Chapter 22

I can see the dog and I feel its weight on my leg as it bites down on my calf, but I’m not immobilized from the pain. Either shock or adrenaline is keeping it at bay as I struggle to get the animal off me.

With my free leg I kick the dog over and over again. Pushing as hard as I can with my foot, I try to aim for his head to make him release his grasp. He shakes his head even harder, causing more blood to trickle out.

Pulling myself towards him, I start punching his head.

“Get off me!” I scream with rage as I punch his nose and forehead. He won’t release his grasp. My only choice is to go for his eyes. I take my thumbs and ram them as hard as I can into his eye sockets.

The animal cries out as it finally releases my leg from its mouth. I keep punching it in the head, terrified that it will bite me again. Instead, it whimpers and runs across the street, leaving me in a pool of my own blood.

I let out a laugh, in complete disbelief that I had done it. I’ve never been bitten by anything and had managed to fight off a wild animal attack. Trying to balance myself, I get onto my knees, hands on the floor in front of me. I need to keep going, I need to find help.

Trying to stand up makes my leg give out from under me, and I fall back on the grass. It hurts too much to put pressure on it. I examine the wound which now has a steady flow of blood coming out of it. It’s too deep to ignore, I need to cover the opening and stop the bleeding.

The only things I can use are the clothes on me. I take off my coat and pull my sweater over my head. They’re both too bulky. I pull off my shirt next and shiver as the cold air blows on my skin.

Quickly, I pull my sweater back on and wrap my coat snuggly around myself. Pulling as hard as I can on the fabric, I manage to tear the shirt in half. Folding it to make a long cloth, I wrap it tightly around the wound and tie it off.

I have never had a bite wound and don’t know how to properly stop the bleeding. But I do know that I can’t leave a wound exposed. I check to make sure the fabric covers the whole wound and decide to give walking another chance.

Deep breath in, and up I go. Pushing off the ground, I try to balance my weight on my legs. Again, my leg gives out from under me and I fall back onto the pavement. Laying on the floor, I cry out in despair. How can I get help if I can’t walk?

Am I doomed to stay here until someone else comes along and finds me? What if Mrs. Whitmore comes back or another animal? The realization dawns on me that I am as good as dead if I stay here. I need to get to that gas station. If I can’t walk, then I will crawl.

Trying my best not to put pressure on my calf, I pull myself forward using my arms. Scooting my body on the uninjured side, I slowly and painfully make my way down the street.

The night sky is silent. Paranoid that I am being followed by the animal, I keep checking behind me, looking for any signs of movement. All I see is the puddle of blood from where I was attacked, lit up by the moonlight.

Suddenly, the light on the puddle grows brighter and I realize that a car is approaching me from behind. Headlights blinding me, I can’t tell who is driving it. The car slows down and comes to a stop next to me.

Mrs. Whitmore has found me! Fear and panic seize my heart as I desperately look around trying to find a hiding spot. It’s too late. Even if I found one, my body would not move fast enough to get to it. I have been spotted. Sprawled out on the sidewalk, bleeding out from my leg, I am an easy target and I look pathetic.

“Rachel!” I heard a familiar voice call out. It was Steve! “Rachel is that you?”

He runs toward me and I have never been happier to see anyone.

“What in the world happened to you?” he gasps in shock as he gets closer.

“I need to get out of here, please help me” I try my best to pull myself up as he helps lift me. With ease he takes me into his arms, one arm around my back and the other under my legs. I cry silently with relief as Steve carries me back to his car.

Helping me into the passenger seat, he buckles me in and hurries over to the driver side. “Let’s get you to a hospital” he reassures me as he pulls out onto the main road.