Claws in the Dark | ✔

XVII

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George looked down at his sister's phone screen. Five minutes had long passed since Rebecca left. Even after he'd contacted his father, she still hadn't returned. She could be in danger, or worse... His stomach churned at the thought of his sister being maliciously ripped apart by creatures he'd never seen before. Tears seeped out the corners of his eyes and his nose became runny. George sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. He couldn't think that way. He wouldn't give up hope and think that his sister was dead. He was the man of the house while his father was away, so there was no time for being a baby. He had to look out for his sister, just like she was trying to protect him.

So, the little boy crawled out from underneath Rebecca's bed and cast his eyes upon the door. He slowly crept towards it, his heart thumping rapidly. He reached out, turned the knob and slightly opened the door. With what little peripheral vision he had, he scanned the hallway from the space he'd made. There was nothing there, as far as he could see, and it was quiet; he listened keenly, just in case the monster was back upstairs. George didn't want to dart out, only to run straight into the beast.

When he was certain it was all clear, he opened the door wider and passed through. He stepped into the quiet hall, glancing both left and right before closing Rebecca's room door behind him. To his surprise, the attic stairs weren't down anymore, and he clearly remembered that Rebecca didn't have time to close it.

Could it be that the animal in their house was smart enough to close it?

George shook his head at the silly thought. He knew the steps closed automatically; maybe his sister didn't. And that's why he never got locked in like her.

A clatter came from downstairs and the little boy's head snapped in the direction of the stairs. He inched closer to the top of it and started down, slowly and tranquil as possible.

A stair creaked under his foot just as he neared the bottom. He paused, his breathing gaining weight as his heart pumped even harder in his chest. He kept still and listened, keeping on high alert; but everything remained quiet. Nothing was coming his way, which meant the monster hadn't heard the creak. George tentatively placed his left foot on the next step below, not wanting it to creak beneath his weight. He breathed a sigh of relief when it didn't, but his moment of caution was interrupted when a loud clatter, followed by a shriek, emanated from the kitchen.

It was Rebecca! She was okay!

But she was also in trouble.

George ran down the remaining stairs and stopped in the entryway of the kitchen. He saw his sister backed into the stove, a frying pan clutched in her grasp. In front of her, a large, hairy monstrosity ambled towards her, its claws scraping along the marble floor, its growls very menacing, and its teeth so intimidating one might poop their pants from sheer fright.

Rebecca didn't notice her brother standing there since she was so focused on the Clawden. She swung out but missed it by a breath. She swung again out at the nearing beast and the frying pan hit the monster's chest, but that didn't even make it budge. What strong, devilish beast she was dealing with, she did not know. Nevertheless, that didn't stop her from trying her hardest to defend herself. She swung a third time - luck evaded her. The pan slipped right out her hands and her eyes followed it until it stopped right in front of a pair of feet.

Her eyes widened when she saw him. Maybe she was happy to see him, or maybe she was upset that he'd endangered himself to come to her rescue. Not being able to soak in the presence of her brother, a snarl caused her to look back at the Clawden. There was nowhere to run. She was trapped. Doomed. Death was knocking on her door and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. And she knew that if she died, then George's death would soon follow.

With each step the large beast took towards her, she whimpered and pulled her hands up to her chest, for some sort of protection.

She closed her eyes and screamed as the monster lunged at her. She awaited its claws to come delving deep into her flesh. But surprisingly, they never reached her skin. All she heard was violent snarling and snapping teeth, accompanied by the sound of someone struggling. She opened her eyes slowly and saw the monster whirling around, trying to shake off the little boy on top of its back. George clung on, smacking the same frying pan Rebecca had dropped on the monster's head.

"You...stay...away...from my...sister!" he shouted with each blow he delivered. It writhed within his grasp and spun around in circles to try and get him off, but George held on to the monster's hairs tightly and continuously smacked it.

But his courageous rage only aggravated the creature, and with an astonishing spin it flung him off. The frying pan slipped from his grasp as George went hurtling through the air, and he landed on the floor, sliding towards and hitting his head on the marble tile-trimmings at the bottom of the island counter. There was a muffled crack and then a small pool of blood appeared beneath the unconscious boy's head. The angry beast growled, glared and took slow steps towards him, and when it was about to burst into a sprint, it stilled, grunting loudly. It slumped to the ground, revealing a butcher knife's blade stuck clean into the back of its head. Rebecca stood over the monster, breathing heavily. She removed the blade from it and then brought it back down onto its neck numerous times to saw through it. The Clawden's head became severed from its body - that way, Rebecca knew the monster would stay dead.

Her groaning brother made her eyes settle on him. He pushed himself up off the ground, his brown hair coated with crimson on the right-side of his head. He touched the spot with his hand and hissed at the pain it brought him, squeezing his eyes shut more tightly. Rebecca stepped over the dead beast and ran towards him.

"George!" she whispered, crouching next to her brother. "I told you to stay upstairs. What were you thinking?"

The little boy's eyes opened slowly and he looked at her with tears welled in them. "You didn't come back," he said. "I couldn't wait around knowing that you were in danger, Sis, so I came down to help you. Please don't leave me again," George begged, starting to cry.

Rebecca pulled him in and hugged him. "I won't. I promise," she said, watching the monster's dead body. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She took his hand and led him back upstairs to the bathroom, where she washed and cleaned the wound in his head.

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◀ MARDAIS ▶