Chased by the monster's howling, Demarco ran and ran. Her body ached from the battering she'd taken. Her arm burned from the beast's bite. Still, she ran.
As she ran, her panic faded, replaced by a feeling of anger, a fury that pulsed in time with the pain her arm and kept her legs pounding. She was alive. Someone - some-thing - had tried to take that from her and, quite frankly, that pissed her off.
Slowing, she spotted a house... not a trashy trailer or ramshackle hut but a nice, sturdy, honest looking house. It was late but, damn it, she needed directions. 
"Oh Ms. Demarco." Lily, the old lady she'd met earlier, was just coming out of the house as Demarco approached. "Oh dear, you have been through the wars, haven't you child."
"Yeah, about that," Demarco snapped. "You know all those warnings... about signs and paths and stuff? You didn't mention... oh, I don't know... the TOURIST-EATING MONSTER IN THE WOODS! Maybe that would been a good thing to warn people about!"
"Oh, you poor dear," Lily replied mildly. "The thing of it is, we've tried that. Most people didn't believe and many of those who did went looking for him instead of staying away. Honestly, if I'd thought it would have helped, I'd have just chased you away myself. I'm sorry this happened."
"I'm sorry," Demarco said, feeling a bit embarrassed and ashamed for yelling at her. "I don't know..."
"You've had a frightful night of it dear," Lily said gently. "I understand. Oh... dear, your arm is bleeding."
"Yeah, that... thing... bit me," Demarco sighed.
"Ah," Lily said softly. "Well, you'd best come with me dear. Let's get that looked at."
"You don't live there?" Demarco asked as Lily set off down another path.
"No, no, that's the Moonrunner's," Lily replied. "I was just babysitting Little Freddie. He's quite a handful. I'd have taken you in to get patched up... lovely couple, they'd be happy to help... but they just got the boy down for the night. I'm afraid we might wake him and..."
Demarco didn't really listen as Lily rambled on about the joys and challenges of a toddler. The anger she felt seemed to come and go in slow waves. She felt like screaming and raging when it rose and bitterly tired when it faded.
Uncertain, she allowed herself to be led. 
As she reached the house, the fatigue - born of shock, terror and pain - was definitely winning. She didn't really listen as Lily introduced her to a man named Kristopher, just did her best to nod and mumble a greeting.
She let Lily lead her away, tend to her wounds and finally put her to bed like a child. She thought she muttered a quiet thanks but wasn't sure.
Sleep claimed her quickly.
--------------------
"Is she going to be alright?"
Drifting the grey borderlands of sleep, Demarco didn't recognize the young woman's voice, but she thought it was a very good question.
"That depends on what you mean," she heard Lily answer. "The scratches and bruises have already faded, and the bite is healing quickly."
"Well that's good, right?" the younger woman said.
"No," Lily said grimly. "That means the bite is taking hold."
"What about Celene?"
"She isn't at Grimtooth's," Lily answered, "and I can't seem to reach her on that mobile phone of hers. Picked a fine time to go on a trip, she did."
"You know, if I had my powers," the young woman said.
"Etta Blackwood, it's been two years now, and I've heard that quite often enough," Lily snapped. "Your powers were stripped from you because you misused them... and a gentler punishment it was than you deserved."
"I'm just saying," Etta said, "if there was ever a time they'd be useful."
"If we're wishing for things we can't have, better to wish up Celene's treatment," Lily replied sternly, "or better yet a stout fence around Greg's territory so things like this don't happen. Now off with you, the girl needs her rest."
Rest, Demarco thought fuzzily. Yeah, that sounds good.
--------------------
"How long was I out," Demarco wondered to an empty room.
Her phone was no help. The battery had died completely, and her charger was back home on her nightstand. The house around her was quiet, and the sky outside the window was still dark, or perhaps dark again.
She'd awoken, finally, alone in the rustic bedroom. The pain of the attack had faded to a dull ache. Checking, her minor cuts and bruises looked almost healed. Even the deep bite on her arm was scabbed over, though it was still hot and angry red, making her worry about infection.
Gingerly pulling her shirt back on, she stepped out of the room.
The living room had the old furniture and roaring fire she dimly remembered from... before. Whenever before was. Lily was sleeping on the battered-looking couch, her aged face relaxed and peaceful in the firelight.
Demarco smiled a little sadly. She'd grown fond of the strange barefoot old lady in the short time she'd known her. Let her sleep, she thought as she softly slipped past.
"You should be in bed." The younger woman, Etta, stepped into the short hallway about the same time as Demarco.
"Oh hi," Demarco startled. "Umm, yeah... could you tell Lily thanks for... well, everything."
"You can tell her yourself," Etta said gently, "when she wakes up... after you should go back to bed."
"Look, I really appreciate you guys looking after me," Demarco pressed on, "but I've got to go. I've got to get home. I've got work in the morning... probably... and anyway, I just have to go."
"You haven't been well," Etta insisted. "You need to lie down and..."
"No, I need to GO," Demarco said firmly, pushing past Etta and out the door.
"Wait!" Etta called out. "Come back... you..."
Demarco didn't hear whatever the other woman shouted after her as she trotted down the path.
This was all way too weird. 
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