Hidden in the shadows

Chapter 21

I locked the front door behind me and galloped down the flight of front stairs, jumping on the dusty ground below. How was I going to get to a convenience store, I walked last time but I was so tiring.

I'll walk again for the Kelpie's sake, with that I marched to the asphalt road, looked back and kept marching.

....

By the time a reached the town, I was panting and sweating, dodged three cars and a bicyclist. But it was all worth it to get to the bandage. I walked into a Walgreens and straight down the medical isle, rushing to pick up the bandages and run back to the front of the store to the cashier. 

I slammed the boxes down on the desk, alarming the cashier who was very close to hitting the safety button under the desk.

" can you please just ring them up " I asked catching my breath, I wasn't exactly physically fit for the dash to town. 

He picked up the boxes one by one, I picked up at lease five boxes. I didn't want to come back here again, at least not with out a car. 

I took out my wallet and paid the man, he put the boxes in a plastic bag and handed it to me. I let him keep the change as I walked out the store in a hurry.

I took one step out side of the sliding doors before it hit me, the low chanting picked up. I walked in the opposite direction but it seemed to be following me, I picked up the pace and it got louder. Somehow I got lost and ended up on an empty lot, no houses, no buildings, no people. 

I ran down the street I never thought would end, but it did. It lead me back into the town, like a lope-hole. I had no choice but go in the direction the chanting started from, I cringed and bore with the volume as it rose. 

I turned corners and corners, everytime I thought I wouldn't turn a corner I did. Until I finally came to a  straight road, I ran swiftly as I did I saw something from the corner of my eye and I backtracted to an alley.  

I narrowed my eyes to look inside, this couldn't be happening!

Slowly pacing inside to gasp at the horror, that I was witnessing with my own eyes. This had to be a dream, it couldn't be true. My heart sank inside my chest, I dropped the plastic bag getting the attention of the person it was for.

" It's not what it looks like " he muttered 

I shook my head, still not believing what I was seeing.

Cali.....face down in a blood pool, limp, not breathing, gone. The stench of death burned in my nose like the sulfur from that match.  The Kelpie still had the bandage wrapped around his waist, it was completely bled through and dripping.

Then again he was covered in Cali's blood, mainly around his mouth and hands. I also noticed she was missing an arm which was where all the blood was pouring out of, did he eat it?

" I swear if I didn't do-" his teeth were sharp to the point. 

He took a step closer and I took one back, how could he do this? She was my only human friend...

I cut him off " no......you're a monster.....a monster! " 

His expression twisted into one which was less desperate to explain the current situation. Shadows consumed his face as his lips formed a frown.

" I am, aren't I...." he spoke with a discouraged whisper 

I felt horrible for calling him that, but he truly had become my worst nightmare while I had my back turned.

I ran, away from this, away from him. It was finally falling apart, my life was finally crumbling away. The chanting grew louder and drums started playing, but I didn't even care anymore.