STORM DWELLERS, chapter 6 – excerpt.

Lynn stretched out on the couch to rest. As she drifted off, she heard her mom’s side of a phone conversation with Lynn’s father, Rob.

“Y’all get there without any trouble?” Angela asked. Then there was silence. “Uh-huh. I hope you can find those kids. It’s terrible, babe. Lynn told me a horrific story and I’m worried those kids might not be found.”

Lynn’s eyes fell on the grandfather clock in the corner. It was already noon. She watched the pendulum swing back and forth as her mother’s voice faded.

“What if they’re dead, Rob?” Angela worried. “For Christ’s sake. Oh, Jes-”

 The room grew dark as Lynn slipped to sleep. She floated in the darkness; her breaths kept time with the ticking of the clock.

A pounding thunder snatched Lynn from her nap. She awoke to the sound of glass vibrating, and the twinkling of the dining room chandelier as it swung. Flashing lights from outside nearly blinded her as they filled the room through the windows. She threw her arm up to shroud her eyes from the intense brightness and psychedelic colors. What is that? The police?

“Why would the cops be here?” She said to herself. “Mom!” Lynn did not get an answer. “Mom, you home? Is that the police?”

Again, no response. She ran to the window only to recoil from streaks of blinding lightning.

“Oh, God!” She cried. “No! No!”

Lightning bolts hit the ground leaving burn marks as tree limbs cracked off from their trunks and fell or were propelled away by the strong winds. The wind moaned and whistled around the doors and windows. Lynn heard the floorboards of the second floor creaking; someone was walking around up there.

“Mom, you upstairs?” Lynn shouted.

She whirled around and tripped over the coffee table, hitting her cheek on the corner as she timbered to the floor. She crawled to a corner of the room and huddled on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.

“Mom, where are you? Help me!”

Lynn’s chest felt heavy; she sat up straighter, pinning her spine to the wall, trying to open her lungs.

“This isn’t happening. It’s just not.”

She started to hyperventilate, breathing heavily and shaking. It’s okay. It’ll be okay, she thought.

“It’s okay!” Lynn screamed, covering her own ears. “It’s…okaaay!” Her words emphasized with intent. “Stop!”

There was immediate silence. Lynn thought maybe she had suddenly fallen deaf. She heard nothing except her own heartbeat and breath sounds.

Thick, rancid air filled the shadowy, still room. Lynn saw the tree branches outside that were still swaying in the wind, but there was no sound. Her movements guarded; she reluctantly rose with her back still against the wall, then eased toward the large living room window. She peered again through the sheer curtain panel, then pulled it back a bit and peeked out. The dismal sky held no moon. She looked straight ahead, peering into the darkness.

“It’s noon, what is going-”

Something slammed against the window. Lynn gasped frozen in place. Terry?

Terry’s face frozen, eyes wide with fright, was held up by some unseen force; pressed against the glass and looking straight at Lynn, her eyes bulged from their sockets.

Lynn’s mouth opened to scream, but the sound was stuck within her. She stood paralyzed from the shock of seeing her friend, Terry, like this again. Over the sound of her own heartbeat, Lynn heard Terry screaming, but she could not be sure if it was real.

A power rose from Lynn’s fear and anger. She felt it, she shook, her muscles tightened, finally the words came.

“Stop it! Leave Terry alone! Leave her alone! I’ll get you! I swear, I will!”

Lynn’s hearing returned to normal. The image of Terry morphed into a monster, a hooded creature with melting flesh and pointy talons.

Lynn jumped back from the window and spun, scanning the room for a weapon. She grabbed a marble book end from a shelf and hurled it at the window which burst upon impact; shards of glass embedded into the creature’s flesh; it spit vulgarities at her.

“Enough!” Lynn jutted her palm outward, she felt energy flow from her, and the shards already embedded in the creature began to twist and gouge at its flesh.

The monster howled in anguish as it attempted to pluck out the glass pieces.

Lynn darted away, stumbling through the dim house, crashing into walls, and stubbing her socked toes on furniture legs. She tried light switches as she went through the house. Nope.

The rumbling thunder returned, as did the violently whipping lightning strikes which lashed around like live power cables. Rain poured down, pelting against the house and the windows, causing the windows to blur.

Lynn’s intention was to run into the kitchen, find a weapon of some sort, rolling pin, knife, anything, maybe even a flashlight. She made it to the foyer and stopped near the front door. A light seeped in from under the door; a fog wafted through the space from under the door and every other crack too…or so it seemed.

Lynn stood mortified. Slowly backing away her mental faculties slipping away – No, I can’t do this alone.

The ethereal fog crept forward and began encircling her. She regained her thoughts and continued into the kitchen. She went right for the knife set on the kitchen counter and grabbed the biggest one. She backed up against a wall as the fog filtered into the kitchen.

“This isn’t happening,” Lynn said. “Nope.”

She squeezed her eyes tightly closed for a few seconds in an attempt to will a change.

Lynn opened her eyes. “No such luck for you, Lynn. Shit.”

Copyright 2023 Wanda S. Paryla