Sanctuary

Where are they?! I screamed internally. This street was not known, these homes unfamiliar. The road was dark, save only for small patches of amber from streetlamps. There was some small comfort in those circles of light; they chased away the shadows, made the night seem a little like the day. An illusion really. I shook my head, as much to clear it as to fight off my rising sense of panic. Off in the distance, a siren wailed, and a dog howled in response. I quickened my pace.

Behind me, I could hear the distant hum of a car engine. As much as I did not want to be out here alone, even more I did not want to be out here with a stranger. I turned to look behind me as the car came around the bend. Suddenly, it stopped. The unnatural behaviour of the car unnerved me. What was it doing?

The beams doubled in brightness as the growl of the engine filled the silence, and the car leaped forward at breakneck speed. I stepped back quickly, angling for the sidewalk. The car shifted its course. If it continued it would hit the sidewalk…and me. I abandoned all pretense of courage and ran, as fast as I could. Risking a glance behind me I saw it was only meters away! Immediately I angled to the left and dove as it roared past me. As its brakes squealed, I looked around, and almost wept with relief. There was my home, just across the road! Father and Mother were already outside, looking for me. To my left, the car was turning around. I picked myself up and ran, screaming for help. I was almost in Father’s arms when suddenly everything went white.

Sam reversed the car, and prepared for another run, but the spreading pool of blood from the three bodies told him it was unnecessary. Nearest to the bumper was the juvenile. Part of him regretted running it down like that. Thing didn’t even have its second set of teeth growing yet. On the plus side though, it had led him to its parents, enabling him to kill them too.

Lights began turning on in nearby houses, and Sam could see his neighbours in the windows, relief evident on their faces. I should get back on patrol, he thought to himself. These families still need protection after all.