Birthmarks and Bruises

A Second Encounter

"So... I guess it's a good idea to just stay here for a while, then?"
The group had been sat in Daniel's living room for about two hours, discussing what they knew, yet still getting nowhere. After a brief moment of silence, Andrea had asked the question everyone had been wondering.
"I guess so, yeah." Felix replied, shrugging. "I don't see why we'd need to leave."
Andrea hummed in understanding, leaning back into the beanbag she'd nestled cozily into. Everything almost seemed... normal. She was in a strange place, with strange people... but, it at least didn't seem like demonic beings were prowling around in the dead of night. It at least didn't seem like everyone she'd loved and trusted had been pulled away from her, suddenly and unexpectedly. It definitely didn't seem like just outside the window, the streets were littered with the poor corpses of people who's lives had been cut short by this whole, twisted, confusing ordeal.

The room was silent yet again, apart from a few creaks from the wind in the attic.
"Jesus. The wind's really picking up." Felix murmured. "I guess it's kinda cozy, though. Like when you're sleeping with a rainstorm right outside your window."
"Ok, Felicia." Daniel snickered. "That's enough sentimental crap for tonight."
Felix chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I'm just trying to make conversation."
"Then make conversation that sounds less like a bad fanfiction, eh?" Was the reply from his shorter friend.

The noises from the attic increased as the wind picked up again.
Felix gazed out of the window, ignoring the remark. It was an almost brooding kind of pretty, the stars managing to push through the thick clouds of city pollution, the looming, still silhouettes of trees towering up into the skies, the feeble glow of dying street lamps.
It would have been almost peaceful, if the teen could get rid of the knot of dread tightening in his stomach. The feeling was similar to when you've forgotten something, though you don't know what you've forgotten- and your mind is frantically scrolling through a checklist of items, attempting to identify the missing object.
Felix knew by now to trust his gut- but then again, it could be the nerves getting to him. He could still hear the occasional screeches from outside.

He took another sip of the sweet, syrupy chocolate in his mug.

And then it hit him.

In the dead of night, still and silent, there was barely a whisper of wind at all.

"Something's in the attic." He whispered, under his breath. And then louder. "Something's in the attic!"

Five heads were turned towards him, expressions panicked and shocked. Maxine's breath was caught in her throat as she was interrupted by another series of high pitched groans from the floorboards above them as something dragged itself across the unstable flooring.
"Shit." Daniel breathed, feeling his chest growing tighter as fear engulfed him.
Marcus and Lewis exchanged a panicked look, squirming in their seats.
"Did you lock the door?" Andrea whispered to Daniel, flinching at every small sound emitting from above their heads.
"Yeah."
"Fuck..."
Andrea tugged on her hair stressfully. "Do you have the key?" She asked, her tone hopeful. Daniel had already started to cautiously get to his feet.
"Yeah, I have it in my pocket, thank god." He said, slapping the bulge in his pocket where he kept his keychain. Felix was the next to pull himself upright.
"Right... ok. Slowly... and quietly..." he tiptoed around the clutter on the floor. "...make your way to the door."

Daniel was already fumbling around with the keys, clicking his tongue through gritted teeth in frustration when one didn't fit. Hastily, he grabbed another and practically forced it into the lock.
"Dan, stop." Marcus hissed. "None of those work. I think those are the garage keys."
Daniel's forehead glistened with sweat, the realisation dawning over the group. They were on a timer.
The soft creaking from upstairs had quietened down, reducing to only the occasional scuffle.
But it was a lot closer.
It was no longer in the attic.
Felix could feel the blood pounding in his ears.
Maxine had stood in front of Andrea, the latter clinging to the former's arm for dear life.
The twins were beside their brother, trembling and frantically searching for a way to escape.