Claws in the Dark | ✔

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Meanwhile...

The front door of a house opened and a couple walked in. They returned from their business trip, where they managed to seal a huge deal, a few days earlier.

"Feels good to be home," the man sighed and dropped his bags on the floor.

"Yes, it does, Oliver," the woman said, pushing her suitcase in a corner by the door. She looked around the living room and frowned. "Thank goodness we made it in before that rainstorm got here." She looked around then said, "The house is unusually quiet. Do you think Mike's at work?"

Oliver frowned as well. "According to him, his schedule says that he has Mondays off. He should be home," he answered. "Maybe he's just upstairs and already asleep."

"Monday morning? At this hour? Fast asleep?" she scoffed.

"Come one, Sharon, even you know that everyone hates Mondays." Oliver laughed and strode into the kitchen.

Sharon shrugged and ascended the stairs. "Mike, we're home," she called. When she got no answer, she called again. "Michael?"

When she got to the top, she stood at Mike's door, on the right, and knocked before entering. "Mike, didn't you hear—" She stopped when she greeted an empty room. Backing out and frowning, she wondered where he could be. She shrugged her shoulders, she gave up on looking.

She decided she would text him that they were back early. She sent the message, and immediately after, a faint buzz followed by a notification tone came from the bedroom across the hall – her and Oliver's room.

Sharon frowned, wondering what her son could possibly be doing in their room. She pushed open their bedroom door and stopped. Her jaw fell open as her bottom lip trembled. The phone slipped loose from her hand, which she used to covered her mouth to keep from screaming. Tears filled her widened eyes, and she found it hard to breathe.

"OLIVER!!" she yelled for her husband, after uncovering her mouth. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at Mike's bloody and dismembered body. "OLIVER!! Call 911, quick!"

"What happened?!" Oliver asked as he ran up the stairs. He was behind her in seconds and took in the horrific sight before him: his son's body was torn apart and his head was missing. He fished his phone out of his pocket immediately, his hands trembling with fear and sadness; but before he could even dial, a Clawden appeared behind him and roared, startling both of them.

The terrifying creature stuck its claws into Oliver's chest, as he'd already turned around to look at it. It lifted him from the ground and ripped his head clean off of his body with its sharp teeth.

Sharon didn't suppress her scream then. She let it all out. The monster roared back as if it were communicating with her, and then it hurtled towards her.

Sharon ran as fast as her legs would carry her, towards the bedroom window. She leapt through it, just as the Clawden swiped for her neck. She clung to the drainpipe that led from the roof's gutters down into the yard.

It wasn't easy, but she slid down the pipe as the monster growled frantically from the window. The rain started to pour, so heavily that you couldn't hear anything. It soaked her skin, but that didn't stop her from starting towards the backyard, as the drop from Mike's room put her at the side of the house, and a wooden fence separated them from their neighbours.

She heard the faint sound of breaking glass, and then a soft thud came from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, the sight of the horrific creature chasing her, made fear run down her spine. She continued to run as fast as she could and managed to make it out of the yard.

Tall trees laid ahead as she emerged from the back gate, shutting it behind her and buying her some more time. She was scared and didn't know where to run, but she just ran, bobbing and weaving to dodge the branches, and jumping over the trunks of some fallen trees.

Loud growls came from behind her and she decided to hide, hoping the creature would give up the search for her and eventually leave. She hid under the trunks of fallen trees that were clumped together, keeping to the very back so that she was out of sight.

She heard the snarls and the growls of the monster from behind her hiding place, and she began to tremble. The wood started to shake with the sudden force the Clawden applied when it jumped on the fallen trees. After sniffing for a while and getting nothing, the creature jumped down.

Sharon heard nothing after that, except for the pouring rain. She needed to get as far away from there as possible. So, when she thought it was safe, she came out.

She crept out slowly, surveying the area. When she turned around, she saw nothing. She sighed in relief. As she was about to run away from her fort, the same monster jumped down from a tree, right in front of her. She screamed as it buried its claws from both forelimbs deep into her chest, ripping her body in half. Her inner organs were soon scattered all over the forest floor, and the monster fed on her blood and guts, growling with satisfaction.

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◀ MARDAIS ▶