DAY TWO FROM THE PAST

Amber's Pov

We had been on the road for almost three hours now. Helicopters and jetfighters roam the sky every now and then. I looked at my phone. So today is September 11, 2020. Woah! What a coincidence! I was gonna share it to everyone but I'm too lazy to even talk.

I looked at Dad beside me. He is already sleeping soundly after driving for two and a half hours. I looked at my brother driving smoothly and calmly. Mom? Well, she is busy too. Trying to communicate with our relatives on different states via messenger and Facebook.

I looked at the night sky again. I saw some stars moving slowly gliding like a firefly. There were just two. Then another two appeared. Then another two. Soon there were about a dozen of them. I was both terrified and amazed by it.

"Don't stare on it too much, it might hypnotize you," Norman said with a serious tone.

"What? seriously?" I'm really worried

"Yes, then it will make you eat your own shit" He burst a maniacal laugh.

"Screw you Nor-man-lover" I threw a rabbit punch on his shoulder. He answered back by grabbing my knees with his huge hands. That is one of my weakness.

"Argh stop! you giant piece of sh-"

"Hey stop you two! It reminds me of the good old days when you were younger" mom said with a smile on her cheeks.

"Well she started it "

Thud!!! Thud!!!

"Ahhh shit my head" the car run into an unusual hump. Since I am unprepared my head somehow hit the car window. Don't worry 'no blood no foul'.

"What the hell happened?" my suddenly woke up father almost shouted.

"I think we run over a dead animal or something, I'm sure it's an animal, like a ram or coyote" Norman replied.

"Well, you better wish it's not alive and it's not a man!" father is really like this when you disturb his sleep. Grumpy and all.

"No, fine I'll go check it out"

I was about to stop him but he already got out of the car and went to the back.

"Hey you okay sweetie?" mom asked me.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine"

Dad was trying his best looking at the back window to see what is happening.

"Shit Norman is in trouble!"

he quickly pulled out his 38. caliber checked out the cartridge. Then someone opened the door beside him.

"Not so fast pops! Not so fast! Easy now, Hand over the firearm!" A guy with a long chin and blonde hair said while pointing a gun at dad.

Mother and I was terribly shocked. A sudden chill crawled up from my legs up to my head. Dad handed over his weapon.

"Please don't hurt the ladies, I beg you. What do you need?"

The stranger just smiled like a dog, looked at me and my mom. "You'll see, for now. Get down!"

Another stranger opened the door beside me and pulled me by the arm to get out of the vehicle. I tried my best to calm myself. I didn't struggle anymore for I know for a fact I am not a fighter. Mom was forced to get out of the vehicle too.

Outside I saw Norman on his knees with both hands on his head. While another man is pointing a shotgun on his back. There were five of them, two with handguns one with a shotgun, and the other two with baseball bat and crowbar. Norman looked at me like he is telling me not to worry, he got this.

"Now, here is what's gonna happen. We are gonna take your supplies and you ain't gonna do anything about it alright? We need them, especially gas. Sorry, what do you say?"

The annoying man with a pointed chin pretended that Dad is said something.

"You are letting us borrow your truck too? Oh damn! That is so generous of you sir! I would be delighted indeed to take your offer!"

Suddenly a knife struck his neck, blood immediately starts oozing from his wound as he made awkward noises while struggling to breathe. Then I felt someone took the gun I had been hiding on my small backpack. Then three gunshots.

The other two run towards their car. And hid behind it. Norman instructed us to do the same in our vehicle. He was exchanging shots with the two remaining looters.

When we were all disturbed by a strong wave of wind. Something illuminates from above and as I looked upon it. I saw a bright light as if a star went down from heaven to go this close to us. For some reason, all source of lights around us starts floating in the midair. From the lampposts, from the head and tail light of our car, the lights are being sucked by the unknown entity appearing above us.

By this time the only source of light is the unidentified thing floating above. But then that light went out too. All of a sudden it was so dark. So dark and quiet. My eyes are just adjusting to the darkness so I literally cannot see anything. It totally feels like you closed your eyes. Then I remembered I am not alone.

"Mom? Dad?" I asked while extending my arms hoping to reach any of them.

"Shhh we are here stay close" it was Dad

"what is that thing?" Mom,

Then someone held my hand. It's Norman.

"Arghhhh!!!" we heard someone scream as if someone was killing him. It must be the looters on the other side of the road.

"Shit! Jackson!" PSK! PSK! PSK!

Gunshots! We even saw the light coming from the burst of the weapon.

Then we heard a growl. It sounds like a roaring lion, but louder and higher pitch making it more terrifying. I'm so scared. I remembered the video Robert showed me.

Another series of gunshots were made before we heard another scream and this time we even heard bones and meat being crushed. Norman held my hand tightly and whispered to prepare the flashlights. I slowly opened my backpack to grope for the flashlights that Norman handed to me earlier, I have two. So I gave one to Mom or Dad. I'm not even sure because of the darkness.

We heard slow but loud footsteps. Closing in.

"Open the flashlight when I say so," Norman commanded.

"Now!"

We opened the lights and scanned for the unknown being roaming around.

"There!" mom shouted.

"RAAAAARRR"

It was a tall and thin humanoid creature.

It has pale white skin, with three eyes on its head and a very huge mouth. It looks exactly like the one from the video. I can't believe my eyes. I can't scream and I can't move.

"Get in the car! Now!" Norman shouted as he took something from the back of the car.

The creature is about 12 meters away from us and it seems to be stunned by the light coming from my mother's flashlight.

Dad, on the other hand, started the car so we can easily depart from this nightmare. I went inside the vehicle too. While trembling in fear.

BLATATATATATAT.

Loud shots from a semi-automatic rifle fired by my brother. The creature was hit severely as it seems to fall on its knees in pain. Mother went inside the vehicle too. Then my brother... I opened the door for him but...

Something had got him from behind! I saw how shocked my brother was. I looked at his chest. Something had impaled him from behind, like a long claw or finger. Blood was pouring down his shirt. I looked at his face again. "I'm sorry..." I think that's what he said. I feel like I'm going to burst a loud cry any moment. When the claw hooked his chest and dragged him away quickly from us.

"Noooooo!" my mom yelled with a broken voice. I can't hold it any longer. I cried loudly too while shouting his name.

"You bastard son of a bitch!" Father quickly get out of the car. Grabbed the fallen weapon my brother had dropped behind.

Then run towards the direction where the devil like creature had grabbed my brother.

I and mom looked at each other. We should've stopped dad. But we failed.

We heard several gunshots. It is still so dark out there. What now? What should we do? I don't have any courage to do anything at all. I felt like a helpless little child crying on my seat. Mom is just looking at the car window.

I bet she is as scared as I do.

(helicopters sound approaching)

(some spotlights pointing randomly on the ground)

(then some heavy and rapid gunshots)

I was so shocked to find out that there is about a hundred of those creatures around us. One by one they fell due to the shots being fired by military gunships. Some of them managed to run away quickly to the dark woods. But, my dad? my brother? where are they?