Mike

I spotted It across the street, lingering in an alleyway, with Its nose pointed in the sky. It was looking for me; looking for my scent.

“We need to go,” Helen whispered, as she tugged at my hand. I nodded and crept with her next to me. My heart was racing as we ran with our lives. I didn’t want to look behind us. I didn’t want to look back and see Its deep red eyes looking at us, Its fangs bare and ready to devour us. It already ate one of our friends, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing Helen.

“Get whatever you need, then meet me back here. I’ll look for a ride,” I said as we made it home.

“Okay. If It finds you, you need to run and leave me behind, okay?” she said. Leave her behind? How could I? I didn’t say anything, just took off running again to look for an abandoned vehicle.

The streets were in disarray after It showed up. At first, it was only one, but as hours passed, more of what looked like It appeared. The Clones, as we call em, weren’t as strong as the original. They’re not as fast, nor as intelligent as It. There are speculations that this being has been around since the beginning of time, and there are speculations that there are those that don’t fall under Its control. They gain some form of Its abilities and are the only ones that can fight It, but I’ve never encountered a being as such. If they do exist, where are they? Why haven’t they stopped It yet? What’s taking them so long?

I saw a decent looking vehicle not too far from our home. The doors were open and the keys still in the ignition. I turned the keys, but the dashboard only flickered. The battery was dead. I looked around to see if there was another vehicle, but none were close. I had to look for another car, that was the only option.

My heart raced as I heard a rustle coming from a nearby bush. I hid as quickly as possible, knowing that It would find me even if I hid. Luckily, it was a Clone. I got out of my hiding spot and ran, still looking for another vehicle. The Clone spotted me, but its leg was injured. It made a hollowed shriek, no doubt that it was calling for others. I had to leave, quickly, or It would show up.

I circled a block, no working vehicles in sight. I did so another eight times before calling it quits. I began to head back home until I saw Helen running across the street in the opposite direction.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“Helen?! What’s going on?!” I screamed. She spotted me and gestured to come to her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“It’s here!” she screamed. My heart sank. It found us, and we had no means of escaping It this time. We were lucky last time; fortunate that a stranger happened to run into us and distract It long enough for us to survive. All we had now were our legs, even though It could catch up to us instantaneously. We tried anyway and ran as fast and as far as we could. Suddenly, Helen made a sharp turn into a building.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“What are you doing, Helen?!” I yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“We need to hide, Mike!” she yelled back as she entered the building. It wasn’t too far behind; I could feel Its darkness closing in. The way it could make the air feel bitter cold, make the very soul quiver in fear. How could such a being exist? Did God spite us?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">We were on the third floor when we heard a crash below us. It found us. I looked at Helen, with her eyes watering, as I gestured her to hide. She nodded and tiptoed to the end of the hallway. Another crash; It was on the second floor. I knew it would find us, and it wouldn’t take it much longer for It to kill us. I found a janitors closet. A final crash, even closer. It was on the third floor. It wasn’t too far away from where I was. I could hear Its raspy breath, Its low growls, Its claws making contact with the wooden floor. Suddenly, it was quiet. No raspy breathing, no growls, no clacking. All I could hear was my heart pounding, my short breaths. I covered my mouth, fearing It was trying to listen for me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">It was at my door. I could feel Its gaze behind the door, Its hunger, and Its enjoyment on playing with Its food. The sound of glass shattering made me jump, and a burst of wind came from the bottom of the door. A scream, followed by a crunch. I opened the door slowly, trying to avoid the door from creaking. I peeked outside, to have it huddled over at the far end of the hallway.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“H-Helen?” I whispered as I reached out to It. It heard me. My heart sank, as I watched It turn, only to see Helen’s upper body in Its claws. It kept Its eyes on me, as I watched it eat her. I could tell It enjoyed the look on my face. It took Its time, never taking Its eyes off of me, as It finished eating. It came at me, slowly, on all fours. I sat there, paralyzed, as It inched Its way closer to me, looking at Its deep red eyes. I noticed a scar on Its left eye. What managed to injure it? Was it a weapon? How I wish I had that weapon with me right now. . . It was inches from my face now.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">Another crash and It was no longer in front of me. It was launched to the very end of the hallway. What stood in front of me now with his back facing me, was nothing more than what I could describe as a Demon in human form. The air was freezing, my soul petrified, and my heart was pounding. The Demon glanced at me, with his amber eyes, and said “You’re safe now,” in a soothing voice.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">It made a hollowed scream and charged at Demon. It didn’t care about me anymore. A gust of wind formed and I was no longer in the building. I was falling out of a window and to the ground. I kept my eyes on the third floor, wondering who that guy was. Windows continued to shatter, bursts of dust escaped the building and hollowed screams were heard. Someone caught me mid fall and we landed safely on the ground. She put me down and began running back to the building.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“E-Excuse me!” I shouted. She turned around and looked at me confused.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“Who are you?” I asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“Lilith. Lilith Elinzer. Stay put, ok?” she said. She jumped and was on the third floor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">Were these the beings that didn’t fall under Its control? Were these the beings that could fight back against It? Did they really just save me? Did Helen. . . really die? Did It really kill her? Will I never see her again? Will I never get to hug her again? Will I never get the chance to tell her I love her?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">Tears began forming as I felt a hand on my head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“It’s part of life. There would be no point in life if death is nonexistent,” someone said. Another crash and something flew out a window. Is It running away? Did they win? What happened?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;"><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes';font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:'TimesNewRoman';">“H-hey, do you kn-” I said as I turned around, only to find no one standing there. I only found Clones.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:21.0000pt;mso-char-indent-count:0.0000;">