Apollo's Encounter

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Idx4gkX9xfTEk9e-lcuS8y71P7u-GLLPWb3YtmNm_RQ/edit?usp=sharing
Word Count: 523

I stood there at the mouth of the cavern, the gleaming eyes piercing into my heart. A shaking breath escaped from my mouth as I took a small step backwards. The fur on my neck and back rose, trembling fear filled my ready to flee body. Yet I stood and stared. 

The eyes moved forward, the beam of light illuminating the ragged creature. His eyes were a sickening shade of cerise and pupils of dull orange. He creeped closer, two stars on his cheeks sparkled in the light. Soon horns emerged and then ears filled with a glimmering substance one could only describe as stardust. 

A neck emerged with his long sharp dusted limbs and claws. I could see a skeletal marking on his chest or was it his real skeleton? In this light I could not tell. “What are you?” my voice quivered. The creature kept eye contact with me, he began to circle. I could see his whole body now. 

The figure towered above me, twice my height. I began to step away. ‘Pretend that this is a bear, keep some trees between you’ I thought, trying to calm myself down. I continued stepping backwards towards the forest, careful with every footstep. My ears tipped back, man this is terrifying. 

The beast continued to approach me, a slow growl and snarl emerged from deep within his chest. Against my better judgment, I wanted to run.

There were many trees between us now. It felt like an old western standoff but I did not have a weapon on me. I managed to take a few deep breaths and calm my nerves. Our standoff - er - stare off continued as the creature eventually stopped approaching. Just looking into his eyes raised my anxiety. What did this beast want? Why did it stop walking towards me? Did I threaten it? Scare it? There were two many questions swarming in my head.

I looked up at the tree above me. It was an apple tree. Seeing as how apples were amongst the remains of food scattered around the entrance, maybe getting some apples would be enough of a distraction. They were far out of reach though, I would have to climb. Climbing would be too much of a risk with the monster standing in front of me. I would need to distract him.

I glanced quickly around the forest floor in hopes of something small enough to throw but large enough to distract. I kept lifting my eyes to stare at the beast. It continued to not approach. I foolishly grew a bit more trusting and averted my eyes for a longer period of time. He did not approach. I continued to search, this time thoroughly scanning the forest around me.

This time the beast rushed towards me. Scared out of my mind I ran and dove behind a second apple tree and the beast collided with the tree. Apples began to rapidly fall around the tree hitting anything in sight. I covered my head with my hands and began to run back the way I came. Nothing could make me go back into that forest.