Writer
Excerpt from: The Hunter’s Prey
​
By Jennifer Foxhoven (Published under Jennifer Alexander)
The leaves rustled as the man’s weathered face peeked from behind the tropical bush. Everything here seemed more vibrant as if even the air was heavy with living organisms. The swamp rippled as if something just dove into it from one of the towering trees that grew throughout the lazy bed of water. Hank looked up through the tangles of Spanish moss to the broad boughs of the bone-colored trees.
​
The alligators clung to the branches, staring down as if they were waiting for something to happen. He could see at least a dozen from where he hid. Hank got excited. He started hunting alligators at the age of thirteen and only saw this phenomenon once before about three years ago. The experience haunted him and he supposed it should. He watched a man drown that day. Hank caught a glimpse of something else too, something unbelievable, a creature of myth. As soon as he saw it, he wanted to kill it. This would be his greatest triumph. Hell, it would make him a god damn legend.
​
He heard a scraping sound just above him. His rifle followed his crystal-blue eyes up to high branches of the tree he crouched under. An alligator inched across the nearest bough. The amber orbs of its eyes blinked down at Hank. Then the beast turned to stare ahead as if the man was nothing compared to the horror inside the swamp.
The surface of the muddy water billowed, stirring the layer of lime-colored algae that shrouded the swamp. For a moment the woods seemed to go silent as if even the trees were waiting with bated breath. Then a shrieking sound echoed through the surrounding forest and the limp body of an enormous alligator broke the surface of the milky, brown, water. As if they were outraged, all of the alligators leapt into the swamp.
​
There was a riotous commotion of splashing. Hank watched, not even daring to blink. He saw a human-like arm pierce the surface of the water. Then there were a series of screams, each one louder and more furious than the one before. The alligators floated to the top one by one. Their lifeless carcasses bobbed along like empty barrels down a river until an unnatural stillness fell over the swamp...
​