Monsters Live at Night

Chapter 2

When I saw the survivor bus drive away, I didn't know what to think. Outside was so cold and empty that it felt like being eaten by the crazy psychos was better than making our own way through the world of monsters. We were all so silent when we unknowingly walked ahead. Mum walked along whilst holding Sasha's hand, Dad walked a little ahead of us all and James and I walked a little behind. I felt so lost and alone even though I was surrounded by my beloved family. I felt like crying but I wiped the corners of my eyes with the sleeve of my jacket. James must have seen because he wrapped his right arm round me and said, "I'm scared too. We just have to have hope. This will be a great story when we are safe again." He emphasised the words 'when' and 'will', trying to tell me that we will be free again.

The rest of that long walk went so slowly and my legs were aching so much. I was gasping for water since my mouth was bone dry and the rumbling in my stomach did not help matters. We stopped at a café and got some food. We didn't have to pay for it of course, since money was not important at the moment. After we had our food break we found shelter in a little house and locked all the doors in hope that the creatures would not know our location.

I spent hours lying in a bed and wandering who may have slept in it before. Was it a boy or a girl? A child, teen or adult? I had no idea but I kept this thought in my head in order to keep my mind distracted from what was happening outside. I eventually became settled and snuggled up in the bed, satisfied that it was now more mine that than the former-owner when I heard heavy footsteps outside.

It was the creatures.

I froze.

Terrified that if I made a sound or slightest movement they would know where we were.

The footsteps became louder and louder as they drew closer to the house and then stopped. They seemed to have stopped directly in front of the house.

I heard breathing and then footsteps coming nearer to the house. That's when I screamed.

A blood-curdling scream as a giant monster hand smashed through the glass of the bedroom I was n and began waving around and trying to grab stuff.

How the heck did it know where we were?

I jumped up from the bed and ran downstairs where Mum and Dad were ready to exit the house and run for our lives. Dad unlocked the backdoor just as it was kicked through by a monster foot. It continued to kick the door down and then began with the wall. We didn't know what to do. Dad raced to get anything large and sharp from the kitchen whilst we all dodged the out of control foot. Honestly, I have a phobia of feet.

Dad returned with a large carving knife and sliced at the creature's foot.

It stopped moving.

Everything went silent.

Then there was a deafening howl.

It was so loud it must have been heard from citizens all the way in Australia or Switzerland. My hands automatically raced to my ears as coverage from the sound. Though it already felt like my eardrums had burst. Dad then screamed, "Out the front door and then run!"

We raced towards the front door and sped out in a group down the roads. I felt hope for like the one millionth time these past days that maybe we had lost the monster since there were no footsteps behind us. I must have thought too soon because at that very moment I heard pounding, chasing, loud footsteps behind us. The chase was on.

We sped up the road and round a left corner. Past lots of flats and little bakers shop. We continued running as long as we could hear the footsteps behind us. We must have been running for over an hour because when we finally were back in safety, the sunrise had begun.