5

V
In that place between asleep and awake there is a surreal comfortable feeling that exists nowhere else. No matter where you are and no matter the circumstances surrounding you if you can find that place it is wonderful. But it doesn’t last long.

I awoke with a start and a feeling of confusion and fear. I instinctively held my breath and started looking into the shadows for whatever it was that startled me.

At first I saw nothing, but then there, over by the hedgerow across the street; there’s something there.

I couldn’t see what it was but I could feel it. There was something definitely there!

Suddenly to my right there was a movement slow and confident something totally unafraid. My heart stopped for a moment when I realized the cans didn’t rattle and there were no breaking bottles or slamming dumpster lids.

I quickly became aware of the stench, the smell of rotting flesh coming to me on the warm breath of the beast.

He knew I was there and could have, should have killed me quickly but it was hesitant for some reason. It seemed to not trust the surroundings or something.

Why wasn’t I dead? What was this Dark Warrior waiting for?

All of this seemed to take minutes but was actually going by in a matter of seconds I was already moving as I thought of these things. Scrambling backwards as though I were on the beach trying to avoid the surf.

I knew I couldn’t escape but I wasn’t going down easy.

Suddenly a quick flash of movement from across the street, the hedgerow. The beast turned quickly noticing the movement at the same time. I heard a slight noise but couldn’t place the sound and just as quickly noticed the panic look on the beasts face.

There was a different sensation now, something warm and sticky dripping on me. At first as the Dark Warrior leaned forward and stepped toward me I thought it must be its saliva.

But then I couldn’t see the bright yellow eyes! But I saw something else. There was a long shiny shaft protruding from one of those yellow eyeholes. As the beast turned and fell backward there was another movement from the hedgerow. Something, someone; had vanished back into the bushes just as it had appeared.

I stood quickly and moved over to the monster lying on the street unmoving, not breathing, no longer living!

I felt the smooth silver shaft sticking out of its head, grabbed hold of it and pulled it from the socket.

There were six razors at the end of the shaft culminating in a point. In the middle of the shaft there was painted a small red heart.