《When Demons Invade》


 A Rejection Then Worse

    A simple day, a simple day is what it was on a friday afternoon in Maryland. It was a cool sixty degrees and for many that was the best teperature it could get. For Elijah, a geek to the utmost degree, in his two-hundred or so pounds, with not a lot of that being muscle but a large enough portion to win a fight,glasses on his face and hair down to his eyes this was the perfect day. For it was the day he would spew his feelings for a girl he had been pining over for more than a full marking period. It was at a time during the transition from third block that he saw her and decided to confess.


    When he saw the girl, Izzy, with her bright blonde hair that had brown dye about five inches up, glasses on her face, dazzling blue eyes, and freckles he felt the anxiety build before he simply walked up and started talking.


    "Hey Izzy, can I tell you something"


    Izzy not realizing that Elijah was there turned and remarked, "Oh, uh, sure!"


    "I, I really like you. Like I have a massive crush on you."


    "Oh, uhm, listen you''re sweet but, uhm, I, I just, no." Izzy spoke with flaking demeanor and trying with all her might to not embarass this suitor of hers.


    Elijah''s head began to spin as his world came crashing down. His confidence went from a overfull balloon to the size of a pea. And when he spoke it showed. There was a quiver in his voice and as he spoke he ran quickly past Izzy.


    "Oh, uh, Kay then, I should be going."


    Izzy not wishing to turn a once budding friendshipsour, spoke as she chased Elijah down, "No, listen, why don''t we talk this out. Let me explain."


    As Elijah turned to listen there was a loud crash behind them as a crimson red, quadruped with no eyes and fangs the size of kitchen knives in its mouth picked itself off the ground. As everyone sat silently waiting for anything to make a move. One man, the reading teacher, moved to go for a shard of freshly broken glass and the beast pounced. As it jumped for the man it tore through his throat in an instant, releasing a geyser of blood upon the front row of children watching in horror. Instantly it then charged after a boy covered in his old teachers blood, it went for his leg to knock him down and found purchase with its teeth. On the ground he was easy pickings for the monstrosity and it dove at his head tearing it from its place.


    At this point the survivors of these attacks then ran in every direction they could think of. Panic was going amongst the student body as it would when a monster rips a teacher and friends throat out. Elijah thinking quickly, ran into the, now dead, reading teachers room and started to fiddle with a windows lock. This was a foreign mechanism to him and he made many fumbles with it before hearing a yell from behind as he saw a friend with a chair in his hands.


    This friend was Greg, he was the most sports oriented person in the school and walked with the confidence of ten marines after a successful operation. He was all muscle and with his trimmed military style haircut was quite a force to be reckoned with. He had the tan that only eight years of football gave. He spoke with the deep voice of a teen of seventeen to eighteen.


    "MOVE!!"


    Elijah not stupid enough to defy the man with the chair ready to throw, moved out of the way. When he threw himself to the side he saw the chair fly past him and break through the window spreading shards of glass across the floor. Greg immediately started to remove the remaining bits of glass out of the pane before jumping out with Elijah following.


    As they both hopped out they saw a scene of absolute chaos unfurling. The red creatures were jumping around everywhere and were chewing on the dead students and teachers. There was a cop car crashed into a flood light with the top of the roof ripped open. More quick planning came from Elijah when he saw a bus driver on the ground with their chest ripped open like a rabbit that was attacked by a wolf. He looked from the body to their old bus and to the police car and pointed Greg in the direction of the driver before saying.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "Greg! Grab his keys and start bus 83. I''m gonna get whatever I can find from that car. Go!"


    Greg still entranced by thecarnagearound them quickly snaps back to look at Elijah and nods before running to the body. Elijah seeing the plan begin starts running to the squad car. He ran to the side where the drivers door was open and jumped back when he saw a kid of a cop with his throat turned inside out by the claws of some monster. He quickly recovered from his stupor and grabbed the mans gun on his hip. With the gun he grabbed a pocket knife and looked into the passenger seat. In the seat he saw a shotgun with a hand still attached even though it was missing a body. He grabbed the gun, a shell still on the seat, and the open box of shells that the lost body was probably using to load the shotgun. Nothing else in the car he hopped out and turned.


    When he turned he saw the same knife like fangs of one of the monsters looking at him with a evil hunger. It jumped for him and as Elijah dropped down onto the ground he gripped the trigger of the shotgun in his hand and pulled. It was a one in a million shot for a kid who didn''t hunt he but none the less he hit the beast killing it. Gathering himself he then turned and ran toward the bus. On his way he heard a scream to his left. He turned and saw one of the monstrosities on top of Izzy as it was biting at her head while she tried with all her might to hold it off. Elijah seeing this ran toward the struggle and caught its attention.


    "HEY!"


    As the beast turned toward the sound of the noise its head was blown off by a blast from the shotgun. Izzy''s face was now covered in the thick, black substance that was the monsters blood. Elijah picked Izzy up off the ground and after realizing she was in too much shock to move, resorted to dragging her to the bus. Greg opened the door and Elijah shoved Izzy into a seat before laying the guns and ammo onto the dash before yeling another order.


    "LETS GO!"


    Greg, only thirteen years of age and no driving experience to speak of started the bus off way to quickly. Almost knocking Elijah off his feet. As they started they saw three more of the red beasts cornering four friends against a wall. Elijah grabbed the wheel and turned it in the direction of the monsters, rattling everyone on the bus but still running the wolf like creatures over and ending their existence. He then opened the door to his friends a few covered in blood, both red and black.


    The four people to board the bus were Jared, Noellia, Cody, and Aydan. Jared was a lean guy with experience in soccer and lacrosse. He was one of the most redneck people at the school. He hunted, fished, had guns some legal some not, and he occasionally made moonshine for money. He and Elijah were best friends since the first grade and it showed. Even with their differences in physique they could share a laugh and always helped each other out and an attack by monsters would not stop them.


    Noellia was a 4''11 half Mexican and always had something to say about all situations. Though at this moment she looked more like a deer in headlights as she was glassy eyed and had red, not black blood on her. She was a friend of Elijah''s from the second grade and on. She was the person Elijah trusted most with many secrets and she always let him explain or talk. Even if they weren''t the best of friends like Elijah was with Jared, she was still a close one.


    Cody was of Peurta Rican descent and second only to Elijah had the most facial hair out of any one in the, currently being destroyed, school. He was as much a realist as one could be during certain situations and sometimes, indirectly, could give someone the advice they needed. He wasn''t buff and had a stocky look but nowhere close to Elijah''s. He was currently moving Noellia in front of him and had his own glassy eyed look on but not even half the blood.


    The final boarder was Aydan. Elijah always saw Aydan as untrustworthy with most things but as having put on the face of a child. Aydan could act, look, and talk like an innocent kid one moment and then curse a teacher out the next. He had dated more than ten girls in sixth grade, a little less the seventh, and none this year as his reputation had gotten around. At this moment Aydan was jittering around looking out all windows and had a large bite on his shoulder. The bite had stained the area of his white jacket a disgusting shade of red. He was going to be in pain later but for now the adrenaline of the situation kept him going.


    Greg started the car after the hit. As they began to leave they heard screams behind them as others were running from the building and chasing after the bus. Sadly there efforts were in vain as they kept driving, as they kept driving they would scream and run more. This in turn would drive more attention from the wolf like creatures and before they kew it the survivors were overrun with shifting red masses pulling them limb from limb. And they just kept driving, where they didn''t know, they just needed to survive this mess and survive they would.

 A Moment To Think

    It has been three or so hours after the attack by the creatures and most of the survivors have calmed down. They are still covered in a mix of red and black blood and are staring off in their own trance of trauma. With the only thing to shake them back to reality being Greg''s driving every now and then. The whole time Greg''s driving shook everyone more awake than demons biting friends into tiny pieces, Elijah is directing Greg on where to go. When his directions were at there end he beckoned them all out of the bus.


    The area where they had arrived at was the town park. It was a decent looking area that was on the water. It was commonly used as the town event area where fireworks were let off and the occasional family event occured. Though at the time they arrived nothing had happened anytime recently and the area was the natural green of unbrindled nature. The only man made structure about the area was the gazebo in the middle. The park was about a thirty minute drive from the school and was completely untouched by the complete carnage of the rest of the town.


    "This place is far enough from town, we should be able to sit down for a minute and take a breath." Elijah starts as he heads in the direction of the gazebo.


    "What in the hell happened back there?" Jared asks following after Eijah.


    Elijah turns back to Jared with a look of absolute bafflement. "I got no clue but people are dead and we aren''t. So if you ask me we should keep that going."


    Izzy jumps in to the conversation, finally out of the stupor of almost dying, "Listen my parents, they-"


    "Are out of our reach right now. We can''t help them with, whatever the hell those things are running around blocking off exits from town!" Elijah yells turning to Izzy.


    Elijah turning to the rest of the group speaks, "Now we can stay around here for a night or so and then we can check for ways to find family. Nothing should come around here for awhile," Holding the shot gun up in one hand and the pistol in the other, he speaks quickly, "We have weapons and as long as we don''t get ourselves noticed we shouldn''t have to use them. Now we have the gazebo to stay in and while we don''t have anything to sleep in, it''s better than nothing. So why don''t we try to get situated and figure out what to do after."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Damn, it would be good to have food. I''m starving." Greg says on their way to the makeshift shelter for the night.


    Elijah responds with somewhat flaking leadership in his voice. "Tomorrow we can look for a way to get a little more into town and loot any of the restaurants. The North West Grocer is close to the end of town so it might be easier to get to."


    "You think we can?" Asks Cody from the back.


    Elijah doesn''t turn, hiding the fear in his eyes, "Yeah, I mean what could happen. They shouldn''t be that hard to get passed." Speaking with feigned optimism Elijah can''t help but turn and give Cody a small smile. As insincere as it was Cody can''t help but feel a tiny bit of confidence at this statement.


    Finally at their destination they each find a spot to sit. Aydan takes off his blood stained jacket and bundles it up to put his head on the dry side. Cody sits against the wall and puts his sweatshirt over himself as a blanket. Noellia sits away from everyone else with the same thousand yard stare she has had with the red blood still covering her. Jared and Greg both find their own recesses and sit down not tired yet.


    Elijah looks upon the group, happy that they''re all still alive. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees Izzy sitting down and shivering.


    "Hey! Take this!" He says as he throws his jacket at Izzy.


    Izzy shocked by the jacket being thrown at her face yelps before speaking again, "No. It''s your jacket, I''ll be alright."


    "I''ll be fine, I can handle the weather. Just take it." Elijah says with a soft voice.


    Whether he did this out of kindness, still having a crush, or even both, even Elijah doesn''t know. All he knows is that she needed a jacket more than him.


    "What the hell were those things?" Jared quietly asks Elijah.


    "Like I said earlier, I got no clue." Replied Elijah.


    "We should have something to call them. They kinda reminded me about demons." Says Jared while looking at the setting sun.


    "Heh, it''s kinda messed up that''s what you were thinking about while death was around every corner."


    "Ha, I guess your right. At least I''m not dead."


    "Yeah, agreed." After a short pause Elijah picks the conversation back up, "Hey Jared."


    "Yeah man?"


    "Here" Elijah says as he passes the shotgun and shells to Jared, "You''re a better shot than me. I''ll keep the pistol on me for the future."


    Jared nods and grabs the shotgun as he says, "You knew I was gonna ask for it didn''t you?"


    Elijah with a smile on his face replies, "Of course I did, you are so predictable."


    Jared sharing the smile, laughs with Elijah before they all wait for the sun to set to sleep. As they all turn in for the night Elijah falls asleep with the slight optimism that for now they are all safe. And as long as he is with them he will try his damnedest to keep them all still breathing fine and healthy.

 A Grand Opportunity

    When Elijah opened his eyes, he woke with a shiver. He had always been one for the cold but even he realized it was stupid to sleep without anything to warm him. Though he did not regret giving away his jacket to Izzy, besides it was two sizes too small for him and it was the thinnest jacket he owned. The only reason he had it at the time was because the weather was beginning to get consistent and his normal leather jacket was too heavy for the weather.


    When Elijah awoke he was the only one wide eyed. This was the usual case with him, even an attack by demons, leaving people behind, Greg''s driving and sleeping in a gazebo wouldn''t make him sleep past seven. And with that Elijah assumed that was the time, it looked so by his rough assumption of the sky and sun. When he looked around to the others he saw them all the same, untouched, safe. He stood himself up and walked over to the stairs to wait and take in the still air.


    After an hour or so he heard stirring from behind. When he turned to see who it was, he saw Noellia begin to stand up and walk over. Noellia walked over and sat down on the stair next to him. Her arms stuffed into her sweatshirt to hold any heat to herself. Most of the blood was now dried and was only on her sweatshirt with it gone from her face. She leaned against the railing looking off into the distance before saying to Elijah.


    "Those things were terrifying. They got so many people."


    "Yeah, yeah they did. Where were you when it all hit the fan?"


    "The gym, you?"


    "In the hallway... getting rejected."


    "So you told her. If we weren''t where we are I''d be impressed."


    "You were right though, she said no. Like you warned me."


    "I was rooting for you. Thought you needed a girl. You were getting lonely."


    "Oh, well thanks then. I mean I guess I agree, I really was hoping for a yes."


    "I mean hey ask now and who knows. You are probably one of the final guys on the planet."


    "Nope, now you jinxed it. We''re gonna stumble upon like, a football team now."


    "Just be better. You''re smart and nice, you can think of something."


    "Noellia, where did the blood come from?"


    "The gym got bloody quick, lots of people having blood sent out of them. It was hard not to get any on you."


    "Yeah, I get that. But it was on your face, arms, hands, legs. All over. Who died Noellia?"


    Noellia finally turns to look Elijah in the eyes and before speaking turns away to the ground, "It got crazy, We were all running around, no one knew what was happening until it was in their face. I was with Melanie and we were trying to find a way out, and one, one, jumped," At this point Noellia begins to sob as she speaks and when she talks it is almost like she is forcing the words out of her mouth, "And it tore through her throat almost immediately. She, she didn''t even have a chance, it just killed her, no fight, no chance. Just blood, everywhere. On me, on it, on her body, it was all over." At this point Noellia charges Elijah with a hug still speaking, "I don''t know what to do. She was my best friend and now, and now she''s just gone. We didn''t even get to say goodbye. I''d kill to do anything with her again. Even if it was just to grab a slice at Bella''s."This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Elijah completely stunned by the actions and words of his small friend was in a shocked phase before finding the right words and putting his arms around her, "Yeah, you''re gonna feel like that for awhile. But trust me, the good memories of old will always stay. You can do nothing right now besides mourn and bargain hoping something will listen and send you a small favor. And it won''t. Friends are hard to lose, death is a hard concept. In the end we don''t know where we will all go and we don''t know if we will see each other again. But, and that is a hard but, you can do your damn best to stay alive. You can make absolute sure that she didn''t die for you to as well."


    Still hugging, Noellia silently says, "Alright, I can do that."


    "Good."


    And with that the two of them ended their embrace and Noellia wiped the tears from her eyes. They both turned back to staring at the outside scenery. Elijah at the river with its flowing and crashing and Noellia at the general attractiveness of the trees and green. They heard a rustling from behind as they saw Greg hop up from his spot and walking over to the two. He stepped down the stairs and leaned against one of the pillars that marked the entrance to the gazebo. He didn''t say anything and in response they didn''t say anything back. After another thirty or so minutes everyone else began to wake up and also find a spot on or around the stairs. After everyone had woken Greg started the conversation.


    "So, what''s the plan?"


    Cody stopped chucking pebbles into the river and turned with his response ready. "We should hit the Grocer, like Elijah said we could."


    Elijah turned to look at Cody seeing the hope in his eyes and that was what forced his response to change. "Yeah, I mean we should check it first but, yeah."


    Jared hopped off the railing around the gazebo and started speaking. "Well probably best we plan this out now. Don''t want to wait too long. So who goes, who stays?"


    "My idea, I''ll go." Elijah said as he stood up.


    "I can help." Cody says rising with Elijah.


    "I''ll stay here if you don''t mind. A bite the size of a dog kinda hurts." Said Aydan still sitting on the top step of the gazebo.


    "I''ll be there in case you get in trouble." Said Greg already standing.


    "Me too." Spoke Jared with the shotgun out.


    "No, we''re gonna need you to stay in case anything finds you four. If anything,does use the bus and see if you can find us in town, if we get that far."


    From the corner of the conversation spoke out Izzy. "Wait, I''m coming with."


    "We are already risking it with three people who don''t know what they''re doing, we can''t risk another."


    "I have friends, family back there. I can''t leave them."


    "We all had friendsand family back there. But those things did a lot of killing and almost definitely did it to them, we can''t act like that isn''tthe truth! We have to stick to our survival if we can ever hope to see anybody ever again!"


    Izzy began to hold back tears and started to look at the grond. Everybody around them had the wide-eyed looks like a fight was going on back in school. Elijah turned and began to walk away with Cody and Greg at his heels. Just when Cody began trying to talk to Elijah about his sudden outburst, they heard from behind in a stone-cold voice.


    "I. Am. Going. And you will not stop me becuase you think you have all the answers! I have my reasons to go and you have yours. Eitherwe go orI leave. So choose which?"


    Elijah looked at her with the widest eyes anyone had during this confrontation. He wasn''t stupid enough to act like he could call her bluff, that was if it was a bluff. This sudden premonition of how little he truly knew her hit him like a brick. Though what truly hit him like a brick was her now in his face yelling, "Which!"


    "Uh, yeah. Come on. I guess we will be off than."


    "Great," said Izzy as she walked past the three of them and started to close in on the edge of the woods.


    After a good long second of her walking Elijah turned and wordlessly led Cody and Greg with him to the woods after Izzy. As they reached the edge of the woods, they all stood there and turned to see the remnants of the group still staying back looking with melancholy on their faces as they left, future unsure of.

 Just The Beginning

    It was maybe a ten or twenty minute walk through the wood before you came upon the town. When you''d exit you would see the backs of the small buildings that made up the town. There was nothing interesting inbetween town and the park, the woods were simply partially made trails and bugs aplenty.


    The walk was a quiet one due in part to the screaming match that took place not even ten minutes ago. Not a sound was stirring, none of the four were talking of course but it was the lack of noise. There was no birds, no bugs, not even wind able to move a frail tree branch. It was silence, all around. Like a storm was coming, yet the clouds were clear, the sun bright. It was as if the recent calamity ate everything, all the peaceful forces of nature gone in an instant.


    When they exited through the threshold between unbrindled nature and small civilization, the quiet remained. Unlike what they were expecting as they crouched in the underbrush they saw no demons. They saw the back of a few of the buildings along the street, they slowly moved their way forward, watching for any dogs as they went. When they got to the sidewalk they turned and looked around the street. To their left was both of the overpriced stakehouses with cheap food and to their right was the funeral home. The only good thing about that building, was that it was right next to the Grocer.


    "Alrighty, that''s where we''re going," Elijah said pointing to the Grocer. "Where are all those things though, we should be swarmed already. There were so many yesterday."


    "But now their not, that''s good." Said Greg whilst watching everything around them.


    "Let''s get in the Grocer already, alright," snapped Izzy from the side.


    "Yeah, yeah, let''s go," replied Elijah as they began to slowly and methodically move into the building. To their left was the counter and kitchen, farther on was the small area for soda and snacks and to their left was the area set up with a few tables for eating. They moved as a group, Elijah, pistol out, in front and everybody else in a weird clump behind him. Elijah moved one foot at a time, trying not to make too much noise as he crept. There was no noise from anywhere in the small building but there was still reason to be afraid, there could be anything beyond the next corner, step or even inch. They were terrified.


    Elijah quickly ducked into the dining area, nothing there. That was a relief, still two areas to check though. The back was only covered by a singleshelf in the dead center. Elijah quickly ran forward to do a rap around of the area. Two things he noticed, there was nothing back there but some bags that had been ripped off their hooks and were torn apart on the ground, and that he had no idea what he was doing. But everyone behind him was still following him, every turn, cautious step and even held breath were shared between them. When they had first ran from the school he had been acting upon pure reaction, every move was because of something, because he had no plan. It occurred to him that he still didn''t have a plan and there wasn''t anything to react to. This was all new and dangerous, and they were stupid enough to think he knew what he was doing.


    He stopped in his tracks while these premonitions hit him like bricks. He stood there for a solid few seconds bewildered until the sound of something scurrying from behind the counter caught their attention, knocking Elijah back into role of leader for the time being. He raised the gun to about eye-level and put his finger on the trigger. They all went around the counter and entered the corridor to the kitchen, the scurrying still going rapid. They got close to the end of the hallway and jumped out to encounter this terror.


    Click, click. Click, click.


    Squeek!


    As Elijah opened his eyes he saw a rat running away under a cupboard to never be seen again. He wasn''t sure what was more embarrassing, that it was a rat or that his gun''s safety was on and he could''ve just gotten them all killed. He decided not to think about it. He quickly turned the guns safety off, rectifying that mistake. The other mistake of the rat was solved when Greg let out a slight chuckle. Everyone else joined in with the chuckling as nerves had truly messed them up at this point. Was it funny or were they just delirious due to death. That was a question everyone decided to ignore for the time being. The other things everyone decided not to bother questioning were the fact of the not ready gun and how they would be dead if it was one of those things. Enjoying this small moment was the best they could do, and it was all they wanted to do.


    When it was impossible to keep the moment going Elijah started looking around and began giving orders. Cody and Greg bag the haul while him and Izzy look around in the main area for scavengable food. Everyone took to their commands quickly and began to work. Elijah took all the food he could grab and began to put it on the counter, splitting it into groups. Fragile, heavy, big, small, it was all in the attempt to have some form of order in this. He left the drinks for later since they were still chilled in the freezers, he told Izzy to do the same and for the most part she did. It was clear she saw what Elijah did, that he was unfit to lead. A little into it he decided it was best to offer an Olive Branch.


    Elijah stopped what he was doing, he layed down a box of potato chips and turned towards Izzy. When he turned he pulled out the knife from that, very, dead cop. Izzy stopped at sight of the knife and cocked her head to the side, stepping on her backfoot.


    "Uh, what is this?" Questioned Izzy with a clear fear in her voice. Elijah realized he may look a little too threatening, knife in hand, staring down someone angry with him.


    "Oh, uh, sorry. Didn''t mean to do anything weird," Elijah shook his head and sauntered over to Izzy. "If you really think you''ll have to leave one day, take this," Elijah held out in his hand the opened knife. It was a simple blade with no intricacies or flare to it. If the question was would it work, it seem like it. Though the both of them had no knowledge of knives or guns or weaponry in general, for all they knew it could''ve been a plastic toy with extreme details.


    Izzy stepped toward this peace treaty and snatched it out of Elijah''s hand, still cautious of the situation until she had the weapon in her own grip. She looked over the knife, investigating it in her hand. She had no idea what she was doing with it, at this point she was looking over it for a weird amount of time. After a bit she realized that something should be said, after all Elijah was beginning to just stand there waiting, awkwardly.


    "Uh, about the whole thing about leaving, I won''t," Izzy looked down at her feet. "I, I just need to make sure my parents are alright. My dad, he''s, he''s, well he''s a vegetable. He had a stroke a few years back and my mom and me have had to take care of him, I have to check on them. So I won''t leave, I need you guys to come with. I can''t do it alone and you can get everybody to listen, you are the only one they will listen to. I need you to help me with this, please."


    "Wow," was the only thing Elijah could mutter in response to this. It hit him like a train going off the rails. His mind was racing through this very layered statement. So she did think he could lead, and at that they followed him. Could she be lying just to get him to go and find her, apparently, ill father. Was that true or was she lying about her dad and mom. Could he take that chance, could he really be the one to judge this. Maybe he should, either way they could be alive, was it right to leave them. He had the group to look after, risking everything just for her parents would be insane. But if they were alive, alive could be good enough reasoning.


    Before anymore thoughts could go rapid fire through his brain, Elijah turned to see Greg jumping over the counter and already on his feet, looking out the front door. Soon behind him was Cody, this time going around the counter, also looking through the door. Panicked looks were on both their faces. Elijah was in absolute disbelief for a whole second before finally saying.


    "Wha-what are you doing?"


    Both turned to him and simply hissed "Shhhhhh".


    Izzy now whispering spoke soft, asking, "Why are you being so goddamn weird?"


    Cody turned to the two of them and said in a hushed yell, "Those things are back! And they have new friends too!"


    Elijah and Izzy went to the door and saw what was being discussed. There were hounds everywhere, they were climbing through windows, up trees, fighting over bodies. What was more terrifying was the new creatures. Bipedal, yet hunched so far they put their hands in front as if they were crawling. Their teeth were few and far between and shaped like small pointy squares. They had some form of armor like plating. Some had shoulder and chest pieces in perfect order, while others had small pieces strown about everywhere. They had large jagged blades of what appeared to be obsidian. And their skin was a putrid yellow green, like sewage water money.


    They were crawling around everywhere. In front of the Chesapeake Coffee Shop there was two fighting over what appeared to be the necklace of a women dead at their feet. They were tugging back and forth for it before one stole the advantage, only to have his enemy bite his hand and jump on top of him. With this new found position of power, the demon started ruthlessly stabbing, blood spouting everywhere. All over the demons monstrous face and on the concrete patio. When it was done stabbing it snatched the necklace from the, now turned to mush, body. Its jaw unhinged as it shoved the necklace right into its jowl. The golden chain slid right down its throat with a gulp.


    It then turned toward the body, it picked up its knife from the ground next to the pile of blood and meat that was recently slain. The blood on the knfie dripped an unnatural black. The creature picked the lady up by the collar of her overly flowered blouse. With knife in hand it slit her throat, at first horizontal and then vertical. It shoved its putrid hand down the bodies newly filleted throat, when it reemerged it had a lime green floating ball of, something. It looked like a solid mass of gas, it looked impossible, and yet here it was. The jaws once more unhinged to put the impossible solid gas into its mouth. With another sickening gulp it downed it in a second.


    The group stood there, astounded by this show of improbability. No soul even dared to move and shift the balance of this moment. After a solid thirty seconds Cody was the first to speak.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "What in the almighty burning hell just happened?"


    "I don''t want to find out, grab the bags, we''re outta here."


    Everbody quickly followed Elijah''s orders, grabbing as many bags as possible without truly weighing themselves down. When all the bags had been grabbed, the gang stood ready in front of the door, waiting for the leadership of Elijah. It took Elijah a second to realize this fact, when he did he believed they needed a few words.


    "We ain''t gonna have long before they realize we''re there. So, we run fast and hard, all we have to do is get to the trees. We do that, we''re halfway there. If any follow you find somewhere to hide, avoid them, and then return to the park. I have the gun so I''ll try to get the closest ones to us as we run. If you get seperated find another way back to the camp. This is simple, the only thing making it complicated is fear. We got this."


    And with that Elijah turned towards the door, bags slung all over and gun at the ready. The others took a second to process these words. When they were done, all came to the same conclusion, they could, and would, do this. Elijah had a plan and he was the one who came up with them, time to follow it.


    They all grouped up at the door, ready to run. Elijah looked over everyone and made sure they were ready. And with that he checked his gun, safety was off, good. He slowly walked to the door and pushed it open, carefully. They started out at a tip-toe before quickening to a careful speedwalk. As they went they saw the monsters all around, paying no attention to them, good. They were beyond the corner and going for the parking lot in the back connected to the woods. They were just about there when from around the back of the next building a demon dog came. It sauntered slowly, head down. It looked to be starving and beaten, fresh wounds still bleeding. When it came around the corner the four of them stopped, terrified. It seemed like an eternity of waiting, waiting for it to do something, anything, hopefully it would turn around and they''d have a chance to run. But, as is life, it did not. Instead of turning around, it looked up. It looked up and in its bruised and beaten eyes, it had a strange glimmer of what can only be identified as hope. And with that glimmer, it gained a new posture. This hope made this vile creature lift its head and open its mouth, releasing a bloodcurdling howl. It felt like there was howling for an eternity, when the howling ended, Elijah turned to see all the other demons staring at them, delighted about these uninvited guests.


    There wasn''t a second of hesitation before he turned and shot the newly inspired hound. He immediately turned and started firing at the closest demons around. He wasn''t a good shot, that was true, but it was only adrenaline that meant any of his shots hit as well as they did. The only thing he could scream was the obvious.


    "RUUUNN!!!"


    And that is what they did, what else could they do, slowly walk at a brisk pace. Greg was the school star football player and it was for a reason, even with the food weighing him down he was already darting towards the trees in a flash. Cody had the least amount of bags on him so he was already at an advantage when he began running. Izzy had too many bags on her to get enough of a sprint going and Elijah saw her as he slowly moved back, still firing on the encroaching hoard. The other thing he saw was a flash of green jump on him as he was pinned by an incredible strength.


    He was now battling for his life with one of the green demons on top of him. It had its crude knife above its head ready to stab, but Elijah had his hands on its wrists, keeping it at bay. His gun was a few too many feet to his right and he couldn''t go for it. He dropped his right hand from fending off his attacker to attempt to take a few jabs at the demon. He landed each hit, but none did anything to the sickly green monstrosity on top of him. As he punched he felt something moving in his hand until he felt a pop and shift, but kept punching.


    The demon was beginning to stab nearer and nearer to Elijah''s face, he was in a tight spot. Every punch he threw did nothing, every second that went by beckoned destruction closer and closer. He was failing and his demise was going to be because of a demon with an obsidian dagger that would be shoved straight through his skull. There were certainly less exciting ways to go that was for sure, certainly less painful ways as well, but beggars can''t be choosers. Though it would be better if he wasn''t going to die, so he would fight the beast, at least for now he wished to live, there were people who, apparently, believed he could lead them, so he had to.


    After what seemed like an eternity of punching and attempted stabs to the face, a hand came out of nowhere and pulled the creatures head back. The demons hellish scream was silenced as a knife was plunged into one side of its neck and pulled outwards, almost severing the demon''s head from its body. Blood spattered across Elijah''s front, like a vicious sprinkler of black blood. It was Izzy, freshly used pocket knife still in hand, she threw the monster''s body behind her before putting her hand out to help Elijah up.


    Elijah was only astonished for a second before pushing himself up and taking her hand. Turning he saw that there was already a moving wall of demons behind them chasing after Cody and Greg. Their path back to the woods was blocked off and turning Elijah saw that behind them was no different. There was no opening in the monstrous forces, Elijah and Izzy were standing in the open and if this continued any longer they would be killed. Elijah turned and saw salvation, his mind went back into the quick, professionalismhe feltinitially at the school. He grabbed Izzy by the arm and jerked her away as he started running. Izzy turned to see Elijah heading straight for the side door to the Crouch Funeral Home. When about only a few feet from the door Elijah relinquished his grip on Izzy and charged straight for the door.


    The door busted open with a crash as the glass shattered from the force of the door against the wall. Elijah picked himself up from the ground and picked right back up with running from the imminent danger. Izzy was quite surprised at Elijah''s demolishing of door with the ease he had, it was more than someone would expect from Elijah. She was a few paces behind but still folowing when Elijah charged the sliding glass door on the other side of the building. All Izzy heard was thecacophonous shattering of glass akin to a bag of change being emptied on a hardwood floor, come from around the corner. When she rounded it she saw Elijah outside, on the dirt with glass all around. He was beginning to pick himself up but it was clear that throwing himself through everything was beginning to knock his head like being hit by a NFL Linebacker.


    Elijah was on the ground attempting, and failing, to pick himself up. His head was ringing, everything was spinning, and everything was so bright, it hurt to look anywhere. Izzy hurried to his side and picked him up, quietly in his ear she said.


    "C''mon, c''mon. Are you alright, can you walk? We don''t have too much time to get a move on."


    "I-I''m good, I should be fine. Come on."


    Elijah shook his head to bring it back into working order, which only made it feel like his brain was banging around in his skull like it was being used for a game ofair hockey, but he powered through it. He pulled himself all the way up and started moving, somewhat aided by Izzy. They heard the scurrying of the abominations from the street and quickly ducked behind a dumpster and saw as they ran through the streets, past the funeral home and the two as they hid. They moved forward a bit and up towards the jewelry store across the street, The Silver & Sassy. Behind it was a gravel driveway that led to a bit of parking space with a large area of backwoods flanking it. The backwoods were mostly traveled trail with enough trees that if they got far enough in the creatures wouldn''t spot them.


    The other key trait of these woods was that they eventually led to the small area dedicated to baseball and softball when the gym teachers had nothing left to do. That area was in the small field behind the school, if they got there they could dodge the demons. Sure they had already fled it becauseof the demons, but if lightning doesn''t strike the same place twice then ditto for demons, probably. It''s not like there was a manual for stuff like this, this is the best they could do.


    After about a five minute walk with the noises of chaos slowly fading into the background, they came upon an archaic dirt and gravel path that led right to outside the baseball field. It was nothing special, just like everything else at the school, it was a simple large patch of cut grass with a fence behind the rubber flap that represented home base. There was a garbage bin off to the side that had a mesh bag of mitts and softballs stuffed at the bottom with a single, old baseball bat being the only other thing in the bin. As Eijah saw the bat a plan began to form in his head, he speed walked over picked it up and started to jog to the back of the school building.


    Izzy, sensing a plan coming along, starts jogging with Elijah. In her head she''s trying to piece together what is probably about to happen. When they arrive at the back of the school they go up the few stairs to the back door. Elijah goes over to the windows and starts looking inside, checking for life. Izzy continues her attempts at figuring out what''s going to happen, he wouldn''t possibly try to smash the win-.


    "CRASH"


    Actually he would, as Izzy began to question to herself about Elijah''s plan, he was already preparing his swing. The windows pieces shattered all over the floor, spreading everywhere. Elijah took the bat with both hands and used it to knock the remaining pieces out and onto the floor. The sliding glass door had already gave him a decent bit of fresh cuts and he didn''t feel like getting anymore. He put the bat against the wall on the inside and hopped in, he peeked his head out of the window and in a somewhat whisper said.


    "You comin or not?"


    "You''re insane, you know that right?"


    She hopped into the window, avoiding the glass. Elijah picked up the bat and walked forward a few feet before turning to go up the sixth grade stairwell, Izzy followed after. He was walking with a bit of care in his step in an attempt to be stealthy, he had the bat ready. He still had the pistol but it was best to go quiet for now. Izzy followed his lead and flipped the knife open walking with care as well. They didn''t hear or see any evidence that anything was around but they were afraid due to the events of the last half an hour or so. Eventually half way through the hallway, Elijah turned and looked at a locker. He took the handle and with a bit of force it opened without need of a combination. As he opened it he pulled out a big leather jacket with a heavy cloth hood, he put it on and a large grin grew across his face.


    "Feels good to have this back."


    Izzy began looking him up and down, like she was scanning him, before saying. "My god, you are weird."


    "You''re just jealous, you can keep the red one, I have my baby back."


    Izzy was still wearing the jacket he gave her last night. And looking down at it, examined it a bit and said, "Sure, I can make this work."


    Turning to the classroom next to his locker Elijah says, "This is my homeroom, we should be able to spend the night here."


    "With actual heating and in general slight comfort."


    "Look at us kicking it in style. Bet everybody else is gonna be all envious we got this and they have an old gazebo."


    "They made it back, didn''t they?"


    "Of course they did. We were up shit mountain without any hiking gear and we did. So I''m sure they did."


    "That''s not how the saying goes."


    "No I''m pretty sure it totally is." Elijah said with the sly smile of a fox.


    "Like I said weird." Izzy said with her own grin.


    And with that they entered the room, thankfully free of any gore from the day before. They spent the final hours of the day enjoying some of the supplies from the Grocer and random bits of small talk. Part of all that made the fact that they were far from the others be in the back of their minds. They were simply alive and that was the real good thing. And now they didn''t hate each other, Elijah was sure he''d help her get back to her parents, and, most importantly, he had his leather jacket back. Unbeknownst to them was that this was just the beginning of a long series of adventures filled with tragedy and romance.