stood poised to take on this thing that snarled before them.
Henry, or whatever he was, was drooling from the mouth. Long stringy spit ran down the sides of his chin. His eyes were black holes that only showed danger. He took sharp rhythmic breaths through his nostrils and ground his fangs together. He began to speak and the voice he projected was much different from the weak and weary voice of the original Henry.
“What did I tell you about killing them? YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” Henry, the man creature growled.
Bobby began to cry again. Alley began to scream. Cheryl was about to faint, and Steve didn’t take time to think. He lunged forward and shoved the old man with all his might. It was like shoving a brick wall. The old man laughed in his face, sending some gooey slobber on his cheek. Steve retreated and wiped the spit off. He had to think fast. Apparently the old man had conjured up some super human strength. The girls and Bobby were no help. They were too wrapped up in their own terror and grief, and Steve couldn’t blame them, but someone had to stand up and fight, and he was the man of the family after all. Steve spun around his family to the table of goodies that was set up to battle freaks such as the one that stood before them. He knew that he was leaving his family vulnerable for a second, so he grabbed the first thing he saw. Remembering the way the old man had reacted when he first entered the basement, he grabbed one of the makeshift crosses and jumped in front of his family just in time. Henry, batman, whatever he was, was advancing on them.
At the sight of the cross, Henry recoiled as if acid had been thrown in his face. He spun in a circle and hissed. Steve couldn’t believe it, but it was working.Whenever he thrust the cross forward, Henry backed up and buried his face in his elbow. It really was like something out of a movie, only it was all too real and he wished he didn’t have to be the lead actor. Waving the cross back and forth like a banner, Steve forced Henry back in fright all the way to the steps until he fell on his butt. Steve handed the cross to Cheryl and told her to keep it pointed at him. He removed the can of lighter fluid he had stashed in his pants and dug in his pockets for a book of matches. He snapped the little red tab off the top of the tin can and squirted a good amount on the cowering Henry. Throwing the can of lighter fluid to the side, Steve struck a match and threw it on top of the old man.
Henry shrieked as flames came to life and danced across his entire body. He shot to his feet and fled up the steps in a ball of flame. He crashed out of the basement door and ran out of the house. Surprisingly, Steve heard his car start up outside, but he had no time to check his progress at the window. His little friends were flying down the steps in a swarm.
Steve dashed toward the table once more. He pushed Cheryl and the kids to the ground and covered them with a moldy, dust-caked sheet that happened to be heaped in the corner. He scooped up one of the crosses and turned. The bats were flying in circles, seeming to taunt him, searching for a way to get at him.
Without looking, Steve reached behind himself and pulled out a handful of the tiny crucifix charms. He chucked them into the air and they scattered like bullets, burning holes into the bats that they touched. The bats that had been struck by the charms fell out of the air and went up in tiny flames as soon as they hit the ground.
Holding the cross between his forearm and chest, Steve picked up a road flare and made it come to life with a Bic lighter. The cluster of bats instantly retreated at the sight of the red glowing flame. He quickly used one flare to light another and threw it at the ground toward Cheryl and the children. They came out from under the sheet and picked up the glowing flares.
Steve, Alley, And Cheryl stood in a line holding the flares in front of them. They each held a cross as well, except for Cheryl; she was too busy holding Bobby. The bats must of recognized defeat, because one by one, they flew back upstairs. Once again, they were alone in the dingy basement.
19
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Steve looked over his family to see if they’d been harmed in any way. In the middle of the chaos, it was hard to tell if any of the bats had snuck past him, and the flapping of their wings would have made it impossible to hear any screams of pain. As far as he could tell, they were in no physical harm, but from the looks on their faces, they were emotionally scarred.
“What the hell just happened?” Cheryl gasped.
“I don’t know, but I think we just woke up into a real life nightmare.” Steve said. “I keep hoping that I’ll wake up, but this is no dream.”
“I’m scared daddy!” Alley grabbed his arm and squeezed.
“I know honey…”
“Listen!” Cheryl said.
The house was now silent. In fact, it was so quiet they could hear the wind outside and the water dripping again. Steve went to the window and peeked out. All was still. There was no sign of any bats, just the moon glowing off the open desert land.
“It’s time to go.” Steve said. “Just in case, stuff some of these in your pockets.” He ripped open small boxes of garlic cloves and passed them out.
In a single file line with Steve leading the way, they crept up the stairs. Old man Henry had left the basement door wide open and with the light from the living room, they could see that everything looked normal again.
They reached the top floor and Steve poked his head out. All was clear. They entered the living room and looked around at the mess the army of bats had left behind. Lamps were knocked over, bags of cereal were ripped open, bat dropping were scattered all over the furniture and floor. All the windows in the house had been shattered. Steve didn’t mind the mess because he had no intention of sticking around to clean it up. He finally gave up on the idea of his dream home.
“I wonder why they left.” Cheryl said.
“I don’t know, but we’re not sticking around to find out. Everbody get to the car before they decide to return.” Steve snatched the car keys from a hook beside the fridge and urged his family out the front door.
As they rushed to the car, Steve tried to look in every direction at once. Taking in the surroundings of this eerie night, he wondered what had ever made him think this was a place of beauty. Now it seemed like a pit with a twist of evil. He wanted to get out as fast as possible and never look back.
Steve and Cheryl helped the kids into the back seat, and then hopped in front with Steve at the wheel. He fired it up and was about to put it in reverse, when a strange sight distracted him. Parades of headlights were traveling down the county road heading toward them. He wanted to believe they were coming to help, but after seeing the transformation of Henry, instincts told him that they had other things in mind.
Slamming the car into drive, Steve pounded on the gas hard enough to send his foot through the floor. The tires squealed and spit gravel. They flew down the driveway with intentions of heading the opposite direction of town, but the leading cars of the pack skidded past the driveway and formed a block in the road. Their only option was to turn right toward the oncoming cars. As soon as he took the turn, cars swerved at them, trying to force them into the ditch. Before he knew it, he had passed all the vehicles like a possessed criminal in a hot police pursuit.
Back on the road, he looked in the rearview to see that some cars had turned around and were gaining on them. Cheryl was lightly crying, but at the same time, telling the kids not to. Bobby and Alley held each other in a death grip.
“Go faster. Go faster. They’re catching up.” Cheryl screamed.
“I’m going as fast as I can.” Steve said.
They reached town and sped down Main Street. It seemed like the same ghost town they had witnessed when they first arrived, that is, until they came to the intersection that would lead them to the highway.
20
Steve had to slam on the brakes. A crowd was gathered on Main Street like a festival was taking place. Steve didn’t understand how this many people could be huddled together in this tiny town. In their few days here they had only come in contact with very l
ittle townfolk. It seemed as if they had just crawled out of the woodwork.
With their headlight beams shining on a section of the gathering, they studied the faces and realized there might be no hope in Hope. The hungry black eyes stared back at them exposing razor sharp fangs that dripped with saliva. Their skin was rippling and melting like they were standing in the middle of a huge bonfire. The sight before them was unreal.
Cheryl began to have a meltdown in the passenger seat. “This isn’t happening. It’s a dream, that’s all. Just a dream.”
Steve grabbed her shoulder and squeezed hard, “It’s not a dream. This is real. Keep your head! Just keep your head!”
While Steve tried to tell his wife to keep her wits, he was having trouble keeping his own. The scene before him was like something you’d read in a good book, not reality. As if to confirm this, a big ugly beast stepped in front of the crowd. His flannel shirt was ripped and torn at the biceps like he grew out of them in an instant. If he was green, he would have been the perfect example of a real life version of the incredible hulk.
The hulk man sneered at them while clapping a baseball bat into his right hand. The crowd cheered him on from behind. The vampire beast took lumbering steps toward the vehicle. The closer he got the uglier and more deranged he became.
“Go! What are you doing? Go!” Cheryl screamed.
Steve hammered on the gas and plowed into the beast. The hulk slammed into the windshield with powerful force, but was somehow able to lift his head and smirk a bloody smile. He punched at the cracked windsheild trying to get in. Steve jerked the car in reverse and sped backwards. The hulk hung on with ease. He spun the wheel left and right, trying to shake the beast, but his efforts were in vain. The rear end collided with a telephone pole. The beast continued to pound at the windshield, and now came more trouble.
A swarm of bats were back.
They circled the car, blocking out any visual of the streets or buildings surrounding them. They pelted the sides of the vehicle as if they were blind. With fear that they might somehow sneak through the air vents, Steve snapped them shut. The hulk was laughing, the bats were squeaking, the kids were crying, and Cheryl was screaming in his ear. He was on the verge of a mental breakdown. They were doomed.
Remembering the garlic cloves they had shoved in their pockets, Steve pulled his out and crushed it on the dashboard. He took the slivers and began to rub them all over his body. Feeling stupid, because once again, this was corny movie stuff, he urged his family to do the same. Alley helped Bobby even though she had to fight him a little. He wrinkled his nose at the potent smell and tried pushing her away. The way Steve looked at it, if the crosses worked, why not the garlic?
The beast had only one punch and he would break through. Steve tried the ignition. It sputtered but wouldn’t turn over. He tried again. It kicked over at the same time that the windshield caved in. The hulk wrapped his big hairy hand around Steve’s wrist and attempted to pull him out, but then it began to sniffle and go into a sneezing fit. The beast let go. He was hunched over the hood bellering out loud cha-choo’s. This wasn’t a situation to say God bless you. Steve put the car in drive, only to have it stall. The bats swarmed the car but were reluctant to enter. The garlic must be working. They considered if they could get out and make a run for it? Their instincts told them they would never make it. The garlic smell would eventually wear off. Even though they were currently prevented from being eaten alive, they couldn’t just sit and wait either. What could they do?
20
Steve attempted to start the car a few more times to no avail. He slammed his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. The bats were getting braver, swooping closer and closer. When they cleared for a moment, Steve could see they were parked next to a church. It was a crazy idea, but he was on to something.
“Look! There’s a church. Maybe we’ll be safe there?”
“Are you crazy? They’ll eat us alive.” Cheryl argued.
“Hey, if the crosses and garlic worked, why not the church?” Steve said.
Cheryl looked through the rain of bats and considered the option. The building did look newer and undamaged compared to the rest of the block. Maybe it was the one place they could be safe. It was worth a shot because the bats and street full of freaks wouldn’t hold off forever.
“Okay, let’s do it!” Cheryl said.
They told the kids to climb over the seat and they held them in their laps. They looked at each other for a long while and took a deep breath. With a quick kiss, they kicked open their doors and stepped out into the madness.
Steve held Alley, even though she was getting way to big to be carried, and sprinted around the front of the car. Bats flew so close to them, Steve could feel them nicking his ears. Cheryl and Bobby were already fighting their way up the church steps. So far, So good. He had not felt one bite, but he noticed Cheryl had stopped. He came up behind her and realized why? The hulk and a few of his friends were blocking the door.
He stepped in front of his wife and set his clinging daughter down. He stared into the dark eyes of the monster that smashed his windshield. The other townfolk stood behind the hulk hissing and showing their menacing fangs. Steve had been so frightened all night that he was becoming used to it. There was no backing down now. He lunged forward and shoved the beast. The hulk stepped back, more from being touched by Steve’s awful smelling hands than the actual force, and collided into the church door. The monsters back instantly went up in flames. The freak went running and screaming in pain. His friends followed.
Quickly, Steve flung the church door open and the Starks family rushed inside. It was like stepping into another universe. A dimly lit aisle with pews on each side was laid out before them. It was quiet. They could still hear the fluttering chaos outside, but it was very faint. It smelled sweetly of vanilla candles. Large crucifix’s hung on every wall and every piece of wood seemed polished to perfection. They walked slowly down the red carpeted aisle toward the front of the church. A small table sat propped on a tiny stage and arrays of different sized candles were flickering on top. Someone had to light them, which meant that someone was in here. This meant they had another worry. Could it be one of the crazies?
21
They continued forward looking in all directions. The shadows in the room would make an easy hiding spot for a predator. Steve held his family close and moved them to the front of the church. They stood next to the table of candles and scanned the room. It seemed they were the only occupants, but then a voice nearly made them jump out of their shoes.
“Welcome.”
The man that stepped from the side of the stage did not ease their panic. He wore a long black robe with gold trim and bulky rosary beads hung around his neck. His grayish hair was tied into a ponytail with a long beard to match. His eyes were tiny slits and a sly grin appeared on his face.
“I see you have become well aquainted with our neighbors.” The man continued forward with his arms folded in front of him. “They’re quite a rowdy bunch aren’t they?”
Steve hugged his family close and did not appreciate his humor. This was no time to be cracking jokes. They were lucky they were all alive and in one piece. None of them had so much as a scratch, except for the bite that Steve had on his hand, but that was already healing.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Walter Doomly or Father Doomley to those who know me.” The man took one step and stood before them. He reached his arm out for a handshake.
Steve hesitated too long and Walter let his hand fall back to his side. He cleared his throat and started to move away from them, speaking to the empty pews. “I suppose you’re wondering what in the world is going on? You might even wonder if I’m one of them. Well…I assure you I’m not. I’m here trying to cure all this evil, but it turns out, it’s grown too big for me to fix.”
Walter turned to the Starks family and invited them to sit in the front pew.
He informed them that they were safe inside the church and they had a lot to talk about, and if they were smart they would stay until the sun came up. So he insisted they might as well sit and hear him out.
He stood before them like he was giving a sermon and asked, “First… Did any of you get bit?”
They shook their heads. Steve shook his head and got a strange look from Cheryl, but she remained silent as well. He didn’t want to admit he’d been bit because of the way the preacher said it. It sounded like he’d be thrown out of the church and fed to the creatures if he admitted he did. The preacher, Walter, seemed satisfied with their answer.
“I’d have to say you’re pretty lucky.” Walter said.
“We smeared garlic all over us.” Steve said.
“That was smart thinking, but I already knew by the smell. Where did you get that idea?”
“We found a bunch of strange anti-vampire stuff in our basement. It was like something out of a Lost Boys movie.”
“It sounds like you have been staying at the old Stevens place?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Why?”
“Well, Charlie Stevens was a mystery in these parts. He disappeared twenty or so years ago, and no one really knows what happened to him. The police never cracked the case and the townfolk used to be real scared that there was some lunatic on the loose, but now, I believe every single one of them is a lunatic.” Walter paused and asked if they’d like a drink?
Everyone agreed that a glass of water would be great. Walter disappeared for a moment and returned with four mugs sitting on top of a collection plate. He would look like a fancy waiter if not for the preacher garb he was wearing.
“Is anyone normal in this godforsaken town?” Cheryl blurted.
Walter chuckled, “I’m afraid they’re far and few these days ma’am.”
Steve reached across the kids and rubbed her knee. She gave a half-hearted smile and looked to the stained-glass windows to make sure none of the creatures outside were going to make an attempt to break in.
Walter noticed Cheryl’s unease, “They won’t step foot in here my lady. It would instantly kill them. This is the place of the holy. They
Fast Fears #1: Bats in the Attic Page 6