~Rain~

Chapter Eight

Chapter eight

The three great scaly beasts burst through the hole they had just crashed in the wall. It had not been sturdily built anyway, and the rain had worn it away. Now they were able to crash into the hall to fulfill their duties; the humans must be killed, and these four had been their targets. Now they had an extra two to kill, as well.

That was a good thing, killing was the closest thing they had to fun. Humans were not wanted, so they needed to be disposed of. The rain was still pouring outside, but this wasn’t a problem for the Nelia. In fact, this was to their advantage.

They watched, not worried by their pause, as the tall boy threw his only remaining water over the blonde girl and pulled her to her feet. He spluttered and coughed, weak and pale, but he was already running.

The shorter boy with the floppy fringe pulled the little bouncy girl away, too, and the spares were left. They fled, and only when they had cleared the buildup of chairs and tables blocking the main door did the Nelia react, beginning to make their steady way over to them.

Who didn’t like a good chase?

Riah attempted to taste the air as he had always done, but now no long, thin tongue flickered out of his mouth. It lay on the floor, cut off by the staircase that lead to the balcony from the ground floor. It hurt, it hurt an awful lot, but he ignored the pain. Pain was no matter to him. He had a job to do, and he would continue hunting these children to their death if it killed him. Humans had no place in the new earth.

‘Come, now.’ He growled to the two junior Nelia in his command.

They said nothing, but they began to follow the children, quickening their pace so they were actually chasing the children across the school.

Miles pulled Willa into the main corridor, and he could hear the light footsteps of Tyron and the uneven sound of Alice tripping unsteadily behind.

Maybe somewhere behind that, Taya and Cael were running too. Miles hoped they had been caught and killed. He could not stand to look at Alice anymore, with her hand all twisted and discolored. At least the gash in her leg was covered now, but the distant look of pain in her eyes was still hauntingly there.

The lockers flashed past them like in a movie, and they were out in the fresh air before they could look back.

‘Maybe they’ve gone?’ Willa dared ask.

‘Maybe…’ Miles sounded distracted.

‘Why have we stopped?’ Tyron asked, ‘We need to keep running!’

‘No…wait…’ Alice said, squinting into the darkness.

Taya’s scream echoed down the dark halls, and Willa’s deep brown eyes widened once more. ‘Come on, Alice, we have to keep going!’

Alice’s shoes squeaked on the shiny hall floor as she regained her footing and attempted to make out what was going on down the far end of the corridor.

Something was moving. Something big.

Taya let out another scrambled cry and hit the floor, the cold, smooth surface calming against her hot cheeks. Within a second she was back on her feet, and the sharp claws of the monster at her wake were digging into her back, ripping and clawing at her flesh.

A strangled cream came from behind her, like an animal in pain. She twisted around, wondering but not caring if Cael was being hurt one of the other Nelia. Then she realized, Cael was safe - he was ahead, somewhere with Alice and the little bubbly brat, and she was alone here, about to be ripped to threads by the great hooked claws of the Nelia.