Storm Lake by Val Tobin

Author:Val Tobin
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: creatures out of nightmare, horror lake, creatures in the woods, horror action, horror, horror suspense thriller, horror short fiction, monsters, creatures survival, horror short story
Published: 2014-12-16T12:31:25.777407+00:00

***

Rachel opened her eyes. A sliver of daylight showed under the door. She’d been sure she wouldn’t sleep, but somehow, she’d passed out anyway. Rachel glanced at Jeff, who lay on the sleeping bag next to her, his head on a blow-up bath pillow. He stirred and opened his eyes.

The sound of a vehicle pulling into the parking lot cut through the silence. Rachel jumped up, threw open the door, and rushed to the main door. A delivery van pulled up next to the police cars.

She unlocked the main door, but kept it closed. Her gaze focused on the driver, who peered out the van’s front window. The man’s head swivelled from side to side, taking in the scene before him: the two police cars, door yawning open on one; Enza and Dan’s house, seemingly deserted, that door also open.

Rachel looked for the police officer’s body. A puddle of moist, rust-coloured dirt showed where he’d fallen, but that was all. She searched for any sign of the creatures. All was still and quiet. Her hand touched the doorknob. After one more glance around, she swung the door open and waved to the man in the van.

The man returned the wave and jumped out of the vehicle, making too much noise, Rachel thought. The slam of the van door closing made her cringe. She scoped out the area, terrified the racket might attract the creatures.

“Run!” she shouted. No sign of the grey things, but that didn’t matter. They could appear any moment. She scanned the trees. Still nothing. Her heart caught in her throat. The man stepped away from the van and walked towards her at a brisk pace. Rachel waved her arm, trying to spur him on. “Please, oh God, hurry!”

He escalated to a jog. A few more metres to go. Movement in her periphery made her snap her head to the right. A creature loped out of the trees, but when the bright sun caught its skin, it howled in pain and lunged back into the trees.

Rachel whimpered. The man hadn’t seen the creature leave the forest, but he’d heard the howl. He ran now, his expression grim, but unsurprised.

He’s seen them before. She moved aside when he reached the porch and held the door open for him. When he was in, she slammed shut and locked both doors.

Still huffing from his run, the man had no chance to glance around. Jeff threw himself at the stranger, gripping him around the waist. Tears streamed from the boy’s eyes. He gasped and wheezed, emitting choked sobs.

The man pried Jeff’s arms off and crouched down. “Are you hurt? The man’s grey eyes were calm, even though he’d just traversed hell’s corridor to reach them. Jeff shook his head, but stayed silent, and continued to sob.

When the man stood, he didn’t tower over Rachel, who was tall for a girl her age, but muscles filled out his T-shirt. No paunch spilled over the belt on his jeans. He looked younger than their dad, but Rachel still thought he might help them.

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