The Shadowkiller (44 page)

T
he fire had driven him elsewhere in his search for the other cub—not the one who jumped, but the little female. He felt she was above him somewhere, in the upper part of the cave. Some of the cave's roof was too tall even for him to reach but there were places he could. The walls were soft and easily destroyed and he tore into them, looking for the cub.

He also sensed the one he wanted was near. The hating one with the thunder was feeling fear now—for his mate and his cubs—and that pleased him.

He knew if he found the female cub, the one he wanted would come.

Meredith moved away from the attic's access door and deeper into the void while smoke poured in, filling the space and making her cough. She was completely terrified, crawling in absolute darkness, burning to death or asphyxiation now threatening her as much as the monster.

And it was after her. She heard it below, tearing at the walls trying to get to her. She moved slowly, her tiny hands gingerly feeling their way over the joists, trying not to fall down into one of the many angles that made up the attic. The only times she had been up here were in Chris's company, but she had never felt comfortable. And they had
always
had a flashlight.

Like all kids, Meredith was afraid of monsters, her imagination promising a big paw reaching out from the darkness at any second and grabbing her. Now, alone in the blackness, the prospect of it really happening caused her to shake so hard she could barely move. Suddenly an explosion right beneath her rocked her perch as a fist bigger than a canned ham collided with the walls. Screaming hysterically, she clung like a limpet to the two-by-eight joist but lost control of her tiny bladder, releasing a warmth down her legs.

Ty heard the crashing and knew the creature was upstairs. With the electricity and phones out, the hardwired automatic fire alarm was inoperative. Ty gauged the fire and guessed it would take about fifteen to twenty minutes to engulf the upstairs. He had only that much time, or less, to save his family.

Ronnie heard the monster's pounding upstairs, but the volume was so loud she couldn't estimate the distance. It could be on either the ground floor or the one above. She worked her way up the stairs of the wine cellar on her hands and knees and slowly pushed the door open. It actually seemed light in the house compared to the coal mine she'd been in for the last five minutes.

Hearing the beating on the walls more clearly, she knew it was up in the bedrooms. She smelled smoke, and the terror of fire on top of this chilled her to the marrow. She moved fast, heading toward the stairs, thinking only of her children.

She rounded the corner below the stairs, ran smack into something, and screamed. Ty wrapped his arms around her.

“Ronnie! Oh baby, I'm glad you're okay.”

Ronnie almost fainted, she was so relieved to see her husband. “The kids are upstairs!” she cried.

Ty put his hands firmly on her shoulders to calm her. “Chris is in the garage in your car. Is Mere still upstairs?”

“I think so.”

“Go out, get in your car, and get the hell out of here,” Ty said, hammering his words firmly.

“Okay, but what about—”

“Rrrrrraaaaarrrggghh!”

The giant form rounded the gallery above and came down the stairs, fast.

Ty and Ronnie sprinted to the front door.

“Get out and take the car!” Ty yelled, slowing to let Ronnie pass.

Ty exited the front door and slammed it to buy a second or two. As Ronnie raced to the garage, Ty backpedaled, keeping his momentum going. The giant primate burst through the teak and stained glass door like a high school pep banner. It went for Ty, who tried to lead it away from his wife and son. But instead of staying on him, it suddenly changed directions and went for the garage. Ty realized how cunning this thing was: it wanted him but knew his Achilles heel. It wanted to hurt him psychologically first.
Go after my family and you make me suffer, make me weak, you fucking bastard.
Ty bolted for the far side entrance to the garage.

Ronnie flew through the garage and grabbed the door handle to her Lexus—locked. She banged on the window for her son to unlock it.

“Christopher! Chris, let me in!”

“Mommy!” came his voice from somewhere nearby.

“Where are you?” she said, spinning around to find him.

“Here,” he said. “The car's locked.”

Suddenly the articulated garage door in front of the Lexus imploded. The creature ripped the wreckage out of his way, bent over, and entered the garage. Ronnie screamed and ran for her son's voice, hoping to use her body as a shield. Then an engine fired up and one of the cars down the line exploded through the closed door in a spray of splinters and shredded aluminum.

With the spare gasoline can on the seat beside him, Ty gunned the old Mercedes and whipped the wheel, spinning the car back around to face the garage. He aimed at the huge black shape in his high beams, put his foot to the floor, and launched straight toward it. It turned to see him, eyes reflecting laser red, then tried to leap out of the way. The car gunned into the garage and Ty spun the wheel, trying to make a direct hit, but only grazed the monster's leg before crashing completely through the back wall. Behind the garage in tall grass, Ty accelerated and fishtailed the old car, cranking it around for another try.

He passed the far end of the building, just on the tile apron, and saw Ronnie and Chris run out the side door. The wall around the door burst outward, the thing coming up fast behind them.

Ty slammed his brakes and jammed the car into reverse, just as the creature turned and came toward him from the side. As Ty hit the throttle, the beast grabbed the front wheel well and tipped the twenty-eight-hundred-pound car, then heaved, and suddenly Ty was upside down, the Mercedes's roof spinning on the tiles.

He was trapped. The pinned gullwing doors wouldn't open, and the upended gas can gurgled its contents onto the ceiling of the car. Ty spun, kicked out the passenger window and was part way out before the car stopped revolving. As the monster came toward him, he grabbed the gas can and slid out.

It loomed over him on the opposite side of the car. Ty knew it had him, its powerful stench overcoming the gas smell that roiled over Ty's nostrils, its breath forming clouds. They stood for a brief moment, just looking at each other. Ty knew there was no running around the car in circles because it could easily toss the car out of the way and that would be it. Suddenly he remembered something and reached into his coat pocket. Taking out Ben's old lighter, he bent down and flicked it in the interior of his beloved classic car. The fumes ignited instantly with far more fury than Ty imagined. The blast knocked him back, but he rolled out upright, gas can still in hand, and ran to the front of the house.

Momentarily caught off guard by the fire, the creature gave chase, but Ty had enough head start to get inside. He ran up the stairs.

“Mere!” he yelled. “Meredith!”

At the top of the stairs, Ty tipped the container and let a quart or so pour over the marble steps. The thing came through the front door and quickly ascended the stairs. Ty fell back and snapped the lighter. Still wet from the earlier drenching, the lighter just clicked. No spark.
“It doesn't always light each time, but it's yours.”
The monster was halfway up the stairs. Click, no spark. It was at the top of the stairs. Click…spark…
WHOOOM!

Caught in the middle of the gas when it ignited, the beast loosed a roar that shook even that majestic residence. Ty scrambled to escape its clutches as it lashed out at him. Then, as the flames climbed its massive legs, distracting it, Ty escaped down the hall, yelling his daughter's name. Smoke clotted the air, flames now filling both ends of the hallway.

The creature's agonized screams faded as it ran down the stairs to seek refuge in the wet outside.

Ty cried out for his daughter,“Meredith! Meredith!”

“Daddy?” came a very muffled little voice.

“Honey? Where are you?” He thought her voice was coming through an air return. “Mere! Where are you?”

“It's smoky, Daddy!” Her panicked little voice lanced Ty's heart.

“I know, sweetie,” he said, trying to keep his tone calm. “Keep talking, I'll find you.”

Ty couldn't figure out where she was. Perhaps she had somehow climbed into a part of the wall through one of the large holes made by the beast. Meredith kept talking and Ty kept trying to zero in on her, kicking holes in the drywall to find his little girl.

“Daddy, is that you doing that?” she whimpered.

“Yes, sweetie, it's me, I'm almost there. Keep talking, kiddo.”

“I'm here, Daddy!” she yelled.

Ty looked up and realized she was fifteen feet above him in the ceiling. She was somewhere to the left side of the huge skylight that ran the length of the hall.

“Shit,” he grated.

“Is it okay? Can you get me?”

“Yes, honey. I'll be right back.”

Ty picked up the gas can and ran toward the stairs. He knew there was an access door at the end of the hall, but without a flashlight, or a reliable lighter, he might get lost in that huge black space trying to find her. He knew where she was, and ripping away the ceiling was the fastest way to reach her. But for that he needed the ladder. Which was in the garage.

The gas on the stairs had dripped down, and now the entry walls and the eighteen-foot Christmas tree were ablaze. Dancing through the flames, Ty sardonically thought,
At least it's light enough to see now.
At the bottom of the stairs he slowed and glanced around for his adversary. Nothing in the entry or down the hall.
Must have gone out the front door.

A thundering explosion shook the ground and rattled the windows as the fireball from the burning Mercedes billowed skyward. Ty looked out the door, saw the blazing hulk but no sign of Ronnie and Chris. Or the thing. Stepping carefully outside, he looked around, then bolted to the garage. He hoped the fire had driven it off. The burning car provided enough light to see around the plaza. Ty entered the garage and found the large aluminum extension ladder.

With the ladder over his shoulder and gas can still in hand, he trotted for the front door. As he reached the steps, he heard something over the hiss of the rain, a fast slapping sound, and he spun in time to see the thing flying out of the woods like a monstrous smoking ghost ship, bearing down on him at full clip. Ty threw down the ladder and ran into the house. He heard it enter behind him in angry pursuit. At the kitchen, Ty turned and went for one of the French doors, trying to lead it outside. He thought about Meredith and his promise to return. Knowing the smoke would soon overcome his baby, he quickly devised a desperate play.

Out by the pool, Ty ran to the far edge and stopped. He could hear the thing somewhere near the kitchen, banging, trying to find a way out. Ty unscrewed the filler neck of the gas can and upended it, creating a semicircular puddle at his feet.

He thought of that Steely Dan song as he swallowed hard and gathered his courage.

Throw a kiss and say good-bye

I'll make it this time

I'm ready to cross that fine line…

He had wanted to die that night not so long ago, but now he wanted to live. Badly. But his family was at stake and this was the only option he could come up with. If he didn't make it, he prayed Ronnie would save their baby girl. His job right now was to stop this thing, kill it.

Drink Scotch whisky all night long and die behind the wheel…

“Come and get me you son-of-a-bitch!” he roared.

He opened Ben's old lighter and waited.

H
e could no longer feel the mind voices of the small two-legs. His hate-infected rage had drowned them out. All he wanted was to get the one who hurt him, rip him to small pieces and eat him as his mate and cubs watched. Then he would eat them while they still drew breath.

The wood cave burned hot and he felt trapped as smoke seared his eyes. He was enraged that the small two-legs used fire against him yet again. The one he wanted was outside, by the small pond, just standing there, defying him. He smashed through the wall and scrambled to destroy the hated small two-leg.

Ty watched the dark juggernaut rip through the wall and come for him. In the two or three seconds he had left, he couldn't help but be impressed by its incredible size and perfection of purpose. An apparently invincible foe, like a primitive human magnified to the extreme of physical evolution by a demented Mother Nature.

It rounded the pool, and when it reached the point of no return, Ty held out the old lighter and bet everything it would work one last time. He snapped the little grinding wheel against the flint…click. Nothing. Click. Nothing.

The creature was upon him, then click—

Spark—

The gas fumes swirling around him ignited in a dull whooshing sound that signaled the end. Flames instantly engulfed Ty's legs, feet, all around him…then
all of him.

The monster grabbed him by the neck and lifted him. Ty's arms flailed at it in response but did no damage. Ty's vision turned to fireworks, both from the flames and the huge fingers squeezing off the blood to his brain. It held him so their faces nearly touched, its fetid exhalations a nauseating tropical wind. Ty looked into its golden eyes and was able to conjure one final act of defiance.

He spit into its face.

As his brain shut down, his last thought was that he hadn't protected his family. His heart broke as he lost consciousness and death beckoned…

Then he felt the impact of hard cement and realized it had dropped him. Ty shook off his light-headedness and saw the gyrating thing above him, now skirted in flames to its waist. He felt heat and looked down to see he was still ablaze from his chest down. Summoning his last bit of strength, Ty rolled the two feet over the pool's lip and into its shallow end. Breaking the surface, Ty looked up and saw the dancing monster, ringed in fire. Lightning flashed as it screamed like a thousand banshees and Ty ducked back under the water to hide.

The flames tore at him, but he knew he would live by following the small two-leg into the water. There he would destroy him. As he stepped to the edge of the small pond, he saw lightning and heard thunder—

Then another thunder—the other thunder—

His eyes and mouth opened wide in numbing shock as this thunder found him, clawed at him, tore him open. This thunder cut to his heart and his strength flowed out, his powerful voice silenced, his exquisite rage and magnificence gone in an instant.

Ty broke the surface just in time to see the monster crashing onto him like a felled oak. He ducked, but the massive creature splashed down, pushing him to the pool bottom. His panic caused him to suck water. He was under the surface, with the beast attacking him: Ty's misery was complete.

The bone-jarring recoil from the giant rifle knocked Ronnie completely off her feet. Slightly stunned, she shook off the effects and sat up to see she had made a direct hit. The beast had toppled into the pool. She tried to take a breath and found that the sledgehammer blow from the padded stock had knocked the wind out of her.

Within a second or two Ty realized the thing wasn't moving, it was just deadweight. Pinned under the icy water, Ty struggled to free himself but couldn't get his left leg out from under the beast. Unable to stifle his cough reflex, he inhaled more water.
After all this I'm going to drown.
He struggled, but the water in his lungs caused him to cough again and that was going to be the end of—

Something grabbed him, pulled violently, and his leg came free. Two hands—human hands—dragged him out of the water. He was gagging and coughing. Water poured from Ty's throat as his lungs labored to expel fluid. A hand slapped his back to help him purge the water.

“Ty! Ty! Are you okay?”

Ty continued choking and looked up to see the concerned face of his wife. He exaggerated his coughs to clear the water from his lungs, then rose unsteadily to his feet.

“The house…,” he coughed,“Mere!”

Ty, half leaning on Ronnie, staggered toward the fire.