Page 16 of Tenebrous

“Get in.”

Ducking awkwardly, I curse at the bite of the cuffs against my wrist. Paula’s frantic voice carries through the window, even after the door slams shut.

“Earl, listen to me, you can't do this.”

“He broke into the house.”

“I invited him in, goddammit!”

“You're not in your right mind!”

The argument melts together after that, shouts growing louder beneath the night sky. I lean my head back against the seat and groan, squeezing my eyes shut. This is absolutely fantastic. Just the fresh start I needed. Not even a week into living somewhere new, and I already put myself into the exact same situation that caused my parents to die. My older brother was right: Everything I touch turns to fucking ash.

Outside, the woods seem to grow darker beyond the edge of the yard, catching in my peripheral vision when I open my eyes again. Turning to look out of habit, my lungs lurch into my throat.

Something colossal stands among the trees, tall enough that its head nearly reaches some of the top branches. Broad shoulders shift, arms as long as I am tall hanging unnaturally still at its sides. The porch light catches in its eyes, and two pale reflections stare straight at me through the truck window.

Dennis’s drawing.

Every muscle in my body locks tight. “No fucking way,” I rasp, frozen in fear.

When the thing slowly tilts its head menacingly toward the fighting couple, a cold wave of terror crashes over me so hard my heart tries to leap out of my chest.

“Sheriff,” I shout, eyes never leaving the tree line. “Sheriff! Hey!”

Earl glances toward the truck irritably while Paula wipes at her eyes. “Shut up, I'll deal with you in a second.”

“There’s something out there, man. Look.”

He follows my gaze, expression hardening. “Get in the house, Paula.”

The color drains from his wife's face as she turns toward the woods. “Oh my God.”

The… creature doesn’t move or blink. It just stands there, waiting. Earl slowly opens the driver’s side door to pull out his rifle. “Don’t move,” he snarls at me without looking.

“Wasn’t fucking planning on it.”

When he raises the gun slowly, finger on the trigger, whatever's out there seems to grow still. “Take the deer and go. Leave us be.”

Seconds stretch on, seemingly forever, as blood rushes in my ears. Even Paula seems glued to her spot, a trembling hand covering her mouth.

Finally, the thing takes one slow step backward into the trees with abnormally long legs. Then another, and another, until darkness swallows it whole.

Earl keeps the rifle trained in its direction for several more moments before lowering it. Then, after shouting at his wife to get inside now, he climbs into the cruiser and slams the door shut.

I stare at him through the divider, heart still hammering when the engine roars to life. “What the fuck was that thing?”

Earl grips the steering wheel hard enough his knuckles pale, but says nothing as he backs out onto the road.

“Sheriff? Hello?”

“Bear,” he grunts, whipping the car around.

“A bear?”

“That’s right.”

“Bullshit.”