Through Glass(52)

I froze, letting the confusion and guilt wash over me, and in that one moment, the thing took her chance. The hard side of her arm pushed into me, a thousand knives cutting into my skin as it shoved me away. The wide arc of her arm sent me head long into the glass case that had been full of ice cream only a few years ago.

Glass shattered around me as I fell through the pane, the painful pressure in my head growing as my body heaved into the shelves. I felt the warmth of my blood as it flowed over my skin, the sharp sting of cuts and broken skin surrounding me.

I screamed at the impact, my body collapsing painfully together. I could hear the talons of the monsters feet as she came toward me, hear the screech increase as it approached. I needed to get up to get away before the monster could get to me, but I couldn’t move. Everything hurt as my head spun and throbbed, my limbs unwilling to answer my plea.

I swung myself to the side in desperation, heaving my body away. My hands hit the linoleum as I fell to the ground, a loud crash echoing around me as a golden talon slashed through the shelving I had just splayed against. My vision spun dangerously as I tried to see through the darkness, through the blood that was drizzling out of my head and into my eyes. My head felt heavy and light at the same time, something that I was sure signaled to a much bigger problem. Even through the pain, through the dizziness I knew I couldn’t stop moving.

The creature called again as it stood right next to me and I knew what was coming. I pushed my body hard in an attempt to get away from the monster, my head spinning as I army crawled over the broken glass that littered the floor.

The monsters legs were in front of me as it moved and howled; the long, black stems covered in hundreds of sharp little spines. I made my way toward the legs, knowing it was a foolish idea, but knowing I couldn’t run from this thing, not in the dark. My only choice was to fight and hope that another one didn’t come along to finish the job. I lunged at the monster’s legs, wrapping my arms around them and pulling with all my strength. I screamed as I heaved, my shoulders calling out in agony as I jerked the Ulama over onto its side.

I could hear the scream, but I barely registered it over the pain in my head, the sickening dizzy sensation making it hard to move.

I couldn’t fight like this. I needed to get out of here, yet I wasn’t sure how I could accomplish that when I could barely move, let alone see.

My breaths came in short little puffs as I tried to keep the moans inside of me. I moved on hands and knees as I tried to get toward the isle where I hoped the torch still lay. I crawled as quickly as I could, my hands and knees slipping on garbage and broken glass. Everything kept bobbing and swimming before my eyes, the blackness fading in and out as I moved.

My hands dragged through the dirt as I crawled, the call of the monster behind me grew until I felt my body begin to weaken. I looked behind me at the sound only to see the thing regain its footing, the blackness of its body uncoiling to stand. I turned away, increasing my speed as I moved, searching through the debris around me in a mad attempt to find the rail, the torch, anything I could use as a weapon.

The tapping of its claws sounded loud and angry against the linoleum as it rushed toward me, preparing to attack. I was running out of time, I moved faster, searched faster, prayed that I would find a weapon soon. I would fight it off with my bare hands if I had to, but I knew that would do me no good.

My hand slid forward, sending me onto my belly in a hard impact. Another pained noise seeped out of my lips as I tried to regain my footing, the shift of weight putting my fingers in contact with cold metal just as two large feet moved in front of me.

I grabbed hold of the bed rail as one foot came up, the heavily scaled mass hitting me hard in the face and sending me backwards again. A million knives cut into my face and I screamed as my skin burned in agony. I fell hard against the floor, the loud smack of my already landing body echoed above the screech of the Tar.

I clung to the rail, my grip strong even though everything inside of me felt like it was dripping in pain. I yelled out as I watched the thing that was once Sarah move over me, her face all but gone now; only her eyes and the top of her nose were familiar anymore.

The thing above me cocked its head, its hands raising into the air in preparation. I just stared, my vision spinning as I tried to regain focus.

My jaw clenched as my muscles tensed, my grip on the rail tightening. I could hear the monster right above me, smell its breath in the air. I had one chance.

I swung the rail wide, putting all the strength behind it that I could, aiming right for the neck and felt the rail make contact. The heavy thud as it connected with skin rippled through my arm. I pushed into the tension, dragging the rail through the air as it cut through the creature’s neck.

The thing’s eyes widened as its screech left the air, the sounds of my frantic breathing taking its place. I was close, close to defeating it. I could see it in the black eyes of the monster, feel it in the weakness of my arms. One more time, I just needed one more swing. I only hoped I had enough strength.

My voice opened in a growl that rippled around me as I swung again, my tired arms barely able to lift the bar as I jabbed it into the wide gash I had just made, the rail burning itself through the neck of the monster.

I pushed as I screamed, as I fought the dizziness. The rail left my grasp as the creature fell to the ground, the long piece of metal protruding from its neck.

I watched it fall, my breathing picking up as I waited for it to move. Waited for confirmation that it was dead.