Creatures ok anthology, p.39
Creatures of the Dark Anthology, page 39
A beefy man cut in front of me, blotting out my dad’s form a few carts ahead. “Excuse me,” I huffed as I veered to get around him.
His meaty hands wrapped around the front of the cart, stopping my forward momentum.
“What are you doing?” I half-shouted.
“Sorry, sugar, but I’m gonna have to take this generator off your hands.” The man’s lip curled into a growl.
I was so shocked, I froze. Was this man really going to steal my generator?
“Liv!”
I blinked and Dad was beside me, the cart he’d been pushing no longer at his side. “Release the cart now, sir.”
“I don’t think so.” The big bearded man dug his heels into the linoleum, fixing my dad with a glare.
Dad lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing a gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans. I slapped my hand over my mouth to keep from gasping out loud. I knew Dad had a rifle for hunting, but I’d never seen this handgun.
The man grunted and released my shopping cart, slowly backing up before he disappeared into the frenzied crowd.
The moment he was gone, the tension in my shoulders released and I slumped forward. “Geez,” I murmured.
“Are you okay?” Dad pulled me into his chest and wrapped me in a bear hug.
“Yeah. Just caught me by surprise.”
“I should go tell Daryl,” said Dad. “They need to step-up their security. I’m afraid people are only going to get more desperate.”
I followed Dad to Daryl’s office in the back, keeping an eye on everyone that ogled the generator as we passed. Apparently, we’d gotten the last one. Lucky us.
After Dad told the store manager what had happened, we paid for our supplies and headed out to the car. The store was so packed, we’d had to park the truck at the far end of the lot. We plodded on, both my father and I silent, our thoughts too hefty for casual conversation.
The heavy slap of shoes against asphalt jerked my head up and out of the clouds. In an instant, three men surrounded us.
Crap! One was the would-be generator thief.
The mustached guy next to him pulled out a gun, training it at my father. My eyes widened, and a scream ripped out of my mouth.
“Shut your trap!” the guy from the store shouted. “Give us that generator, and we’ll be on our way.”
My dad pulled me to his side and raised his hands. “Take it. Just leave us alone.”
The men grabbed all the bags from our carts as I stared in shocked silence. Seconds later, they took off, disappearing around the corner of the Wally World with all our stuff in tow.
Anger uncoiled in my gut, pummeling over the fear as I watched the cowards running off with our supplies. “How could they?”
My dad tugged me in closer and kissed the top of my head. “Disasters bring out the darkness in people, Liv. Don’t you ever forget that. I’m afraid that if things get worse, the vampires and angels won’t be our only enemies.”
I stared at our empty shopping carts. “Now what?”
“Now I call the cops, and we go home. We can come back tomorrow and replenish.”
Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and we trudged back to the truck in a dense silence.
***
I was surprised to find Asher in my room when we got back home. Not that that would have normally surprised me, but now things were weird. He hadn’t called or texted me all day yesterday, and I’d felt his absence so deeply I didn’t know what to do with myself. I wanted more than anything for our relationship to go back to normal. I’d even forgo the chance to have something more with him if only we’d get back what we lost.
“Hey,” he said, scooting to the edge of the bed as I lingered by the doorway.
“Hey, yourself.”
“Everything okay?” His intense green eyes scanned me from head to toe.
My best friend knew me too well. “Well, we just got held up at gunpoint for our generator, and then we spent the last half hour at the police station making our report.”
“What?” Ash was on his feet and by my side before I could blink. “Did anyone get hurt?”
“Nope. Just our egos.” I forced a smile. “Wally World is insane. You better tell your parents they’re getting a new shipment in tomorrow. Dad and I are going back first thing in the morning. There will probably be a line before it opens.”
“Right. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be sure to tell him.”
I walked toward my bed, and Ash trailed behind me. We sat down and unease swirled in my belly. I hated this. I opened my mouth at the same time Asher did, essentially drowning out what the other was saying.
“Sorry, you go first,” he said.
“Ash, I don’t want anything to get in the way of our friendship. You’re my best friend and with all this craziness, I need you now more than ever.”
The vein in his forehead pulsed, and I could have sworn disappointment flashed across his expression, but a second later it was gone. I must have imagined it.
“You’re right,” he finally said. “I was actually going to say the same thing.” He shook his head, his jaw clenched. “It was stupid of me to suggest the date and what happened the other day…”
“No. It wasn’t stupid and honestly, if things were different—”
He squeezed my hand, cutting me off and gave me a small smile. “I know.”
We sat in silence for a while, the time ticking by slowly. Neither of us spoke, but it wasn’t uncomfortable like before. It was just Ash and me like the old times. We never had to speak to know how the other felt. Finally, Ash stood, and I immediately felt the chill of his absence.
“I’m gonna head home and let my dad know about tomorrow. Maybe we should all go together.”
“I think that would be smart after what happened today.”
He moved to the door, but turned back with one hand on the knob. “I’m glad you’re okay, Liv,” he said over his shoulder.
“Thanks.” I held his gaze for a few moments longer until my heart rate quickened to more than a friendly rate. Pushing away the rush of emotion, I regarded my best friend. “Ash, did you finish working on your basement? Are you guys really prepared for what’s to come?”
He nodded, his expression dark. “As ready as we can be.”
Chapter 8
Three months later
Duke nuzzled my leg and whined, drawing my attention away from the yellowing pages of one of my favorite books. “What’s up, buddy?”
He shot up to his feet, tail wagging furiously and sprinted to the thick metal door.
Mom followed his frenzied movements then turned her weary gaze toward me. “Maybe we should make him wait till your dad gets back.”
I dropped my book onto the cot and stood, stretching my legs out. “It’s not even full dark yet, Mom. I’ll be fine. I’ll just take him out behind the house.”
“I don’t like you going out there alone, honey.”
I huffed as Duke continued to whine at the door. We’d been on lockdown for over a month now. It felt more like a year with each minute passing at a snail’s pace. Things had started getting worse and Dad convinced us moving to the basement full-time was our safest option. I was only allowed out with Dad and only in the murky light of day. The thick clouds that had initially shrouded Manhattan now covered the entire nation—much like the fighting.
After the initial attack, it was only a matter of weeks before the destruction spread. Though we were fairly close to the city, we’d been fortunate due to our remote location. Apparently, not even the vampires or angels cared about our Podunk town. Still, we took precautions as nearby towns hadn’t fared as well.
Plus, there was the troupe of golden-armored angels and accompanying fireballs that occasionally soared across the sky.
Duke barked, and I made my mind up. “I’ll be right back, Mom.”
Her lips twisted as she crossed her arms over her chest, but she nodded anyway. Better to risk a quick outing than an accident in close quarters. Duke had grown accustomed to his two bathroom breaks a day and if he was acting like this, then he really needed to go.
I hauled the deadbolt to the side, and Duke darted out before the door was fully open. He definitely had to go. The dry grass crunched under my feet as I followed my dog behind the barn. It was “his spot”.
Glancing across the apple orchard, I scanned the bare trees for my dad. Dark purples and grays covered the skies as the last shreds of light dipped behind the grove. Dad was the biggest stickler for the rules, and him being out past dark had my nerves twitching. My chest tightened. What if something bad had happened to him?
I swallowed hard, chasing away the nervous flutter in my stomach. No. It was Dad. He’d be fine. He’d gone into town to check in on the others and round up some more supplies. Surely, he’d be back soon. Without cell phone service, there was no way for him to contact us. It had been knocked out in the first month of fighting—along with the cable. We had some local channels and electricity was spotty, but luckily we had the back-up generator.
It still felt like we were living back in the Stone Age.
The stores’ stocks had been dwindling faster in the past few weeks. People were starting to realize this war was far from over. Every time Dad heard about a new shipment coming in, he was the first in line. Wally World was the only store still standing nearby. All the smaller mom-and-pop shops were forced to close up once the destruction spread. They couldn’t compete with the increasing prices. Heck, it was hard for us to keep up. Luckily, Dad had started stocking up right in the beginning, plus living on a farm was a huge bonus.
I’d never helped around the property much, but now since school was no longer an option, I became more involved in the family business. Even though most of our crops were dying. Fresh, running water was a big problem. For now, we lived off of what we could get from the well, but it wasn’t enough.
Duke’s sudden bark turned my thoughts back to the present. He stood behind the barn, nose in the air, and hackles raised. I raced over and grabbed his collar. “What’s the matter?”
He kept barking, his big nose sniffing the air. I squinted, trying to see whatever it was that had him so upset. Then I heard it, the flapping of wings. It sounded like bees around a hive only louder—and drawing closer.
The steady drone increased in pitch, and I hazarded a quick glance back to the basement door. I could run; I might make it. But if I didn’t, my idea could backfire and end up drawing their attention to me.
Grabbing Duke’s collar, I yanked him against the outer wall of the barn and plastered myself to the red siding. “Shh!” I hissed at him as he eyed the skies, a low growl vibrating his throat. My heart thudded in my chest, each beat making me wince. The barn overhang was only about a foot wide, but I hoped it was enough to cover us.
They were over us now. I could feel it, even though I didn’t dare look up. I’d never seen an angel up close, other than on TV, and I hoped today wouldn’t be the first.
The seconds stretched on as I clenched my fingers around Duke’s collar, holding my breath. The buzzing reached its pinnacle, and a golden glow lit up the darkening sky. I glanced toward the light, still plastered against the wall and my mouth dropped. Luckily, even without full control over my body, I had the sense not to scream.
A troupe of at least fifty angels zoomed right over the top of the barn. They were so close I could make out the glint of their golden armor and deadly blades. I shut my eyes and bit down on my lip to keep it together. Somehow in my irrational mind, I thought if I couldn’t see them they wouldn’t see me.
Gradually, the eerie droning lessened. It had probably only been a few minutes, but it felt like time moved in slow motion. Opening my eyes a crack, I peered through the narrow slits. The unearthly glow dissipated in the distance as the mass of angel warriors headed south.
I jumped up and yanked Duke by the collar, not daring to breathe until I slammed the basement door shut behind me. Leaning against the cold metal, I sucked in air until my heartbeats returned to a normal rate.
My eyes met my mom’s, her light brows knitted together and I knew I was in for it. Her I-told-you-so face was on in full power. Petulantly, I awaited her wrath, but it never came.
Instead, she bounded toward me, wrapping her arms around me as tears slid down her cheeks. “I thought they’d taken you.” Her chest shuddered against my ear.
“I’m fine, Mom. Duke and I hid out until they passed—everything’s okay.” But everything wasn’t okay. It hadn’t been for a long time, and I wasn’t sure it ever would be.
I stayed up until midnight waiting for Dad by the window. My lids were heavy and began to slide closed without my consent. Where was he? Duke sat by the door, his eyes glued to it as if willing my dad to appear. A hundred different scenarios had run through my mind—most were rational explanations for his absence, but a few dark thoughts snuck in too.
According to Ash, rumor was that the angels were snatching humans. What they were doing with them was anyone’s guess. I shook my head, chasing the somber thoughts away. Not my Dad. He’d probably just gotten held up somewhere and decided to hunker down instead of risk being caught outside after dark. Yes. That was definitely it.
Holding onto the positive thought, I crawled into my cot and pulled the blanket up over my head. Dad would be back in the morning.
***
“Liv.” Pause. “Liv, wake up.”
My eyes snapped open, my heart leaping into my throat. “What happened?” I shot up and nearly rolled off the small cot.
“Your dad’s still not back yet.” My mom’s pale face and bloodshot eyes confirmed my worst fears.
I swept my hair behind my ears and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The murky light of day seeped into the one window of the basement, casting ominous shadows across the space. I couldn’t just sit here and wait all day for him to show up.
Pushing up to my feet, I stepped into a pair of jeans and sneakers. “I’m going to look for him.”
“No.” Terror flashed across my mom’s light hazel eyes. “You can’t go by yourself. If something’s happened to him—”
I cut her off, pulling her into a hug. “Nothing’s happened to Dad and nothing will happen to me. I’m just going to run over to Ash’s and see what’s going on.”
Her lips trembled as she adamantly shook her head gripping my arms tight.
“Mom, if something did happen to Dad, we need to know. Ash and his dad can help us find him.”
Her jaw tightened, and she finally nodded. “You’re right. Just give me a second, and I’ll go with you.”
Duke barked and raced to the door. I guess we’re all going.
The heavy door creaked open, the metal hinges groaning in protest. Duke was the first out, treading lightly across the dewy grass to find his spot. Mom and I trailed behind him in a dense silence. The farm had never been so quiet before the immortal invaders came. Not a single bird or insect took to the skies. The ducks from the pond were gone, and they’d even managed to scare away the mice—probably the only thing I was thankful for.
We circled the barn and headed toward the apple orchard as tiny slivers of light broke through the thick cloud cover. Two forms materialized in the distance, shrouded by the morning fog. Duke let out a yip and took off before I could stop him.
By the furious wag of my dog’s tail, I knew who it was before his familiar figure took shape. “Dad!” My throat swelled, hot tears pricking my eyes and I took off behind Duke. My dad started running too, and within seconds his big arms were around me and I could finally breathe again.
“We were so worried,” I choked out.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me harder. A second later, my mom’s arms came around both of us.
“What happened, Michael?” Even Mom’s voice was shaky. The past few months had changed her in so many ways. The strong, overbearing mother I knew all my life had been replaced with a new version that I just wasn’t sure what to do with.
“I got held up in town, and I couldn’t make it back in time. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I made it up to the St. John’s farm, and Melanie wouldn’t let me leave.”
My gaze lifted and met Ash’s. He stood behind my dad quietly, letting us enjoy our reunion.
“Ash offered to accompany me home last night, but I couldn’t let him do that.”
“But this morning, I wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Ash added.
Mom gave my best friend a warm smile and squeezed his shoulder. “Thanks for getting him back to us safely.”
“Yeah, thanks.” I released my dad to pull Ash into a hug. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him until just now. Not being able to call, text or move around freely meant spending much less time with my best friend.
Dad slid the backpack off his shoulder, and his face lit up. “You’ll see that my absence was worth the heartache when I show you what I got.” He unzipped the bag and pulled out two walkie-talkies. He flicked the power switch, and they crackled to life.
“Cool!” I snatched one from his hand and tested it out. “Over and out. Mayday, mayday.”
“We hear you loud and clear,” said a voice through the speaker, making my heart skip a beat. With eyes wide, I stared at my dad. He and Asher wore matching sly grins.
“The other pair is at my house,” explained Ash.
“That’s awesome!” I bounced up and down on my toes. “So now we can talk?”
Dad’s smile twisted. “Well, we can’t overuse them. They’re supposed to be for emergencies. We need to conserve the battery power as much as we can.”
My shoulders slumped as excitement trickled out of me like a leaky tire. “Oh…” I muttered.
Dad shook his head as he regarded me. “Don’t give me that look, Liv.”
I might have been throwing him my best puppy dog eyes. I could see his resolve faltering.
He huffed. “All right, fine. You kids can use the walkies as long as you keep it to a minimum and don’t drive me crazy at all hours of the night.”
