The Beast

"Fuck this! This can't be the end!" Hammed's terrified scream tore through the silent forest as he ran with every ounce of strength left in his body. Branches lashed across his face while sharp thorns ripped through his sleeves, but survival mattered more than pain.
Every breath scorched his lungs as exhaustion crept into his muscles. His legs felt heavier with each passing second, yet he forced them forward without hesitation. Stopping wasn't an option. The moment he slowed down, death would catch him from behind.
The forest offered no escape. Ancient trees stood shoulder to shoulder, their thick trunks blocking his path while tangled roots reached across the ground like hidden traps. Every direction looked exactly the same, leaving him with nothing except blind hope.
Behind him came the terrifying sound that refused to fade.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Each step from the monstrous beast shook the earth beneath his feet. The vibrations climbed through his legs and settled deep inside his chest, reminding him that the distance separating hunter and prey continued shrinking with frightening speed.
Unable to resist, Hammed glanced over his shoulder for only a heartbeat.
His blood ran cold.
The giant grizzly was still charging straight toward him, smashing through bushes and snapping young trees as though they were made of paper. Its enormous body moved with terrifying speed despite its size, while crimson eyes remained locked onto him.
"No..." Hammed gasped between ragged breaths. "I can't outrun it..." Even as despair filled his heart, he pushed himself harder. His feet pounded against the uneven ground while sweat blurred his vision and his heartbeat thundered painfully inside his ears.
His body begged him to stop.
His lungs burned.
His legs screamed.
His vision swayed.
Yet fear forced him onward.
He had already died once in another world. He refused to lose the life he had only just received.
Without warning, the enormous beast suddenly rose onto its hind legs.
Its towering figure seemed almost twice Hammed's height, casting a massive shadow across the forest floor. Before he could react, one gigantic paw shot through the air with terrifying speed, its razor-sharp claws glimmering beneath the fading afternoon sun.
Instinct saved him.
Throwing himself sideways with everything he had, Hammed crashed heavily onto the ground just as the deadly claws sliced through the space where his head had been. A powerful gust of wind brushed past his face from the sheer force behind the attack.
A burning pain exploded across his left forearm.
"Aaaargh!"
Three long cuts instantly appeared on his skin as blood poured freely from the fresh wounds. The attack had only grazed him, yet the pain was fierce enough to make his entire arm tremble uncontrollably.
Momentum carried him across the forest floor until his back slammed violently against the trunk of a towering tree. Dry leaves scattered around him while the impact knocked the remaining air from his lungs, leaving him struggling to breathe.
"T-That was close..." he muttered, clutching his wounded arm tightly. Blood seeped steadily between his fingers, staining the torn sleeve of his shirt. If his instincts had reacted even a second later, he wouldn't have survived that attack.
The grizzly slowly lowered itself onto all fours once more.
Surprisingly...
It didn't charge.
Instead, the enormous beast began walking toward him with calm, measured steps. Every movement carried overwhelming confidence, as though it already knew the hunt had ended and there was no longer any reason to rush.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Each heavy footstep shook the ground beneath Hammed's body. The vibrations echoed through the tree supporting his back, making escape feel increasingly impossible as the giant predator calmly approached its helpless prey.
His mind screamed at him to run.
His body refused.
Fear had rooted him completely in place. His injured arm throbbed painfully with every heartbeat while cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Even breathing felt strangely difficult beneath the crushing pressure radiating from the beast.
The bear finally stopped directly before him.
Its enormous shadow swallowed Hammed completely, blocking the remaining sunlight filtering through the trees. Slowly, he lifted his trembling head until his frightened eyes met the creature's crimson gaze.
"P-Please..." Hammed whispered, his voice barely audible. "Stop..." Every ounce of courage he possessed had disappeared. The only thing remaining inside him was a desperate wish to survive long enough to understand why fate had brought him into this world.
The grizzly lowered its massive head until its jaws hovered only inches from his face. Warm breath washed over his skin, carrying the scent of damp earth, wild grass, and fresh meat. He could even hear the beast's slow breathing.
His heartbeat became painfully loud.
"I don't want to die..." Tears gathered uncontrollably in his eyes. "I still have so many things I wanted to do..." Memories of his family flashed through his mind, followed by countless regrets he had buried during his previous life.
"STOOOP!!"
His desperate scream echoed throughout the forest before fading into silence.
Nothing happened.
The bear neither attacked nor moved away.
It simply continued watching him.
Completely still.
Completely silent.
As though it were waiting for something only it understood.
Confusion slowly replaced terror inside Hammed's heart.
"...Why?" he whispered weakly.
"If you're going to kill me... then why are you just staring?"
The question remained unanswered.
The forest fell completely silent.
Even the birds had stopped singing.
Only the gentle wind drifted lazily through the towering trees while the strange standoff between man and beast continued without either side making another move.
Then the adrenaline keeping Hammed alive finally disappeared.
A crushing wave of exhaustion swept through his body all at once. The pain in his injured arm intensified, his vision gradually blurred, and his exhausted legs completely lost their remaining strength.
"I..."
Darkness slowly swallowed his consciousness.
The last thing Hammed saw before everything faded away was the enormous grizzly continuing to stare at him with those mysterious crimson eyes.
Then...
Everything went black.
.....
A cool breeze drifted across Hammed's face, carrying the earthy scent of damp leaves and fresh grass. Somewhere above him, branches swayed gently against one another. A faint groan escaped his lips as consciousness slowly returned.
His eyelids fluttered open.
The brilliant afternoon sky had disappeared, replaced by streaks of orange and crimson stretching across the horizon. Sunlight filtered weakly through the trees, announcing the arrival of evening. For several confused seconds, he simply stared upward in silence.
Then everything came rushing back.
The chase.
The claw.
The bear.
"AAAH!" Hammed shot upright so suddenly that dizziness washed over him. His breathing became frantic as panic seized his heart once more. He looked wildly around the clearing, expecting the monstrous beast to leap from the shadows at any moment.
"My head..." he muttered, pressing both hands against his temples. A dull ache lingered behind his eyes, but it was nothing compared to the relief flooding his chest. "...I'm alive?" The words escaped him almost involuntarily.
Unable to believe it, he hurriedly examined himself. His trembling hands moved across his face, neck, chest, and legs, searching for injuries that should have ended his life. Apart from dirt and aching muscles, everything seemed surprisingly intact.
His fingers suddenly brushed against his injured forearm.
"Hiss..."
A sharp sting forced him to wince. Pulling back the torn sleeve, he found three dried claw marks stretching across his arm. The blood had already clotted, but the wound still burned fiercely whenever he moved.
"So... it wasn't a dream." Hammed released a shaky breath before slowly lowering his arm. The scratches were proof enough that everything he remembered had truly happened. Somehow, he had survived a creature that should have killed him without effort.
He carefully rose to his feet, using the nearby tree to steady himself. His legs trembled beneath his weight, while every muscle protested from the exhausting chase. Even standing required far more effort than he cared to admit.
The forest had changed.
Moments ago, it had echoed with crashing footsteps and terrified screams.
Now...
It was eerily quiet.
"No way..." Hammed whispered as he slowly turned in a circle. "Someone had to save me." He searched the surrounding trees, expecting to find another traveler or perhaps a hunter hidden somewhere nearby.
No one answered.
Only the whisper of leaves drifted through the evening air.
Whoever had saved him—if anyone truly had—was nowhere to be seen.
Lowering his head respectfully, Hammed spoke with complete sincerity. "Whoever you are... thank you." His voice carried genuine gratitude. Without that unknown person, he was convinced he would already be dead.
He took one cautious step forward.
Then another.
As he lifted his gaze...
His entire body froze.
Standing several meters away, partially hidden between two trees, was the same enormous grizzly bear. It stood perfectly still, neither growling nor advancing. Its crimson eyes rested quietly upon him, calm and unreadable.
Cold sweat immediately formed across Hammed's forehead.
"HAAAH!" He stumbled backward so quickly that he nearly fell. His heartbeat exploded inside his chest while terror returned with full force, erasing every trace of relief he had felt only moments earlier.
"N-No..." he stammered, desperately searching for something anything that could serve as a weapon. His trembling hands finally settled on a small fallen branch lying beside his foot, and he grabbed it without hesitation.
Holding the tiny stick before him, Hammed pointed it toward the gigantic bear as though it were a mighty spear. "D-Don't come any closer!" he shouted, struggling to keep his voice steady despite the fear threatening to overwhelm him.
"I'll... I'll hit you!" Even as the words left his mouth, he realized how absurd they sounded. The branch barely reached his elbow. Against a creature that size, it was less than useless.
A bitter smile almost appeared on his face.
Seriously...
A stick?
Was he planning to poke the monster to death?
The ridiculous thought briefly cut through his fear.
The grizzly continued watching him for several silent moments. Its massive body remained perfectly relaxed, showing neither aggression nor excitement. Then, without warning, it slowly turned around and began walking deeper into the forest.
Not once did it look back.
Not once did it make a threatening move.
Within moments, its enormous figure disappeared behind the countless trees, leaving Hammed standing alone with nothing but questions filling his mind.
"It... left?" he whispered in disbelief. His grip on the branch loosened as confusion gradually replaced fear. "Why?" The creature had possessed countless opportunities to kill him, yet each time it had chosen not to.
He replayed every moment inside his mind.
The chase had been real.
The attack had been real.
The claw marks on his arm proved that much.
Yet when victory belonged entirely to the bear...
It had simply watched him.
Nothing about the encounter made sense.
A cool breeze suddenly swept across the clearing.
"Achoo!"
Hammed rubbed his nose before glancing uneasily toward the darkening forest. An uncomfortable sensation crawled across the back of his neck, making him feel as though unseen eyes were still watching from somewhere beyond the trees.
"I need to get out of here..." he muttered quietly.
Before he could take another step...
"Awooooo!"
A long, haunting howl echoed across the forest.
Hammed instantly stiffened.
A second howl answered from another direction.
Then a third.
Then another.
Within moments, the peaceful evening transformed into a chorus of distant wolves calling to one another beneath the approaching night.
His face lost all color.
"Wolves..." he whispered.
The branch slipped from his trembling hand as his heartbeat quickened once again.
"No... please don't tell me they're nearby." Hammed's voice trembled as he scanned the darkening forest. The howls continued from different directions, making it impossible to tell how many wolves were out there or how close they had come.
Running blindly through the forest at night would only make things worse. He had escaped one predator by pure luck, and there was no guarantee fortune would favor him again. If wolves surrounded him in the darkness, he wouldn't survive.
"I need somewhere to hide." The thought settled firmly in his mind. He immediately searched the nearby trees until several broad leaves caught his attention. They were large enough to provide some cover if he used them wisely.
Grabbing a broken branch with a jagged edge, Hammed struggled to cut the leaves free. His wounded arm protested with every movement, forcing him to grit his teeth against the pain. Even such a simple task quickly became exhausting.
One leaf after another dropped onto the ground. After gathering enough, he tore long strips from nearby vines and carefully tied everything together. His fingers fumbled repeatedly, but desperation pushed him to keep working until the rough shelter finally took shape.
It wasn't impressive by any means. Leaning the leafy cover against a fallen log, Hammed stepped back to inspect his work. It looked crude and fragile, yet it was better than sleeping completely exposed beneath the open sky.
"It'll have to do," he whispered, wiping sweat from his forehead. The shelter wouldn't stop a determined beast, but perhaps it could hide him from wandering eyes. Right now, even the smallest advantage felt worth having.
Darkness slowly crept between the trees as the last traces of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon. Long shadows swallowed the forest one after another, transforming the once-beautiful woodland into an unsettling world filled with endless blackness.
Hammed swallowed nervously.
"No... I can't just sleep." He stared beyond the shelter, imagining glowing eyes emerging from the darkness while he lay helplessly unconscious. The thought alone sent another chill racing down his spine.
His gaze wandered across the forest floor until he noticed several dry branches scattered beneath a nearby tree. Beside them rested a fist-sized stone. The sight triggered a faint memory from countless survival videos he had watched online.
"I remember this..." he muttered while kneeling beside the pile. "People used stones to start fires." Whether those videos had been accurate or not, he had no better idea. Failure simply wasn't an option anymore.
He gathered dry leaves, brittle grass, and thin twigs into a small pile before picking up two hard stones. Taking a slow breath, he struck them together, hoping sparks would appear just as they had on the screen.
Clack!
Nothing happened.
He adjusted the angle and tried again.
Clack!
Still nothing.
Frustration slowly crept across his face, but he refused to stop. Again and again he struck the stones together, ignoring the soreness spreading through his already tired hands.
Clack!
A tiny spark flashed briefly before vanishing.
Hammed's eyes widened.
"It worked..." he whispered excitedly. His movements became far more careful as he continued striking the stones, making sure each spark landed on the dry grass waiting beneath them.
Another spark landed.
A thin strand of smoke slowly curled upward.
For a heartbeat, Hammed simply stared.
Then excitement exploded across his face.
"Come on..." he urged softly before kneeling closer and gently blowing against the smoking grass. The smoke thickened almost immediately, followed by the faintest orange glow hidden beneath the dried leaves.
"It's working!" Relief flooded through him as a tiny flame finally flickered to life. He carefully fed it more grass before adding the smallest twigs he could find, protecting the newborn fire from the evening breeze.
The flame steadily grew stronger until it became a proper campfire. Warm orange light spread across the clearing, pushing back the darkness surrounding his shelter. For the first time since arriving in this strange world, Hammed felt slightly safer.
He slowly placed thicker branches onto the fire before sitting beside it with a tired sigh. The comforting warmth eased the evening chill, while the crackling flames created the only cheerful sound within the silent forest.
Remembering his injured arm, Hammed tore another strip from his already damaged shirt. He wrapped the cloth tightly around the claw marks, carefully securing the makeshift bandage before flexing his fingers to ensure circulation remained normal.
"It still hurts," he admitted quietly. "But... at least the bleeding has stopped." It wasn't proper treatment, yet it was the best he could manage. Complaining wouldn't magically produce medicine or a doctor.
Leaning back against the fallen log, Hammed stared into the dancing flames. Beyond their warm glow stretched nothing except endless darkness, where strange creatures could be hiding behind every tree without making the slightest sound.
"This forest is terrifying," he murmured. "My old workplace was boring... but at least it had people." The comparison almost made him laugh. He had spent years dreaming of escaping office life, never imagining this would become the alternative.
His thoughts gradually drifted toward the world he had left behind. He pictured his mother's gentle cooking, his father's gruff voice, his brother's endless teasing, and his sister pretending not to care while quietly looking after everyone.
A lonely smile appeared on his face.
"I hope you're all doing okay..." he whispered to the fire. "Even if you don't know it... I really miss you." The words disappeared into the quiet night, carried away by the gentle breeze.
Exhaustion finally overwhelmed him.
His eyelids grew heavier with every passing minute until he could no longer keep them open. Curling beside the warmth of the campfire, Hammed slowly surrendered to sleep, unaware that the forest had not stopped watching him.
Far beyond the reach of the flickering firelight, hidden perfectly among the countless trees, the enormous grizzly remained motionless. Its massive body blended completely with the darkness, while two crimson eyes silently watched the sleeping boy without ever looking away.