1 Assaulted

It was a hot and muggy summer afternoon, Jerren Bennet and Mick Bellouve were enjoying the vacation with Jerren's parents. They had explored those woods plenty of times on previous trips to the great park, but never as deep as they had today. Jerren, who would've much rather stay near the camper and play their video games bent to the will and explosive imagination of his best friend. Mick, as if he were a knight, held his stick proudly as if it were a sword, vanquishing pretend threats, before Jerren caught him off guard by saying he was a traitor to the cause. The woods echoed as the two boy clashed their sticks they found on the ground as if they were real swords. 

"How could you turn traitor to the cause? Have you gone maverick?!" Mick called out with as much emotion as he could, as he swung hard trying to break the stick in Jerren's hands, while Jerren fought back, countering Mick with a heavier swing. Mick knew Jerren was stronger, but he was faster and full of determination. Mick was highly amused at how Jerren's imagination was breaking through his normally logical thought process, transforming the peaceful woods into a battlefield seeped in fire and destruction. 

"The crystal is meant to be harnessed, it's power, now my power! Feel my power and kneel before me," Jerren belted, swinging hard Mick's stick snapped as he barely avoided getting hit by the oncoming attack. "Holy crap Mick! Are you ok?" Jerren's eyes widened as Mick slung the broken stick into the thicket. 

"I'm fine," Mick said looking around for a new stick to use as his weapon. As much as Mick hated losing, he loved every second of any kind of competition. Mick looked around as he noticed how quiet everything was, it was eerie. Not even the birds were out, just them and the beams of sunlight that trickled through the canopy of pines. "Have you noticed just how quiet it is out here today?" 

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing," Jerren said tossing his stick aside. Both boys froze when they heard a limb snap, then tumbled through the thicket before it bounced off the ground. The two looked around, seeing nothing. As Mick glanced up, seeing the setting sun through the tree branches, he felt his skin crawl. 

"Normally I'd protest, but something doesn't feel right," Mick's voice was shaky, maybe it was just the way the twilight was playing tricks on him, but it didn't change his growing concerns. He gripped his trusty knife in his pocket as the cool breeze from the lake made it's way through the woods, causing them to jump at the rustling leaves and pines. 

"It's a lot later than I thought. Mom's probably worried," Jerren said as they began to jog the lush path back towards the camp site. Every step caused Mick's heart to beat faster, the anticipation of something attacking them growing. His once friendly imagination had turned a fun fantasy adventure into a now horror movie style escape. 

They continued a brisk pace, until they heard another limb crack, this time, they saw it fall a few feet behind them with a deafening crash. Both Mick and Jerren looked up in the tree, hoping to at least see some kind of animal stalking them, but there was nothing. The two shared a look of pure dread as Jerren began breathing much faster, clearly beginning to panic "Did you see that?" Jerren pointed at a shadow that passed over them.

"Probably a bird, we should probably move a little faster just in case," Mick tried to stay brave as Jerren nodded nervously. Neither of them really liked running, nor could they go for long distances, but the fear and adrenaline aided them as they ran as fast as they could. 

Mick was faster, by a lot, but he froze as another shadow passed over him. Jerren caught up to him, while Mick's curiosity had him staring up into the branches. "It's chasing us, whatever it is, and it's fast," Mick struggled to say through his panting. 

"We've got to be getting close to the camp! I'm sure if we just get there, someone will see us and help us!" Jerren huffed as he started running again. Mick nodded as he took a deep breath and rushed to catch up. 

Mick tripped on a root, throwing his hands out to catching himself as he rolled, causing Jerren to look back. He pointed as he saw a large man landing on the ground in behind him. "Look out!" He screamed as Mick scrambled to his feet trying to see what Jerren was pointing at. He gasped as he stood shoulder high to the well built, rugged man wearing a ripped shirt, tattered jeans and scars across his chest. 

The man backhanded Mick hard enough that he fell backward. "I was sad when you ended your game so abruptly. I wanted to see which of you would be the better meal," The man taunted, with two large vampire like fangs in his wicked smile. 

Jerren grabbed a large limb on the ground, running at the man ready to defend his friend. The man caught the stick without taking his devilish green eyes off Mick, almost as if he expected that, then crushed it with ease smiling grimly. Jerren was horrified and began to slowly back away. Mick swung his fist at the man as hard as he could, but it felt as if he punched a wall when it collided with the man's hand. The man was amused by Mick's spunk, laughing as Mick shook his hand in pain. "Feisty ones taste best. I'm going to enjoy this, and I'll have you as a dessert!" The man reached back grabbing Mick by the throat, squeezing tightly, lifting Mick so he was on the tips of his toes. 

"Go get help," Mick choked out as Jerren nodded, running as fast as he could. 

"I'll catch him after I finish with you," The man growled leaning his head to the side, as his neck popped, and his fangs began to drip with shimmering gold liquid. "Most of my victims only scream for a moment," The man hissed biting into the left side of Mick's neck. 

Mick screamed out in pain, kicking and trying to break free of the man, as the burning pain seared throughout his body. The adrenaline flow only amplified the pain, as he struggled to focus long enough to pull his knife from his pocket. He flicked the blade out slowly, and his vision slowly began to fade in and out as the pain reached unbearable levels. He forced his right arm up, jamming the blade into the man's arm.

The man roared in pain, dropping Mick, and staggering backwards, pulling the blade from his left bicep then tossing it on the ground. He glared as Mick who shook his head, barely conscious. The sound of helicopters now echoed through the woods as the man mumbled furiously. "No! I thought I lost them?" He growled looking up at the tree's dancing from the wind. "Too bad I can't finish my dinner. Dead ones just don't taste the same," He said, kicking brush onto Mick hoping to cover him from sight. Ropes dropped from the sky, along with people propelling down. Mick watched as the men fired at the monster who attacked him, hitting him with electric clicks and flashes of blue over him, then the man crumbled to the ground without any more struggle. They quickly surrounded him as they landed, as Mick struggled to move closer to the tree trying to get into a position they could see him, while suffering with incredible pain coursing through his body.

"He's got blood on his face, he just attacked someone!" A man's voice cried out.

"They can't be too far, spread out, find them," A cool smooth voice said. "Hopefully this one will be alive."

"Yes sir, Agent Coulson," several voices said.

Mick reached for his neck feeling the warm sticky blood coating it, his heart raced. The pain agonizing, he could hardly move. At least Jerren was safe, he could die knowing that he accomplished something useful. He fought to breathe, his arms trembled, ruffling the brush around him. His eyes closed, unable to see the trembling footsteps all around him. "Maybe if I can just go a little farther," Mick thought as he trembled while trying to pull himself to a better view of them. His breathing was becoming more difficult, each breath a pant. 

"No, not a kid," A man gasped, shaking his head in horror while looking down at Mick, who was covered in blood. "He never leaves people alive, you must be extremely special. My name is Phil Coulson, I'm here to help." 

Mick stared blankly at the man, as all he could see was a silhouette, the pain overwhelming as he could feel Coulson moving his hand looking at the wound on his neck. "Stay with me!" Coulson sounded frantic as he tapped Mick's face lightly. His breathing was shallowing, he felt his heart slowing down. He could feel everything shutting down, wondering if he'd see that supposed light soon or not. "I need you to answer a few questions, really easy, ok?" He asked, clear the deep concern in his tone as Mick tried to nod his neck becoming stiff. He felt arms of people hoisting him onto a stretcher as his consciousness wavered. "Do your parent's have a number we can call?" He asked as Mick tried to nod again holding his left hand to his neck. "Can you dial it if I hold a phone up for you?" Coulson asked pulling out a cell phone, holding it close to Mick's right hand. He had to focus extremely hard just to slowly dial the numbers to Mrs. Bennet's cell phone, and as he hit the last digit, then his control was gone. All that remained was the pain, and the darkness he was falling into. Not even a light at the end of the this tunnel. 

His eyes were blurry as he looked around the blurry room seeing the dim lights above him, he felt the cool liquid of the IV in his right arm as he went to move it. It took a second for him to realize he was in the hospital bed rather than dead. The heart monitor beeping caught him by surprise as everything slowly began to come into focus. He reached for his neck with his left arm, wondering it if was all just a dream until as he felt the bandage and searing pain. He held breath as the door burst open and someone walked into the room. "Oh thank God you're awake! We were so worried about you!" Mrs. Bennet's voice was so refreshing. She followed by Jerren and Mr. Bennet walking in both easing Mick's wild imagination. "You're mom is on her way out here too. They said a bear attacked you! I had no idea there were bear's near the camp grounds!" She exclaimed as Mick stared at Jerren, who shook his head unsure how to respond, as Mick was clearly confused as well. "We'd never have let you two go wandering off if we knew that!" 

"You must have a guardian angel! That Ranger Coulson said you're lucky that they found you when they did," Mr. Bennet teased as he tapped Mick's foot playfully. Mick simply smiled in return.

"Yeah, is that Coulson guy still around?" Mick asked as his voice was hoarse from the screaming, or from being asleep for who knew how long. 

"He just went to grab a coffee. The nurses said he hasn't left your side since you got here," Mrs. Bennet said, as the phone began ringing. "I bet that's your mom! I'll be right out there, you get some rest!" She said scurrying out of the room. 

"I'm going to go out too, you look like you need some rest. Coming Jerren?" Mr. Bennet asked as he rubbed Mick's foot once more, heading toward the door. 

"Yeah, I'm coming, give me a sec," Jerren nodded as his dad walked out of the room. Jerren then walked over to Mick's bedside looking at him, full of deep concern."That guy Coulson was on the phone with Mom when I reached the camper, she saw the look of panic on my face, and figured I was coming get help to get the bear away from you. I'm sorry I left you like that. I really should have stayed and fought like you did," Jerren's eyes welled up, regret covered his face. 

"No, I'm glad you did that. Makes me feel better that it's just me in the bed, could be both of us, or worse," Mick stated weakly with a half hearted smile, as Jerren smiled in return with a tear on his cheek. 

"Your GBA is under your pillow, I figured you'd want something to keep you occupied while you're stuck in the bed," Jerren winked, as he walked away. 

"Thanks," Mick nodded, as he reached under his pillow feeling his Gameboy Advance SP. 

A few brief moments passed as he played Pokemon Ruby, grateful to be distracted from the beeping machine and the unrelenting pain in his neck, until the door opened again. Mick glanced toward the curtain and a man dressed in a black suit, white shirt, with a black tie stepped in. "You're awake. Looks like you're starting to feel better," he said cooly and with a smile, walking towards the small chair next to Mick's bed. "We need to talk." 

Mick nodded slowly, setting the Gameboy down. "So as far as anyone is concerned, you were attacked by a small bear, got that?" Coulson said sternly. 

"But it was that freak with fangs, and I'm sure a bear would do more damage and just this," Mick said placing his hands on his neck as Coulson shook his head in agreement. 

"You're right, that's why we did a little work to make the fangs look like claw marks," the man said as Mick stared at him in disbelief. "That man's name is Grant Reigns. He's a murderer who was bit by some kind of radioactive spider or something like that, and calls himself the Arachnid," Coulson said as Mick's eyes widened curiously. "Yeah, that's why we're saying it was a bear. Less looks like that, even less questions." 

"Just who are you, Mr. Coulson?" Mick asked as Coulson smiled. "Mrs. Bennet said you're a park ranger or something." 

"Not exactly a park ranger. I'm Phil Coulson, I'm from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division," He said as Mick looked puzzled.

"You mean the government? Are you like a secret agent or something?" Mick asked, this felt so surreal. 

"Yeah, something like that. I deal with the more weird things that happen, occasionally some really bad people," Coulson said as Mick chuckled. "I'm going to trust you won't say anything about what really happened, and we're going to make sure nothing like that happens again. In a way, I should say thank you, because we've been trying to catch Arachnid for a few weeks." 

"I guess your welcome. Glad I could help, maybe?" The skepticism in Mick' s mind was running rampant.

"Just don't tell anyone about Arachnid, I'd hate for someone to lock you up in a psych ward," Coulson said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, that's all I need going into high school. Oh you're the boy from the nut house," Mick joked sarcastically as the door opened once more. The sound of flip flops echoed as Mick's mom rushed in without noticing Coulson sitting in the chair next to Mick's bed. 

"Thank God you're alive! I've never drove that fast in my life!" She exclaimed running over to the bed, brushing the matted hair from Mick's face to the side. "Sorry, my name is Lina, and you are?" She stretched out a hand towards Agent Coulson. 

"Phil Coulson, I'm the one that found him, and took care of the bear that attacked him," He said suavely, shaking her hand as Mick smiled. 

"Thank you so much Mr. Coulson. I don't think I could ever repay you for that," she said looking back at Mick. 

"Don't worry about the bills either, we're going to cover that too. They should just be keeping him a couple days, and releasing him, pending on how he's doing. He's lucky he was only brushed by claw, should only be a two small scars. Here, this is my card if you need anything, don't hesitate to call," he slipped out a white business card with only his name and number on it. 

"Thanks Mr. Coulson," Mick said staring at the man who simply kept a coy grin. His mom took the card, looking at it curiously, then placing it in her purse. 

"Keep in touch," Coulson said, winking at Mick, as he walked to the door.