Story Excerpt

Monster, by Jezebel Rose

 

Erica was running as fast as she could. The streets were empty besides her friend beside her. Just graduated high school with a perfect 4.0 grade score and winning the Miss Young USA award had Erica’s future setup, at least until she decided to stay late at a friend’s house flirting with the football team.

Wanting to lose her virginity like all her friends, Erica struggled with social skills, leaving her 18 and still the V-card. Tonight was supposed to be the night she was going to lose her virginity to Handson – the captain of the football team.

Unfortunately, things did not work out quite so well when the tornado siren went off. Erica’s friends ran to the high school basement, but Erica decided to run home to her house being so close.

Wind whipped against Erica’s face as she ran down the street. Her bare feet were sore. After kicking them off nearly an hour ago to run faster had her wishing she had left her flip-flops on. Her legs were exhausted and screaming with pain as she pushed herself to the limit.

Glancing behind her, Erica saw the beast chasing after her. “Fuck,” she said to herself, pouring sweat down her back. While looking behind, Erica missed the turn to her street. She was terrified beyond imagination.

The creature was low to the ground and running fast on all fours. Erica saw the thick muscles that rippled the beast and the large eyes. Scared shitless, she suddenly noticed she had passed the turn to her house. She knew what was ahead and it wasn’t good.

Erica saw the entrance to the community garden straight forward. There was a tall gated fence that surrounded the one-acre garden filled with a wide variety of plants including tall stalks of corn.

Pulling out her community key as she approached, Erica was able to unlock the door and slide inside just before the beast slammed into the door. Latching it closed, and then locking it, Erica stepped back, shaking in fear.

The beast was tearing at the metal gate with such fury. His long curled claws locked onto the door as his feet dug into the ground. Pulling with tremendous force, he began to bend the half inch steel fence door.

“Holy fucking shit,” Erica nearly screamed to herself as the fence shook. It was obvious it wouldn’t be long until the creature was in the garden with her. Erica felt her adrenaline shoot up as she glanced back at the beast just before she disappeared into the corn section of the field.

It was dark – very dark. The moon was behind a thick layer of clouds and in the garden, there was no additional light. Pitch black darkness surrounded Erica as she felt her way through the corn. There was another door on the other side of the field – she had to make it.

Despite the corn stalks smacking her in the face and tearing at her clothes with its jagged fall leaves, Erica tried to run as fast as she could.

Without a moment’s notice, the corn field stopped with a low fence. Erica’s foot caught on the metal. Going down face first onto the ground was the worst thing that could have happened.

Erica pulled on her foot, but it was caught on the fence. The more she pulled, the more it tangled and caught on her. She rolled and pulled at the wire, but by now her resistance was futile in the dark.

The sound of the beast barreling through the corn had Erica horrified as she pulled on her pants. She could hear every heavy step of the beast as it came closer and closer. “Jesus fuck,” Erica said to herself, tears streaming down her face. Not only was she entirely drained and exhausted, but bleeding and sore from the dry corn stalks. The fall was the feather on the donkey’s back.

Trying to push herself back up was more than she could do, but not for a lack of pushing herself to the limit. Every muscle hurt desperately – so much so that she laid there, giving in to her fate.

Erica closed her eyes, crying. She could hear the beast circling around her. The heavy feet were enough to give her a panic attack. Terrified beyond imagination, Erica saw the creature rear up in front of her. It raised its arms as the moon crept out from behind the clouds.

“Holy god,” Erica stuttered, barely able to comprehend the massive beast in front of her. “Please for the love all that is good and pure,” she tried to say, but it didn’t come out. It was only a stammer of tears and cries.

In the blink of an eye, the beast was gone.

Erica listened, but it was silent. There was no noise – none. It was dead quiet. Her heart beat fast enough to nearly give her a heart attack, or straight feint. Taking deep, shallow, quiet breaths, Erica looked around quickly for the creature.

It was gone. At least for the moment.

Erica’s hands went to work on the metal that had wrapped around her leg. Piece by piece it came off, but only quite slowly. Nearly thirty minutes later, Erica had felt the last part that was attached to her leg. Holding it tightly in her hand, she pulled the metal away from her leg, freeing herself.

Turning around and looking for a landmark, Erica tried to position herself to get out of the garden. There were only two doors.

Erica looked up at the moon and the north star. Thinking for a moment, she turned to the right and began to quietly creep out of the garden.

Erica took a deep breath of relief as she closed the door behind her.

Sounds. Noise.

Erica saw the tops of the corn come smashing down, closer and closer to her. The odd thing was, nearly the entire field was being trampled at once. Erica froze as if she were a deer in the headlights. Seeing her doom come rush through the fields had her muscles locked up and tight – she was having a full on panic attack.

Erica fell to the ground, shaking violently as the creatures stormed out of the field. There wasn’t just one. Erica’s eyes went from one to another, counting. It was the only thing her mind would let her do as she was frozen.

At least thirteen.

Even though she wanted to scream, Erica simply couldn’t. Her body was entirely paralyzed in fear as she watched the beasts climb over the fence. The first creature to the top lept toward her as several more began to climb, pulling the fence down with sheer weight.

Please purchase this story and support me as an author! Thank you! ~ Jezebel Rose

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