Birthmarks and Bruises

Claw Marks

The sound of gravel crunching under their feet against the ominous silence of the city was enough to make all three teenagers shudder. Andrea wasn't looking where she was going at all. Absent-mindedly following her new companions in front of her, she attempted to untangle the strains of thoughts knotting inside her brain. Hell, she didn't even know if she could trust these two. And how many other little girls was she going to see decapitated? Crushed? Mangled? Tortured? In a bloody mess, sprawled across the floor? She suppressed the urge to heave, instead biting on her fingernails as she blindly followed the two strangers in front of her. Who knows what they could be planning to do to her? To anyone else? This could be a trap. In fact, it probably was. Andrea halted.
Noticing the absence of a pair of footsteps behind him, Felix spun around, his brow furrowed. Seeing Andrea- still, scared half to death, pale and trembling behind him- his expression softened.
"Andrea, you ok?"
He knew she wasn't, but, what else could he say? 'Why are you sad?' He knew the answer to that too.
The blonde haired girl squeaked slightly, as if she was trying to say something but couldn't force the words from her throat. Felix debated whether to fling his arms around her, leave her be, or console her. Daniel just raised an impatient eyebrow. Sighing softly, Felix walked over, wrapping an arm around Andrea's shoulders. He felt her tense as she flinched.
"Look, I know you've been through some... really horrible shit." Felix bit his lip. He didn't know what to say.
"You don't have to trust us. I mean, you don't know us after all.." he trailed off.
"Yo, is there gonna be a 'but' or are you just gonna convince her we're gonna murder her?" Daniel groaned, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. Felix mimed a zipping motion across his mouth. Shut up, man.
"But... you can't stay here on your own. I don't think it's safe. I'm just as confused and scared as you are, but we're gonna figure this out, okay?"
Andrea wiped her bleary eyes, nodding slightly and attempting to smile despite her wobbling lower lip. Felix flashed a smile back while Daniel gave her an "ok" sign.
"Yeah. We come in peace." Daniel added with his usual signature shrug. "Wouldn't hurt a girl anyway. I respect wahmen."

Felix rolled his eyes, smiling, and began to walk again, Andrea following. She sighed, a little reassured by the fact that she could probably trust the two idiots she was travelling with. Probably.

Soon enough, the crunch of gravel beneath their feet turned into that of broken glass. The windows of the supermarket, as Felix half suspected, were completely shattered. Inside, the shelves had been ripped apart and the floor smothered in what seemed to be burst bags of flour and rice. The place, in short, was a tip.
"So... you still really think we have to pay for anything?" Daniel mumbled, cautiously glancing around him. Andrea shook her head.
"The place is deserted, and... it kinda seems like people have already taken stuff, anyway.."
Daniel nodded in agreement, already removing the lid off a large bottle of lemonade.
Felix, on the other hand, was squinting at the walls.
"Damn..." he murmured softly to himself. "This place is infested with... whatever the hell made these." He traced his fingertips across three deep rips in the plaster wall, kneeling to get a better view. The fragile material practically disintegrated between his thumb and forefinger.
Andrea squatted beside him, her eyes beginning to widen as her breathing quickened again.
"Clawmarks..." She panted. Felix met her gaze.
"Sorry?"
"Claws!" She yelled. "That's it. claws! The thing? The thing I was telling you about. The girl. Her head... holy fuck, her head..." Andrea started to sob again, her breath quick and rasping.
"Hey! Deep breaths, don't pass out..." Felix yelled, attracting Daniel's attention. The shorter boy walked over, inspecting what all the fuss was about.
"Jesus. There must be some damn angry rodents around." He whispered, as his friend tried to console Andrea behind him.
"Big ones, too."