The Fangtooth feasting on the carcass looked up. Blood dripped from its face, giving it a menacing sheen. It opened its mouth, revealing half-chewed organs. Bruce cringed, his stomach curdling at the sight.
He waved the torch, and remnants of burning cloth fell off to lie smouldering on the ground.
The Fangtooth advanced on all fours, one step at a time. The other Fangtooth stood before the car, as though it knew his destination.
As the bloodied Fangtooth moved in for the kill, it rose up on two legs and opened its mouth to roar. Bruce didn’t hesitate as he thrust the burning chair leg down its throat, searing flesh. The creature moved back. Bruce let go of the torch, leaving it jutting from the creature’s mouth. Smoke from scorched flesh drifted out of its mouth, making it look even more hellish.
Bruce’s companions waved their torches and shouted menacingly to try to drive the creatures away.
The Fangtooth guarding the car twisted its head to look at its wounded companion. With no distinction of where its next meal came from, and seeing an easy target, it moved in and started to bite the wounded creature. With the stick jutting from its throat, the stricken creature couldn’t defend itself and it fell to the ground, the other creature moving to stand above it before driving its teeth into the other Fangtooth’s body.
“I’m going to make a run for the car,” Bruce shouted. He extracted the keys from his pocket; pressed the key fob button to unlock the car, ran across, yanked the door open and tumbled inside. Shazam bounded across and jumped over him to sit in the passenger seat. Bruce shoved the key in the ignition and turned it. The engine started up; it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Grinning to himself, he looked across to his companions, only to see another group of Fangtooth had arrived and cut them off.
Chapter 42
Bruce saw Erin and the group sweeping their flaming torches around to ward off the creatures surrounding them. Zander and his crew had disappeared. Bruce put the car in gear, pressed his foot down on the accelerator and sped along the road. When he drew close to the nearest creature, he switched the headlights on and pressed the pedal to the floor.
The Fangtooth swivelled and stared at the approaching vehicle, but it reacted too slowly. The car struck it with a sickening crunch; sent it bouncing along the road, rolling end over end. Without easing off the accelerator, Bruce headed towards the next Fangtooth. The car stuck it, the front wheel rolling over its body and momentarily leaving the road as it careered over the carcass. Bruce thought he heard something snap.
Shazam barked in his ear.
The group cheered, waving their almost burnt out torches in the air. The remaining Fangtooth scattered, looking for easier prey.
Bruce stopped the car. He glanced in the rear-view mirror, saw movement against the harbour wall and twisted his head to see Duncan. He glared at Bruce, his lips mashed together in a tight grimace. A knife glinted in his hand. Bruce revved the engine, slipped it into reverse, eased off the clutch, spun the car around and steered a course towards Duncan.
Seeing the car heading towards him, Duncan stood up and started to run. The group was busy focusing on the remaining Fangtooth and they failed to spot him until it was too late. He flew into the group, knocking Jack and Sara aside before grabbing Erin. He sliced the knife across the back of her hand, forcing her to drop her weapon, then placed the knife to her throat.
Bruce slammed on the brakes. Erin stared back at him, her face contorted by fear that made him feel physically sick.
Bruce jumped out of the car. He heard sirens in the distance; saw flashes of red and blue lights on the track leading down to the village.
“Duncan, it’s over. Let her go.”
Duncan laughed. “It’s never going to be over.”
“The police are here. Don’t make things worse for yourself than they already are.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to tell me what to do.”
Over ten feet separated them, ten feet that Bruce couldn’t cross in time. He caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye, a flash of white creeping through the shadows beside the harbour walclass="underline" Shazam.
“Look, what good is holding Erin hostage going to do?”
“Who said anything about holding a hostage?” Duncan turned, keeping a tight grip on Erin.
Bruce saw a thin line of blood at Erin’s throat. Saw the fear in her expression.
Shazam was less than eight feet from Duncan. She crawled along the ground, a canine predator.
“Now it’s up to you girl,” Bruce whispered. As though sensing what to do, Shazam slinked closer, closing the gap. Once close enough, she jumped up and started barking.
Taken by surprise, Duncan spun around, the knife coming away from Erin’s throat enough for her to lever her arm underneath his to hold the knife away. Bruce didn’t hesitate. He charged, slamming into Duncan’s side, knocking him and Erin over.
Momentum carried Bruce further and he rolled painfully across the ground. Behind him, Shazam grabbed the bottom of Duncan’s trousers between her teeth and tugged at the shopkeeper’s leg. A low growl emanated from the back of her throat.
Duncan slashed out with the knife. Bruce clambered to his feet, but he was too slow. The blade cut Shazam across the back, opening up a pink stripe in her black and white fur. The dog let go of Duncan’s leg and yelped.
Erin scuttled backwards. Duncan jumped up and bent to grab hold of her again.
Incensed, Bruce let out a roar of anguish and charged towards the shopkeeper. Without any heed towards his own safety, he crashed into Duncan, sending him sprawling across the ground.
Duncan landed on his back, arms above his head. The knife skittered away. Bruce jumped astride the prone figure and started hitting him in the face, blow after blow connecting with a sharp smack.
A moment later, Erin grabbed his arms to stop the onslaught.
“That’s enough,” she said.
Bruce looked down, saw Duncan’s bloodied face–his cut lips, broken nose, left eye already swelling–and the anger drained from his body, leaving him feeling strangely empty. He hadn’t thought he possessed the capacity for such aggression, but driven to the edge, he had responded with raw anger. He rolled away from Duncan and crawled towards Shazam.
The dog lay on the ground, panting. Her tongue lolled from the corner of her mouth. Bruce stroked her fur and Shazam arched her head to lick his hand.
“Good girl,” Bruce said.
He gingerly inspected the vicious wound on her back, and tears stung his eyes.
Shazam rested her head on his leg.
“She’ll be okay,” Erin said as she crouched beside them. “We’ll find some antiseptic cream and bandages. The wound doesn’t look too deep.”
Bruce looked at her, unable to see clearly through the tears. He nodded.
“You’re going to pay for this,” Duncan said.
Bruce looked up, saw the shopkeeper on his feet. Blood dripped from his nose, and he spat a thick wad of blood onto the ground. The reclaimed knife winked in his hand.
Bruce felt his heart sink. Screams and shouts echoed throughout the village. Horrible, terrifying sounds originating from the mouths of people being eaten alive; people battling against a horror more terrifying than anything their minds could conjure.
“No, it’s you who’s going to pay,” Jack said.
Duncan turned, raising the knife in his left hand. He blinked his swollen eye, his mouth hanging open in surprise as the smouldering chair leg struck him across the side of his head, sending him sprawling back towards the edge of the harbour.
He teetered on the edge, arms flailing in the air before regaining his balance. He grinned, revealing bloodied teeth. But Jack was too quick for him. He drove the glowing tip of the chair leg into Duncan’s stomach, sending him plummeting over the edge.