Something Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter 10

All of this because I wanted some M&M's, Jamie thought, firing another arrow into the gaping maw of an oncoming beast. Never go to Wal-Mart unprepared.

Unlike the last set of shadow monsters that had attacked them in Ohio, all of these guys were far less humanoid. They vaguely resembled wolves, if you tilted your head and squinted.

"Hey!" Aanya called, dodging right as one of the monsters came barreling towards her, Toothache stuck in its back. Steve was chasing after it, a nasty cut on his face. "Jamie, give us some cover!"

Jamie fired another arrow into what he suspected would be the heart of another monster. He slung his bow over his shoulder, holding his hands out. His fingers started tingling as frost gathered on his hands. The wind picked up and drifts of snow began swirling in the air. Frost covered the ground and he nearly laughed when one of the beasties slipped on the gathering ice.

Aanya moved in front of him, ever unbothered by the cold. "Don't laugh, you'll break your concentration."

"My concentration is fine, thank you very much!" He retorted. "How are you even sure this will slow them down?"

"I'm not," she said. "But we've got to try something."

"See, this is why I don't let you make the plans." He grumbled. Frost crawled up his arms as he pushed to make the storm bigger. The wind stung his face, but the coldness didn't seep in. He could feel it licking at his skin, but it wasn't bothering him. It never did.

"Alright Elsa!" Toby called obnoxiously from somewhere behind a wall of spiraling snow.

"Don't be a dick!" Jamie called back.

"Concentrate!" Aanya demanded.

Rolling his eyes, Jamie focused on making the storm even bigger. The snowflakes thickened, rushing around them. Frost collecting on the ground quickly turned into ice. He caught a glimpse of one of the shadow beasts slowing down, then freezing altogether.

"Fuck yeah!" Steve hooted from somewhere nearby.

"Are you shielding them?" Aanya asked, remarkably relaxed for someone standing in the middle of a blizzard while wearing a tank top.

"Yup."

"Concentrate."

"If you tell me to concentrate one more time—"

"Duck!" Olivia shrieked, appearing from nowhere.

Jamie did, dropping to one knee. A body dropped next to him, a golden arrow sticking out of its neck. He looked up at Olivia, frowning as her bow turned back into a violin. "Stop stealing my thing!"

"Archery isn't your thing." She retorted.

***

Jim was remarkably impressed by Jamie's control. Clearly he'd been practicing. That was also evident by Aanya repeatedly telling him to concentrate. He definitely wouldn't want her as a coach.

"Hey, Jim pull your goddamn head out of your ass and help me!" Carter yelled at him, still attached to the giant's back.

Jim rolled his shoulder and sprinted towards the monster. He latched onto its shoulder and climbed onto its back, grabbing a fistful of coarse fur. He grunted, trying to hold on as the monster screeched and thrashed about, trying to throw them off.

"Nice of you to join the party," Carter teased despite the bucking. His metal hand was dug into the beast's back, coated in blood.

Jim tried to shove down the shudder of disgust. Carter was probably just trying to get a better hold. "I couldn't let you have all the fun."