There was an energy to the street that came from the cold and the moon, that sort of electric vibrance that animated everything. The buildings seemed to loom high above the street lights until they were impossibly high and looking down on them. The houses they passed had dim lights in their windows and looked like jack-o-lanterns, their malformed and disfigured scowls glaring out at them.
Tommy pulled his shirt closer around him.
After a moment of silent walking he realized that it was up to him to initiate a conversation, because his near-mute partner never would. “Lookin’ forward to the party?”
Sud nodded.
“Yea,” he smirked. “I can’t wait. It’s gonna be a hell of a time. Julie told me she’s gonna show, and Greer and Liz should too. Those girls...” He paused, throwing a smile at his compatriot. “Know how to party, if you catch my drift.”
Again Sud nodded, this time adding a sly smile.
Then Tommy stopped.
Sud stopped too, more so to copy Tommy then for any other reason.
“You hear something?” Tommy said, swallowing hard.
“No. Why, did you?” Sud asked, his eyes starting to wander from side to side.
“Shh. Listen.”
They did. And for a moment, there was nothing. Then it came.
-click-
Metal. The unmistakable sound of metal on metal sliced through the foggy air. They waited still.
-click-
Again, louder now, followed by a quick scuff like a boot or sneaker against the gravel. Sud and Tommy glanced at each other briefly, then broke into a run.
They crossed the street at the next intersection, ignoring the ‘Don’t walk’ sign, then turned and ran up the next avenue toward Tommy’s house. They could hear the metal scrape getting louder behind them. Louder and faster. Whoever was following them was also picking up speed. Then Sud tripped, falling onto the sidewalk and scraping his knee.
“Fuck!” he yelped.
“Clumsy bastard!” Tommy yelled, stopping to help him up.
They looked back and he was there. A large, dark man looming over them, raising a long, curved blade. They both closed their eyes and prayed to god, waiting for the inevitable to happen... but it didn’t. They opened their eyes and there was nobody there.
“Boys? You okay?” came a voice from behind them.
They both turned simultaneously to see Tim White standing by his patrol car about ten feet behind them.
They ran to him despite how their legs begging for them to stop, so fast that they slammed into the side of the car.
Tommy laid his head against the metal roof, sweat dripping from his nose and chin as he tried desperately to catch his breath in worn, wet gasps.
Sud fumbled with the door handle of the cruiser.
“Hey!” Tim protested.
“You gotta help us man, you gotta get us out of here!” Tommy cried, near literal tears.
Sud got in the car and just laid his head back on the cushion, trying hard to catch his breath. Tommy shoved him to one side and followed him in.
“Easy boys. It’s okay now. You’re safe,” Tim said, trying to calm the boys. He turned around and looked at them, shaking his head.
Almost lost another two.
He turned the keys to start the engine. It started for a moment, then revved and went dead.
The boys looked at each other in the backseat. White looked up and down the street to make sure nobody was coming, then turned back to the boys with fire in his eyes.
“Get out,” he told them flatly.
They looked at him oddly, then got out.
“Run. To the Factory. It shouldn’t take us too long.”
They obeyed and broke into a slow jog, trying to conserve their energy. But as they turned the first corner, Sud and Tommy both buckled over in pain.
“What?” Tim exclaimed, stopping to help them up. “What’s wrong?”
“My... side,” Tommy replied, clutching his right side and clenching his teeth.
“The appendix,” Tim whispered, realizing something else all of the victims had in common. Even as the thought crossed his mind, he nearly fell over in pain himself, Sud catching him.
Tim glanced around nervously. “We’ve got to keep moving.”
They began moving slowly through the streets on their way to the Factory. They crossed the next corner and it was in their sights, but the pain grew with each and every step. Sud had to ward off vomiting each time the heel of his shoe scratched against the cold pavement. Then, from behind them, came the sound that they had all knew was coming yet dreaded the arrival of.
-clink-
Metal, dragging against stone walkways. Then again: -clink-. Much sharper this time than the last. When the sound happened again, Tim noticed that the gap was narrower then the first. Whoever he is, he’s running.
They were on the home stretch now, running up the Factory’s long driveway. They reached the door and began to thump on it loudly, trying to draw the attention of those inside.
“It’s no use,” Tommy sighed, motioning toward the driveway. “There’s no cars. They’ve left.”
“Damn,” Tim muttered to himself. For a moment, all was quiet.
-clink-
They all glanced up in the direction that the sound had been coming from. Sud started banging on the door once more, followed by the others, this time in an effort to break it down. After a few moments, Tim motioned for the boys to stand back and gave the door a hard kick, knocking it off its hinges.
They entered. The lights were out, but the multiple arcade game screens created an eerie glow as their shadows flickered and danced on the wall. Tim
