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My sister and I had been walking through our relatively peaceful neighborhood. The sun was high in the sky, beating down on us in waves of heat even though it had been the middle of September.
We were let out of school early that day, that tragic day I look back on, remembering how naive I had been.
We were let out because supposedly strange creatures had been appearing randomly around the world, but specifically in our area. Everyone thought that it was just a rumor that was spreading around the internet. Some even thought it was a prank that a couple careless teenagers had set up. But just for safety, the schools released us early that day, even though they were almost positive all of the commotion was nothing to worry about.
I had picked my sister up from her elementary school moments ago. My mother had called me on my phone, letting me know that I needed to get Willow. My mother was very brief, but from everything I had collected out of our short conversation was that my father was in some sort of trouble at work, and she had to go get him.
I wasn't too surprised, my father was often doing things that he shouldn't. Sometimes it frightened me, the things he did. It was never anything illegal, but at times the messes he got himself into were close to being so.
I assumed he got into a fight with his co-worker or something like that. Whether it was physical or verbal was a mystery to me.
I glanced down at my sister. Today our mother had put two long french braids in Willow's hair before we went off to school. She was wearing her usual; a forest green dress with little yellow and white daisies embroidered around the bottom hem and around the high neckline. At the time, my sister had been obsessed with dresses, specifically the ones my Nana would make for Willow in her spare time. If I'm correct, the dress she was wearing was one my Nana made for Willow's eighth birthday.
I looked forward. We were walking on the unkept, cracked sidewalk. I could see weeds beginning to grow through the crevices. Cars were parked on the curb beside us. I didn't know why, but the cars sandwiching us between them and the lawns of strangers made me feel claustrophobic.
Not too far ahead of us I could see a few classmates of mine walking to their homes at a sluggish pace, one of them I recognized as Haylee with her black backpack and straight shoulder length hair.
I thought about catching up to her so we could walk together, but I soon decided otherwise. Ever since her father and sisters passed away a few weeks ago she had been acting strange. I figured I would give her some space for a while, even though I hated being away from her.
Our relationship was weird. We had crushes on each other for the longest time, but we were never anything more than friends. Haylee said she didn't ever want to be more than just friends. I guess that was for the best.
After letting myself get sucked into my thoughts, I looked down at my sister once more, smiling a little at her grinning face. "Happy to be out of school?" I asked her. I already knew what her answer would be.
"Yes!" She exclaimed happily, wiping a loose strand of hair out of her face. "I promised mom I would help her make dinner tonight. We're having pizza!"
Honestly, I agreed with her. Going to school was never something I looked forward to.
We were out of school early and having pizza for dinner? I felt like I had won the lottery, or so I thought.
I peered ahead as we turned a corner. I could see our house down the street. I exhaled in relief, noticing both cars in the driveway. Mom had gotten dad home quicker than I expected.
I hoped that my father wouldn't be drunk when we walked through the door. He had started drinking liquor only a few months ago, to drown out the stress of his every day life I suppose. Things were never the same when he started drinking. Home wasn't a pleasant place when my father was drowning in liquor and unhappy all at once. Though even before his addiction sprouted, life at home wasn't completely peaceful.
Devoured in my thoughts, I stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk, but I regained my footing before I had time to fall. That's when I heard an ear piercing scream coming from behind me.
I instinctively grabbed my little sister's arm and gazed over my shoulder, picking up my pace. I knew screams were never good news. My sister struggled to keep up with me, but she didn't ask any questions.
I looked for the source of the scream, but I couldn't see anything. Everyone on the sidewalk nearby had stopped to try and see what was going on. I slowed down when my sister began to trip behind me.
Another stomach churning cry came. That's when I saw it. The hideous otherworldly creature with blood and black foam dripping from its mouth. It was a Thrall, though at the time I didn't know that. It was one of the creatures everyone had believed to be fiction.
I felt glued to the sidewalk, the monster running straight towards my sister and I, on all fours, its eyes wide, teeth bared.
The whole street broke out in chaos as the Thrall let out a high pitched howl. Kids were screaming, running or just standing there in shock. People driving by had to swerve around the panicked high school and elementary school students. Some of the kids even whipped out their phones and started filming the disaster set before them. They were trying to film me, being slaughtered by this horrific monster.
No. I wouldn't have it. I had no time to ponder what this creature was or what was happening. I just needed to react.
I shoved my sister away from the Thrall as it pounced at us. I dove out of its way, falling to the ground, hardly missing its razor sharp claws.
I yell, "Run!" To anyone who was willing to take my advice, but specifically, my sister.
Willow began to sprint like I've never seen her sprint before, heading towards our house. I was impressed at how collected she appeared, compared to most other people who were very alarmed. I could even hear people calling the police.
I backed up from the Thrall, slowly inching away from it. I can't get up off the ground. Why can't I get up?
I was sweating all over, my breathing was so heavy I'm surprised I didn't hyperventilate. The Thrall gave me a hateful, savage look, taking on its new challenge.
The whole scene was a blur to me. What was going on? Were these the creatures that everyone had been talking about?
I don't want to die... I don't want to die. This can't be the end.
I managed to roll out of the way as the Thrall tried to bite my neck. Instead of biting me, one of its long claws slashed my face, sending a spiking sensation throughout my body. I could feel something dripping down my face. My eyes watered as I scrambled to my feet. I couldn't see a thing.
My heart was racing. I felt as though I was drenched in sweat. Without thinking I grabbed the closest thing to me, which was a long thick stick that was laying on the sidewalk.
My hands shook violently as I eyed the Thrall. It lunged forward at me, attempting its next attack. I gripped onto the stick with a new found determination. I swung the stick at the monster, launching it at the Thrall. I was pleasantly surprised when the stick creates a puncture wound through the Thrall's leg. Instead of crying out in pain like I had expected it to, the Thrall simply ignored its injury and darted at me once more, a wild, hungry, bloodthirsty look in its eyes.
I began to run. My legs were trembling, but I didn't notice it. My lungs were burning. I was practically wheezing. I sprinted as fast as I physically could. Where was I going? Where even was I? I couldn't remember.
I felt something try to grab onto the back of my shirt. The feeling of the monster's claws trying to rip through my clothes made me bolt even faster. I guess my backpack had been lost in the chaos, because it wasn't there to protect my back from the creatures frightening claws.
I dove out of the street and into someone's front lawn, hoping to catch the monster off guard for at least a moment. I scrambled behind a bush that was up against the side of the nearby house. I was pressed between a prickly bush and a brick wall.
I tried to hold my breath, hoping I could somehow hide from the monster. But my wheezing continued. I hoped that the monster had poor hearing.
I flattened myself against the hard brick wall, trying to peer through the bush to see what was going on. Things had fallen eerily silent, other than a few random screams and cars driving by.
Maybe it had always been this quiet, it just seemed otherwise?
My nostrils burned from running as fast as I did. My mouth was dry... really dry. I had a sudden need for water.
My cheek stung. I touched it and I winced from the sharp pain. My fingers had blood on them. I was bleeding.
That's when the real panic set in. What just happened? I was bleeding. I was injured. Was I going to die? No, that's absurd. This was probably just one terrible dream. That's ridiculous. This was real. This was happening.
I swallowed hard and peeked out from behind the bush I was hiding behind. The street was splattered in crimson blood. Wounded bodies lay on the sidewalk and in people's lawns. Some injured individuals were looking around as if they had no clue what had happened to them. I could hear sirens going off in the distance.
What had happened? Was it over? Where had that creature gone?
I cautiously stood, my eyes darting in every direction. I took a step out from behind the bush, contemplating my every move.
I looked to my right, and there my home was, just a few houses away. I could make it. All I had to do was run.
Just as I was about to make a break for it, I heard a familiar sickening howl right behind me.
It was as if the Thrall had materialized out of thin air. It was there, facing me, ready to feast on another vulnerable soul.
I tried to escape, but it was too late. The Thrall jumped on top of me, pinning me to the ground. Great, I thought. This was the end. I didn't even know if my sister made it to safety. I didn't even get to say my goodbyes.
Right when the Thrall bared its sharp teeth, black foam dripping down from its mouth onto my face, an instinct set in. Without another thought I used both of my feet to forcefully push the heavy Thrall off of me, sending it backwards, a few feet away from me. Doing that gave me less than a second to get out of there.
I did just that.
Without thinking I stood and practically flew towards my house, my feet moved incredibly fast. I didn't dare look back at the Thrall, in fear of wasting a precious moment.
I ran up to our front door and pounded on it violently. I looked over my shoulder, luckily the Thrall was too distracted by another passerby, giving me enough time to reach my house.
My sister opened the door and I rush in, my breathing was out of control.
I slammed the door shut at the sight of the Thrall biting into a boy I recognized from school who was frantically thrashing around on the sidewalk. The boy's desperate screams echoed throughout the neighborhood as an ambulance showed up, sending a chill down my spine.
~ Continue in chapter twelve ~