Demon Wind

13

Jack Stark was the first out of his car. He ran to a hysterical Rachel kneeling on the ground beside the prone body of Josh, his head in her arms. Josh was a bloody mess. His arms seemed shredded in places, with what looked like superficial wounds on his neck and face. Rachel kept chanting "Don't die" like his very life depended on it.

"What the hell happened?" Jack asked. Rachel did not answer; she didn't even seem to realize that the police had arrived. "Rachel!" he said louder, with as much authority as he could put in his voice. A cold chill ran up his spine and without realizing he had drawn his gun. He also had removed his flashlight from its spot on his belt and was doing a quick survey of the area immediately surrounding them. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear the state cop and ambulance crew exiting their vehicles and making their way towards the trio.

Besides Josh and Rachel, the only thing out of the ordinary was a large, dark black puddle on the ground which was rapidly soaking into the soil. Focusing once again on the couple, Jack took a step towards Rachel. The sound of his boots on the grass seemed to snap her out of her stupor and she looked directly in his eyes. "D....d....dooooooooooooggggggggggggggggggg!" she screamed shrilly

Jack immediately felt a panic rise from within. Could the dog that killed Floyd have found them and attacked? He looked back at the state cop and ambulance crew. "We might have a dangerous situation here. I think the dog that killed someone earlier today might have attacked these two and is still here." He recognized the lead paramedic. "Connie, you and your crew get back in the ambulance until I am sure the area is secure. Trooper Givens, please circle the grounds from the right, I'll go left and we will meet up at the far end. I strongly suggest you fire at any canine you see."

Givens nodded, pulled his pistol and light and stealthily made his way off to the right. Connie and her crew had already shut themselves in the ambulance. Jack looked at Rachel, she was still staring at him, terror behind her eyes. "Wait here, do not move him. Scream if you see anything."

"No.............." was all she could muster.

Jack slowly made his way in the direction he had chosen. He could hear the sound of more sirens approaching. He reached for his radio and requested they silence them to make it easier for him to hear if anything approached. The distant sirens fell quiet, he could hear footsteps and he intuited that it was the trooper. Sweat trickled down his back as his nerves were on edge. The beam from his flashlight was sweeping back and forth as rapidly as his eyes could register what they were seeing. Before he knew it, he had met up with the trooper, neither of them finding any sign of the dog remaining in the area. Together they walked towards the bay doors, and entered each one. They swept the area, quickly determining that there was no threat.

They both made their way towards the couple. Jack used his radio to let Connie know that she could administer aid.

Pulling Rachel up by her shoulders, Jack asked, "Where did the dog go?"

Tears and snot running down her face, Rachel seemed confused. Without taking her eyes from Josh she answered, "Josh killed it." She used her hand to indicate where the body of the dog was. Jack looked where her finger led his eyes, but all that was there was the remnants of the weird black puddle. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked and with that rain began to fall.

"Rach, all that is there is some sort of puddle. If he killed it, where is the body?" She did not answer. As the paramedics started to asses Josh, it was all Jack could do to free him from her grip and pull her out of the way. She blinked several times, as if trying to register what was happening, and then turned into Jim and wept. Jim stood there, holding her as both rain and tears soaked his uniform.