wind whipped up around me.
“Diiinnnaaahhh.”
A cry slipped from my mouth as I searched my bag for my keys, my fingers clumsy, dropping them onto the ground.
“Shit.” I hissed as the keys tumbled to the ground, sliding under my car. Dropping down to my knees, I reached underneath, skimming the ground and coming up empty, feeling my panic bloom.
Every lamp in the parking lot went black in unison, locking my muscles in terror, collapsing my lungs. The slice of moon peering through the clouds barely outlined objects, the lot a blanket of darkness.
A low, deep growl rolled over me like thick fog, seeping around my bones. My mind flipped to pure panic, draining out all thoughts.
The sound of feet crunching through a thin layer of icy snow scraped down my spine, thrusting my heart into my throat, each step sounding closer to me
Do something my brain yelled at me.
Slipping my head under the car, my hand frantically searching for my keys, I spotted a glint of metal up against the front passenger side tire.
The heavy footsteps were nearing my car. I could hear its panting and the rattle in its throat every time it exhaled.
Acting purely on instinct, I slid my body under my car, clutching the keys through my knuckles. Laying on my stomach, I stared out, bracing myself, my breathing and pounding heart so loud it felt like a beacon, leading the monster to me.
Thump.
Thump.
Its footprints and my heart drummed together. Movement at the front of my car clogged my lungs, my eyes filling with tears. My form turned into a statue as the thing paused in front of my car. I couldn’t recognize anything but what looked like boots with long, scraggly fur, the legs the size of tree trunks.
A cry of terror lodged in my throat, my teeth crunching together to keep any sound from escaping.
For a moment it didn’t move, then I heard another low growl.
“Sqqquuueeekkk.” The sound of a nail scraping across metal tore through my eardrums, slamming fear through me so deeply, my head spun, bile coating my mouth in acid.
The creature moved, and my eyes darted, watching every movement as it came around my car, pausing at the driver’s side. It inhaled through its nose like it was sniffing the air for me. Holding my breath, I dug my nails into my palms, ready to scramble out the other side. It stood there for another beat.
Every one of my nerves was alive, every sense so heightened it hurt. I was expecting it to lean under and grab me, but instead, it stepped back, disappearing from view.
Silence.
My lids squeezed together, a small puff of air being released from my lungs.
Where did it go? Did it leave?
Riiiiinnnggg!
The high-pitched tone squealed through the night like a whining child, turning my blood cold. Fumbling for my bag, I tried to turn it off, dread sinking my stomach. Shutting it off, my ears perked, trying to pick up any noise, any sign it was coming back for me.
Silence.
Nothing.
My shoulders sank as each second ticked by. Maybe it didn’t hear.
Hands wrapped around my ankles, and a scream shredded my lungs as I was dragged from under the car. The sound of fabric ripping across wet pavement exploded in my ears as my body scraped over the ground.
Fingers gripped my body. I was kicking and screaming. The desperate need to live drove my actions as I thrashed against the assailant, my nails clawing at its skin.
“Dinah,” a man’s voice yelled. My arms were forced back to the ground, turning me even more feral and desperate. “Dinah, it’s me! Stop!” The familiar voice was a switch, flipping the lights on.
My limbs halted their assault, my eyes moving around wildly. I was in the parking lot, but every light was on, shining brightly down on a handful of figures crowding around me. They were faces I recognized, both students and teachers, but it was the one with nail marks across his face, holding me down, that socked me in the gut.
Scott stared down at me like I was a wild animal. One he feared.
Feeling my muscles go slack, he let go, his hands moving to his thighs. Sitting up, embarrassment cascaded down at me. The faces in the crowd, friends and colleagues of my father, people I knew from a class, had all seen me break down.
I licked at my dry lips, taking in the specks of blood on Scott’s cheek. “I’m so sorry.” I reached out for him, but he jerked