by John Grover
***
“Did you find it yet?” Mat said into the phone, lowering his tone as he crept around his upstairs bedroom. His family was entertained by the television downstairs, except for Sharon’s father, Mat could hear him talking to himself in the bedroom next door. The old man was losing his mind along with his mobility.
“No,” Gerald’s voice came through the phone. “Haven’t you heard? It’s made two others. This is only the beginning.”
“I know,” Mat’s voice was soft.
“The meeting is starting soon. We could use every able body.”
“I can’t, I can’t expose my family to this. I can’t even deal with this myself yet. How could I ever—”
“Mat, you need to face this. Ignoring it is dangerous. If we don’t stop them there will be more and more until they wipe us out. They need to be contained.”
“Gerald I’m sorry. I’m just not ready...I’ll be in touch.” He hung up the phone and listened to the rumblings of Sharon’s father in the other room.
Darkness bled into the house as Mat walked into his son’s bedroom across the hall from his own. Parting the curtains, Mat peered into the backyard. This time they were plain to see. Three figures hovered on the outer edge of the woods. They were cloaked in darkness but easy to see, Mat felt them staring at him.
In a fluster he locked the window and pulled the shade. Beads of sweat ran down his face, cold. He repeated his actions in his daughter’s room, locking her window and shutting the shade.
In a panic he flew into the hall and started down the stairs, almost stumbling down them. Behind him in the hall he heard Sharon’s father tapping and mumbling: “They’re out there...they’re right out there.”
He composed himself before entering the family room where a chorus of laughter rang out. He walked casually to the front door and made sure it was bolted. It was, thank God. What if they looked out back, what if they saw? There was no real reason for them to go out there now, the woods were too far any way. But he could see them, if he could then any one could. And the things would only get closer.
He made his way past his family, Sharon eyed him curiously, the kids paid no attention. He lifted the kitchen window shade, which he insisted remain closed all day, and trembled.
They were closer now. Their outlines were distinctly cast in the moonlight that rose behind the clouds. He saw them gliding closer and closer, three of them, one missing its leg.
“They sense us, they sense the life in the house,” he said to himself. “They’ll try to get in and kill us...Jesus Christ in Heaven, what do I do. Sharon,” he murmured, his skin crawling as they drew closer.
Mat’s stomach turned and his head began to spin like it had when he was at the funeral home, when he first saw that thing. His sweatshirt was soaked. Panic filled him again, his legs buckled. He searched about the room, trying to think of something he could use to protect his family. Gerald popped into his head. Leaving the kitchen, he headed for the stairs again.
“Honey, is everything ok? Sharon asked from the family room. “Won’t you come and watch some TV with us?”
“Not right now, Um...there’s something I need to take care of.”
“Ok then, be a doll and check on Dad while you’re up there?”
“Sure,” he answered, but had no real intention of doing it.
Instead he flew into his room with a fluster, his heart in his throat, his blood boiling. Snatching up the phone he dialed rapidly. “Goddammit, pick up. What was that?” Did something howl outside? Had his family heard it too?
“Hello...” the gruff voice of Gerald came through the phone.
“They’re here,” Mat squealed. “In my backyard. All three of them. What the fuck do I do?”
“Jesus Christ, lock all the doors and windows.”
“Get over here quick, you can get the three of them right now.” Desperation filtered through Mat’s voice, the phone trembled in his hands.
“For God sake’s Mat, get something sharp and get ready to help us take the heads.”
“I can’t I just can’t my family—“
“You won’t have a family left if you don’t get some balls,” Gerald quipped as the line went all static then dead...
“Gerald! Gerald!” Mat stood there, the phone cradled in his hands, the feeling of being watched shimmering over his body. His head began to spin again.