Dark Sight

Chapter 3

The beast's snarls sound behind me, but I can't tear my gaze off the still figure lying on the ground with vacant eyes staring at the ceiling. Dark crimson liquid pools beneath Mum's body. "Sera," a voice echoes in my ears, finally ripping me out of my daze.

Jensen yanks my hand, pulling me towards the door hanging at an angle, partly blocking the nearest exit. His secure grip crushes my small hand as he charges through the broken door.

The beast issues a guttural growl as we flee from the house, leaving behind the massacred remains of our parents.

"It's gonna be okay," Jensen says through gasps for breath as he continues running. I don't know if he's trying to comfort me or convince himself.

My six-year-old legs burn beneath me, not able to keep up with my older brother's long strides, but I don't complain. I can only think about the thing that burst into our house and started ripping apart our parents as they used their bodies to protect us.

Jensen's gaze darts to each house that lines the street. "Help," he screams. "Someone help."

Curtains flutter before several doors inch open revealing curious bystanders still half-hidden by their door.

"What's the matter?" A woman, in her fifties or sixties with slightly curly chestnut hair, rushes towards us. The redness in her cheeks draining away to leave a papery white colour as her gaze lands on the blood gushing from Jensen's right shoulder. She takes out a phone and says, "What happened? Just wait, I'll call an ambulance."

Fear fills my body when another howl sounds from behind us, followed by screams of those who left the safety of their house as they become the next victims.

The woman who had come over to help freezes and stares at the monster behind us. The mobile slips from her grip and crashes to the ground, the emergency operator's voice echoes through the speaker even after the screen shatters on the asphalt.

The woman turns to run, but the monster that looks like a cross between a jackal and a man bounds at her, charging on all fours. Its long canines sink into her neck. Her screams turn into a soggy gurgle as the beast tears a chunk of bloody flesh from her throat. She stares at us with an accusing look as light fades from her eyes.

The beast remains still as it huffs a couple of breaths from its nose before it twists its head around and fixes its gaze on me.

Drool drips from its mouth as it gnashes its yellowing, razor teeth and inches towards me with jittery steps.

Jensen pulls me behind him, his gaze not moving from the beast, as he shuffles backwards. "You're not gonna touch her."

The dog-like creature bats him aside with one clawed hand as if he's not enough to be considered a snack.

Jensen crashes to the ground a few metres away from me and lifts his head with a jerky motion. "Run, Sera."

I shuffle backwards and stumble, falling to the ground. My gaze darts between Jensen and the beast inching towards me.

With a snarl, it stretches its lanky body as it leans over me. Black fur matted with fresh blood. Two green eyes flickering with cruelty watches me. "What are you?" it spits out the words with a low, guttural and almost inhuman voice.

The sour smell of its breath burns my already tear-filled eyes.

My breath comes in ragged gasps as I dig my fingers into the hard tarred road and push away from it.

"Get... away... from... her..." Jensen gasps as he forces himself to stand.

Claws slash at me and pain sears across my chest. I scream as images of a body, my body, being ripped apart countlessly flow through my mind. Intense pain floods my body as if I've just received over a dozen slashes though there's only been one.