Claws in the Dark | ✔

XXI

Hey, guys. Sorry for the late update again. I was extremely busy. However, I do hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Dolph searched the school for anything that could help him fight against the beasts crowding around the school. So far he'd collected four bottles of sulfuric acid and strapped them to his belt, and he'd made spears from destroyed wooden furniture. These would come in handy whenever he ran out of bullets.

He was now trekking towards the front of the school, where there should fewer to no beasts. They were still busy feasting on his Chief's body and though he wanted to mourn, he saw that as an opportunity to chance his escape.

Fortunately, the school was empty and there weren't any dead bodies, so he knew that there weren't any Clawdens inside...yet.

Dolph looked through the window and observed the front yard of the school. His breathing was uneven as he released shaky breaths. All he saw was an empty compound and his car still sat stationary in the parking lot. Be breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't see any Clawdens.

He fiddled with the door a bit until it unlocked and cracked it open just a peep. There was nothing there, as far as he could tell, and it was a straight shot to the car. It had been left unaffected and the engine was still running. Hopefully, the car still had enough gas to get him away from the school and somewhere safer.

"Alright, time to get the hell out of this fucking hellhole," he muttered to himself.

There was a loud crash from behind him. He spun around on his heels and listened attentively. There were low snarls emanating from the back of the school, and he could tell that those creatures had finished feeding on Kelly's corpse and breached the back door.

"Oh shit, not again. You can't get a moment of peace with these things."

Not wanting to wait and greet the vile beasts, he turned around and quickly opened the door wide enough to step outside.

Dolph dashed for the car, taking heavy breaths as he pushed one leg in front of the other. When he heard multiple growls rise up from his sides and behind him, he glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw a few Clawdens advancing towards him, their claws scraping against the asphalt of the parking lot.

The detective pressed on, detaching one of the bottles from his belt and uncapped it. He was ready for anything. The Clawdens neared him and when one lunged for him, he tossed some of the acid onto the creature. It howled in pain and fell to the ground, shaking its head. Its movements slowed until it came to a stop and its grunts died down. It was dead.

Dolph didn't have time to celebrate his kill, and kept running as the remainder of the creatures continued to pursue him. He was almost at the car.

"Come on, Dolph, you can do this," he motivated himself. "Just a little further."

One jumped at him from the right, he threw acid on it. Another from the left, he did the same. He sensed the other behind him and ducked just as it jumped. It went overhead, its claws barely missing the tip of his forehead as he looked up. Dolph threw the acid at the creature and it landed with a thud, dead.

"Well, fuck you, too."

He flipped the bird at the beast before he took off running again, and when he got to the car, he closed the door just as the last one reached him. It slammed the door, shook the car, and roared ferociously at him, slamming its paws against it. Dolph took deep breaths as the creature backed away from the car. He leaned his head back against the headrest and sighed.

There was a rattling sound and the car shook. The moment intensified as Dolph held his breath. He looked up at the roof just as four sharp claws pierced through it. He yelped and his breathing quickened.

Since the engine was already running, he just put the car in drive and stepped on the gas pedal. The car screeched as he sped off, trying to throw the Clawden off the car. The creature ripped the roof off the driver's side, and Dolph stared up at it, its sharp teeth on display as it hungrily snarled and roared.

Dolph brought the car to a halt and the Clawden was flung forward. It growled as it smashed into a wall. With a resounding crack, the beast fell to the ground and though it was still alive, never bothered to get back up.

The detective was breathing heavily, his eyes wide as he tried to regain his composure. He had to get out of the area before more of them came.

Just as he was about to drive off, a Clawden jumped into the car from the passenger door and roared at him. It slashed at Dolph's face and left claw marks on his cheeks; blood ran down and dripped everywhere.

Dolph turned the car around and drove away from the wall but then lost control of the car, and swerved out of control. The monster roared and lashed out again, but he ducked in time to avoid his head being sliced off. He reached for another bottle of acid but realized that would take longer, so he grabbed his gun, aimed it at the beast, and then fired a single shot at its head. The monster slumped on him, and Dolph slammed his feet on the breaks before he crashed into the flagpole in the parking lot.

He shoved the Clawden off and it fell out of the car. He closed the door and reversed, the front wheel running over the dead creature. He sped off just as more broke out from the school, drawn to all the noise. But he didn't slow down and continued until he was well out of their reach.

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◀MARDAIS▶