Chapter 10

The knife was not very big, hardly over four inches, but it was big enough that a steady stream of blood poured down my leg and pooling on the ground.

A scuffle of feet gave away the owner of the knife as he scooted out from under a car and raced towards the building. Unfortunately, this caught the creature's attention and before I could do anything, it was leaping off the nearest car and tackling the man, taking him down in no time flat. It proceeded to pin him down and do whatever it was they did.

When my leg gave out, I hit the concrete hard and jarred the wound in my leg, causing even more damage. I whimpered and grasped the handle desperately. Even with the knowledge that I shouldn't touch it, I couldn't stop myself; I wanted it out now.

Gingerly I laid back against the nearest car and straightened my legs out in front of me. Grasping the handle even more firmly, I took a few bracing breaths and bit my lip to stifle the cry of agony that would burst out once I began. In one swift move, I yanked the knife out then pressed my hand to the gushing wound in a useless attempt to stop the bleeding.

My head flopped back against the bumper as I tried to catch my breath, my other hand drug across my sweat drenched forehead. Once I could concentrate on something other than the pain, I came up with a new plan to get myself to the door. Abject depression sunk in as a second growing tremor joined the first that creature had successfully attacked and turned the bastard that had stabbed me. I knew there was no way I could outrun both.

Another sound reached my ears or rather the lack of sound. Terror consumed me when there was no rustling across the lot indicating Julia or any of the children. No soft steps or any whimpers, whines, crying, nothing at all. The air I had finally managed to catch rushed out again along with a terrified sound.

I laid on the ground as quickly as I could manage and strained to find some sign to where they were. I began to worry that my idea had been a terrible one. Maybe she had been right, and I had gone momentarily crazy thinking I could have been more useful elsewhere. I had given up under the cars and began to struggle to stand when I heard the door of the building click shut. I whipped my head around and saw Julia standing in the doorway. She was waving letting me know she and the children were all right. The tension I was carrying drained out like a wet rag and I slumped back again. I raised my hand in acknowledgment of her reassurance and closed my eyes to give a quick thank you to my lucky stars that my children got away safely.

A quiet noise behind me had my eyes hesitantly opening, almost too afraid to look. I slowly turned my head as the noise came closer and when it finally came into full view, it was not at all what I had been expecting. Instead of another one of those creatures, I saw a young boy about twenty or twenty-one years old, carrying a crossbow with a quiver slung over his back that was almost overflowing with arrows. His whole outfit was almost a precise replica of one from a TV show that Darren liked to watch. He was almost the spitting image one of the main characters in that show other than the build; he was impossibly skinny and quite a bit taller than I. But that was the only difference, his black hair was chin-length and even looked… unwashed. The hysterical giggles boiled up through my chest and threatened to spill out over my pressed lips. I wasn't sure if it was the sight that he presented or my mind finally breaking but I couldn't help it when the laughter finally broke and I almost fell again.

"Are you alright?" he whispered.

I covered my mouth with my hand and tried to stifle the noises that were flowing from it. The look he gave me was just as comical making it hard to stop the laughter. He looked scared and maybe even a little excited to recreate whatever comic book, movie, or TV series he was obsessed with. The next look he gave me was one of worry and I knew it was pointed at me especially because of the non-stop giggling that was coming out of me. I cleared my throat a few times before I could finally speak.

"No. That asshole that was just attacked is the one that stabbed me in the leg. I don't think it'll support my weight," I said nodding down to the gash in my jeans.

In the heat of the moment, I had forgotten the pain. But now that someone had commented on it the searing agony was in sharp burning focus again. My breath hissed through my teeth while I felt as if I was drowning in the pain. My body was shaking, and I felt weaker than a newborn kitten. The only bright side was the fact it seemed as if the bleeding had stopped or slowed.

The boy sidled closer swinging the bow back and forth. I had to bite down hard on my bottom lip to not laugh out loud again at the sight he was making of himself. I shook my head at his antics as he stopped right next to me and took his first gander at the wound. His face turned deathly white, and I reached my arm out to catch him before he fainted, sure that was what would come next. His neck worked as he swallowed harshly several of times to keep from throwing up, I assumed.

"Ummm… I-I-I will go get someone to come help you," he said hoarsely as he continued to stare at my leg.

I shook my head again at the stupidity of the whole situation.

"What's your name, kid?" I asked slowly moving closer.

"Benjamin."

"Benjamin, huh? Well, Benny, I understand how you feel right now. You're scared and grossed out and that's fine-"

"I AM NOT SCARED!" he cried hotly interrupting me, his eyes flashing with indignant anger.

I smiled smugly knowing I had pulled his attention from the blood that he was having a hard time stomaching.

"And my name is Benjamin," he snapped.

He slung his crossbow over his back and wrapped his arm around my waist. I could see him pouting, but my jab at him had given him the willpower to ignore the blood so he could help me. We slowly made our way to the curb keeping a weary ear out for anything. We stopped for a moment allowing me a second to catch my breath as we glanced around trying to see if we could spot a creature before it spotted us.

We both sighed in relief when it became obvious the creatures had run off. As quickly as we could manage, we raced to the door, slamming it open so hard that it banged against the wall. We almost tumbled onto the linoleum floor as we dashed inside to a tandem chorus of "Mommy!"

I hunkered down as best I could and swept the boys tight against me. The pain became excruciating, but I didn't let go of my children. Even when I felt the blood run down my leg again and my vision swam, I still couldn't let go. After a moment or two, I knew the strength of my hold was waning. I let go and set them away from me not sure how much longer I could stay upright. I leaned against a wall I was grateful was there. I wondered briefly if there was any way I could get away before I fainted in front of them.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Marcus asked softly the fear resonating in his voice.

"She needs a doctor," said Benjamin.

I gave the boys a weak smile trying to reassure them because the fear on their face twisted at my heart.

I could hear the conversation around me. But I knew the moment I opened my mouth that a cry of agony would erupt and there would be no stopping it.

"What's wrong with her?" someone asked.

"Is she sick as well?" piped in another fearful voice.

I opened my mouth to answer them, but I wasn't fast enough before the whole room erupted. People were screaming, others were running into the back and a few even pointed what guns they had at me waiting for me to attack them. A plump woman was the only one brave enough to come closer, she grabbed at my children and tried to yank them away from me.

"Don't you touch them!" I screamed holding my boys closer.

She attempted to wrestle them away from me, determined to take them before what she assumed would happen.