"Fucking rednecks..." Larry scowled, strolling down main street in the podunk little excuse of a town kicking a rounded stone along with him. He walked with a rhythmic lope, running a hand over his bald head he cursed again. "Damn, fucking cowards. Bogey man shows up and they go hide under their covers, leave the brotha behind. Ain't nobody gonna risk their neck for anything a shade darker than a bed sheet." he spat on the ground.
As he reached the end of the road he scanned the area. "Where the hell..." The street split into two directions. He gazed down each path blankly, before turning to stare back down the road he had just walked. Separated from the rest of his group, he had no way of knowing how to get back to their camp.
Picking a direction at random he continued on his way, fingering the trigger on the nine millimeter he had stuffed into his pants. It was not the first time he had been forced to walk alone down a dangerous street. The type of danger may have changed, but the chill that crawled down his spine was the same as it ever was.
The cold metal of the weapon brought memories from that morning bubbling up.
Where do ya think you're goin?!
I'm headed out on a run with some of the guys.
Oh really? Mr Sofa Salesman is suddenly a daredevil?
Woman please...
Larry you know that gun won't do a damn thing, those ain't no crack addicts out there.... don't go.
I ain't axing your permission. Don't worry bout it, aight...
Larry kicked himself internally. Poor girl was only trying to look out for me. His eyes involuntarily slid up to the unfamiliar streets. and now look where I am...
Shaking his head he returned to the task at hand. Walking up to an old mustang he gave off a low whistle. "Nice ride. I wouldn't mind bringing this pretty girl home." snatching off one of his socks he wrapped his hand, and delivered a swift jab straight through the driver side window, casting a quick glance over his shoulder as he did. "I bet a cop woulda loved this."
He swept the glass from the seat and slid in, a frown curling on his lips. No keys. However the break-in was not a total loss. Slipping back out he unrolled a looted map onto the hood of the sports car. Searching the street signs he finally found his bearings. Tracing the roads with his finger he found the location of their camp. "It's at least a days hike from here. I just need to follow this road here..." he lost himself in his planning, routing out how best to get back, until the smell hit him.
It was sweet, sickeningly so in fact, tinged with something foul. It was the same smell that had hit his face years ago, when he walked into his mom's house and found her dead body, swollen and bloated from a week spent rotting in the water after she had slipped, drawing her own bath.
He knew exactly what it was, long before he saw it. "How the hell did it find me?!" Larry nearly shouted as he broke out into a run the wrinkled map flapping in the wind as he picked up speed.
The demon burst around the corner in a slow motion run. It's long legs covering distances much faster than the lazy movements belied. The skin that covered the creature hung loose, bunched in heaping folds around every joint, purulent open wounds festered all over its body and face. The flesh on the creatures fingers had long since rotted away, leaving the bones exposed, It seemed like those bones had then been gnawed on, ground down to deadly claws.
It was the same demon he had escaped only a few hours prior. The first time he had gotten lucky, losing the creature by jumping into a river. It didn't look like there were any rivers around this time. There were shops on either side of the street, darkened buildings that Larry didn't trust. The last thing he needed was to dive into one of those and find there was no rear exit.
Larry had been an All-American running back in college, it had been 20 years since then, but the middle aged man could still break an 8 minute mile... the demon was faster. As the foul creature closed the gap, Larry drew his pistol and fired off three shots. The slugs burrowed into its face with dull thuds, failing to pierce the creatures skull. It registered the gun shots like insect bites shaking its head and grunting, but not slowing at all.
With a quick pivot he darted down a narrow alley that connected to the next street over. The rotting pursuer paused as it reached the cramped opening, forced to slow down in order to squeeze its way through the passage. As Larry emerged onto the new street he frantically searched for somewhere to hide. A new string of darkened store fronts greeted him grimly. Choosing one at random he crashed through the glass door.
Larry rubbed his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness, finally making out rows of bookshelves. The books themselves were scattered everywhere more on the ground than the shelves. Retreating into the deepest shadows of the far corner he held his breath.
Through the window in the front of the store he saw the creature finally emerge out of the alley. Empty eye sockets swept the abandoned street searching for its lost meal. With an apathetic huff the walking corpse, sauntered over to the first store front and crashed in tearing it apart.
Larry couldn't keep from trembling, Still holding the 9mm in his hand, he checked the chamber and made sure the safety was off. His heart was pounding in his chest. The steady thrum echoed loudly in his ears, even as the crashing sounds echoed from across the street he couldn't help but fear the demon could hear the sound of his beating heart. Swallowing hard he held the gun to his temple, finger on the trigger...
Choking down a sob he fell to his knees. "You a damn fool..." he whispered to himself.. Dropping his gun down to his lap he beat his head softly against the wall. "When that thing finds ya, you'll wish you'd had the guts."
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"He is screwed." Rayne whispered her lips curled in a grimace. Sliding back down behind the ledge from which she and Ian had watched the man running for his life. "Now can we leave? That thing is busy right now, but it won't be long before it finishes with him and starts looking for a new meal."
Ian didn't move his eyes fixated on the ruined bookstore where the man had hidden himself. Rayne studied the look on her companions face. "No! no no no no no! Rayne barely managed to keep her voice at a whisper. "I know that look. You are seriously considering trying to help that guy!"
Ian sighed. "We can't just leave him..."
"Yes we can!" Rayne grabbed him by the collar. "Its sad. I hate this. I wish we could save him, but we can't risk our lives for some guy we don't even know."
"I can't just do nothing. This isn't like with Sophia... we can do something for this guy." Ian said through gritted teeth.
Rayne softened a bit. "It wasn't your fault that we couldn't save those kids. But getting killed here won't make that any better. You don't want to leave Liv alone do you?" That forced some hesitation onto his face, but he still made no move to leave. "You can't risk your life for every random person you come across..."
Ian finally turned to face her. "I did for you."
Rayne let go of Ian's collar and sank back against the ledge.
Ian turned back just in time to watch the monster tear into a new shop closer to the one the man hid in. "Besides, I have a plan."
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Ian sprinted out onto the street sweat pouring off his face like a river. It was a cold sweat, each drop tingled in his pores and sent shutters down his spine. It was like the terror causing his chest to clench was seeping out of him through that perspiration. Why the hell couldn't I just listen to Rayne...
Coming to a stop at the center of the street he waited for the creature to notice him. The only sound left on the abandoned street was the crashing noise from the creature riffling through the the different shops. The wait wasn't long. The creature stopped suddenly, slowly pulling itself out of the building it had been searching. The beast stood about a hundred yards from Ian, just staring. Neither party moved, an eerie silence settled.
Ian's chest rose and fell rapidly. No matter how hard he sucked the air into his lungs he felt out of breath. He had to move, but staring into those eyeless holes his legs seemed frozen. Finally, the demon broke their stalemate taking a slow step forward towards this curiously voluntary prey. Ian's hypnotized state broke as that foot fell, and he ran.
Ian could feel the foot falls as the monster ran after him. Without looking back he knew it was gaining. on him. One lap around the block should give Rayne enough time. Ian thought to himself sneaking a look over his shoulder he forced himself to pick up his pace a fraction more. A hundred yards might not have been enough of a head start after all.
Weaving down every narrow alleyway he could find he tried to put as many tight squeezes between him and the monster as he possible slowing it down as best he could, but the burning in his chest after 10 minutes told him he couldn't keep this up much longer. Just a little farther.
Pulling a hard right at the next side street his target finally appeared. A dusty yellow sign hung off the building with a man made of bubbles smiling vacantly, the words "Mr. Bubble's full service car wash" written in bold lettering underneath.
He could see Rayne hiding with the truck across the street ready to close the big grate at the entrance to the car wash as soon as Ian lured the creature inside.
All we have to do is get it to that car wash. Then you close the front entrance and I will close the exit. Its crowded enough inside that even that thing will struggle for a little while before it can break out. By then we will be long gone in the truck.
It had seemed like a reasonable plan at the time, but as Ian reached the darkened entrance he almost lost his nerve. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck with a demon in that dark cramped mess. Shooting a quick glance over his shoulder he knew that it was too late to rethink his choice.
Diving into the darkness he slowed down, the creature had to follow him, or this would never work. The demon stooped down at the entrance peering inside. "Come on you dumb bastard." Ian whispered.
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"Come on you dumb bastard!" Rayne shouted into the darkened bookstore. The pistol Ian had given her was shaking in her hand as she did her best to look like she had fired it before.
The tall man crept out from the building his eyes wide in disbelief. "What the fuck do you two crackers think your doing?"
"Drop the gun!" Rayne demanded staring at the 9mm the man was holding loosely at his side.
"Whoa chill girl." The man replied holding the gun as far away from her as possible. "I ain't going to hurt you. You just saved my life."
"Just put it down." She insisted.
Larry rolled his eyes and placed the weapon on the ground sliding it to her with his foot. Rayne breathed a sigh of relief finally lowering her gun, she picked up his gun and motioned for him to follow her.
The two ran towards the truck she had retrieved and sped towards the car wash.
"So you two just a pair of guardian angels?" Larry asked unable to wipe the smile of his trembling face.
"Ian is the angel, I wanted to leave your ass." Rayne said flatly.
"Damn, blunt little firecracker ain't ya."
"If you're still worried about hurting feelings these days then you're wasting time you should be using to stay alive."
"True dat." Larry nodded. "So is it just the two of you?"
"Hush we are here." Rayne threw the car into park and shut off the engine sliding down into her seat, she scanned around for Ian. "Come on Ian, hurry up."
Finally she saw him tear around the corner and disappear into the car wash the demon close at his heels. White knuckles gripped the door handle as she waited for the demon to follow him in.
"You are going to try and trap it in that car wash?" Larry whispered, "God damn you two are crazy."
"Shut up." Rayne growled. Why isn't it going it? The demon refused to enter the building, slowly it stood walking to the other end of the building. Raising its right arm high into the air it brought it down hard onto the end of the building collapsing the exit. Rayne's heart stopped. The demon turned and strolled to the only remaining exit, crouching down to wait. A smug grin painted on the skin sagged face.
"He is screwed." Larry whispered.
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