Fangs

Chapter 1

Hi -

Thank you for stopping by and reading my very first novel. I've read a lot of scary stories but this is the first one I've written. I'm planning to add a few chapters each week. Thank you for reading and letting me know what you think.

Some content advisories: since this is horror, there is some scary stuff in here including gore.

The photo with this chapter was created with Open AI.

XXOO - J. Sky

"They're going to kill me," Heather said bolting up from the couch. "How long was I out?" Blonde hair was matted to the side of her face. A black-and-white horror movie blared on the TV.  

"Like an hour and a half," Jessica, her best friend and fellow cheerleader said standing up. She turned off the TV. "Who's going to kill you, babe?"

"My parents. I wasn't supposed to stay out this late. They'll think I'm running around with some guy."

Jessica frowned. "Sorry I didn't wake you. You looked like a zombie when you came over, so I thought you needed the sleep!" 

"It's okay," Heather said, fixing her hair with her fingers. "My parents really aren't talking to me, anyway. I'll just have to deal with them when I get home."

"That's sucks. What guy are you running around with? Is it Eric Sanders?"

"No, gross." Heather thought about his massive overbite. "There's no guy."

She picked up her purse and opened the front door, feeling the cool night air flooding into the stuffy room. It was pitch black outside, but she decided to walk home anyway, rather than wait for Jessica's mom to get off from working the night shift at the hospital and drive her. She knew if she waited any longer, there would be no dealing with her parents.

She turned to Jessica. "I didn't do anything weird while I was asleep, did I?"

Jessica shook her head and shrugged. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Anything weird?"

"You didn't drool or talk in your sleep if that's what you mean."

"Good," Heather said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay," Jessica called behind her. "Don't forget, the cheer squad is making spirit chains after school."

"I'll be there," Heather said, waving a hand backward.  

Jessica shut the door, and Heather suddenly felt very alone.

She tried not to think about what could be lurking around her in the darkness. Dogs barked when she passed each house.

She was nervous about loose pets. Over the past few weeks, every dog and cat she had encountered bared its fangs at her as though they wanted to rip her to shreds.  

She picked up her pace at the end of the third block when she saw the fairway of the country club between two houses. She lived on the other side of the golf course, and she knew if she cut across, it would save her time and help her avoid any dogs running loose. 

Heather climbed the fence and landed on the other side. The hills of the fairway stretched into a dark abyss. Heather's heart pounded and her eyes searched for any sign of movement as she hurried past a sand trap.

In the distance, she could still hear the dogs howling at her from the neighborhood, as though calling for her death.

Her walk turned into a slight run. She ran as fast as she could without falling and raced over two hills. She felt the coolness of the grasses soak through her shoes and the night winds whip against her face.  

While the darkness terrified her, the howls of the dogs grew more distant, giving her some relief.

Heather walked over another hill and saw the lights of her neighborhood, where she could make out the outline of the all-night diner on the road behind her house. She guessed it would only take her five minutes to walk to the far south side of the golf course and then she'd be safe at home.

But the sound of tall grasses rustling near a pond caused fear to strike her heart again.

Heather stopped and stared at the dark pool of water and the small forest of cattails that grew six feet tall around it. The hairs on her arms stood up.

Heather knew that anything could be in there or that it could just be the wind. She slowly moved away from it, while watching. The cattails rustled in the wind again, and Heather backed away faster. But then, something inside the cattails ran from one end of the pond to the other as though following her.

Heather froze and then it froze. Fear gripped every part of her.  

"Hello?" she called out, hoping it was human and not an animal. Her hands shook and her voice quivered. "Is someone in there? I'm on my way home!"

No answer came, and the cattails were still. Heather listened carefully for any noise. 

She took a step away from the pond and the thing in the cattails took a step. Heather felt her whole body begin to shake. Tears streamed down her cheeks.  

"This isn't funny, if you're playing a joke, stop it," she begged.  

There still was no response, and Heather knew that all she could do was run. If she could just make it close enough to the edge of the golf course, then maybe someone would hear her.  Maybe someone was out in their backyard and would save her. She sucked in a deep breath and felt adrenaline pumping into her veins.  

Then she turned and ran. She ran fast up and down the hills, the adrenaline helping her to go faster than she ever had before. And somehow even more adrenaline was released when she heard that whatever was in the cattails was chasing her. She heard its panting and its claws tearing through the grass.

Tears blurred Heather's vision and the streetlights of her neighborhood became hazy balls of light. 

Soon she was near the iron fence that stood between the golf course and the street. With near super-human powers, Heather jumped and grabbed the fence, flinging herself over it.  

She landed on the other side skidding across the sidewalk and caught a glimpse of her attacker over her shoulder. Its shadow leaped through the air to clear the fence. Heather turned and started screaming as she crossed the street.

"Help me! It's trying to kill me! Please someone help!"  

But her screams went unanswered. Nobody was out on the street and no cars passed by.  She tried to yell louder, but tears and fear choked her voice.  

Then, as she reached the diner's parking lot, something sharp sank into her back. It tore through her shirt and into her flesh. Heather's body convulsed and lurched forward, but she did not stop. She neared the big glass windows of the diner where a neon light showed a waitress behind a bar serving two men sitting on the stools. The booths sat empty. 

"Please see me," Heather screamed as the waitress freshened up a cup of coffee.  

She felt a second cut in her back, and blood ran down her arms and dripped off her fingers.

"It's killing me," she said as the second man shoveled a fork of blueberry pie into his mouth.

Heather fell, hitting the parking lot with her knees and hands. Pain rocked through her body, but she used all her strength and willpower to crawl forward. She was just feet away from the window and she raised a bloody hand to bang on it. She hoped it would get someone's attention. But before her hand met the glass, her knees buckled, and her attacker was upon her. 

The last thing she felt was sharp pebbles on the ground grating against her skin as she was being dragged away.