Bad Elements: The Hybrid Unleashed

Chapter 1 - Awakenings

Rapid gunfire spread throughout my living room, penetrating the walls to where my children would sleep, had they been in bed. Instead, they screamed, cried, and clung to me. My son, Robert, was ten years old, and my daughter, Jennifer, was only four. We huddled together in the corner behind the oak entertainment center.

Bullets riddled past, striking the wall to the right of us. The suppressor on the gunman's rifle kept its noise to a minimum. Dressed in black, the gunman swept the room with his rifle. Then, he turned and pointed the gun at me and my children.

Tears flowed down my cheeks. "No!" I screamed. I squeezed my children tighter, pressing their heads against my chest.

"Please no!"

The gunman grinned. As he readied himself for another shot, my husband Wayne, rushed through the front door. His footsteps resonated throughout the house.

The gunman whipped around. As he turned the rifle on my husband Wayne grabbed the barrel, yanking the rifle and the gunman, at an inward angle, toward him, the barrel pointed at the floor. The gunman jerked forward, his finger still on the trigger.

Another succession of bullets fired into the Spanish tile floor sending pieces of the tile flying everywhere. Then another bullet struck the television and the stereo system to the left of us. Sparks shot everywhere, igniting a fire to the entertainment system.

Jennifer's screams died down to a coughing, crying fit as Robert's echoed throughout the room.

I was afraid to move.

My home was no longer my safe haven. It had been intruded upon, and I was scared. If I didn't do something to help my husband, we might all lose our lives. Robert and Jennifer needed to know mom and dad were here to protect them. But, huddling here in the corner was not protecting them. I had to step up and do something even though I had no weapons in my hands.

A fight ensued between Wayne and the gunman. Wayne spun around, driving an elbow into the man's ribcage. Snarling, he ripped the gun out of the man's hands and tossed it to the floor. The werewolf within Wayne came forth, revealing his large canine fangs.

If we made any noise, we might attract the werewolf's attention. That was the last thing I wanted to do, so I tried to keep the kids silent. I pressed my finger to my lips to indicate they needed to keep quiet. Robert understood. Jennifer did not. She was too young.

Wayne's fingers transformed into claws. They dug into the man's arm. Blood oozed out from the wounds. Then Wayne latched onto his head, his fangs penetrating the man's skin. The gunman screamed.

"Mom..."

I clamped my hand over Jennifer's mouth as she wriggled in my arms. The man's cries overrode her voice. Thank God. My heartbeat raced.

"Shush," I whispered.

To our left, the fire traveled up the walls and onto the floor. Next, it would be us. We had to get out of the house. The nearest exit was our living room window, so we crept over to it. I motioned for Robert to keep quiet as he opened the window and scrambled out of it. Tears streamed down his face.

My adrenaline sped up, my heart beating faster by the second. The werewolf was too busy with his kill to notice us.

Trembling, Robert reached through the window and grabbed his sister. Without hesitation, he covered her mouth, turned, and ran away toward our neighbor's house.

I hesitated, contemplating grabbing the gun, or immediately following my kids. At least with the gun, I could shoot whoever attacked us.

Then two figures emerged from the shadows. They moved toward my children.