Unknown

Ridge Valley (edited)

Monday. Already.

"Where did the weekend go?" I sigh, crawling out of my bed.

After I get dressed in my usual attire of jeans and a T-shirt, I head downstairs for some breakfast. I consider calling in sick but when I remember Anna will be there, I suddenly feel a strange sensation bubble up inside me.

The house is quiet, meaning my mom is probably already on her way to work at the local bakery. Looks like it's a glorious feast of stale cereal for breakfast.

When I set my dishes in the sink and turn to leave, I notice there are no other dishes. Maybe my mom skipped breakfast? I shrug it off and head out for school.

Driving through this little deadbeat town, I start to pick up an eerie feeling.

The drive to school is routine, as is everything here. From Nelly, the crazy cat lady who yells at old man Winkle's dog for barking too loud, to Victor, the college dropout with terrible aim delivering newspapers. Every day, like clockwork. Except for today, where the streets look more like ghostville.

My hometown is no home at all, even on a good day. Neighbors rarely stay, and plants refuse to flourish. The few of us that are left have known each other since our diaper days. That few being about ten families going back generations. Other than that, there are for sale signs on every block.

And those who stay are bitter and grumpy, and most won't take a step past their property line. But they're lively enough to come out and grumble at their neighbors, while cursing the drought. We all have our routines, and nothing ever changes, so what is so special about today?

The grass is crisp and the air is dusty, like it is every day. Houses with chipping paint fly by in a sad parade. The birds squawk as the early morning sun beats down on the broken pavement.

I pull into my usual parking spot and park, letting the creepiness hang over me like a looming cloud. Something is definitely off. I am the only car here. Deciding to check it out, I head up the front steps, my eyes scanning the property.

As I enter the front doors a gust of fresh A.C. greets me. My foot steps echo through the empty building. I check all the classrooms but there's nobody here and school should have started by now.

After awhile of searching, I conclude that nobody is here but I can't understand why. As I walk back through the long halls toward the entrance, I begin to hear soft cries. Listening closely, I follow it. It sounds like the cries of a girl.

My ears lead me to the janitors closet and I slowly open the door. The air leaves my lungs as I see a very distraught Anna. She's curled in a ball on the floor, knees tucked under her arms, eyes wild and she's mumbling something.

"Red eyes, sharp teeth, red eyes, sharp teeth, killed my parent's, my parents..." she shudders.

"Who killed your parent's Anna?" I crouch in front of her.

"Red eyes, sharp teeth." She slowly looks up into my eyes. "Chris?"

"Anna talk to me, what's going on? Where is everyone?" I lean down.

 "They killed them, they killed everybody!" A sob escapes her.

"Who?" Anna looks me deep in the eyes.

"The beast."