Into the Darkness Second Draft

Dire Straights

"What do you think is going on out there?" Doug asked Samantha. He couldn't stand the silence any longer, but no sooner had he said it, than the silence ended, replaced by baying, panting, and the cry of 'Charge' from Andy the minotaur.

Something slammed against the side of the building, causing black dust to float down from the rafters. A yelp came from something outside, followed by whimpering, and then it stopped. Someone shouted Gottfried's name, but it was cut short by the sound of something outside snarling.

"They sound like dogs," Doug said, getting up. He was moving toward the door when it exploded inward. A pitch-black beast the size of a motorcycle stood before him on all fours, outlined against the grey wall. Its chest heaving, it saw Doug and emitted a low growl that was cut short as a white hand reached into the doorway, followed by the rest of Andy. "Oh no you don't!" the minotaur roared, dragging the beast back out of the building by the scruff of its neck.

"Shit!" shouted Doug, who backed away from the splintered remains of the door. "Come on," he said, pulling at Sam.

"But, they said to stay inside."

"We are, we're just going to hide behind the bar." Both teens scrambled across the floor and dove behind the bar as something else came through the door. Doug pushed Samantha through to the kitchen, trying to stay ahead of whatever it was. As he made his way through the kitchen door, something clamped down upon his ankle and he shrieked.

"Doug," Samantha yelled as he was dragged back through the opening. Frantic, she searched for something to use as a weapon, but all she could find was a ladle the size of her arm. Hefting it, she peered around the doorframe, into the great room, and although she could hear the labored breathing of something within, she could not see anything over the bar. She crept forward, impromptu weapon in hand until she could finally poke her head around the corner, right into the massive jaws of one of the black beasts. Screaming, she jumped back, lashing out with the ladle, eyes closed, terrified.

"Samantha. Sam. Stop. Stop!" Andy bellowed.

The ladle was plucked from her hands, and she finally managed to open her eyes. Andy stood over her, his white hair matted with a slick black substance she realized was blood. "Oh my god, are you ok? Where's Doug?"

"I'm right here, Sam. It's over."

Samantha rounded the bar and started when she saw the beast's open mouth again. Her stomach turned when she realized that the rest of the creature was in the doorway, black liquid still leaking from its neck.

"Where's Gottfried?" Doug asked as Carl stepped in, artfully dodging the through the hole in the front door.

"One of those things swallowed him."

"No it did not!" Gottfried hopped through the broken door, landing on the headless beast.

"Ah, bit of a bit more than it could chew?" Carl said snidely, wiping his blade on the carcass of the beast in the doorway.

The frog groaned and jumped down. "Did we get them all?"

"I think one got away," Andy replied, opening the door and dragging the corpse outside before coming back for the head.

"Are any of you hurt?" Samantha asked, staring at the black ichor still dripping from the massive battle axe that Andy had wielded.

"Nope, this is all their's," the minotaur said with a chuckle.

"I don't think I'll ever get the stench of dire wolf breath off of me," Gottfried grumbled.

"Is that what they were? Dire wolves?"