My feet refused to move as another strike of bright lightning engulfed the room. I could see my terrified reflection in the creature’s white eyes, my breath catching in my throat as I tried to scream.
The creature reached forward, it’s large, bone-like hands grasping for me. I took a few steps back and tripped on something in the dark. The creature towered above me.
‘Bruce,’ I said, my voice shaking. ‘Bruce, it’s me. It’s Val.’
The creature licked its lips.
‘Please, Bruce.’
The creature lurched at me and I screamed this time. I tried to get away, but it grabbed my ankle, yanking me back several paces. I screamed again, kicking blindly. I felt my foot connect to something hard and unyielding. The creature let go of me and I scurried away as fast as I could across the floor.
Thunder rumbled, vibrating the room. A few items fell off the shelves around me, hitting me as I crawled to my feet and started running further inside the shop. I could hear the creature’s slow, deliberate steps behind me. I just prayed I was faster.
The store was a mess and I tried not to make any unnecessary noise as I hid between shelves. I searched the floor for any sort of weapon, but there was nothing of use. My mind flashed to the front windows and the broken glass, but I didn’t know if I could make it there without the creature seeing me. I put my hand over my mouth to drown out my sob.
The blinds had fallen off the windows at the back of the shop. I tried to make out the reflection of the store behind me in the darkness, but I could only see blurred shapes.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my shaking body. I slowly turned and looked along one side of the shelf. No creature.
Again, another breath. Before I could check the other side, a small creak stopped me. A spindly hand, dripping in thick black fluid slowly curled around the side of the shelf, inches from my face.
I moved backwards, a step at a time, keeping my eyes on its hand. I realised too late I wasn’t looking where I was going. A loud squeak filled the quiet room and I looked down to see a rubber duck caught under my shoe.
The creature’s fingers tightened before tearing back the shelf with incredible strength. Face-to-face with me, it roared, chest puffed, then pounced. I didn’t stop to scream.
I ran, not looking back. The creature was only seconds behind me. I slipped but managed to keep my footing as I finally reached the front of the store.
I picked up the largest shard of glass from the front windows and spun back around. The creature leapt in the air, wildly. With a bleeding hand, I struck out at the monster, eyes closed. It collided with me and we both toppled to the ground.
I only opened my eyes when I felt its dead weight on me and struggled to push it off. When it finally rolled over, I saw my glass shard sticking out of its chest. The creature remained unmoving.
I started to cry, letting my head fall into my hands.
‘Val?’
I looked up slowly.
‘Bruce?’ I whispered.
Bruce’s body had returned to his human form. He was weak, pale, with the glass shard sticking out from his chest. Blood covered his torso, pooling around his body, the colour contrasting harshly against the store’s floor.
‘Save yourself,’ Bruce said. Blood pooled out of his mouth.
‘Bruce.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Bruce whispered. Before I could help him, his eyes glazed over, and a final breath left his body.
Suddenly the world felt distant.
Rain was still pitter-pattering on the broken glass, but the storm was already dying down. Lightning hit again, but this time it was further away, just barely lighting up the shop. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
I sat there for a moment, tears streaming down my face, but then it hit me.
‘June.’
~~~
Debris covered the roads, as the storm had taken its toll on the town. I kept to the shadows of the buildings as best I could as more creatures roamed the streets. I could see them clearly, their tall, skeletal bodies standing out against the night. I couldn’t run, for fear of making too much noise, or slipping in the wet.
When I reached the hill that led to my home, I decided it was best to stay inside the tree lines. Adrenaline pumped through me, keeping my feet moving and my mind clear. I had to get to June before anyone – or anything – else.
When I finally reached our house, I almost crumbled to the ground in tears. The house was in darkness. June’s car was still out the front, but for some reason, part of me couldn’t sense her any longer.
I could hear creatures in the distance, no doubt coming to find me. Their animalistic roars no longer resembled anything human.
Bruce had mentioned not being in control … but Sam would be. I wondered how long it would take for them to realise that Bruce was no longer alive. He’d been trying to warn me, to get me to leave. But I couldn’t dwell on Bruce right now. I needed to find June.
I tore open our front door, sweat pouring down my chest in the muggy heat.
‘June?’
I ran into the kitchen. No June. I turned back to climb the stairs.
‘June? June!’
June came out of her bedroom, her phone torch on.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘We need to leave.’ I grabbed her arm tightly, pulling her along. June looked me up and down, shinning the light on me.
‘Where’s Bruce? Why are you covered in blood?’
‘We need to get out of here.’
‘Valentine.’ June pulled me to a stop halfway down the stairs. ‘Why are you covered in blood?’
I looked down at myself, bleeding hands, my hair wild, clothes torn and drenched in red.
‘I’ll explain on the way, just, we need to leave. Right now.’
‘It’s a blackout, Valentine. We’re not going anywhere.’
June pulled herself out of my grasp and walked downstairs into the kitchen. I followed her, my eyes darting to the windows and doors. June had boarded most of them up in preparation for the storm.
‘It’s so hot,’ June said. She put her phone down so the torch light filled the room; the cool, artificial light brightened up the kitchen instantly. I felt too visible now, wishing for the darkness again. June waved her hands at her face. ‘Aren’t you hot?’
‘June, you don’t understand. We’re not safe here. They’re monsters. They’re all monsters.’
June stopped fanning herself and looked at me calmly.
‘I’m calling Sam.’
‘No! Please, I’m begging you. We have to leave.’
June ignored me and unlocked her phone. I snatched it away from her.
‘June did you hear me? I said we’re leaving.’
‘Valentine, I don’t understand. Why are you fighting this?’
I felt the world freeze, as if all the hot air around me was sucked out of the room, my body left in the cold.
‘What did you say?’ I whispered.
June reached forward and took her phone out of my hand. She dialled a number, putting the phone to her ear. It rang twice, before someone picked it up.
‘She’s here,’ June said. She hung-up and tossed the phone into the sink. When she turned back to me, her eyes were white.
Clouds Behind the Moon is written by Olivia Hides and will be published serially throughout the year.