A Man of the Mountain - The Man, The Myth, The Legend

16. The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Jonas wanted Shirley to leave, wanted her to get as far away as possible. The longer she stayed, the higher chance that he was going to have to kill her. The thought alone made him sick to his stomach.

     “You’re not scaring anyone here!” he heard Nick yell across the field.

     For a professional, he’s not the brightest… Jonas shifted to get a better look and winced as he put pressure on his wounds. Blood continued to run in a steady stream down his side and he knew that if he didn’t get back to his medical supplies soon, he was going to bleed out. Better make this quick then. He took a deep breath, ignoring the pain, and prepared to charge. Ventner was pointing his pistol at a thicket of bushes a good fifty feet from his position. Jonas made a quick calculation of the distance between them. The jump would be painful, but the element of surprise was invaluable.

     Shirley had begun to back away and Jonas felt thankful. Now run away, before I finish my business here. With that, Jonas leapt from the top of the ravine, letting out a roar. As he catapulted through the air, the scene rendered in sharp focus before him. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and it felt as though he could see in more detail than he ever had before. Once more he felt confidence surging through him. This was it, he had one shot, one moment, and he would not let it slip. Nick was reacting to the attack, but not quick enough. Jonas pulled back a claw to strike.

     At the last second, Nick was able to roll out of the way, but not before his swipe knocked the gun from his hands and raked red lines across his inner arm. Jonas stumbled upon landing, skidding through the snow and into the other side of the embankment. The impact was agony, but he spun around with lightning speed, preparing to attack again. In the confusion, he had lost sight of Shirley. Good, it’s better that way. She would have a head start and might even get away.

     As he recovered, Nick drew a long knife from a sheathe concealed in his jacket. The blade was so long that it might as well have been a machete. Deep red splatters and streaks stained the snow between them and Nick’s arm was soaked where Jonas had struck. The man’s face was pale, but still full of fight. Jonas admired him, and through the pain, he could not help but smile. This was the fight he had been waiting for.  

     “Come on then!” shouted Nick, holding the knife out like a lance. “I’m not scared of a psychopath that likes playing dress-up!”

     That threw Jonas off balance. He knew?

     It was the opportunity Nick needed. Rather than waiting for Jonas to attack, or going for the gun, Nick ran forward before he could react. There was brief, shooting pain as the knife drove into his heavily-bruised shoulder, followed once more by a numbness. Jonas saw Nick’s eyes, full of hunger but lacking fear. That was his mistake. He batted him away with his good arm, sending Nick sprawling into the snow.

     The knife stayed in Jonas’s shoulder and he reached over to pull it out. The blade was sunk to the hilt. He grimaced, gripped the handle, ripped it out, and threw the blade away, shaking off nausea. He then advanced on the stunned Nick, feeling more lightheaded by the second. Probably should have left it in. Doesn’t matter, time to finish this. He did his best to savor each step, knowing there might not be a more important moment in his life. This was it. No matter what else happened, he would be famous. Everyone would know what he did.

     “A real sasquatch would have the decency to get on with it,” spat Nick as he tried to scramble away.

     Jonas felt the rage build inside him and quickened his pace. The bushes to his right rustled. Why do you have to be so noble, Shirley? It didn’t have to end this way. He felt sick. If she still had the gun, she was a more pressing threat than the nearly-dead Ventner. He turned on his heal and faced the bushes where he suspected she was hiding. This was not how it was supposed to go.

     “God damnit, Shirley, I told you to—” Nick was cut off as huge, lumbering footsteps shook the clearing.

     Jonas felt an odd sensation as his eyes widened and his pulse quickened. A distinct fear ran through his body, strange and unfamiliar. It was the primal notion that he had just gone from predator to prey. The thicket in front of him parted, and a massive creature charged out. Jonas only had seconds to recognize what was happening before the impact. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me…”

     The ten-foot-tall ape-like creature ran out of the bushes, moving with deadly speed. Jonas felt small and very afraid. He looked up into the wrinkled, angry face of the real item, and he understood how all the hikers he had encountered over the years felt. Their terrified screams, their pleading, he had the urge to do it all, despite knowing it was useless. Before he had the chance, in one smooth motion, the creature picked Jonas up in a muscular hand, and squeezed. The sasquatch snarled, revealing black gums over a terrible set of gnashing teeth.

     Jonas felt the sickening sensation of bones popping, and immeasurable pain flooding his body. A black circle closed around his vision, to the point where all he could see were the dark eyes staring at him. Even through the agonizing pain, he could not help but appreciate the irony of the moment. The legend would be done justice after all. Maybe Shirley will even write a story about it.

     Just then, the creature flung Jonas sideways. He could only watch as tree bark rushed towards his face and with a final thud, his world went black.