Chapter Nine
The Dark Has Voices

It all happened so fast my whole physical body was stunned paralysed. Yet I had a strange feeling about all of this, the monster cat breathing over me, a deadly blinding soul with iron looking teeth, glaring at me with flaming red eyes: why did it not eat me? Why did it hesitate, I was helpless. I would guess the dead, and wild part of her soul manifested itself this time, fully.

I tried to scream, but no words came out, her grip on my arms was painful with her claws ripping into my skin. I couldn't move, she dragged me over to some bushes, as if to protect me from other animals, or to slaughter me later like a lion might. It was the last thing I remember: a massive dark shadow dragging me.

"I must have been asleep, or dead again, the world inside and outside of me was stone still it seemed for a very long time. A warm body was on top of me, which is all I know. The creature perhaps, thinking I was dead. Or making sure I wasn't.

As I awoke and passed out, intermittently, I saw the gigantic cat pacing about, then again I passed out for a spell of time. When I awoke this time fully conscious now, I heard a "Hola! Hola!" It was Enrique and his wife, Mini calling me in unison.

Carefully I raised my head, felt my body, I was still whole it seemed, but the twilight had turned into deep night, and there was only the moon to give me light. I heard the cat nearby murmuring, in a strange way I could see her red eyes, in the foliage about twenty-feet from me, as the voices continued to call my name.

The voices came in faster and louder; they were coming to rescue me, yet I feared for them. Then nearby came flashes of lights, from flashlights, and several more and strange voices, folks from the nearby town-let, I expect; all were calling my name. By the looks of things, the local police were also involved, I heard someone say "Sergeant, over there!"

Someone would tell me later he saw a wild cat creep away as they neared me. Again I asked myself why I was still alive; perhaps the Manticore was using me for sport.