Predator Within

Chapter 11 - Cornered Prey

A/N: I had this chapter scheduled to post last week, but I guess it didn't. Anyhow you'll be getting two chapters today, concluding this story

***

Miles away in another part of the mountains, Mavis and her search team of Frank, Murray, Wayne, and Griffin were still out searching for Drac, desperately calling his name.

"Drac?"

"Dad!"

"Hey, buddy, where are you?"

"Dracula!"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Don't hide from us, Drac!"

Suddenly, the group froze, the roars of what was likely a horde of creatures reverberating through the air. They sounded farther away, but it sent chills down their spines all the same.

"What was that?" Murray asked.

"It doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard before," Wayne agreed.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of a petrified, blood-curdling scream follow right after, and Mavis thought she recognized the voice.

"Oh no... Johnny!" she cried. She turned into a bat and began to flap frantically in the direction of the sound. "Come on guys," she said to the others as she gestured a wing. "This way!"

***

"Drac! Dracula, help me!!"

Johnny's desperate screams were only met with laughter from the savage beasts, and even more fearsome growls. His sneakered feet pounded against the rocky surface beneath him. Gotta find a way out, gotta find a way out! he thought with desperation, as he raced right into a large canyon with great limestone formations. He was starting to gasp for breath, but the creatures easily loped on behind him, perfectly well with their larger lungs and easily keeping up.

"Help me!" Johnny cried. "Somebody, anybody, help me! Somebody heeelllpp!"

Johnny cut off his cries as several of the creatures took flight with their massive leathery wings, a mass of them swarmed in front of him, and he could feel the claws of another grip him from the shirt behind just like Mavis had when she was a bat, only this grip was not light and friendly. It was of a cruel kind, and the redhead was airborne for a minute as it picked him up high and then tossed him into the center of the converged circle of beasts. The exhausted human looked up, his eyes wide and fearful as the mangy beasts slobbered and snarled in excitement. Their chase was over as they saw it. Without hesitation, they pounced, Johnny's squirming and disappearing beneath their churning bodies and savage claws, the boy believing he was done for, when all of a sudden -

"Aah-eeh-ah-eeh-aaaaaah-eeh-ah-eeh-aaaaah!"

Even the beasts were confused with the intrusion of this strange noise and they looked up, startled. Swinging on his bandages like Tarzan on a vine was none other than Murray! The mummy hollered the familiar jungle yell again as he bravely swung in and grabbed Johnny from right under the creature's noses. Johnny was startled beyond his wits.

"Murray?" he asked a little dazed.

"That's right, baby!" he answered back with a laugh. "It's Murray here to save the - OOF!"

The mummy's breath was knocked right out of him as he and Johnny accidentally collided against a stone structure. They collapsed to the ground, stars in their eyes, until pairs of hands helped to lift each one of them up. Johnny looked up to see Griffin, Wayne, and Frank.

"RUN!" they all called in unison.

The creatures exchanged an odd look amongst each other at the scene, but then resumed their chase, this time with Drac's friends along for the ride.