He runs.
The ground rushes past under his feet. Each step hits hard — thud… thud… thud. His breathing is rough and uneven — hah… hah… hah… At first he's strong, but soon every breath feels like pulling in sharp, painful air. His chest feels tight, his ribs hurt, and his legs get heavy.
Thud… thud… thud.
He can't get enough air. He takes another breath, but it's shallow and useless. His head spins. The world sways with each heartbeat.
Hah… hah…
His vision narrows. His steps become shaky. Every part of his body wants him to stop — but he keeps going. One step. Then another. And another.
Finally, he stops. His boots slide on the mossy ground, sending glowing spores floating around him like tiny stars. He leans against a big tree, gasping for air — hah… hah… Sweat drips down his face. He listens hard but only hears the distant sounds of the alien forest and quiet noises from above. His heart pounds so loud he can hardly hear anything else.
Then — a sudden sound above.
He looks up just as the leaves shake violently. A low, deep growl fills the air. In a flash, a huge creature drops down. Its heavy body hits the ground with a loud thud.
It stands tall over him, its skin shiny and black like wet stone. Three long tails swing behind it. Five sharp, glassy eyes stare at him without blinking. Its huge mouth opens wide, showing rows of sharp teeth dripping with black saliva.
Before he can react, it jumps at him, claws digging into the ground, jaws open to eat him whole.
The creature's big claw swings out, cutting into the tree he just leaned on. The bark splits, glowing sap spills out, and deep scratches appear. The tree shakes but stays standing.
The boy stumbles back, eyes wide, gasping for air. He raises his pistol again, hands shaking and sweaty, heart beating like a drum.
The creature's five eyes stay locked on him. Its tails whip around angrily. It crouches, ready to attack again.
Without thinking, the boy points the gun at its face — and fires.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Bright energy blasts shoot from the gun. One shot burns a deep line on the creature's cheek, near its eyes. Another hits its shoulder, burning its tough skin.
The creature howls and stumbles back, its tails thrashing wildly, tearing up the ground. Smoke rises from its wounds, and the air smells like burnt flesh.
But it doesn't fall. It staggers for a moment, eyes full of rage.
The boy lowers the gun slightly, breathing hard, sweat in his eyes. His finger stays on the trigger, ready to shoot again.
The shots echo through the forest. Smoke rises from the creature's scorched skin. It roars so loud it shakes the trees. For a moment, it seems stunned — but only for a moment.
The boy feels a quick spark of hope, but it fades fast. Thick, dark fluid drips from the creature's wounds and sizzles on the ground. Its eyes narrow, more furious than hurt.
It steps forward, then again, muscles tense, tails swinging like whips.
The boy realizes — the shots only burned it. They didn't really hurt it.
He grips the pistol tighter, his arms shaking. He glances at the tree's claw marks, realizing how close he is to death, standing just a few meters away from the monster.