buried his head in its fur and he felt the dull pain of warmth return. And the conditions for prophecy were met.

You are reading story An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction at novel35.com

You can find story with these keywords: An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction, Read An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction, An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction novel, An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction book, An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction story, An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction full, An Anthology of Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction Latest Chapter