Flash Fiction Spooktacular

Running All Day in the Night - R. Liongate

A blood curdling scream lowered the temperature in the whole house. Rushing to the window I hit my leg on the coffee table and almost tripped over. Frightfully I pulled back the edge of the curtain, my hands shaking, breath shallow, worrying about what I might see.

Peering through the fog I could see a car with its hazards on sat in the middle of the street. I thought I saw movement, squinting to focus, a horrific chill went down my spine. Someone was lying on the ground a little in front of the car; illuminated by the fog dulled headlights. They must have been the one who screamed.

Grabbing my mobile, I rushed out the door to go check on the victim.

“911. What is your emergency?” the calm voice on the other end of the phone said.

“There has been an accident” my voice shaking in panic “I… I think someone was hit by a car”

“Can you tell me where you are?” still, they were calm and steely. It was unnerving. Like they didn’t really care.

“325 Richemo…-” as I approach the body, I could feel the coating of a warmish liquid sticking to my feet. Then I noticed the body was battered, bruised, and all torn up.

“Are you OK? Can you confirm your location again” the inflection changed, they now seemed more concerned “Are you still there? Is something happening?”

As I got closer to the person laying on the ground, my senses were obscured by the fog still hanging in the air. Everything seemed quieter, duller, and there was a strange lingering odour. The subtle sound of the cars hazard lights repetitively clicking a little further away.

“They… They’re really hurt… there’s b-blood every…where” My voice was now completely breaking up.

“I still need to know your location” The operator had gone back to sounding hard and heartless

“325 Richemont Avenue” There was a muffled but distinct noise of glass crunching beneath boots. Someone else is moving “I can hear something”.

A shadow of a figure moves in front of the car. The headlights didn’t allow a clear view. The fog distorted the silhouette which looked to be at least 10ft tall. Small scuffs and thuds signal the figures encroachment.

“Are you OK?” I called out to them “I’m on the phone with 911, we’ll get you help” I was less shaken now as there was someone here who I knew wasn’t dead. “Are you the driver?”

The looming figure kept moving. Occasionally letting out a muffled moan.

“What is going on, sir? If the driver is awake you need to ask him not to move to much”

“911 said you shouldn’t move, so take it easy for now, until help arrives” I started moving closer to help support them and ease them to the floor.

In a low guttural voice, they spoke “Help won’t come fast enough,” I suddenly had a huge knot in the pit of my stomach “to save you.”

Taking desperate steps backwards as panic yet again took hold; a cold sweat forming on my forehead and down my back.

“Wh…What do you mean?” the words were like knives in the back of my throat.

“Is something happening? Is the driver, OK?” the questions came short and quick.

“The driver… the drive…. He is coming for me, please help me” my whole body was shaking. It took a lot out of me to just stay standing.

‘What do y….’

‘Hello, Hello where did you go? I need help” I looked down at my phone which had lost battery.

I tripped, falling backwards over the body, my hand plunged into the blood-soaked floor. With my phone dead and no one else around the reality that I may die here set in. Peering through the fog that still engulfs me the figure loomed closer. I was now just shuffling backwards on the floor as the fear had drained the strength I need to run.

When it came next to the body on the floor the shadow stopped. The thing stooped over. With one out-stretched hand, lifted the limp lifeless corpse up by the throat. Dangling 3ft off the floor blood dripped down from their shoes. There was a loud squelching noise as it plunged its other hand into the chest of the body. I didn’t know what was going on, was this even real or just a nightmare? A sound that was like sucking a drink through a straw mixed with slurping Spaghetti started. I had stopped trying to comprehend what I had and was witnessing. The dead body began to shrivel like a balloon slowly having the air let out of it. At the same time the shadow was seemingly growing with every slurp.

That was it; fear had turned to terror. Terror allowed me to move. Stumbling back to my feet I started to run. Dawn was breaking, the light started to pierce the fog causing it to become thinner. Forcing myself not to look back I just kept running. If I keep running down the middle of the street then I couldn’t get cornered.

Exhausted I had to stop. Not knowing how far I had run I looked around to try getting my bearings. It appeared as though I had run all the way to the old play park; it stopped being used years ago after some horrific murder took place. I knew this park well from growing up here and I know there are multiple exits so I wouldn’t get cornered if I hid within.

I was hunkered down inside the pirate ship shaped jungle gym for what seemed like an eternity. In fact it was only about an hour. There was no sign of the menacing driver at all. I started to question if it happened at all. Why hadn’t I seen the Police or an ambulance or anything? I did call them, didn’t I? I checked my phone; it was at 83%...

“What is going on? How is this possible?” Panicked, I asked myself aloud “was that real?”

Confused, I checked the call log on my phone… No call with 911. I need to go home. I came out into the play area, looked around to find people; kids and families all playing in the park. What was going on? Had I lost my mind? Was I dead? All these questions swirled in my head making me nauseated.

“Are you OK?” asked a kind looking lady “Is something wrong?”

Not knowing exactly how to respond I just said “Yes, everything is OK” but my voice… it was the same low guttural voice I heard earlier from that shadow… How could that be? Everything started spinning. The sky appeared to melt away like blue paint slowly dripping down a wall and the world disappeared.

Gasping for breath I woke up in the pirate ship. It was still dark with first light not even breaching the horizon.

Muttering “So it was all real” I looked at my phone. 76% with a call to 911… I threw up. How is this happening? Was this just another dream? How do I wake up? “Maybe I should go home?”

Approaching my street there were blue lights. It wasn’t a dream or at least the accident wasn’t? As I got closer to my house I could see the car, hazards light still clicking. It was my mom’s. How could I not of recognised it? My pulse raced and my heart was pounding out of my chest. Desperate I rushed over to where the lifeless husk had been. My dad intercepted me, taking me in his arms. I sobbed for a while before he took me in the house. As we walked up the front path I overheard the police tell him they would be by a little later to speak to him.

I had a drink in the kitchen as my dad closed the door on the police. He came over to me, I looked at him with tears in my eyes.

“I’m sorry I ran; I didn’t know it was her” weeping through every word.

Then THAT voice came out of my dad’s mouth “It’s OK Son, you won’t regret it for long”

I looked up but did not see my dad. I saw eyes as red as hot iron. Pulsating veins covered its face like a bundle of old tangled wires. Jagged, sharp teeth hid a forked tongue.

This was not my father… This was just evil.

I felt his hand break into my chest, splintering my ribs; I felt my insides beginning to tear away from my body as they were being assimilated. This thing grew bigger as I felt emptier.

“Why?” my final question came out softly.

“Because…. I Can!”

By R.Liongate