Ancient Awakening (The Ancient)
Page 32
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A black clawed hand burst through the driver’s-side window, showering Carl and Ann with glass. It went right for Carl’s chest, cutting huge gashes in his flesh. The young officer screamed but held on to the wheel. He was weaving madly, trying to shake the monster off the car. Ann dove for the demon’s arm, trying to pull it off Carl. She noticed that they were slowing down but couldn’t worry about that. The demon had too good of a grip on Carl’s chest. To his credit, he kept on driving, screaming wildly in pain and fear.
Suddenly, Ann noticed a motorcycle pulling alongside of them, the rider wearing torn jeans and a black vest. Mike?
It was Mike Samson, playing hero. He had a shotgun and was pointing it toward where the demon’s head should have been. The gun went off and two things happened. Mike’s motorcycle hit the side of the car, launching him forward, and the demon was blown off the top of the car. Ann grabbed the wheel to stop the car from hitting Mike. Carl slammed on the brakes and Ann was thrown forward against the dashboard. The car slid to a stop, maybe fifty yards beyond the still body of Mike Samson and the twitching, screaming demon.
It took a few seconds for the earth to stop spinning. Then she heard a familiar voice.
“Ann!” It was Miller. “Ann, you have to get away. Let me out, I can slow it down.” Ann sat up, now in Carl’s lap.
“You ok?” she asked the officer. But he was about as far from “okay” as he could be. Empty eyes stared back. Carl was dead. His chest was crushed and blood poured out of his mouth. For a moment, she stared at the latest innocent person who had died helping her.
“Ann. Please, for God’s sake, woman. Help me out.”
Her response started low but rose as rage overtook her. “No. No one else dies today. Except for that thing!” She pointed at the demon, still howling in pain and holding its face with its two clawed hands. It was a very human-looking pose. “I’m sorry about this, officer.” Ann unsnapped Carl’s seat belt, popped the door open and pushed the lifeless body out. “Miller, hold on to something!” She snapped the seat belt back on herself and gave the car some gas. She drove about 100 yards forward, braked hard, and made a quick three-point turn. She was now facing the demon again, who seemed to be coming to its senses. It noticed Mike’s body on the ground in front of it and slithered over, lifting him up into the air. Ann wasn’t sure if Mike was alive or dead, but there was no way that thing was getting him.
“Hands off!” She slammed the gas pedal down and the car was off.
“Ann, don’t!” Miller made one last protest.
The demon didn’t seem to notice as Ann approached. A large tentacle-like tongue slowly emerged from its jaw, wrapping itself around Mike’s neck. Ann alternated between watching the speedometer and lining up her weapon. Ann, Demon Slayer. It had a nice ring to it. The car hit forty-five miles per hour before the demon noticed it. Its tongue went slack and its remaining eye turned on Ann. Its jaw loosened a little in surprise, and then the car hit it dead on.
The demon’s snake body collapsed around the car’s mass of metal. The head of the beast slammed down on the hood of the car, and a second later seemed to be sucked under it. The back end of the car launched into the air and it flipped over, landing on its roof and skidding forward several feet. Ann braced her hands on the ceiling.
In a moment, all was silent. Hanging upside down in the car, Ann slowly looked around.
“Ouch,” Miller’s voice came from the back seat, “This has not been an enjoyable day.”
Ann laughed. “I hope that hurt, you son of a bitch!” She howled a victory cry.
“Yes,” a new voice said, “Yes, quite a bit, actually.” It was low and hard to make out but Ann knew it was Keith’s. The demon ripped the door off the hinges and grabbed her with both hands.
Ann managed to scream just once before she was pulled out of the car.
Chapter 18 - Fallen Down
Immaculate Crucifixion – Juno Reactor – Gods & Monsters