Corn Stalked (Children Of The Corn)

Chapter #8: A Little Town in Nebraska

The late afternoon sun beat down on my head as I ran towards the approaching town of Gatlin. A haze fell over everything from the humidity. My breaths quickly became staggered and shaky, partly because of my wounded leg, in which the blood was now drying.

I came to the edge of town now, the street in front of me looked absolutely deserted. The buildings were all made of bricks, varying in decay rates from old to even older. Windows were broken and a few doors layed hanging off of their hinges. It looked like a ghost town.

    "Jesus...." I whispered.

    "OUTLANDER!!!" Malachai's voice pierced the silent air, making me gasp and turn in its direction.

Down the road, I could make out the shape of the tall and slim foot soldier with fire for hair. Malachai was coming after me!

    "Shit..." I stammered before taking off into the town. I had to find a place to hunker down and hide!

Every building was deserted, all offering viable places to hol up. But I couldn't decide on any place I passed because of one thing all the buildings had in common.

Every building was ransacked and destroyed on the inside, with the signature calling card of corn husks sitting everywhere. The kids had done all of this. Why else would there be corn laying everywhere and not an adult in sight? This town had been taken over by the children that had chased me in the cornfield....Would I really be safe in any building I hid in?

    "OUTLANDER!!!" Malachai's voice came again, closer now. He would find me if I didn't pick a place soon. And then I'd be in real trouble.

I glanced frantically around for the best looking spot to take shelter, my eyes finally landing on a diner across the street. Hansen's Cafe. I made a beeline for it and shut the door tightly closed behind me.

From the blinds over top of the door, I peeked out to the road where I had just been standing. Malachai turned around the corner of a building and walked to the center of the street. His knife was drawn and at his side, ready to cut down whatever target he chose next.

Malachai stopped walking now and looked around, like he was observing the buildings for any sign of activity, movement or change. When he saw nothing different, his face twisted in frustration and he opened his mouth wide.

    "OUTLANDER!!! GIVE YOURSELF UP! YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM US FOREVER. HE WHO WALKS BEHIND THE ROWS SEES ALL, HE WILL GIVE YOUR HIDING PLACE AWAY. JUST COME OUT AND MAKE IT EASIER ON YOURSELF. COME ON! COME ON!!!" Malachai challenged, swirling his knife around in his hand as he did.

I watched him shout out this message meant for me and a disgusted expression creeped onto my face in the process. Make it easier on myself my ass! Malachai was mean, powerful and sadistic. He lived to bring pain and death to people he both knew and didn't know, who knows what he'd do to me if he caught me now. The outlander. And to think I ever wanted to be his friend.....

*Grrrrbbbllll*

My stomach was gurgling. But....I wasn't hungry?

Suddenly, my stomach began to feel...tingly. I put a hand to it and felt around. I could feel something inside, and was it....growing?

Oh no....

*Grrrrbbblllll*

I threw up then, emptying my stomach into a nearby trashcan. This was a sign....Once my innards were at the bottom of the trash bin, my stomach tingled again. This time I looked down and almost screamed, but I covered my mouth in shock, my eyes widening as well.