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Babatunde Orroye's day consisted of sitting on a log and doing nothing while trying to stave off the pain in his leg and arm. He was serious when he told Nashida he should have killed him rather than try to take care of him out in this icy graveyard. Part of him wished that moose would've finished the job when it stampeded through yesterday. Quick and easy, not slow and painful.
Instead, the animal left him mortally wounded. Now he was stuck out here with nowhere to go. Nashida was right to leave him. He said he was going to the plane to try and fix the radio. Orroye wouldn't blame him if he never came back at all. Survival was key out here, and Orroye knew he had no chance of surviving this.
Neither of them were family men. Both knew their lives were owned by the Bureau, which meant they were expendable. That was the peril of this job. Even so, he never envisioned things ending in a frozen tundra in the middle of God Knows Where, Canada.
Orroye was born in St. Louis, MO, and grew up in nearby Ferguson, the son of West African immigrants. Orroye graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. After serving his four years with the Navy, he joined the FBI's St. Louis office.
One reason he and Nashida got along so well was their similar upbringing. If he could do it over again, he wouldn't listen to Andrew when he suggested they go searching these woods without a clue where they were going. Now he was going to die, and Ahab wouldn't catch his stupid whale. There still might be a slight chance he could Ishmael his way out of here, but things didn't look good.
He spent the day eating his last bag of peanuts and letting his thoughts wander from being completely defeated to wanting to beat Andrew Nashida to a pulp. Of course, those thoughts were interrupted by sudden bursts of pain every time he tried to move.
He drifted off a few times. Why not? He had nothing better to do out there.
RRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHH
Orroye snapped back awake and winced, reaching for his leg. The sun was setting, and something was out there. He shook it off. Whatever it was wouldn't attack, at least not while he was alive. In a day or two, if Nashida didn't come back, then it would be a different story. But for now, he should be safe. Orroye closed his eyes again and tried to fall back asleep.
RRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHH
So much for that. That howl didn't sound too far away. He reached into the bag and pulled out his .38 special. He might not be able to move, but he could shoot just fine. Orroye tried to look beyond the bonfire as he aimed the gun in the direction he thought the screech came from.
CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH
"Who's out there?"
CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH
"Just so you know, I'm armed, and I ain't afraid to shoot first and ask questions later."
CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH
Just beyond the fire, a face came into view. It was long and gaunt with skin pulled so tight around its face that it didn't look like it had any lips. Its black tongue licked those exposed teeth as it drew closer to the fire.
"Hey, man. Are you okay?" Orroye asked, thinking this was some poor dehydrated bastard who'd been stuck out here even longer than them.
When its body came closer to the fire, Orroye saw not a man, but a tall, near-naked creature with long, bony limbs and broad shoulders. Its flesh looked hard and yellow, almost like wax. It radiated an awful scent, like the one that had followed them since Alaska; only magnified a thousand times over.
Orroye pointed the gun toward the fire. "Stay away from me!"
RRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHH
The creature lunged through the fire toward Orroye, who fell over the log and landed on his back. Orroye hit hard, and the pain shot through his body. He reached for the gun and tried to sit up. By the time he got his bearings, the creature had already disappeared. Orroye aimed the .38, but he was only met with the blackness of night.
The agent tried to pull himself back to his feet. He had been expecting the moment where he'd have to face his own demise, but again, he didn't see it playing out like this. One thing was certain, he wasn't going to go quietly.
"Where you at, bitch?!" he winced again, putting too much pressure on the broken leg.
RRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHH
The Wendigo leapt out from behind the flames and lunged at Orroye again. He tried to open fire, but couldn't. The Wendigo knocked him back to the ground and sunk its yellowing fangs into Orroye's face.
The agent's screams would end soon. But first, the Wendigo had to eat.