The Unseen Terror

‘Great. We are stuck in this house and they will be upon us as soon as light begins to fade. There will be no more rescues today. What do we do?’ James asked, glancing around at the dejected faces of the people in the room.

‘We fight.’ Adam said immediately, curling his fist and grinding it in the palm of the other hand.

‘No, we run.’ Becky answered, as if this was the most obvious choice there was.

‘Where?’ Emilia said. ‘It’s better to stay and fight.’

‘You all still think we have a chance, do you?’ James snorted, clearly mystified by the stupid responses of his friends. ‘Well, if you think so, let me tell you, we don’t, so quit thinking of plans and start saying your last words.’

‘We have got to try!’ Emilia said angrily. ’If not for us, then for our children.’

‘I don’t exactly see how we are going to get rid of something we can’t see, nor hear or even smell.’ James said angrily.

‘There’s a way for everything.’ Emilia said quietly.

‘Then we are all open to hear of your way, if you have one.’ James smirked and spread his arms, gesturing for Emilia to put forward any brilliant plan.

Emilia grew quiet. It was true she had no idea how to defeat the creatures in any way. She glanced around at the circle of onlookers, and shook her head, crestfallen. Everybody sighed and turned away.

‘Listen, Em. We are all very sorry about your son and understand why you feel the way you feel. But this is a time to be smart and I am thinking for everyone here.’

Emilia nodded quietly. She was lost in thought as she rolled over various possibilities in her mind. They had a few hours at the most. Running was no use anymore, the creatures would always find what they wanted to find. And James was right. The creatures couldn’t be seen or heard, it was a fruitless attempt at survival. She looked up at him. He was standing by the table, hands behind him for support, the muscles taut as he stared at them. He caught her looking at him and raised his eyebrows.

‘I have a plan. They might have an advantage over us, but we are smarter. We need to use it.’ She smiled.

Slowly, James nodded. ‘You really are stubborn, aren’t you?’

‘Adam and Sam, both of you get the flour sacks from downstairs and spread it on all the surfaces. Ruth, I need to you run a check on our weapons and also double check all the security around the house. Becky, cook us something great, seeing as this could our last meal ever. Emilia….’ He paused.

‘…. you will stay in the basement with Alexa.’ He avoided meeting her eye as she gaped at him with disbelief. Ignoring her enraged sputters, he concluded. ‘Alright everybody, we got this.’  

Time dragged along as they waited, like it does on a boring history period when you are eagerly waiting for the bell to ring. Each second seemed like an eternity, stretching on and on, clowning with their frantic hearts, anxiety creeping up their chests like poison ivy. Emilia clutched Alexa to her heart as she waited in the gloomy basement. Alexa was snoring softly, her fist curled around her Emilia’s pinkie, tiny mouth set in a soft smile as she dreamed on. Emilia missed Charlie immensely. Her little boy had been her everything, and he was gone now. Still Alexa is here. She thought, grateful for the little bundle in her arms. Her heart beat frantically against her chest as she waited in the hushed gloom. She didn’t know where the others were, but she knew soon they would get bored and leave their spots.

Sure enough, Sam made this mistake first.   

Sam had been under the stairs, acting as the lookout, until he decided he couldn’t stay there anymore. Leaving his place, he made his way to the kitchen and stopped. Just in front of him, in the hallway, there were large claw marks in the flour they had spread all over. It was at that moment, that something grabbed him from behind with such force that he felt the world spin in front of his eyes. His rifle was knocked from his hands. An invisible force slammed him on the ground so hard that Sam felt his consciousness leaving him. In the last few seconds before life left his body, Sam saw a monstrous face loomed over him, an enormous mouth opened up with teeth lined in neat double rows before he rose up to it and was devoured.

Hiding in the doorway to the pantry, Ruth watched the whole scene in quiet terror, teeth biting in the palm of her hand to stop herself from screaming. Silent tears steamed down her cheeks as she watched Sam die, and for a brief second, she caught a glimpse of the creature, a monstrous thing with scaly limbs and a lithe body, before Sam vanished in the creature’s mouth. Slowly, she started backing towards the other door, which led outside, when her foot collided with the set of gardening tools lying in the corner. Ruth stumbled and gasped, covering her mouth quickly and hoping against hope that the creature hadn’t heard her. She gripped the shelf tightly and waited, keeping her eyes to the flour on the ground. A minute passed before she relaxed and turned towards the door, and was greeted by the sight of it hanging open on its hinges, creaking ominously, while something in the doorway blocked the path of air that should be coming in through it. Without another thought, Ruth lifted her rifle and fired three quick successive shots.

Upstairs, Becky heard the shots and her tiny frame shuddered to think what had happened. With silent, quick motions she left the room and hurried towards James’s room, where he was already on his feet. He glanced at Becky and raised a finger to her lips. Becky nodded and followed him towards the window, where he motioned for her to jump. Becky glanced at the flower beds below, calculated the distance from there to the ground and concluded that the fall wouldn’t be enough to break her. She placed one foot at the windowsill and turned around to look at James.

‘You were right; we should have just run.’ He whispered.’ I will get the others.’ He took out the car keys and pressed them into her palm.

Becky’s eyes filled with tears. She sobbed as James hugged her quickly than left the bedroom. Taking a deep breath, she jumped.

As though walking on glass, James inched forward, one silent step at a time and descended the stairs. At the last step he stopped and cautiously peered round the corner. Sam’s rifle was lying by a pool of thick, red blood on the hallway floor and he watched transfixed as he heard slurping and saw portions of blood licked up by an invisible tongue. When the last drop of blood vanished, he snapped out of his disbelief and stared as footprints appeared on the flour leading from the blood into the pantry.

‘Ruth.’ He thought with dismay.

A snarl came from the pantry, a hungry inhuman sound, and his heart sank. A terrible scream erupted, followed by a ripping sound and all he could do was stand there, dejected, by the doorway as the monster undoubtedly devoured Ruth.

Adam had been positioned in the treehouse when he saw the pantry door open. It was dark inside, and he couldn’t see properly, but he saw Ruth’s silhouette fire shots at the open doorway. He saw streaks of blood erupt out of nowhere, looking black in the fading light and his heart jumped at the thought that Ruth had managed to get at least one creature down. He leaped from the tree house and ran towards the open door, gun cradled in the palm of his hand and stopped cold. Inside the pantry, Ruth was hanging in the air upside down, blood all over her, rifle knocked out of her hand. Their eyes connected for a moment, hers holding a silent plea for him to run, his clouded with desperation. Just as he lifted his gun to shoot at the creature, whom neither one of them could see, Ruth was ripped apart from the middle, dying soundlessly, another one of his friends falling prey to the heinous monsters. Adam turned away blindly from the pantry and ran.

Hot breath on his shoulders. Sound of frantic pursuit so close to his ears. Adam had never thought his nightmares would one day become real. His feet pounded the earth as he made his way to the tree house, running as fast as he could. When he reached the tree, he leaped up with all his might and grabbed the overhanging branch, using it to swing himself up. Balancing precariously, he fired shot after shot at the disturbing bushes on the ground and watched with satisfaction as blood appeared out of nowhere and spilled on the ground, darkening the green grass. With a hiss, the form of the monster appeared in front of him, flickered for a second, in which he managed to catch a glimpse of fangs and scales than disappeared completely with a satisfying pop. Adam watched transfixed, realizing he had just killed one of the creature and allowed himself a small smile of victory.

Becky’s body hit the flower bed with a soft thump, sending a shudder through her whole body. She allowed herself a second to regain focus, then got up, a bit unsteady on her feet. She clutched the car keys tightly in her hand which James had pressed in her hand as she peered around the corner. She watched in amazement as she saw Adam fire at thin air from the tree and watched the creature disappear. Only then she had the courage to step out from behind the wall. Adam’s eyes widened when he saw her, displaying happiness and hope. She blushed and held out the car keys. Adam nodded silently, leaped from the tree and they made their way towards the car.

James had never expected to feel this way. He had always been in command, had always known what was happening, but now he felt lost and confused, not to mention terrified at his and other’s helplessness. He thought of Emilia and his heart fluttered a little, and he increased his pace towards the cellar. His heart stopped beating for a moment when he saw the broken door and the claw prints in the flour. Cocking his rifle, he walked softly towards the door careful not to make any sound. He could hear low snarls coming from the basement. Just as he was about to step inside, a slight hiss from the stairs made him jump out of his skin. He whipped his head around to see Emilia on top of the staircase with Alexa clutched in her arms. James felt like he could cry with relief. He walked back briskly towards her, but as quietly as he could. When he reached the top, she reached out for his hand and they made their way towards the front door.

There it was. The front door, all they had to do now was go out and reach the car. Emilia crossed the threshold and stepped out in the dying sun. James turned his head around to take one last look at the house, only to be greeted by claw marks in the flour right behind him.

Breathing in the fresh air, Emilia smiled. She took a look around and spotted Becky and Adam in the car. It was when she was halfway across the lawn that she noticed James was not behind her. Her heart flipped, panic gripping her as she placed Alexa on the grass and turned back towards the house. At the threshold, James rifle knocked against her feet, which she gladly seized. Inside the hall, James was hovering in midair, his eyes bulging with terror.

‘James!’ She screamed.

‘No! Emilia, run!’ He yelled.

Emilia raised the rifle and fired a shot, then two, just as a snap of teeth was heard and a long gash appeared on James’s stomach and he fell to the ground. Emilia shook with rage. She kept shooting at thin air until she caught a fleeting glimpse of the monster and heard a pop. Dropping the rifle, she ran towards James.

‘James……’ She whispered, taking his face in her hands. She looked at the wound and her heart sank, it was too deep.

‘Emilia…’ James called her name back.

Emilia’s tears fell on James cheeks as she leaned over him. It looked like James was crying with her, as they huddled together on the ground. She took her ear to his mouth.

‘Emilia.’ James whispered. ‘I really liked you.’ He managed a small smile against her ear.

‘I know. I felt the same.’ She whispered back.

‘What kind of confession are you making to a dying man?’ He gasped with strain.

‘Shhh.’ She placed a finger to his lips. ‘You are not dying.’

James smiled and said his last words. ‘You really are stubborn, Emilia.’