With All Senses

toplinestoday (42)AUTHORin Dream Steem • 3 days ago

"Ever noticed how eerily quiet these places get before something sinister happens?" Danny muttered, as he tucked his freezing hands into his coat. The streetlamp above us flickered--again.

"Well, I don't know, man," I said, glancing nervously into the shadows pooling at the mouth of the alley, "you always say really weird stuff like that. It's because it's late."

Danny was silent for a moment, then kicked a pebble down the sidewalk. The sound echoed sharply in the stillness. We weren’t supposed to be here. Heck, we weren’t supposed to be out at all. But he had that way of convincing me to do stupid things - Said it was good for “character building.”

Whatever, he finally said and shrugged, like it didn't matter. "You're too pragmatic, you know that? You just don't feel stuff quite the same as me. It's all numbers with you."

"That isn't true." I crossed my arms, trying not to sound defensive.

"Yeah, of course it is. You don't smell the rain before it comes, or hear the world breathe. You're just there."

I snorted. "Danny, you sound like a guy trying too hard to be poetic."

He laughed a short bark of a sound down the empty street. "Maybe. But it's true." He paused to tilt his head. "Tell me, what do you feel right now?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Right now. Close your eyes, or whatever. And just... I don't know. Feel."

"I feel like we're wasting time."

Danny groaned, throwing his hands up. "God, you're impossible."

"Fine, fine," I said, holding up my hands. "I feel... the cold. The wind. Happy?"

"No. You're lying."

"I'm not lying, you-"

Danny turned around, suddenly his face turned serious. "Eyes don't lie, but yours do. You're scared. Admit it."

I just stared at him: completely caught off guard. He wasn't wrong, but I didn't want to admit he'd gotten to me; there was something wrong about this place, this whole night.

He was right. There was definitely something amiss with this whole night, but I wasn't going to give him the bliss of saying so.

"I'm afraid of what?" I asked, breathing steady to keep my voice even.

Danny leaned forward, grinning ever sharper and more wolfishly. "Everything."

And just before I could make a reply, the sound came. It was a growl, deep and guttural, that one might expect from engine purring way off in the distance-only it wasn't an engine.

"Did you hear that?" I needed to whisper.

Danny nodded, cockiness gone. "Yeah."

The noise came again, closer this time. My pulse quickened.

"Okay, we need to go," I said as I grabbed onto his arm.

But Danny didn't move. His eyes were fixed on something behind me, wide and unblinking.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice shaking now.

He didn't answer.

I turned slowly.

And that's when I saw it.

It was huddling in the shadowy night, its huge figure surrounded by eyes that shone red like heated coals. The air rippled around it, as if from heat waves off a pavement.

"Run," Danny whispered, so quiet I almost didn't hear him.

But I was rooted to the spot; my body felt paralyzed my breath caught in my throat.

The thing edged closer; its movements were jerky and awkward, like a marionette with tangled strings.

"Run!" Danny cried, pushing me roughly.

I stumbled but now my feet obeyed, and we took off down the dark street with our footsteps echoing behind us. Then the growl behind us turned to a roar.

"Don't look back!" Danny yelled.

I never did until I tripped and hit the ground hard.

"Get up!" Danny shouted, pulling me to my feet.

But it was too late.

There was the thing, with breath that was hot and putrid, on my neck.

Then... nothing.

Just darkness.

I woke to find myself gasping in my bed. My heart thudded heavily, and I was clammy all over with sweat.

"Danny?" I croaked, searching with my eyes.

But he wasn't there.

I sat up, my head spinning. Had it all been a dream?

The clock on my bedside table blinked 3:33 AM. I stared at it, my mind racing.