“So the sacrifice is tonight,” Josh said. The sun had already begun to set on the horizon. The youngsters didn’t have much time to save Tom. They crept back to the house and looked around. The teenagers assumed that the last member of this insane family would be in the basement, where he would prepare the corpses and their friend for the ceremony. The cellar had two entrances. One was a small door from inside the house, and the other had a two-winged massive wooden door that led to the outside. However, they were locked with a padlock from the outside. Josh approached the small window and peeped inside without casting a shadow so he wouldn’t be noticed. He saw where Tom was but never saw the old man. The teenager handed Carrie the little ax Ed had swung at them. “Hide, and when I drag the old man out, free your brother. Then head northwest. There you must find the road to Foley Springs. I will lose the old man and catch up with you. If you hear any footsteps, hide and wait for them to pass,” Josh explained his plan.

He knew Tom was in a severe condition, and it would be hard for him to get out. Josh also knew that Aaron would seek revenge for his wife’s death, so the old man will definitely chase him. He could only hope that the father did not suspect of his sons’ deaths and that Carrie was free and helping him.

With a swipe of the ax, the young man smashed the padlock on the outer door. He was sure that even if the father were not inside, he would appear instantly. What he didn’t expect was for him to show up behind him. After a hard blow to the back of the head, Josh dropped his ax and fell down the stairs into the basement.
“I got you now, you little shit,” Aaron roared. “Now you will pay for everything.” The giant man slowly approached the steps and picked up the fallen ax.

Carrie rushed from her hiding spot with a battle cry and thrust the small ax in the old man’s right shoulder. Mad with malice, the white-haired giant dropped the big ax and roared in pain. He whirled and struck the young girl with the back of his hand. She flew back several feet and fell to the ground. The old man snatched the ax, protruding from his right shoulder, and stepped menacingly toward Josh. The young man was stunned by the blow to the back of the head, but at the sight of the ferocious white-haired man approaching him slowly, he came to his senses. The youngster quickly jumped to his feet and ran to the door that led to the house. Aaron had anticipated that when preparing his trap and had locked it up.

“I have no way out, nothing to do. I’m going to die! I’m going to die,” Josh thought. Only a few more steps separated him from a deadly blow with the ax. At that moment, Aaron roared in pain and knelt. With all her might, Carrie had risen the big ax, and as she could not raise it high enough to strike the giant’s back or head, she cut off his Achilles heel. Josh saw his chance. He jumped on the hand, holding the small ax, and bit the attacker’s wrist with all his might. The man growled in pain and dropped the ax. A blow to the head ensued, nearly causing Josh to lose consciousness. The young man rolled on the ground, but Carrie managed to strike another blow to the other leg of the indomitable attacker.

Josh finally managed to pick up the little ax and dropped it right between the old man’s eyes. His white hair went dark with blood. The giant, already on his knees, swayed and fell among the other corpses.

Carrie crawled over to Josh and hugged him. The sun was already setting. They had to hurry. The young men took the keys to Tom’s shackles and released him. The red-haired young man was covered in blood and half-conscious. The three of them went to the big door and rested. The victory was theirs. They had survived.

Two minutes. That was the rest the three allowed themselves after the hard victory. Josh and Carrie lifted Tom on both sides for support and headed northwest. They hadn’t even taken 10 steps when the sun was completely gone. Just after sunset, three unimaginably colossal bears emerged before them. The youngsters recognized the smallest of them. It was the same beast that attacked them in their camp the night before. Compared to the other two bears, however, it looked like a baby. The largest of the three was almost as big as the house itself. These were the Three Sisters who came to take their tribute.

An ominous roar shook the forest. Dozens of birds rushed into the air from the trembling trees. The teenagers shuddered. Josh and Carrie released Tom and grabbed the axes they had thrown a few feet back after the battle with Arron. Josh stepped in front of Carrie and hugged her. Just as she was about to ask, “What the hell,” the young boy kissed her and took the ax from her hand.

“I love you, Carrie! I have from the first moment I saw you. I want you to know that,” Josh said, looking into her teary eyes. “Now take your brother and run to the river. Go downstream and pray that it will take you to civilization. Don’t go out until you reach a city,” he added as he took up a fighting stance against the roaring bears.

“Josh, no! Let’s run away together. The three of us will succeed,” Carrie said, though she knew it was impossible. They were both on their edge after the battle with Aaron, and Tom was in even worse condition.
“Run,” Josh said with a slightly louder tone.
“Please, Josh, please come with us. We will succeed,” the girl begged with a sobbing voice.
“Run,” Josh shouted with all his might and rushed to the bears. He knew there was no chance. The young man had come to terms with his fate. He was grateful to his two best friends, to the children with flaming hair who gave him so much, who accepted him as part of their family, who were always with him both in good and bad, who helped him become the man he is. He was grateful for the two years of fun, happiness, and laughter. A tear ran down his cheek as he roared one last time, “Run.”

Carrie picked up his brother, and with one last effort, they ran to the river as fast as they could. They did not look back. They didn’t want to think about the sight they would see if they did—their best friend, torn by three monsters.

Josh threw the small ax with all his might and drove it into the middle bear’s head. His hopes of overthrowing her were in vain. She just roared with malice and rushed. The young man swung the large ax, and the three bears looked at him with interest. Finally, he managed to strike the largest bear’s paw. It didn’t even roar. The monster simply swept his victim back about 70 feet and stepped slowly toward him. Josh barely got up and limped to the basement. Just before entering, he noticed that the youngest of the three sisters was deviating in the river’s direction. The teenager tried to get her attention, but she ignored him. Josh swung the big ax to send it as far as he could and hit Quatanara in the back. The beast roared in pain but did not turn. It continued to pursue the siblings. Josh fell to his knees in desperation. He prayed that his friends would reach the river before the beast caught up with them. He felt the hot breath of death behind him. The big bear roared with all its might right at his back, and its giant jaws shut, snuffing out the boy’s life.

The roar of the enormous monster shook the forest. Tom and Carrie paused for a second. They knew what was happening. With tears in their eyes, the two continued to drag themselves with all their strength to the water. The stream was already audible. They were no more than 500 feet away when they heard a clatter behind them. The youngest bear had caught up with them.

“Carrie, leave me. Run! Save yourself,” Tom insisted.
“Are you crazy? We can already hear the water. The river is just a little further. I won’t lose you too,” Carrie scolded him.
“Carrie, I can’t swim in this state. I’m going to drown,” the red-haired young man added as the bear appeared behind them.
“I will hold you. We will survive,” the girl shouted.
“Carrie, promise me you’ll survive,” Tom said with a resigned smile and tore her hand away from him. The beast was already descending on them with bloody malice in its eyes.
“No, no, no, I won’t leave you. I won’t lose you too,” the girl began to pull her brother.
“Promise me,” the young man said as he picked up a pointed rod next to him.
“I promise,” she cried and rushed to the river with her eyes fogged by tears.

Carrie jumped into the water and swam to the rapids. When she reached it, the teenager turned and saw the monster standing on the shore. Tom had given her just as much time as she needed to save herself. Cold, tired, and in tears, she let the stream carry her away.

The next morning, an elderly lady was crossing the bridge over the river, crossing Rainbow. She looked at the running water and thought about her past life and how, as a young woman, she hung out with her friends on the bridge. Suddenly her smile froze. “Officer, help,” shouted the lady, running to a patrol car that stopped nearby. “There’s a girl in the water. Hurry up.”

In less than 20 minutes, police were able to pull Carrie ashore. “She’s alive,” they announce with pride after the red-haired girl opened her eyes.

“I did it, boys. I survived,” she whispered with no more tears in her eyes. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of the beautiful life she might have had with her brother and best friend.

The End

If you found this interesting and want to express your support for my work monetarily, please consider tipping me with a small DONATION. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. 

Subscribe to my email list for funny emails every now and then (Maximum once a week). You’ll have the opportunity to get every new story and article directly.