Living the unlivable

Chapter 3-A monster straight from a nightmare

“Oh.my.Gosh,” Allie whispered, massaging her temples, a hint of migraine threatening to overpower the rational side of her brain. If ever there is one, she thought drearily.

“I know,” Zac said.

“I’m not really sure what’s happening, but this is really hard to digest,” Allie just said.

“Yeah. Tell me all about it.” Zac said, sounding almost as tired as she felt.

There was an uncomfortable silence, neither one unsure of what to say. Finally, Allie said. “But Stacey would never keep something from me. I mean, you would, but not her.”

“First of all, Ouch. Second, there’s actually more I’m not telling you.” Zac said.

“Why am I not surprised.” She said.

“Ha-ha. Very funny,” He said. “The thing is – “he broke off as something crashed behind him. Zac cursed and Allie heard an ear-piercing blast at the other end. 

“Zac, what’s happening?” Allie frantically shouted just as the call disconnected. She dialed his number but to no avail. Zac must have dropped the phone. Allie was practically shaking now as she paced back and forth, unsure of what to do.

“Oh, I’m gonna kill him!” she squeaked. If what’s with him doesn’t do it first, she aversely thought.

After a few tiptoes and muffled footsteps, Allie finally made it out her house unnoticed. It was the first time she went out without telling her mother and it scared the hell out of her. Well, not just about getting caught but for what Zac had gotten himself into. She wasn’t sure what to do after trying to call him for a thousand times and still receiving no response. She squinted in the darkness ahead of her, summoning as much courage as she could possibly get.  Zac’s house was a few blocks away and with only the moon to give her light and the occasional flicker of broken streetlights, she half-run, completely dubious of what to do when she gets there.

One moment he was hearing Allie complain about him not telling her what she wants to hear and the next his ears nearly burst with the sudden crash of the glass window just behind him. He dropped the phone and sprinted under the table, covering his face while shards of glass rained down on him like painful confetti. He surveyed the place for the cause of the unexpected attack and noticed two scaly arms climbing up the broken window. A hiss sounded and Zac almost felt sick about knowing what it was. An Atrociouly, a deadly monster that would kill on sight – if only its hideous eyes can see anything other than the blackness most blind people see everyday. It looks like a mutant lizard straight from an abominable science fair conducted by evil scientists. Its tongues – yeah, plural – can pull its whole body up a building and squeeze a person dry at the same time. Like all other creatures with blindness, its hearing is very acute that one teeny movement would send Zac sprawling to the other side of the house, possibly out the door and into the cold pavement, bones crushed.

He now slowly moved his head, averting his eyes so that he can clearly see the horrendous creature climbing up the window. A loud thud followed its landing on the floor, causing the lights to flicker and the table to shake. It stood completely still, listening. It was silent for a moment that Zac was terrified it would hear his heart hammering on his rib cage. Then it started moving, following the sound of something Zac couldn’t hear. As it passed the table where he was crouched, Zac searched for a weapon he could use to kill it, wondering what the heck will he find in a kitchen.

 Knives, you idiot, he said to himself. He found just that, only it was roughly ten feet away and because of his awkward situation with a monster so near to hear even a rustle, it seemed impossible to get there and use it. Think Zac, think! He urged himself as the Atrociouly reached the door. He had little time to worry about his mom asleep upstairs and what she would do to him about the mess it left behind when the Atriciouly suddenly hissed loudly, now running hastily towards the main door. This confused Zac. What could possibly draw the Atrociouly’s attention away from him? His question was answered immediately, and how he wished it wasn’t.

“Zac?” Allie called outside, she sounded out of breath. “Are you there?”

Of course I’m here you, stupid, stupid girl. He shouted in his head. Why do you have to come here?

He got up and scooped the knife, cutting his hand in the process. He just shook his head as blood dripped on the floor, staining it like rose petals on a white bed. He sprinted after the beast, hoping he’s not too late. As he reached the front door – or what was left of it – he saw Allie staring wide eyed at the beast, paralyzed on the spot. She saw Zac and was about to open her mouth when he silenced her with a look. She closed her mouth and opened it again, this time totally forgetting to close it. She looked back at the beast that stood still waiting to hear the tinniest sound it would take it to know where to start killing. Time seemed to stop, along with the monster’s frozen body. Zac knew that it was his only chance. He slowly raised his hand with the knife, and with a flick of his wrist, it came flying straight to the Atrociouly’s neck. Except that it heard the swish and ducked just in time. The knife clattered on the pavement, the sound reverberating on the street, sending echoes into the night.

The Atrociouly dashed towards Zac, who, anticipating it, moved fast to retrieve the knife. Unfortunately, the beast got to him first and swatted him like a fly. He was hurled in the direction of the front door, shattering most of what was left of it.

“Ow,” he groaned, removing splinters from his hands. “Where are your manners?” he yelled, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. The monster hissed, showing a couple of its tongues.  It slowly moved towards him, knowing that he’s cornered. Zac pulled out a piece of wood from the broken doorframe, using all that was left of his strength. He was about to jab the creature with the wood when it burst to flames, exploding like fireworks and depriving him of his sight for five seconds. When his eyes adjusted, he saw the pile of ash that was the Atrociouly a moment ago. Behind it was Allie, raising a knife, panting and all of the color drained from her face. She was momentarily dazed, and then she saw Zac and finally was able to breathe again.

“What just happened?” her voice shook. She badly wanted to lie in the pavement and just sleep there or wherever exhaustion finally took over her whole senses.

“You tell me,” He replied, equally confused. He stood up and walked towards her, limping. “You killed it.” He said, clearly surprised.

“I think I just did.” She said, realizing for the first time what she really did but the exhaustion she felt was just so intense that she just decided to shrug it off. “Why did it burst into flames?”

“When monsters invade us in the real world, they burst into flames at the touch of real things thrown or stabbed by Dreaders.”

“You said, ‘in the real world’, what about in the other world?” she asked.

“Well, let’s just say fighting them in Dread is a little more fun than here.” He answered, smiling a little. “I didn’t know you have it in you.”

“What’s that?” she asked him, almost closing her eyes.

He swallowed. “That you have the most important thing a Dreader should have.” His voice was almost a whisper. He touched her shoulder and Allie leaned on him.

                “Zac?” she whispered.

                “Yeah?”

                “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

                “Wha-?”

Then Allie threw up on him.