Game Of Hearts

Beaded Blood

Ethan's eyebrows shot up and in one fluid movement he jumped into the backseat in front of the broken window and pulled out his gun from his left pocket. Ava's eyes widened at the unexpected act of violence.

"You never really understand the phrase "my life flashed before my eyes' until you're actually in the situation yourself" Ethan's brother's words flashed in his mind.

The creeper gripped him his arm with surprising force and yanked him forward, making his head bang against the side of the car door and his gun drop to the damp ground. The creeper, now boiling with the rage of not getting his snack out of the car, arched its back and elicited an ear shattering howl, causing goose bumps to prickle all over Olivia's skin. She shielded Ava with her body as best as she could.

Ethan, refusing to blackout, yanked his arm back and landed a left hook to the creeper's angry face. It growled like a dog and bared its sharp teeth, letting Ethan know that defeat was not on its dinner list.

The creeper moved too fast for him to get back into the driver's seat, and his stamina was running out fast. This time the creeper gripped Ethan's shirt, making deep cuts into his flesh with its dagger sharp nails. Its nails scraped further, reaching the area he'd been hurt before and furthermore dragging along streaks of partially healed flesh.

Ethan was shocked by the sudden surge of pain that bolted through him. He gasped in a breath and, mustering up all his remaining strength, kicked the creeper right in the jaw. He scrambled to the driver's seat and stepped on the gas as the Jeep obediently came to life. He heard the screeches of the sharp nails against the car as he pulled away.

Adrenaline accompanied him for the first fifteen seconds of the drive. Then darkness clouded his vision. And for once, he finally gave in.

***

"Ethan!" Olivia gasped, gently dropping Ava onto the leather seat and immediately sliding into the passenger seat. She cupped his face in her hands and he gaze skimmed over his damaged chest. Tears threatened to cloud her vision. No, stay strong.

Drawn by the sound, her eyes traveled to the rear view mirror on her left to find the murderous white eyes she'd looked into only seconds ago. Instinct took over and Olivia pushed Ethan onto the passenger side while switching over to the driver's seat. She took her own shirt out to wrap his new fresh wounds. Ava, the only one using her head right now, strapped herself in right next to the closed window, putting her face in her hands and quietly sobbing. Olivia jammed her foot on the gas.

"Don't worry" she whispered shakily "I'm going to find us somewhere safe" she whispered weakly as the Jeep raced to find a new location.