Chapter 6: Things Just Got Serious

Lacing up her running sneakers, Stella aggressively pushed away any thought of the night before.

The images Mandy texted. Those beasts. The crescent moon drawn in the dirt. The same image that just so happened to be in Mandy's antiquities book of mythic rituals. Bennett’s backyard. The eerie way they all turned to stare at her. In unison. Everything.

She was up early, just a little before dawn, to go for a jog before heading to class. She’d prepaid for the term, so at least her courses were covered. She liked to run 3.2 miles, just a little over 5 kilometers. Barely more, but enough to know for sure she’d hit the mark.

Half a block from home totally in tune with her personal best running playlist. With both the rpms—rhythms per minute— and her heart rate pumping away at their peak, optimal levels. Stella was in The Zone.

She was too focused to notice the man hidden among the neatly kept landscaping fence.

He stood alone in the shadows. A hoodie pulled up over his head.

As soon as Stella passed, he stepped out of the darkness. Tailed directly behind her.

A chill ran down her spine. Instinct. She glanced around.

Before she noticed the first man, she spotted a second man emerge from the shadows. He angled himself on the right, falling into pace with her running stride.

Then a third emerged from the left, flanking her on that side.

Every nerve in her body stood on end. Stella had no idea what was happening. All she knew for sure was this couldn’t be good.

She swiftly reaching into her pocket. She felt her keys. Bingo, she thought. Slowly pulling them out.

Stella glanced down. Fully expecting to see her pepper spray.

She closed her eyes. Only for a beat, cursing herself for leaving it at home.

At least she had her keys.

She gripped them between her knuckles. Like she learned to do in a self-defense class she took over the internet during the pandemic lockdown.

Unfortunately, that meant she hadn’t had any real practice. But what choice did she have? She had to try.

Stella muted her soundtrack. She was going to need all her senses.

She reminded herself, she knew what to do. Where to aim. In the eyes. And to strike hard and fast. Then run like crazy screaming fire. Everyone came out to help when there was a fire.

From behind her. Too close behind her, she heard a whistle. Soft and low. Straight out of a horror movie.

Two more men appeared in front of her.

Oh, for the love of all that’s holy! This couldn’t be happening.

But it was.

Stella braced herself. Clenched her fingers around a fistful of keys. All while saying a silent prayer that perhaps this was just a dream. Or at least, she’d somehow manage to live through whatever was about to happen.

All at once the men charged her.

The first to reach her each grabbed an arm. The men pulled them apart until they stood open like a pair of swinging doors.

Another stuck is face in hers.

Stella could smell the coffee and stale cigarettes pouring off him.

Fear roiled in her belly. Her guts turned to ice. She thought she might be sick.

Would serve him right. She thought. Puking on his stinking face. Wouldn’t that be a great way to wipe off that smirk?

“Hello, sweetheart.” he said in a low, raspy voice that reminded Stella of fingernails on a chalkboard. She felt the hair on her arms rise in revolt.

He scratched a long, tobacco stained fingernail along her cheek.

“Don’t you know it’s not safe to run alone?” He sucked his teeth.

Stella shrugged. Tried to play it cool. Hide the terror she felt inside. Men like him were energized by fear.

“I haven’t had to hide from monsters since I was six years old.” She said boldly.

“Oh princess, you don’t know the half of it.” The man grinned wildly. Baring his teeth.

Even in the dim early morning light Stella could see they weren’t typical. The canines were much too long.

“There are all sorts of monsters hiding in plain sight.” He laughed.

The sound ricocheted among the other men. They joined in, echoing the first.

The ruckus ran up and down Stella’s spine like an icy hand. She shivered involuntarily.

That only made the man laugh harder.

He removed his hood.

Stella could see the man more clearly. He was standing close enough.

She saw the flash of a steel blade in his hand.

A knife.

Her heart flew to her throat. He was going to kill her. She was sure of it.

She felt like a mouse caught in a trap. Her world started crumbling. She was stuck. No way out.

And yet, she had to try.

Stella took a deep breath. It was do or die. And she wasn’t about to die.

At least, not without a fight.