Vulture

Kaito hears the screeching of the bird, but this screech is different, it’s longer and higher pitched. He can hear it grow closer and fade away.

"What is it doing?"

The wind continues to pick up and fall, the continuous screeching rising in pitch. The bird circles the forest, having found an intruder; it now hunts it for its crime.

The screeching’s pitch reaches a frequency in which his ears are no longer able to hear it. He keeps feeling the gusts of wind created by the giant bird but to him the screeching has stopped altogether.

Did it finally give up? What the heck even was that thing?

He rises to his feet and continues his escape through the forest with a hasty jog. Heading away from the bird's nest, the recurrent gusts of wind begin to dissipate and the sound of leaves return to a calm silence. Cracks and snaps from sticks and stones are heard as Kaito makes his way swiftly and quietly away from danger.

I need to get away. This forest…, there’s probably other things out here. I need to find shelter and food.

He thinks only of his survival, his desire to live, to get away. Until now all his thoughts were about the company, of his future, of his retirement. Having worked at his corporation for seven years, he lost all his freedom and worked solely for the goal of retiring and living his days out somewhere in the countryside. His immense workload led to rifts between his family and friends, distance was made and he never fully reconnected with them even on the extremely few off days he had. He lived paycheck to paycheck, working early and staying late, all for a future that was no longer feasible.

Having woken up in another world, he was no longer working for his future, but for the chance to live until the next morning. The forest was vast and filled with many creatures he’d never seen, squirrel-like creatures with rock hard tails, hidden bugs camouflaged as rocks and twigs the size of human arms and legs. Yet Kaito continued to run past them, never looking back, he ran for what felt like thirty minutes, when it was really ten. There was now about a kilometer and a half between him and the nest, and yet he continued to jog.

Kaito zoned out as he ran, thinking of his regrets, the unfinished business he had in Japan, his mother and father that he had now left behind, his little twin brother and sister who were both about to finish high school. Having taken care of them since he was eight years old, they were one of the few things that truly brought a smile to Kaito’s face. He regretted leaving them the most.

"I’m sorry… Ken… Yui"

Kaito slowed his pace to a walk—eyes growing wide— he hid behind a nearby tree. He peered up ahead in the direction he was running in. A giant beast stood in his way. It resembled a boar but some very apparent features said otherwise. This “boar” had what looked like antlers as tusks and was the size of a school bus. It had the nose of a pig—the size of a human face—and a gray tail that was reflecting light.

What in the heck is that?

The giant boar twitched, looking to its left it shrieked and started running away, to the left of where Kaito was hiding.

Perfect, this is my chance!

He sneakily made his way forward, watching his step and pushing through bushes that stood in his way. He was about to return to his fleet-footed jog when suddenly, the forest floor began to shake. Kaito hid behind the closest tree and saw the boar running full speed back to where it once was, the area that he was currently in. In a panic Kaito turned to run, but tripped against the roots of the tree he was hiding behind. He turned to face the boar barreling toward him and tried to get up. His knee was bleeding, but it wasn’t going to stop him from running.

 As Kaito scrambled to his feet the boar was fast approaching—about 25 meters away from him. He glanced one last time at the boar before turning to run, and his pupils were met with a wall of light right where the boar once was.

An explosion lifted his body from the ground, along with the surrounding trees.

Kaito’s body flew from the shockwave and was knocked on its side. He blinked as the floor shook with great force. The forest erupting in flames, the giant bird stood menacingly atop the boar. Its sand-colored wings spread out and stretched extravagantly as it bent its neck down to claim its prize. All the trees around him were on fire, turning the previously luscious greenery into a wasteland akin to that of a meteor strike. The giant bird had clawed the boar straight through its body upon its landing, its dinner wailing and screaming through its final moments.

Kaito quickly crawled to the nearest tree, despite it being on fire, hiding behind it whilst holding his right shoulder in pain. His body shook as he sat against the tree, remaining completely still as he tried to control his breathing. He could hear the coos and caws of the bird, the chewing and ripping of meat, the crackling of wood, and the delight of the feeding bird. Smoke filled the forest floor and Kaito tried his best not to cough.

No no no no no! What the hell?! That thing’s here?! What do I do??

Kaito was hyperventilating, as quiet as he could. His body bruised and ragged from the landing, was in great pain. His lungs were taking in the smoke from the flames and despite his best efforts—

Kaito coughed.

The bird stopped consuming its freshly caught meal.

He immediately covered his mouth as he tried to hold the rest of the cough in.

No no no no no!

I’m scared. I’m scared. What should I do? What can I do?

His lungs began to pulsate, he needed to cough. He could hear the bird, its giant steps approaching as it shook the ground. Kaito plugged his nose and held his breath. His body was shaking and he knew he could only hold it for so long. His heart was beating out of his chest and he had an iron grip on both his mouth and nose.

The bird was now at the edge of the crater it’d made. Kaito saw something entering his peripheral vision. He glanced to his left, and saw a red splattered, bonelike triangle seeping into the gap in between the tree he was hiding behind, and the following tree to the left of him.

The bird's beak opened and its shark-like teeth painted red, with whatever was left from the boar, were about a meter from Kaito’s face. It screeched and stomped as if trying to shake any surrounding animals from their hiding place. Small cinders were being spit out by the bird as it screeched.

Kaito could only focus on continuing to hold his breath, to make no noise. That thing was carnivorous, and he didn’t plan on becoming its dessert.

His eyes began to water and his chest and upper body shook violently. He needed to breathe, to cough, to live. He refused to die, not again, not ever. To go through that pain again, that fear, it was worse than torture.

Kaito’s eyes had pools of tears, ready to flow down his cheeks at any moment. He could feel the blood on his knee flowing down. It made its way through his suit, pooling down to his calf, staining the tattered fabric. The beak next to him continued to scream, and he was forced to hear it. Tears began to flow, and soon his throat started to pulse. He needed to breathe, but if he let go now, his gasp would give the bird his exact location.

Griping his mouth and nose, he vowed to never die again.

I WILL make it out of here! This time I’ll make it count! Never again!

His eyebrows furrowed and he bit the inner part of his lip as he cemented his pledge; a vow to survive.

His tearing eyes rolled up and his vision went black.

Kaito reached his limit, and he passed out.

—--

He woke hours later covered in ash. The fires had died down and the bird was gone. His eyes shot up and a big gasp of air was heard throughout the area.

Staring off into the emptiness of the forest, tears began to flow and the edges of Kaito’s mouth began to turn. He looked around to find the desolate wasteland without so much of a cricket to make a noise. The bird, gone. The boar, dead.

He began to giggle to himself. The giggle soon turned into a convoluted laugh. A mix of crying and laughing filled the silence. Tears fell and fell, his hands rose to cover his face.

I’m alive!!

Curling up, bringing his knees to his face he tried to process his thoughts. He was now alone and somewhat safe from whatever was in the forest. He continued to cry and laugh for the better part of an hour. His emotions died down and he steeled his resolve. The day was almost over, and hunger and thirst was killing him.

Getting up slowly, still in pain. Kaito made his way to the center of the crater. The body of the boar was beginning to rot. The entire boar had been burnt, both outside and inside. He looked around the wasteland, nothing but ashen stumps and charcoal all around. Looking back at the boar he climbed up and began looking for whatever unburnt meat was left from the boar.

I hate this place.