Swollen clouds engulf the night leaving only the moon out
Illuminating the steel hung ready at my dispense
Excalibur lay on the right side of me, as I lay awake during the night
Trickling breezes stumble through the cracks
Their odors filled my chamber

Hunched beasts fall into formation, encircling its prey. Trampled brush lay under claws as their cries extend towards the moon.
Formation is not broken as they wait for him to leave his burrow.
Ground stomping taunts me, making me want to scurry to a more secure location.
Or they could wait for me to fall asleep, having ringed tails snake behind them while silently devouring me.
Whispering amongst the pack is what kept me awake though. Discussing out loud their demonic plan on how my cowardly actions would come into play
That was said as I lay curled in my shell
My eyes would not shut, even though stinging pain was hard to bare.
Closing my eyes meant sleep would follow and that meant I was a goner.
Waking to the kiss of the morning sun was no longer an option.
Devilish Beast! Devilish beast that hides behind a mask of black, a black so dark that only exposes eyes of red. A red so bright it bleeds through the tent, creating an omniscient fear.
Ohhh, how my chest hurt!
My hearts’ thumping began to break through my cage, causing an adrenaline rage.
A specific feeling filled me,
that feeling of when you’re about to go over a hill on a roller coaster,

when you no longer feel the existence of your internals,
seemed to last forever as they stared.
Pain began surging to my hand
Crosshatching covered my hand as I unraveled the flashlight from my hand.
This is it,

I am going to die.
Death by demon
Tis my end
No.
This can’t be it; I will not die in such a humiliating way.
Besides, sharks are the way to go.
Going down with a fight was the initiative. Unraveling from my burrow I reach for my knife:
Thrusting my helmet upon my head,
I pound my chest, the ring of my armor pierces the forest, wielding my sword,
I ready myself with the stance of a warrior.
Someone once said, “Wear them like Davie Crocket, or be slaughtered by a pack of rabid beasts”
Words to act upon
Gnashing at the air with fang embedded jaws, the raccoons were hungry.
Judging the distance from the bed to the tent door, I prepared to take the leap of faith.
Only a cloth material separated the two of us. Man versus Beast
Here I go

come on
Right Now

Nothing.
Fear succumbed me into a state of paralysis. My inner warrior evaporated.
Trampling had ceased, the first attack was about to be made, by them.
Claws breached my fortress. Fading into my burrow, still wielding Excalibur, I pause.
Sitting up I hurl it towards the claws and retreat into my sleeping bag.