I bid my children to stay close. With darkness, comes feeding time, and they are everywhere.
“Mom, where’s daddy?” Addy asks.
“I don’t know, honey. He went to get Tom,”
“There’s one!” Jacob, my 15 year old says, holding the shotgun up.
“Ok, Ok,” my hands shake, “Shh.. get down. Don’t let it see you,”
“Let’s kill it!” Jake says.
“No. We have to get to the house.”
“Will daddy be there?”
“yes, Addison, now hush, please!”
The creature stops. Shit! It turns towards me. Goddamnit!
“Ok we have to leave!” i say, urging my children.
“I’ll kill it! I’ll blow its damned head off, like pop showed me!”
I love my children. I love my brave little boy, but I could not loose them too. I have to keep them safe.
“No, Jake. I need you with me,”
A garbled moan comes from behind us. The face that meets us is all too familiar, bloodied, disfigured.
“Must .. remember”
I weep uncontrollably.
“Dad!?” Jake stands. My heart leaps into my throat.
“Shoot it!”
“No Dad!”
It reaches for Jake.
Taking the shotgun, I fire and weep my goodbyes.