The attack was so fast that Chris, Melissa, and Luther had not had a chance to react. Now they moved swiftly, converging on the creature that was trying to get off his knees. He stumbled up, but Chris got to him first. Driving the stake deep into its back, the creature grunted in surprise as Chris twisted it deeper and harder.
Cassie winced, trying to turn off her guilt as the creature mewled in pain and fear. Shock coursed through her as it met her eyes for a moment. They were no longer red, but a soft brown. They pleaded for mercy, but it was already too late, and no mercy could be given in this situation. Cassie swallowed heavily; remorse filled her as the young man released another low moan before collapsing before them. She should not feel remorseful; he would have killed her instantly if he’d had the chance. It was survival of the fittest after all, and luckily this time they had been the fittest.
But as they moved the body into the woods she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that before he had become a monster, he had been someone’s son, maybe even someone’s brother or husband. She could not stand to think about the hurt that his family had gone through. Could not stand to think about the fear and pain the man had probably suffered before he had been killed the first time.
Cassie inhaled shakily, trying to rid herself of the lingering remnants of shock and remorse that clung to her. She had to shake them off, had to lose them. It would eat her alive if she didn’t. She could never allow herself to glimpse the man behind the monster again. She couldn’t do this anymore if she was unable to separate the two, and if she didn’t do this than people would die.
Cassie shuddered, she felt hollow and shattered. She desperately needed to see Devon; she knew that only he could ease the aching coldness permeating her bones. Even if he couldn’t know about this aspect of her life, he could help to ease the choking loneliness and guilt clinging to her.
She sighed heavily, now that they were done all she wanted was to escape the cemetery and return home as soon as possible.
A chill shot down her spine, the hair on the nape of her neck and arms stood on end. Fear and disbelief crossed Chris and Melissa’s faces as they turned slowly toward the area where the evil suddenly seeped from. Turned toward the area where they had just left the body of the defeated young man.
Luther stepped closer to them all. “It’s out there,” Chris whispered.
“Yes,” Luther agreed. “Let’s go. We need to get you out of here. Now!” he snapped, when none of them moved right away.
“Why doesn’t it just come after us?” Cassie asked softly.
“I don’t know, but let’s not tempt it. Come on, we have to leave now,” Luther urged fervently, pushing at Chris and Melissa as his gaze worriedly scanned the forest.
Cassie’s eyes narrowed as she stared hard into the shadowy interior. She could make out the different elms, oaks, tupelos, and locusts, but she could see nothing hidden amongst the trees. Not even an animal stirred, apparently scared away by the evil in their midst’s. “Do you see anything?” Chris asked softly.
Cassie shook her head; frustration caused her hands to fist. “We need to go!” Luther hissed.
Though Cassie did not want to turn tail and run from the monster in the woods, she found herself moving swiftly along as they hurried toward Luther’s Toyota Camry. She slid limply into the backseat, her gaze instantly turned back to the window. She half expected to see it standing at the window, its face twisted into a hideous snarl, ready to pounce, eager to slaughter them all.
But there was nothing there.
Searching the night beyond, she tried to pick out as many details as she could. Cassie’s teeth rattled as ice encased her once more. Though Luther started the car, they did not move. She felt pinned beneath the wave of hostility and malevolence enveloping them.
“It’s playing with us,” Chris said softly.
Cassie turned slowly toward him, shocked by the paleness of his complexion, and the hollowness his cheeks and eyes had taken on. “Chris?” she asked worriedly.
His hand trembled as he lifted it toward her. He desperately needed to touch her, to connect with something other than the evil overwhelming his ability. He was shaking when he clasped hold of her hand, his fingers dug tightly into hers. His shoulders heaved as he inhaled a sharp breath. He looked sickly in the glow of the dashboard lights.
“Chris, what is wrong?” she demanded sharply, fear tightening around her heart. She had never seen him look so awful, so shaken.
“Drive,” he ordered in a gruff voice.
Luther jolted slightly, shifted the car into drive, and slammed on the gas. Cassie was thrown against the seat, but she did not lose her grip on Chris’s quivering hand. Luther peeled down the road, kicking up a spray of dirt and rocks that rattled off the undercarriage of the car. They fishtailed, the back wheels lost traction as the car spun sideways. Cassie had a brief glimpse of headstones only inches from the car before the wheels finally caught on the road once more.
Luther sped down the loosely graveled road at speeds far beyond what was safe, but nowhere near fast enough for Cassie. He barely hesitated before he shot onto the main road. Chris shuddered again, but his eyes seemed to clear slightly, and his face had regained some color.
“Are you ok?” she asked sharply.
He nodded, inhaling shakily as he nodded again. “Yes, yes, I’m fine.”
He sounded as if he were trying to reassure himself as much as her. “What happened?”
Another tremor wracked through him, his hand convulsed upon hers. “I caught a glimpse of it. It let me inside for a moment, I think, on purpose. I wasn’t trying to probe it when suddenly I found myself sucked in. The maliciousness…”
He broke off, his gaze flew toward the window. “It was just awful. Whatever that thing is, it’s enjoying toying with us, playing with us, batting us around until it’s ready to pounce. It takes joy in the hunt, and it is hunting us, stalking us.” He shuddered again, his whole body heaved with the convulsions that wracked him. “We can’t abandon anyone,” he whispered.
“And we’re not going to,” Cassie assured him, trying to ignore the pain his clenching hand caused her.
“It’s playing with us for now, but when it’s ready, it is going to kill us. Before then though, it’s going to wreak a lot of havoc on this town.” He turned slowly toward her, his eyes oddly bright in the dim interior of the car. “It is going to destroy us.”