Who’s the Monster

Something dragging across the floor nearly made her bolt. Pressing back into the dark depths of where she hid, she tried desperately to slow her breathing so it wouldn’t hear her.

A heavy thud made her jump, nearly drawing a scream from bloodless lips. Eyes searching wildly in the dark for the too close sound.

When the door to her hiding place creaked open, her heart beat so frantically it seemed to jump around her rib cage. Thin light seeped into the darkness, casting a red shadow on the wall opposite where she hid. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to any deity that would listen for rescue. A gruesome picture of her family strewn in bloody pieces all over their house assailed her mind.

“Come out. Come out.” The whispery voice rasped along her nerves, threatening to tear her mind apart. “Wherever you are.”

She couldn’t stifle her whimper as the odor of blood hit her nose. Seconds later, something wet wrapped around her ankle, yanking her from her hiding place into the sickening light.

It was going to get her. The monster…

Riding a wave of blinding panic that sent her into action, she fought the unseen thing that wrapped like a fog around her. Gouging triple eyes, scratching at a sickly gray face, kicking and flailing as blood covered her. She fought until the thing overtook her, knocking her unconscious so she didn’t see it devouring her.

–

The police stood over the body of the lifeless woman. One stooped to check her pulse before moving away a safe distance. The detective exited the house, pad in hand and a grime expression on his face.

“What happened?”

“We believe she killed her family. She was screaming about monsters as she attacked her husband. Her son is in intensive care and we aren’t sure her daughter is going to make it.”

The detective wiped a hand down his face. “Jesus Christ.”

“She doesn’t seem to realize what she’d done.”

She surged awake, struggling in her cuffs as she screamed incomprehensible things. It took five officers to subdue her.

“Monsters. Monsters.” She turned suddenly, biting into the arm of one of the officers holding her before screaming into the night. “They’re coming.”

“Get her the fuck out of here.”

Face covered in blood and teeth gnashing, they carried her away.

–

Last minute entry to the previous F4TFriday.