“Stop him,” I managed to whisper. “Jake, please stop him.”
“Stop who? You’re not making any sense! What is going on?” he demanded again.
“The man across the street; don’t let him drive away. Stop him at any cost. Please, Jake. Please,” I begged. My vision was getting clearer and I saw the confusion in his eyes. I wish I had time to explain, but it might already be too late and I couldn't handle that thought.
“Run!” I practically shouted, my voice a little stronger now. Jake gave me one last bewildered look before he sprinted away. I knew Jake was fast, one of the fastest in our school, but I could only pray it would be fast enough. I leaned my head against the steering wheel and slowed my breathing.
Seconds turned into minutes and the nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach started to fade away. I slowly sat up in my seat and looked around for Jake. I noticed there were only a few cars left in the student parking lot and hoped no one had seen my bizarre behavior.
I returned my attention to searching for Jake when suddenly a dark figure blocked my view and startled me so bad I jumped up in my seat and smacked my head on the top of my small car.
The death creature stood before me, eyes gleaming with malice, and with it came the cold. I’ve never been this close to one before, usually they kept their distance, and the annoying drop in temperature I associated with them now felt like I was standing outside in a full on ice storm without a coat.
The creature’s eyes narrowed dangerously at me and I knew something was terribly wrong. Was Jake too late? Did this thing already claim its prize? My fear spiked as another thought occurred to me. What if the creature wasn’t satisfied with just one person today? I shrieked when the creature reached a disgusting hand toward me and slid its sharp talons down the glass of my window, leaving long scrapes behind.
I covered my ears at the sound and my heart pounded out of control. When the noise stopped I dropped my hands and held absolutely still, afraid if I moved too fast it would attack. How was I going to get out of this alive?
Suddenly a loud thump crashed into the passenger side of my car and I let out a blood-curdling scream. Jake glanced at me anxiously as he scrambled into the seat next to mine.
“We need to go now,” he told me quickly. I didn't even hesitate. Tires squealing I got us out of the parking lot in record time, grateful to get away from the nightmare that would stay with me long after it left this earth.
Jake's shaking hands fumbled with the seat belt and I wondered if he had actually been able to see what stood outside my door just moments before.
“Did you—” I broke off unable to finish the question. I couldn't stand the thought of what it meant for that man if we failed. My hands trembled as I drove us swiftly away from the school.
“I stopped him from going anywhere for a while,” he replied brusquely. I felt instant relief, but something in his tone had me glancing at him. He refused to look at me.
“What's the matter?” I asked, feeling part brave, part desperate. His blue eyes flicked to mine and I saw the pain there. My heart fell and I instantly regretted getting him involved.
“I knocked him out,” he told me miserably.
“You what?”
“I knocked him out! I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen to me. He pulled out a bat and I panicked. I took it from him and just sort of bonked him over the head with it.” I realized I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly I couldn't feel my fingers. I forced them to relax, peeling them away from the wheel one by one and adjusting my grip.
“I checked his breathing and he’s fine,” Jake continued. “But I can’t believe you made me do that! Raelynn, why did I just do that?” We pulled into my driveway and I longed to dash inside where I felt safe and wouldn't have to answer Jake's questions. I had no idea what to tell him. I was relieved he stopped the man from being killed, but it felt too soon to discuss, even if I wanted to tell him what I could see. Which I didn't.
I was still reeling from the creature that approached me. It was strange enough I saw two of them in the same day, but for one to actually come up to me had me more scared than I thought I already was of them. I wanted to believe it was just because it knew I could see it, and had nothing to do with Jake stopping the thing from taking its victim. But deep down I knew something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my very core.
Want to read more? Click here for Section 3.
*Copyright Jayne L. Bowden*
Wowzers! Dang Jayne! This is super suspenseful, I can't wait to see where it goes!
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