Land of Monsters

I blink open my eyes to a world that is gray as the dawn, without any promise of a sunrise to come liberate you from the in-between of night and day. The smell in pungent, acrid, and stunning. I cough, and sit up. I am alone, in the middle of what appears to be a forest, but there were sounds nearby. I stood, with plenty of difficulty, and stretch, wincing at the cracking of my stiffened joints. Once I am limber, I start in the direction of the noises, which are high-pitched and irritating. I peer through the trees, catching sight of pale, lanky beings, with a crude sort of language being tossed between them. I crouched, fearful that they would catch sight of me. I knew that I knew where I was, what these beings were, but I couldn't reach the words. I crept forward, silent as could be, and took another look at them. With long, dark weapons, and, with a shocked whimper, I caught sight of what they had hanging from the trees. Carcasses, hundreds of carcasses, all of beings like me, blood dusting their skin, eyes open in shock at their last moments. I swallow my cries of horror, and notice that the beings have gone quiet. One of them calls out an order, and they all fan out into the nearby trees, disappearing. I start to panic, knowing I must hide before one of them finds me. I turn and start to run, hearing cries of discovery from behind me, knowing they have seen me, and are coming after me. I run faster, branches whipping my face, half-blinded by pain and fear, I practically fly through the trees, coming to a clearing before I can even process what has happened. Three of the pale creatures creep from the surrounding foliage, their weapons held aloft. They all cry out to each other, and it is then I remember what these monsters are called. Humans.