Dark Flutters: Stories for a Moonless Night

Late Again

Late Again

Robin stared out of the windshield at the bush in front of her car. It shook violently, dropping leaves around it. Her hand rested hesitantly on the door handle. Did she really want to walk past that?

She looked around at the other bushes. They remained still in the bright morning light. There was absolutely no reason for this shrub to be moving like that.

She shook her head. It didn’t matter. She had to be in to work on time. There was no way she could afford to be late again.

She opened the car door and placed a foot on the asphalt below her. The bush suddenly froze. A single leaf fluttered to the ground as she watched in amazement. The shrub was still as she continued to stare.

After a few seconds, she let out a slight laugh. She was being silly. There was nothing to fear from a bush. Especially not from one in the store parking lot with the sun shining so brightly down upon it.

She shifted and placed both feet squarely on the ground. A shrub wasn’t going to get her fired from work.

The green hedge shook again, drawing Robin’s eye immediately to it. She shivered as a gap started to form in the middle. A black void seem to stare out at her. Nothing that dark and dense should be in the center of a shrub.

Suddenly, her soul went cold. Red eyes had formed in the center of the darkness. Their gaze locked on hers, drowning her in absolute terror. She wanted to move, but all she could do was stare at the eyes in the bush.

The plant shifted again and something began to emerge. It slid from the darkness like a newborn entering this world. It tumbled to the ground in a pile of bright white flesh.

The entrance of the creature shook Robin out of her shock. She quickly yanked her feet off the ground and slid back into the car, slamming the door behind her. She stared out the windshield as the pile of flesh began to stand.

The marble-white creature flexed its legs and arms as if restarting the circulation in them, before looking around it. Its red eyes seemed to squint in the sunlight as it searched for something.

Robin froze, afraid to even breathe. The humanoid creature standing before her car was too terrifying to comprehend. How could this be possible? Things like this just don’t exist.

The creature shifted slightly as it seemed to taste the air. The sun glinted off its skin at its movement, sending blinding light into the car.

Robin flinched as she tried to quickly shield her eyes.

The movement caught the creature’s attention. It turned its head and stared deep into her eyes.

A squeak escaped her parted lips as she pressed herself back into the driver’s seat. Her movement had caused the creature to decide. It wanted her and she knew nothing would stop it now.

The creature moved forward, never taking its eyes from hers. Its lips turned up slowly in a predatory smile.

An icy shiver flooded her body. That was the smile only offered to the damned and she knew it. She fumbled with her purse, searching for the keys she had just tossed in. She had to get out of here. It was her only hope.

The creature leapt forward, landing on the hood of her car. Its child-like body moved quickly as it scampered towards the windshield.

Robin yelped as she dug deeper into her purse. Why couldn’t she find her damn keys?

The creature squatted in front of the windshield, his nose inches from the glass as his eyes roamed over Robin, studying her intently. Suddenly a tongue lashed out between jagged teeth. It licked the glass hungrily as if in anticipation of the meal to come.

She shrieked in terror, dumping her purse onto the passenger seat. Its contents scattered everywhere as she dug frantically for her keys.

The creature pulled back from the window as its smile widened even more. The humanoid straightened up slightly, before quickly leaping to the roof of the car. It tapped its fingers against the metal, teasingly.

Robin glanced up, wondering what it would do next. Suddenly the metal split open as if it was made of nothing more than paper. She screamed as she saw long white claws descend towards her, followed by red piecing eyes.

The creature’s eyes held a murderous tint as they locked onto its prey. Saliva dripped from it jaws as it lowered itself down.

She watched as the inevitable moved towards her. Well, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about being late to work now.