Hell Town

Chapter Seven

When they got back to town it soon became apparent that the situation had gotten worse.

The light from the trees was much brighter and as they drove by Lani could see eyes watching them from the tree line. Not animal and definitely not human.

Shelley clutched her arm again.

"Shit!" Rick cried, slamming on the brakes as McNair stopped in front of them. Rick got out to look.

A hole had opened up in the middle of the road and McNair had narrowly avoided driving into it.

Lani hopped out to look. The hole was only eight feet deep with a diameter of ten feet.

"It just opened up in front of me," McNair said.

There was a scream from behind them. They turned to see one of the deputies who had gotten out of his car. Vines had erupted from the ground and impaled him through the chest. He was dragged towards the trees. The rest of the deputies took aim. Lani and Shelley took cover behind the car.

They opened fire as creatures emerged from the trees.

More vines lashed out smashing car windows. One deputy was lashed around the ankle and pulled him under his truck. Lani could hear bones crunching against metal since he was too big to fit under the truck.

"We're sitting ducks," Lani screamed over the noise, "We need to get out of here."

Shelley opened the door to the cruiser and got in behind the wheel. She started the car,

"Come on," she yelled to Lani.

Lani tugged on Rick's shirt, "Rick, we need to get out of here now."

He brushed her off, "Go back to town."

"Rick you can't stay here," she pleaded.

He stopped shooting and shoved her into the back seat.

"Go!" he yelled to Shelley.

She drove off around the hole then stepped on the gas.

Lani tried to get the door open, "Stop the car. We can't just leave him."

"He's a big boy, he can take care of himself," she shot back.

Lani slammed her hands into the wire grill separating them, "Stop the car."

Shelley ignored her and kept driving.

Lani sat back in her seat, tears falling.

I'm never going to see him again. The thought popped into her head before she could stop it. She let the tears fall.

More people had congregated at the diner. Shelley agreed to stop there.

Audrey saw them pull up and rushed out. She opened the door to let Lani out.

"Are you okay?" she hugged her. Lani broke free of her grip.

"I need the keys to the car," she said.

"We're all going to get out of here together," Audrey said.

"No, I'm going back for Rick."

Shelley explained where they were.

"No, Lani. Let them handle it. We need to get our stuff and go."

She turned to go back inside.

"I won't abandon him. I'm not you," she yelled.