I Am Chosen

Meltdown

Kacey had fumbled the keys out of her pocket in mid-run. She slid to a stop at the driver's side door, pressing the remote button repeatedly. Finally a beep-beep accompanied the dome light flashing on. She could hear the beast, nearly on top of her as she yanked the door open and jumped inside.

She didn't close the door; the creature's momentum closed it for her, denting it in the process and rocking the entire vehicle so hard it nearly gave her whiplash. The thing opened its multi-segmented mouth and roared at the driver's side window, spattering it with slaver. As the mouth remained open a tri-tipped tongue emerged and slathered itself over the glass.

In the cab, the only sound was Kacey's rapid breathing as she watched in disgust. The beast finally closed its mouth, turned and walked toward the trees at the edge of the drive.

Kacey glanced through the windshield to the cabin's front door where she could barely see J.D.'s head peeking out. She shook her own head, warning him not to try to help her. The dome light was still on so hopefully he was able to catch her signal.

She looked back out the driver's side window then, just in time to see the bear-thing charging, head down.

The impact seconds later jarred the Taurus so hard it nearly knocked Kacey into the passenger seat. The door had dented in significantly, and the driver's side glass had cracked.

She didn't know how many more impacts like that the door could take.

J.D. peeked from the doorway in disbelief as the bear slammed into the Taurus. That side of the vehicle lifted up nearly a foot off the ground amid the deafening sound of crunching metal.

Kacey had given him a signal, warning him not to come out but what else could he do? How could he help her? He thought about grabbing the sledgehammer again, but there had been absolutely zero effect the first time he used it so why should a second time be any different?

Then he thought of the other hammer, and he thought of his experiment. If the black rock was controlling that thing out there...

The bear creature smashed into the Taurus again, and this time Kacey ended up in the passenger seat. The bear sniffed at the door, then turned and walked away to set up for another run at the vehicle. J.D. would have to move quickly...

He sped to the quartz ring, dropped to his knees and snatched up the claw hammer. Grasping it with both hands in an attempt to still his trembling, he held it a few inches away from the quartz crystal closest to him and tapped it-not enough to smash the crystal, but enough to vibrate it, deform it just slightly. As he did so he locked his eyes on the black stone.

The entire rock quivered like Jell-o.

Then it solidified once again. J.D. heard a terrific smashing sound from out front, followed by the rending of metal. Kacey was in trouble. That thing was getting into the vehicle.

J.D. thought he understood what was needed. He held the hammer once more, struck the same crystal, then leaned out and struck the others in the circle in rapid succession.

The black rock shook violently, fell still, then turned to liquid that splashed down and seeped in between the floorboards.

Kacey had thought for sure she was dead.

The third time that thing had hit the vehicle, it buckled the door completely. Reaching into the gap with six-inch claws it had wrenched the door completely off and to one side. Kacey had crawled into the rear seat and turned, kicking at the nightmare creature that squeezed its bulk into the front, ripping away at the seats, razor-fanged mouth open, ready to lunge...

And then, as if a switch had been flipped, the beast's movements ceased. It slumped down onto the front seat and console and stopped moving.

Hollis had no idea how fast Crowe or Rhonda could walk, but he was betting they were faster than him. Also, they had a slight head start. Despite that, Hollis was hoping that once he got far enough from the Coolidge Estate and caught an Uber, he could beat them to...

Where? Jack Richards seemed like the next most likely target, if the "Traveler's" systematic extermination were to continue. Hollis already had Jack's home address, from when he was on protection duty before.

It had taken a while to find a bag big enough for the Winchester, but a golf bag in the upstairs master closet had done the trick. Hollis called and arranged for the Uber to meet him a couple miles out from the estate, where he would concoct a story about his vehicle breaking down. More than anything he hoped he wouldn't be too late.

As the Uber drove him to Jack Richards' house, Hollis considered the possibility that Crowe and Rhonda had not come out of the sinkhole. If that was the case, then he had left the exit at Coolidge Estate unguarded for no good reason. Something else that crossed Hollis's mind: what if Crowe and Rhonda targeted two separate victims? Taking a deep breath, Hollis reminded himself that rather than focusing on what he could not control, he should focus on what he could. He could get to Jack's house and he could use the Winchester against either agent of the "Traveler" that might be there. And for now, that would have to do.

Hollis spent the remaining few minutes of the ride trying to think of something else, and began wondering how many male Uber drivers took advantage of pass-out drunk women who used their services.

Again, focus on what you have some control over.

There was a cruiser parked out front of Jack Richards' home, a small two-story craftsman at the end of Willow Lane. When the Uber coasted up alongside, Hollis noted that the policeman was not in the vehicle, and the door to Richards' home...

Was standing wide open.

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I have to say, that bear-thing was a lot of fun to write. I wish I had a toy of it! Maybe if they make a movie version of I Am Chosen...