SOMETHING ROAMS THE NIGHT...

EIGHT

"Ezra?" I said again to the figure before me. His face was hidden in the shadows, and he was walking towards us in a slow, cool manner.

"I said, leave her alone," the guy said, and at the same time he stepped into the light.

Nope. Not Ezra.

He was much taller and much older than Ezra, and there was something about him.

Something mysterious, something...dark.

I didn't know why, but I began trembling with fear.

The man who had approached me let out a snort, wiped his nose with a hand. "Huh," he didn't look like he wanted to back down.

"Jack," one of the bald men said to him. "Don't."

My heartbeat rose when I saw the look on the other guys' faces. They looked...

Terrified.

Did they feel it too? That sense of darkness? Or was it because the sun had already gone down?

Oh God, no.

The sun had already gone down.

"Leave him, Jack," the guys were already backing away. One of them got on his bike, and rode off quickly, as if afraid.

Jack looked from me to the stranger, then back to me again. "Humph," he grunted, and turned his back to us, striding hurriedly to his vehicle.

I was so scared I didn't know what to think. I just wanted to go home, get into my house and lock the door.

I wanted to get away from whatever that lurked in the night.

You don't want to be next...

That lady's voice. Replaying in my head, again and again.

"Are you okay?" the good-looking stranger held out a hand. I stood up without his help, and hugged myself tight to keep warm.

"I'm...fine," I stuttered. "Thank...you."

"Not a problem. Those idiots will pay for what they'd done to you."

I didn't say a word. I wanted to go home. Now.

"I'm sorry, I've got to go," I said, and without a word, I took off, running as fast as I could.

"Wait!" the man called after me. But I ignored him.

Home.

That was the only place I could be safe.

Or so I thought.