The Calling of Time

The Game Plan

“Sounds good. Come on, let’s find a back way out of this place.” Jai moved through the front hall and into the dining room, footsteps impressively quiet for someone so big. I followed him, moving past the hulking shapes of the furniture, trying to avoid the dusty sheets.  The floor creaked under my feet, making me wince. I was clumsier than Jai, in spite of being so much smaller than him. 

We moved into the kitchen. It was strange to see china laid out on the table. A pitcher of water, stood empty in the center. Lace placemats and white dishes were covered in layers of dust. As if the family here had been setting the table for dinner when the door burst inwards, spilling the darkness from outside into their home, dragging them into the night.

Jai didn’t spare a glance for the table, instead he went straight for a pair of French doors that led out onto the deck.

“Shouldn’t we check for food?” I drifted towards the cupboards, picturing boxes of twinkies and canned fruit, but Jai shook his head and said, “I checked already, before you came.”

He unlocked one of the doors and pulled it open, making me wince at the rusty creaking sound it made. The sharp smell of night air hit me, and I was suddenly grateful I wasn’t alone anymore. It was getting really dark now.

Jai stepped out onto the deck, moving cautiously, his footsteps soft, his head moved this way and that. Making sure it was clear. After a minute he seemed satisfied, waving me out onto the deck.

“Move fast. The truck isn’t locked.” His voice was low.

I obeyed wordlessly, mimicking his careful movements the best I could as I walked down the back stairs and onto the crunchy grass of the backyard. Sure enough, there was a truck parked on the road just behind the house. An old brown ford that looked like it would fall to pieces if you so much as looked at it. I shot Jai an incredulous look but he didn’t seem to notice.

Really, I couldn’t complain. It was a truck, as long as it moved I was happy.

Completely paranoid, I glanced up and down the street, heart stuttering when I caught sight of a blur of movement, a flicker in the shadows.

“Go,” Jai’s voice was sharp. “Get in the truck, hurry.”

I yanked on the rusted handle of the door, horrified when it wouldn’t budge. It was stuck. Jai was already in the truck now, and he shot me a puzzled look through the dusty window. Behind me the faint  sound of nails dragging over pavement sent goose bumps crawling up both arms. This time I yanked the handle so violently that it gave, and the door flew open, sending me stumbling backwards.

“Get in!” Jai was yelling at me.

I launched myself into the cab of the truck, jeans snagging on the ripped vinyl. The pole of the scythe wacked the top of the doorframe, making my hand sting, and the hour glass tumbled out of my other hand and landed on its side on the truck’s dirty carpet.

“Throw the scythe in the back,” Jai barked at me.

I experienced a flash of reluctance at this, but one glance in the side view mirror made me decide not to argue. There were three shambling figures making their way down the middle of the road towards us. Three black, oily soul suckers.

I chucked the scythe into the back of the truck, wincing at the crash it made, and then swung myself back onto the seat, slamming the door shut. Jai jammed his foot down on the gas pedal with a warning shout. Not realizing the warning was a “we’re going” warning, the sudden motion and lack of seatbelt sent me pitching forward, and I nearly wacked my forehead on the dashboard.

“Ow,” I growled at him. “You trying to knock me out?”

“You trying to get us eaten?” He shot back.