Page 40 of When Monsters Rise
Ithasn’t seen me.It’scurled away from me with its face toward the wall.
Sleeping?
Probably.
Iback up and slowly, carefully, close the door.
I’mslick with cold sweat asIhurry out of the dispensary and into the main store.
Bastianis at the counter looking like he’s about to leap over it.Hesteps back quickly asIemerge.
“Wehave to go.Now.”Hisvoice is barely a whisper, butI’madept at lip reading.Wehad to do it a lot as scouts.
Ipass him the heavy pack, then quickly climb over the counter.Hegrabs my arm and points to the ceiling where a huge crimson sac is pulsing.
“Monsterin back room,”Iwhisper.
Henods, and we head for the exit.
Ifthere’s one monster and an egg sac, then there could be more of them close by.Mostmonsters hunt at night, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be awake in the day.Therecould be more on their way here right now, and there’s something else…Anotherissue niggling at the back of my mind thatIcan’t quite grasp.
We’rea few feet from the window when loud static fills the air and a voice cuts through the silence.
“Bastian, it’sRue, can you hear me?Over.”
Bastian’seyes fly wide open because the sound is too loud.Myalready pounding pulse begins to race.Bastianfumbles with the radio, trying to get it out of his pocket and shut it off while my eyes dart around the store from shadow to shadow, aisle to aisle looking for movement because my senses are in alert mode.
Somethingis coming.
Themonster from the back room.
We’reat the window when he finally frees the radio from his pocket.
“Bastian, come in.Over.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Thestatic dies as he turns the radio off.Hisgaze comes up and over my head, and his face freezes in shock.
Fingersof ice grip my nape, forcing my head to turn.Forcingme to look over my shoulder at the huge monstrous shape standing at the other end of the room.
Itlooks like a large misshapen dog but with front legs that look like arms…Ohshit.Iknow what this is.
Herald’sclaw.
Andit’s staring right at us.
* * *
RUE
Ishoved the radio into my pocket. “Dammit.Nothing.”
“There’ssomething out there,”Shemsaid. “Movementon the roof of the pharmacy.”
Ipressed close to the window again, peering through the gaps in the planks, and caught site of a dark shape.
Wait… “Isthat—”
