Winter Feast - Part Four of Six

It was just after one when Lucy and Matt came out of the kitchen after cleaning up behind themselves after preparing a meal for everyone.

The television might be shot, but the portable radio was working fine, and everyone sat huddled around as they listened to weather reports coming in, or any breaking news reports. The building hadn’t lost power so the electrical lines themselves were holding up under the storm better than expected, but the telephone as well as cell phone reception wasn’t working.

The expectation was that after the storm quit, as Yaz put it, “It’ll be fine by then. Cell phones should be able to catch a signal by then. Phone lines? Might be a few days on that one if a power box is shot anywhere between here and Del Marva and down over toward the Dells.”

“Won’t help much if whatever’s out there gets us like it did David and Mike.”

“Give it a rest, Gerald,” muttered Charlie.

“What? I’m only saying what the others are thinking. Maybe what I told everyone is just a ghost story I heard growing up, or it’s something that really happened, but by God, we got ourselves two dead people out there somewhere, and they sure as hell ain’t saying one way or the other.”

“Either way,” spat out Darwin, “Faith and me, we got ourselves enough firepower to blow the crap outta whatever’s out there. I ain’t all that worried about it.”

“We can only hope that we all have enough to stop whatever is out there,” said Shellie.

Brenda stood and said, “I’m going to make another pot of coffee.”

“I’ll tag along if you don’t mind,” said Gerald. “No sense you doing that by yourself. Besides ….”

“No need to explain, I don’t mind at all,” smiled Brenda.

Just as Brenda started to turn toward the kitchen, she screamed and pointed to a large window that overlooked what was once a sandy beachfront area and lake, that come summer, would see hundreds of people flocking to lay out on the sand and tan, or ride the small boats for rent across the lake.

All eyes darted to the window and there stood a gargantuan of a creature. Well over ten feet in height, perhaps close to a thousand pounds of pure animalistic fury. Thick mats of hair hung from the body in every direction. Its nose was shaped somewhat like a wolf’s; its eyes set close together and were almost lost amidst the hair surrounding the face and the night itself.

It was the mouth that caused Brenda to scream. It opened so wide, you already knew this creature could bite your head from your shoulders in a single move. Its front and bottom teeth were razor sharp and easily six or seven inches long. And if you thought the weather was playing tricks with your own eyes, you could see flakes of dried blood sticking to them.

In its rage, it raised its mighty arms over its head and roared out a blood-curdling scream. Then it rushed forward and smashed the window inward sending glass flying in every direction as everyone pulled back. Darwin, Faith, Shellie and Brenda raised their weapons and fired. Gerald had to go back and grab his rifle and when he did, the thing reached out and grabbed him by the arm and lifted him through the broken window like a rag doll. Gerald was screaming for help one second, and the next, there was silence.

The bullets shot into this maniacal beast didn’t faze its movements one bit. But what it did next, sent an invisible piercing stab of fear down the backs of each person in the bar.

Gerald’s head flew through the broken window and rolled headlong against the bar next to Faith’s feet. She didn’t scream. She didn’t run. She was frozen to that spot for a good five minutes, and then she puked all over the floor and peed her pants.

Yaz quickly reached for Gerald’s Winchester and yelled, “Everybody! Quick! Move to the rear, toward the kitchen! It’s going to be coming in here after us pretty soon!”

Everyone followed his commands. Once they were all behind the swinging doors leading into the kitchen, Yaz directed Darwin and Faith to stay to the left of the doors, and motioned Shellie and Brenda to the right. He, along with Charlie, Jesse, Lucy and Matt, would stay in the middle.

“With any luck we can catch this bastard in a crossfire and kill it.”

“Yaz,” snapped Darwin, we pretty much hit it hard already and it didn’t slow down a bit!”

“I know, but hopefully this time will be different. Aim for its head this time. If we can blow that things head off, then it has to die. No head, the body falls.”

It became a waiting game but for how long. No movement or sounds came beyond the swinging doors. All that could be heard was deep breathing from nine bodies.

Every weapon was raised, cocked and ready to fire. Between Lucy, Matt, Charlie and Jesse, they were ready to start throwing knives. Jesse managed to find a hatchet as well.

One thing everyone was sure about; this wasn’t just a storybook tale any longer. Deep down, with no words said, they all felt they were going to die.

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https://theprose.com/post/217322/winter-feast-part-one-of-five

https://theprose.com/post/217462/winter-feast-part-two-of-five

https://theprose.com/post/217620/winter-feast-part-three-of-five