I see a bloody fanged beast, his hair is long and mangled with filth. He stands before me, and glares at me with evil eyes, eyes red as flames. Ears long and pointy. His large muscular chest pumps up and down as he breathes. Huge claws hang at his side. The beast’s skin is black, only visible in the night, cause of the moonlight high in the sky.

I’m frozen in fright. If I run, most surely he will attack. There’s no escape for me. What then shall I do? Everything about him is everything I fear. I’m sweating in the summer heat, and yet I shiver. My heart is pounding fast and hard. I’m certain this beast can hear it. I slowly step back, he matches me step for step.

I look at my hands, they’re the only weapons I possess. I just don’t think it’s enough. It’s all that I can do. I simply have no other choice. I must fight back, or die. I clench my hands into fists. I raise my head up, no longer looking at the ground as a submissive weakling. If I’m to die, I will die proudly.

I approach him and he charges. I feel his teeth dig into my shoulder. I scream in agony. No! I cannot fail this quickly. I strike him with my hands over and over again. He bites down harder. No! I will not die today. I must not quit. I must not surrender. I swing faster. Erratic and relentless.

Suddenly, he lets go. I can feel the blood flowing down my arm. The pain provides the evidence I’m injured. He steps back and roars into the air, trying to promote more fear back into my soul. I’m far past the point of fear. No longer will I be a servant of fear. I’m now a fighter, a bloody hardened warrior. I approach him, my eyes filled with determination. I watch him carefully searching for a weakness.

He lunges at me. I jump to my left and wrap my arms around his neck. I hang in the air laying against his back. I pull my arms tight towards me. His growls turn to sounds of choking, and gurgling. I must not let go for most certainly I will lose. The beast grows frantic and nervous as asphyxiation starts to set in. He starts to swing side to side to shake me. I lock my legs around his waist.

Finally, he drops to his knees. The muscles begin to loosen as he falls to the ground. I must make sure victory is secured. When I no longer hear breathing or feel the beast moving, I let go. My body hurts from the bite and claw marks. My muscles burn from exhaustion. I’m out of breath. I won! Never have I ever felt so alive. I look down at the creature. I start to feel pity, his death has given me a feeling I’ve never felt before. I’m alive for the first time!