Blue Moon

Chapter 39

They aimed at the door, waiting for whatever had been screeching to come running in.

Arlo moved forward, stepping around the desk and over the soldier's dead body. He took another step, leaning forward to peer down the hallway.

A man jumped through the doorway onto Arlo, from his mouth came a piercing screech. Alona jumped back as the men fell onto the floor. Arlo's pistol had been knocked from his hand again. He struggled to keep the thing on top of him from biting off a chunk of him. 

"Alona, shoot!" He screamed as the black-eyed monster drooled onto his chest.

It jerked sporadically. Alona was paralyzed by fear, her hands shook with fear.

She jerked her rifle up and aimed. She held the gun for a moment.

As she hesitated, Arlo held the monster in place. It cocked its head towards Alona, seeing the monster's eyes, she fired.

Its head exploded into pieces of black chunks. 

Alona was frozen in place. 

Arlo tossed the jerking, headless body off of him and tried to wipe its remains off his shirt and face. 

Alona held her gun in place. She gripped the handle so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Arlo stood and walked over to her. He had to try twice to pull the rifle from her hands. 

"Alona." He said, his voice reaching her ears, but having no effect on her. She stared at the headless corpse. 

Arlo checked the hallway, then closed the door. Drew stood and helped Arlo move a bookshelf in front of the door. 

Arlo walked Alona to Drew's desk chair and sat her down.

Drew nodded towards Alona, "I've seen shock before, but never seen it that severe."

Arlo looked at the headless body, "She's been having nightmares about these things since she got here."

Drew stared at Arlo, "These things?" He asked, pointing at the body, "You don't think the time travel had anything to do with that?"

Arlo looked at Drew, "I'm not sure."

---- 

Alona blinked several times. Drew and Arlo were carrying the dead bodies out the door. She was sitting behind Drew's desk. Greg stood holding the door for the men.

She stood, seeing the pile of black blood, she cringed. Her skin crawled, remembering what she had killed.

"Hey. You alright?" Greg asked, seeing her staring. 

"Yeah, I just..." She tried to think of an excuse. "Where were you?"

"They knocked me out and locked me in the next room." Greg explained, rubbing the back of his head.

"Why didn't they kill you?" Alona asked remembering the dead security guard in the lobby.

Greg shrugged.

"I distracted them." Drew explained, "I killed one of their men before they could hurt Greg."

Alona nodded, understanding that Drew had almost sacrificed himself to save Greg.

Arlo walked in. As soon as he saw her awake, he walked over to her. She waited for him to say something, instead, he embraced her.

"I'm fine." She whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

He pulled back, "You were damn good." His eyes were back to their normal golden.

She smiled, "How's the rest of the city?"