Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
“Yes, I saw it on an old movie where an alien could detect people by their scent and the heat of their bodies and the protagonists covered themselves in mud so they wouldn’t be detected. It’s not like I have a better idea and it’s worth a try.”
“You’re right. We can’t outrun those things, whatever they are, especially me in my condition. Even before I hurt my ankle, I wasn’t much of a runner. It’s a miracle I even found you.”
When the monsters were fighting each other Kaliah made her escape. Despite her injury, she hobbled as quickly as she could in search of a good hiding place. She came to the stream, she’d heard in the distance and was reunited with Amy who was coating mud all over her body.
Now Kaliah found herself liberally covering herself with the substance as well. She crinkled her nose as she rubbed it in her face.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Amy said. “I felt guilty leaving you behind but I was so scared. I’m still terrified about one of those things catching me. I saw what they did to your friends and…” she broke off with a whimper.
“It’s okay. I don’t blame you. I probably would have done the same. One of those things caught me.”
Amy gasped. “And you survived?”
“Yes, I think he wanted to torture me before killing me.” Even as the words left her mouth, Kaliah wasn’t entirely sure that was accurate. The way the monster had spoken to her had been, almost intimate but surely she had been imagining things. There was no way that creature was trying to do anything other than make her his next meal.
“Oh my God. How did you get away?”
“Three other monsters attacked him. It was the craziest thing. This entire town is crazy.”
“I know but that’s why we have to make it to daylight so we can get out of here and never come back.”
“Amy? Do you think they intend to keep their word about letting us go even if we make it until the morning?”
“I don’t know. But if I lose hope, then what’s the point in trying to survive. I might as well just scream into the night for them to come get me.”
“You have a point,” Kaliah conceded. “I think I have enough mud on me, but we’re still out in the open. Where should we go?”
“I saw a hole a few feet away. It look like someone dug it, but never filled it back in. I think the two of us can fit in there. It’s dark enough that maybe we’ll go undetected.”
Sure enough there was a large hole not too far from the stream. Amy helped her inside. The hole was small and uncomfortable. But they both managed to sit down in it. Unfortunately there was not enough room to stretch her legs out and it made her already aching ankle hurt even more. But it was a pain she was willing to endure if it meant her survival.
This was probably the lowest moment in her life but instead of giving into tears, Kaliah started to laugh and once she started, she couldn’t stop because she could slowly feel herself coming apart.
“Kaliah, shh. They’ll hear you.”
But she continued.
It was only when the sharp sting of Amy’s hand connected with her cheek did she regain her senses. “You’re losing it. Remember we have to make it through the night. Besides, I’m the hysterical one. We’re not both allowed to go insane.”
Kaliah sniffed very close to tears. “All I wanted was a vacation. Now I’m all busted up, covered in mud and hoping one of these creatures don’t catch me. What are those things anyway?”
“I don’t know. They look like really hair men but they have claws and big teeth and their eyes were glowing.”
“Maybe werewolves?”
“But it isn’t a full moon and some of them looked more human than like wolves. Whatever they are, they’re strong, and scary and they eat people.”
That was enough to make Kaliah want to scream out in fear again. But she couldn’t stop thinking about her captor’s erection. Her hand flew to her shoulder where he’d bitten her and the wound started to throb.
In fact it felt like it was burning. It hurt nearly as much as her ankle.
Two strong hands reached into the hole and yanked Kaliah out. “I told you I’d find you little rabbit,” her captor taunted her.
The sudden terror that ceased her heart made the blood rush to her head and everything went dark. Her final memory was of the beast man throwing her over his shoulder.
Colt heard Leland’s whistle and headed in the direction with Zeke behind him. His muscles ached from the rumble with the Hendrickson’s and their cronies but that didn’t matter. His heart raced because he knew that Leland had found her.