The Beast

by Barry Hutchison

  She saw me watching her and her eyes opened wide. The windows of the car had all been smashed. Even from this far away, I could hear her gasp with surprise.

  ‘Help me,’ she sobbed. ‘Get me out. Before it comes back. Help me, please.’

  Ameena and I scrambled through the snow on our hands and knees until we reached the car. ‘Before what comes back?’ Ameena asked. ‘What did this?’

  ‘Questions later,’ I hissed. ‘Let’s get her out.’

  I tried the doors, but their metal frames were buckled and they refused to open. ‘It’ll have to be the window,’ I said.

  ‘Hurry, please,’ the girl wept. ‘Hurry!’

  ‘One second,’ I promised. Lying down on my back, I reached inside the car and stretched my arm up until I found the seatbelt release button. The buckle was clipped in tight. I pressed the button in a few times, but the belt refused to release.

  If you go down to the woods today, you’d better not go alone...

  The car’s radio hissed into life without warning, making me jump. ‘Not again! Shut up,’ I growled, but the crackly voice of the man on the radio didn’t listen.

  It’s lovely down in the woods today, but safer to stay at home...

  ‘Get me out, please,’ begged the girl.

  ‘I’m doing my best,’ I said through gritted teeth. I jabbed my thumb on to the button again. Still the seatbelt held. ‘God,’ I growled. ‘I hate that song!’

  ‘What song? What are you talking about?’

  ‘You might want to hurry up,’ Ameena said from outside the car. ‘I can hear something moving out here.’

  For every bear that ever there was, will gather there for certain because...

  ‘That song,’ I hissed. ‘Can’t you... can’t you hear it?’

  ‘No! What are you—’

  CLICK!

  ‘Got it!’ I cried, just before the girl came thudding, head first, down on top of me. I wriggled free from inside the car, missing out on any more of The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

  Clambering back to my feet, I reached in through the broken window and helped the girl climb out. The skin of her hand felt soft as I pulled her free of the wreckage. The skin of her face felt even softer when she threw her arms around me and pressed her cheek to mine.

  ‘Thank you,’ she sobbed. ‘Thank you, you saved me.’

  ‘Um, no one’s saved anyone yet.’ Ameena’s voice was an urgent whisper. The girl and I both followed her gaze until we saw, through the fog, a large, hulking shape. The mist made it difficult to make out any details, although that was probably a blessing.

  From what I could tell, our earlier estimate had been right – the thing was about the size of a large rhinoceros. It moved on all fours, its broad head held low to the ground as it stalked slowly in our direction. Its tree-trunk legs sunk into the snow with every step, making it snuffle and snort with frustration.

  From the top of my head to the base of my neck began tingling with electricity as my powers sensed they were about to be put to use. I did my best to ignore the sensation. I’d told my dad I wasn’t going to use them again, and I had meant every word.

  Ameena and I ducked down behind the upturned car. The girl didn’t move at first, and I had to catch her by the arm and drag her into hiding alongside us.

  ‘It’s coming for me,’ she whispered. She was about my height, but a few years older than me, I guessed. The make-up she wore around her eyes was smudged and streaked by tears, and her white jumper was speckled with blood. ‘It’s coming for me again.’

  ‘Suggestions?’ Ameena muttered. The thing was still advancing, but it was moving slowly, like it didn’t know exactly where we were.

  ‘A couple,’ I answered. ‘Fight, or run. That’s all I’ve got at the minute.’

  ‘All those in favour of running?’ Ameena asked. She held up a hand and so did I. The girl crouching between us showed no signs of even having been listening.

  ‘Running it is, then,’ I nodded. ‘If we get split up, get to the police station. I’ll meet you there.’

  ‘Roger that.’

  I slipped my hand over the girl’s and clasped my fingers around hers. She gripped me tightly, and I could feel each and every tremble her body made.

  ‘What’s your name?’ I asked her. She didn’t look in my direction, just kept her eyes fixed on the shape in the fog. ‘Hey,’ I said, giving her hand a squeeze. ‘What’s your name?’

  ‘R-Rosie,’ she whispered.

  ‘OK, Rosie, I need you to keep hold of my hand,’ I said. ‘We’re going to run, OK?’

  She shook her head from side to side, panic filling her eyes. ‘N-no,’ she stammered.

  ‘No?’ I frowned. The shape was drawing closer through the mist now. I could make out a rough, yellow-ish hide and a bottom jaw that could probably chomp through solid steel. ‘What’s wrong with running?’

  Rosie’s grip tightened in mine. Her other arm caught me by the sleeve, holding me beside her. ‘It’s too fast,’ she said, hoarsely, ‘we can’t outrun it.’

  ‘We’re about to find out,’ Ameena said, her voice suddenly loud. The shape in the fog hurled back its massive head and let out a thunderous roar. Lunging forward, it cut a trench through the snow. I caught a glimpse of teeth and of sharp, protruding bone and then the car we were hiding behind was crushed beneath the creature’s weight.

  ‘Get to the station,’ Ameena barked. ‘I’ll distract it.’

  ‘Distract it? Are you nuts?’

  ‘I’ve seen the way you run, remember? You need all the head-start you can get. Go, I’ll meet you there.’

  I hesitated, unable to say any of the things I wanted to say to her. ‘Don’t do anything stupid,’ I managed. ‘And don’t get killed,’ I added. ‘Promise me.’

  ‘Cross my heart and hope to.... No wait, that doesn’t work, does it?’ she said. ‘I promise. Now go!’

  With a final glance at the monster’s hazy outline, I tightened my grip on Rosie’s hand, and together we raced off into the thickening grey fog.

  pen the door! Let us in!’

  The glass in the police station’s front door fogged beneath my breath. It came in huge gulps, swelling my lungs until they felt like they’d burst. Rosie, the girl we’d rescued, stood beside me, still clinging tightly to my hand.

  Inside the police station, nothing moved. I cupped my hands against the glass and peered through. ‘Billy?’ I called. ‘Billy, open up!’

  ‘There’s no one here,’ Rosie whimpered. ‘You said there’d be somebody here.’

  ‘There should be,’ I muttered. I had just reached for the radio on my belt when a sudden movement on the other side of the window made me jump. Guggs’ face appeared beyond the glass. He looked at us both, eyes narrowed.

  ‘Who’s she?’ he demanded.

  ‘Let us in, Guggs,’ I urged. We hadn’t encountered any screechers on the way back, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any nearby. ‘Hurry up.’

  Guggs jabbed a finger against the glass, leaving a greasy smudge behind. ‘Who’s she?’ he asked again.

  ‘Rosie,’ I sighed. ‘Her name’s Rosie. She was being attacked and we saved her. Now let us in.’

  ‘Attacked? Is she bit?’

  ‘No, she hasn’t been bitten,’ I cried. Then I turned to Rosie. ‘You haven’t been bitten, have you?’

  She shook her head. ‘No.’

  ‘No, she hasn’t been bitten,’ I said. ‘Now hurry up and let us in.’

  For a few long moments it looked as if Guggs wasn’t going to open the door, but then he shook his head, stepped back, and turned the key. I shoved the door open and let Rosie run inside before me.

  Another door at the back of the reception area swung open and Billy entered. He was carrying a police baton, twirling it around and around in his hands. He reacted with surprise when he saw us. ‘Who’s she?’ he asked, nodding towards Rosie.

  ‘That’s what I said,’ Guggs grunted. He moved to lock the door again, but I stop
ped him.

  ‘Wait, not yet. Look after her,’ I said, releasing Rosie’s hand. ‘I have to go back out.’

  ‘What, again?’ Billy asked. ‘Why?’

  ‘It was... I think it was that thing we heard. The Beast,’ I explained. ‘Ameena distracted it so we could get away. I have to go back for her.’

  Guggs gave a snort. ‘You’re going to take on the Beast? You’re a bigger idiot than I thought. If that thing’s half as bad as it sounds, it’s probably already torn her to bits. You might as well accept it.’

  Had Guggs not been holding his metal bar, I’d have taken a swing at him. With my abilities I could beat him easily. But my abilities weren’t an option any more, and so neither was fighting Guggs. But that didn’t mean I was going to let him scare me.

  ‘Lock the door behind me,’ I said. ‘I’m going to find her.’

  I turned in time to see Ameena stepping through the door. ‘Find who?’ she asked, breathing hard.

  ‘Um... you.’

  ‘Right. Well...’ She held her arms out to the side and smiled. ‘Ta-daa!’ The smile dropped from her face as she stepped inside. ‘Now shut the damn door, Huggs, there’re monsters out there.’

  ‘Don’t push me, sweetheart,’ Guggs growled.

  Ameena stopped and fixed him with a frosty glare. ‘The door, Huggs. Lock the door.’

  ‘Or what?’ Guggs asked. His hand was tight around the metal bar. ‘Or what?’

  Billy cleared his throat. The sudden sound surprised everyone and broke the tension. ‘Or we’ll be wall-to-wall zombies in here,’ he shrugged. ‘And none of us wants that. Right?’

  Guggs shot his cousin a dirty look, but it was nothing compared to the one he fired in Ameena’s direction. He didn’t argue any more, though. With a click the key turned in the lock.

  ‘How’d you get away?’ I asked.

  Ameena shrugged. ‘Just ran in circles for a bit. That seemed to confuse it. I legged it back here before it could figure out which way I’d gone. It’s big, but it isn’t smart. A bit like Huggs, here.’

  ‘Come across any screechers?’ I asked.

  She shook her head. ‘Nope.’

  ‘What the hell are screechers?’ Guggs asked.

  ‘The people out there,’ I said. ‘The ones chasing us.’

  ‘They’re zombies, not screechers,’ he insisted. ‘Screechers. What kind of stupid name’s that? Why’d you call them screechers?’

  ‘Because they screech,’ I explained.

  It took a moment for Guggs to figure out the connection. ‘They screech, so you call them screechers? That’s rubbish. Why not call them face-biters, then? Or... or...’ He racked his brain. ‘...or crazy freaks that chase you down and eat you?’

  ‘Yeah, not exactly catchy, that last one,’ Ameena pointed out. ‘I say screechers is as good a name as any.’

  Rosie hadn’t spoken since I’d shoved her into the station. She lingered just inside the doorway, fiddling nervously with her long blonde hair. As she listened to us arguing, her blue eyes flitted anxiously across each of our faces. When they got to me I offered her what I hoped came across as a reassuring smile. She didn’t smile back, but then I couldn’t really blame her.

  ‘Hi,’ I said, taking her hand and shaking it. ‘I’m Kyle. We didn’t really get a chance to do proper introductions earlier.’

  ‘Rosie,’ she said, her cheeks blushing pink.

  ‘Yeah, you said,’ I reminded her. I let her have her hand back, then turned to the others. ‘This is Ameena. She’s my... friend.’

  ‘Howdy,’ Ameena nodded. Rosie smiled weakly in reply.

  ‘This is Billy,’ I said, moving on. ‘He’s...’ I searched for a way to explain my connection to Billy. ‘We go to the same school.’

  ‘Hi, it’s really lovely to meet you,’ Billy said. He was smiling broadly at the girl, almost tripping over himself in his rush to shake her hand. ‘Anything you need, just let me know.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Rosie said, blushing again.

  ‘And that’s Huggs,’ Ameena continued, gesturing to the boy by the door. ‘He’s a shaved ape we stole from the circus. We’re teaching him some basic communication skills.’

  ‘Shut up,’ Guggs growled.

  Ameena grinned her wrinkled-nose grin. ‘See? Well done, Huggs. Extra banana for you tomorrow.’

  Guggs muttered below his breath, but otherwise said nothing.

  ‘So, you know who we are,’ Ameena said. ‘Who are you?’

  ‘Rosie,’ the girl said. ‘My name’s Rosie.’

  ‘We got that bit,’ Ameena replied. ‘Looking for a bit more. What happened to you out there?’

  Rosie’s face seemed to crumple. She made a noise that sounded almost like the cry of the screechers, but then it became a series of loud sobs. She buried her face in her hands, as if trying to push back the tears that had started to fall.

  ‘Oh, great. Just great,’ Guggs said. He turned from the window and stomped towards the door at the back of the room. ‘If anyone needs me, I’ll be up on the roof.’

  ‘You take care now, Huggs,’ Ameena beamed. She waved enthusiastically after him. ‘Missing you already.’

  The door slammed shut. From beyond it, we heard Guggs punch the wall.

  ‘You shouldn’t wind him up so much,’ Billy said. ‘He’s dangerous.’

  Ameena shrugged. ‘That’s what makes it fun.’

  I gently rested a hand on Rosie’s shoulder. She didn’t flinch or pull away, but her hands didn’t move from her face, either. She was no longer making any noise, but from the way her body shook it was clear she was still crying.

  ‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘You’re safe now. You’re OK.’

  ‘Watch out,’ Ameena told me softly. ‘I’ll handle this.’

  I stepped back, letting Ameena in. I wasn’t really sure how you dealt with crying girls, so it was good to have another girl around to handle things sensitively.

  ‘Oi. You. Pull yourself together,’ Ameena barked. She bumped her fist against Rosie’s shoulder, not hard, but not exactly softly either.

  ‘Ameena!’ I gasped.

  ‘What? Well, we don’t have time for touchy feely.’

  ‘But we don’t know what—’

  ‘No, she’s right,’ Rosie said. She wiped her tears on the back of her sleeve, rubbing away the last streaks of her make-up. Without it she looked younger – still older than me, but not by much. Despite everything, I couldn’t help but notice she was pretty too. No wonder Billy had been so nice to her.

  ‘So?’ Ameena asked. ‘What happened?’

  Rosie cleared her throat and wrapped her arms across herself. Her eyes took on a faraway look as she began to speak. ‘We were driving. My mum, my dad and me. Heading up north to visit my dad’s sister. She’s in hospital... although, I don’t suppose that matters now.’

  ‘Skip to the good bits,’ Ameena urged.

  Rosie blushed. ‘Sorry,’ she said, her voice wobbling. ‘We were just meant to be passing through here. The road was clear, everything was fine, but then, all of a sudden, we were driving through snow and the car kept skidding all over the road.’

  ‘When was this?’ I asked.

  ‘I... I don’t know, exactly. Half an hour ago, maybe?’

  ‘You drove into the village half an hour ago?’ Billy asked, suddenly animated. ‘That’s great! If you could get in, we can get out.’

  I knew there had to be more to Rosie’s story. Ignoring Billy, I told her to carry on.

  ‘We were turning a corner and the car slid. It hit another car. We weren’t going fast, though, so it was fine. My dad tried to reverse, but the wheels just kept spinning.’

  Rosie’s face went pale. She shook her head, as if denying the memory playing out behind her eyes. ‘And so... and so... he got out. My dad got out. He got out of the car!’

  She fell silent then. We all did.

  Eventually, it was down to me to ask the obvious question. ‘What happened?’

  ‘He was
round the front, pushing. My mum was in the driver’s seat, trying to reverse. She was looking out of the back window and I was looking at her and we were laughing about the whole thing, and then... Then my dad was gone. And we weren’t laughing any more.’

  ‘Where did he go?’ Ameena asked.

  Rosie shook her head. Her eyes closed for a moment as she fought back more tears. ‘He just... He just disappeared. He was there, he was right there, and then he wasn’t. There was nothing there but fog. My mum got out then and shouted. Called his name, over and over. He didn’t answer. No one answered.’

  She took a deep breath. It came out again as a series of unsteady gasps. ‘But something heard her. I saw a shape move in the mist behind her. It was big, but it was fast. So, so fast. One second it was there, the next it was gone. And... and so was my mum. I heard her scream. But it didn’t last long.’

  Ameena gave a low whistle through her teeth. ‘Bummer,’ she said.

  ‘I didn’t know what to do. I just sat there. Just sat there, looking out the window, too scared to move. And then it started attacking the car,’ Rosie said. Her voice was less wobbly now, but from the way she was clenching her fists, it was clear she was barely holding herself together. ‘All I could do was scream. I screamed and screamed and... and... and that’s when you two turned up.’

  She threw her arms around my neck and buried her face against my shoulder. ‘It would’ve killed me,’ she said, sobbing again. ‘It would’ve killed me like it did my mum and dad!’

  ‘Don’t say that,’ I soothed. I patted her on the back, because it felt like I should be doing something. ‘You don’t know that, they might be OK.’

  ‘Chances are pretty slim, though,’ Billy said. Ameena and I both shot him a look. ‘Um, I mean, yeah,’ he added. ‘They’re probably fine.’

  ‘No, they’re not,’ Rosie said. She released her grip on my neck, but took hold of my hand instead. I saw Ameena’s gaze go to our interlocked fingers. It didn’t move for a long time. ‘They’re dead. I know they’re dead. And with that thing out there, we’ll be next.’

  ‘Uh, Kyle, a word?’ Ameena said. She took a step towards me and pushed me towards the door Guggs had gone through. The shove broke Rosie’s grasp on my hand. As we walked through the door, I heard Billy rush to take my place.