This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/MWMN19 on 2026-02-20 16:24:52+00:00.

The prairie. The vast sea of green.

These here grasslands stretch for as far as the eye can see. It was all I ever knew.

Despite being like a newborn fawn in these lands I still felt safe in my group. Our numbers made up for our fragility. And we had many eyes around scanning for possible threats –predators who would make us into their meal.

I was young but had grown enough to become independent. I felt confident in my ability to run, having a wide stride, I was amongst the fastest in the herd. I knew I could outrun even most of my peers. Even if danger arose I knew I could outrun it.

We moved when the cold arrived and the green turned into the brown. I was old enough to remember some of the old places ,a spring, a rock or a hill. Sometimes on our way to the new places we stopped at the old, where rivers ran, or where small streams were hidden.

I recall one such stream, hidden in the brush and trees. It made us hidden while we quenched our thirst, but it could also be used by... something else. I could not sense anything, I was one of many who came to the stream. I felt safe.

But I still some kind of foreboding feeling, an unease in the air.

The rustling of the leaves stopped, and the running of water became loud. So loud that it made me uncomfortable.

But it was quiet.

Too quiet.

As I drank from the stream I heard a faint snap not too far across. My head bolted up, and I scanned the brush.

There were bushes there, but I couldn't see anything. My gaze settled on one particular point, and I stared for what felt an eternity. My ears perked up, my body tense. But I could not see or hear anything but the background noise.

I relaxed for but a moment.

Then, from out of nowhere, I saw something zip by to my left. I heard the yap of pain from someone next to me. Turning my head I saw a stick poking out from one of my brethren.

Instinct kicked in, I turned and I ran through the forest, weaving through the trees with great speed. I had to warn the others.

As we ran out into the open I heard horrible screams, we widened our stride, being sure we could outpace whatever it was. I was sure of it, we made good distance before re-uniting with the rest.

We lost one of our herd – it was painful. But it was just a part of life here.

That day we decided to move on. This place was too dangerous to stay.

As we left that place, I usually felt a sense of relief, but the feeling of unease still lingered. I still felt as if something was watching us.

Many suns rose and fell and still the feeling lingered.

It was the first time in my life I felt unsafe in my group.

But soon enough I forgot about that incident. There were other things we needed to worry about. The dead are gone, we have to take care of the living.

Then, the feeling returned. The land was a valley, two hills to either of our sides. It was as if the hills had eyes. Me and others scanned the hills...

Nothing.

I knew better, eyes too can pierce like teeth or fangs. And I could feel it.

Others kept eating, feeling safe after confirming the coast was clear. But I kept watching. My appetite vanished the moment I felt it.

Then, I saw something. A small figure on top of a hill, lurking in the tall grass and behind some rocks. Waiting for a prime opportunity to attack. I froze. There were many of us, and only one of him.

Then I saw something I could not explain. The thing rose above the foliage and rocks onto its hind legs.

I turned to warn the others but before I could even let out a sound I heard someone else warn us, I heard a zip of air, I turned my head and I saw stick poking out from the ground mere feet from me.

I looked to the other hill. More of them, countless.

And they all stood on their hind legs.

For a split second I could see them... They were almost hairless, wearing what looked like the skin of our kind.

My heart was about to explode from the rush of fear.

From either side of the hill they began descending with great speed, roaring and making incomprehensible sounds. The group began to run out of the valley, but we were stopped at the exit, there were even more of those things blocking our way out.

They rushed in between us, splitting us apart – they turned our herd into chaos.

I ran, and I ran as fast as I could, evading them.

They were slow, clumsy I could see.

Ultimately much of our herd managed to escape, but we were split apart. Isolated.

And I was among those. After I ran out of the valley and only when I stopped to catch my breath did I realize that I was all alone. No one, just me, out in the open, exposed like newborn fawn.

I ran for a long time, I made good distance. I was sure of it. They could not catch up. They were slow, I saw that. I was thinking... I need to find the herd.

Then I turned my head back. And I saw them... Two legs, slowly getting closer. A group of them.

I thought they were another group, there was no way those at the valley followed me for this long.

I did the only thing I could and I ran, and I ran. Until I lost sight of them again.

I stopped, tried to catch my breath, minutes passed.

Then I saw them again... They did not falter for a moment. Their stride identical as in the beginning, their pace, I swear, even faster.

I ran again, as far as my legs could take me. And as long as I feasibly could. My body felt sore and my breath was so quick and deep but it felt as if I was suffocating.

The sun was starting slowly starting to set on the horizon. I was alone... I was not safe.

But certainly, those things are now far away from me. They needed to give up by now. No living creature could run for this far and for this long.

After a while, I sensed it again. I sensed them again.

Turning my head behind me, I saw them, still running at the same pace as before.

They were still there. They were still following me.

My instinct kicked in once again, I tried to get up, but my legs buckled under my own weight. I collapsed, my legs would not cooperate. My lungs screamed for air, my mouth could not feed them enough.

I arrived to the limit of what my body was capable of. Now matter how fast and how far I went these things could still catch up. And they did not give in to fatigue. They did not falter.

I watched as they came closer. I saw them, flat faces, carrying sticks, wearing the skins of brothers and sisters. What use is it for them? I wondered.

I was quickly surrounded, they threw those things at me, piercing my through my hide.

Pain.

My body fought. But it felt numb from the exhaustion.

The grabbed a hold of me, I couldn't move.

I was bleeding.

I knew my death was near. But my body refused to give in. I kicked and thrashed but I simply had no strength in me left.

These things, these monsters... Will kill me.

There was never a chance of escape.

I could've ran to the ends of the prairie, to the setting sun and back.

And they would be right behind me.

Running at the same pace. Unyielding. Persistent.

With the same determination on their flat faces...