Page 5 of Primal Hunger
Nothing like the terrifying stories plaguing the town of Great Oaks.
This will be a jackpot if I manage to capture irrefutable proof of the Grim’s existence.
A life-changing, destiny-altering jackpot.
“It’s not like you’re planning to beinthe woods tomorrow night,” Tyler says, clicking his seatbelt into place and waiting for me to drive away. “We’ve got the cameras set up and we can watch them from your house. It’s going to be fine. Dark spooky forest adjacent.”
I chew the inside of my cheek, wondering if I should break the bad news to him now or when I drop him off at his house. I might not have said it out loud, but the woods are exactly where I plan to be when the sun goes down tomorrow. Either among the trees, or hiding along the tree line.
I’m not making the same mistake I did with Bigfoot.
If my cameras are able to catch anything, I plan to be close enough to see it with my own two eyes.
“Right,” I say, drawing out the word as I put the car in drive. “About that.”
“What about it?” His gaze burns a hole in the side of my face as we roll out of the tiny neighborhood. “Erin, please tell me you don’t plan to be outside when all this goes down. What are you planning?Answer me.”
“Of course I am, Tyler. How else am I going to see it firsthand?” I keep my eyes focused on the road and don’t bother glancing in his direction. “What if the cameras aren’t in the right spot? What if it takes someone and I can be there to stop it? There’s too much riding on this. There’s no way I’m staying home. We’re going to be much closer than adjacent.”
He groans. “Are youtryingto get kidnapped? Is that what you want?”
“No.” That’s not on my to-do list at the moment.
Making my blog go viral? Yes.
Solving the mystery of the Grim? Yes.
Being kidnapped in the dead of night? Definitely not.
Without knowing many details of the mythology surrounding the Grim, we’re firing in the dark; lucky for me, I’m a professional. I know how to handle myself. Tyler? Not so much. Which is why I’ve told him several times to keep his distance, only for him to keep insisting on being there.
“You’re trying to kill me,” he mutters, rubbing his temples in my peripheral vision. “At least tell me you have a plan to stay out of sight. Not that it’ll do much good—the thing can probably smell you from a mile away.”
It depends on what thethingactually is.
“Uhhh…” Apparently my plan of hiding among some bushes isn’t good enough, and I already know by his attitude that he’ll shoot it down. “We can wait in the car. That way, if things get crazy, we can outrun it.”
He groans again.
“I told you that you could sit this one out if you’re scared,” I repeat with a shrug. “You’ll still be able to watch the live camera footage on the website, and I can text you updates if anything happens.”
Mental fingers crossed he takes my advice this time.
“And be called a coward for letting you do this shit alone? Nope. Not happening.” He crosses his arms again and slumps down in his seat, obviously annoyed. “You’re stuck with me, and whatever happens tomorrow night, happens.”
The corner of my mouth lifts in a half-hearted smile.
As serious as I was about doing this alone, I’m grateful for Tyler’s assistance. His company helps soothe some of the nerveseating at my insides like acid, and knowing I won’t be completely alone tomorrow night is comforting. It gives me the tiniest boost of courage and cements my resolve.
Whatever happened, he’s been a decent companion, even if he grates on my nerves sometimes.
I’m going to see this beast tomorrow night, one way or another, and it’s going to change everything. Life as I know it will never be the same, because I’m going to discover what thousands have been too afraid to chase after and what the world has never seen before.
I’m going to find the Grim.
And it doesn't matter what happens to me.
Chapter
