(IN)HUMAN

CHAPTER FOUR: ABIGAIL FAY

The lights outside made the snow look colorful. I drove through the city, allowing myself to enjoy the ride. Christmas decorations had begun in some houses, with lights and trees finding a space in the front yards and living rooms. I was taken back to my first Christmas with Ed, first time I had celebrated it without my family. Being an orphan, Ed always found it hard to be easily accepted and my family wasn't an exception. But I knew Ed and so I left home. Since then all I had was Ed and I was more than happy with it, at least till last January. I was now outside the city, heading towards Plymouth. The traffic was less around this part of the city so I reached fairly earlier than I expected. I parked my car and got out, pulling the hood over my head, stopping the cold from affecting my very, very sensitive ears. Another peculiar trait.

"Ed?" I called out as I walked in the front door. No one answered my call. "Ed?" I called again. Suddenly, I felt my legs fail beneath me and I fell down, my hip hitting strongly on the cold floor. The fireplace was not lit, allowing the room to be as cold as ice. I looked around and found that I had slipped because of the oil that spread through the floor. With some difficulty, I got up and headed towards the kitchen, following the oil and as I switched on the light, I let out a gasp. The kitchen was a mess, to say the least. The oil trickled down from the top corner, the fridge left open, its content scattered all across the room. 'All the meat is missing', I thought. "ED!" I screamed. I ran across the house, careful not to step on the oil and searched the entire place but Ed was gone. I sat down on the sofa, heaving breaths, my back hurting from the fall. I looked over at the key hanger that hung beside the front door. The house key was missing, which was with me, so was the key to the pet shop. I dashed out of the house and immediately, slipped on the snow and fell down, again. I got up at once, sending a searing pain to my back but ignoring it, ran to my car and drove to the shop. I skidded on the roads once or twice but I reached the shop without more falling incidents. I slowly walked to the shop and pushed it open. The lights were out so I left the door open behind me. I fished out my phone and switched on the flashlight, aiming it in front of me.

"Ed?" no answer. I heard a small sound from somewhere within, muffled and low. I walked to the back, opening the back door and as soon as I opened, the sounds of cats, dogs and birds filled the air. I saw a bent down shape at the end of the long corridor and I walked down towards it, cautiously. "Ed?"

Ed turned his head slowly, getting up on his legs and his hands dropped something. I looked at the thing he dropped and I raised my hands to my mouth to stop the scream as I saw the red liquid on the rabbit's body, just below the neck. Ed now turned fully, facing me, his mouth covered in blood. He had a maniacal look in his eyes and through the blood, he smiled showing all his blood covered teeth. I ran out of the hallway, gripping strongly onto my phone, Ed behind me. He grabbed a bunch of my hair in his hands, pulling me back and swung me around, hitting my face on the stand nearby. I felt a hot liquid slowly falling down my forehead towards my cheek and chin but I gripped tightly onto my phone. No, I wouldn't lose it. I braced myself, pushing the pain from my back and my head to bay and with as much force I could muster, pushed my elbow into the first place of flesh I could find. Ed backed down, more from surprise than from hurt and I took the second's advantage to run out of the front door. I saw him while I got into the car, running towards me but I didn't stop. The area was deserted except for me and him, so help was out of question. I turned the engine on and drove away as fast as the road would allow me to. Once I knew I was in a safe distance, I stopped my car near a dark alley, hidden beneath the shadows of the buildings. My hands shook on the steering and my vision blurred but with whatever energy left, I took my phone out and called Ethan. He answered on the first bell.