PART 2
-dge." Aaron stammered. He stood there for several moments starring at the forearm at his feet. Nausea was growing inside of him his stomach gurgled and his head grew light. He was about to be sick when it started to sprinkle. The rain drops helped to bring him around a little and he started to move towards his truck. Light flashed in his peripheral vision and he started running.
He jumped in the drivers seat and started up his truck. The engine turned over and he put it into gear before flooring the gas. His tires spun gravel behind him before finally catching and lurching him out into the road. He placed the pistol on the passenger seat and turned his whippers and lights on. The sun's last rays were dipping below the horizon and the storm clouds started releasing their load from above. Aaron was wondering if this could possibly get any worse when a he felt his truck kick a little and something splattered over his windshield. The whippers only smeared it around, nearly blocking his view. Aaron turned his brights on and squinted through the shmeck. He was starting to panic, his breath grew quick and his hands started shaking, then he saw a faint light off to his right. He slowed his car and saw the red, white and blue chevron sign out of his side window. Aaron saw that he had passed the off ramp but was able to turn around and head up the on ramp. As he got to the top of the hill he could see that the service station was fully illuminated and a group of cars were scattered around the pumps and mini mart. He could see movement inside the building and headed for it.
Pulling up next to a green slug bug he parked his car and popped open his door. The light-alarm went off making him jump. Quickly flipping the switch off he grabbed the pistol and hopped out. He noticed that there was a cpiece of pale flesh sticking out of his truck's grill and he shivered. He glanced toward the building. The movement in the mini-mart had stopped. Taking a deep breath he moved forward.
Peering through the window near a Bud Light ad he looked around the store. It looked empty. Remembering the uselessness of the pistol he backed up behind the outdoor ice freezer to examine it. He tried to look for a safety but was clueless. Pulling back the slide he could see the brass bullet entering the chamber, then with a sliding of gunmetal and a resounding click he was armed. He thought of firing off a round to test it, but didn't want to waste any. He tried to calm himself as he moved toward the automatic doors. He nearly yelled when his foot bumped into a beer bottle.
Holding the gun in front of him he crept up to the doors that slid open with a slight brush. Stepping in he felt the his neck hairs prickle and stand on end. All he could hear was his heart slamming in his chest and his fast breathing. He was about to turn heel and run when a whimper broke the silence to his right. It came from the cashier counter and sounded stifled. He breathed once and cleared his throat. "Hello?" he asked.
Silence.
"Is anyone there?" Aaron stammered. Someone please be there, he thought. A crumpling sound came from his left and Aaron spun bringing the pistol to bear. He saw a pad of hair and two eyes peer over one of the food isles. He lowered the gun and walked towards the row of assorted snacks. "Hey." He breathed.
A figure stood up in the isle clutching a pole in both hands. It was a man, a rather round stocky man with a pudgy face. He wore a tight blue uniform and a name tag over the breast pocket that read Greg. He also wore a look of horror that was apparent on his face and shaking hands. He coughed a little and managed to stammer out, " W-what do you w-want?"
Aaron breathed a sigh of relief at Greg and lowered his arms. Aaron saw him lower his pole. Aaron was able to manage a little smirk along with "I have absolutely no idea." In response to the question. He wondered if the man had experienced the same thing that he had, and was about to ask when another figure stood up slowly behind the counter.
Aaron glanced over and saw a woman standing near the cash register. She was average height and weight with light brown hair and dark eyes. She was wearing black pants and a red sweater. She also seemed very frightened and looked at Aaron with suspicion. Then she looked at the gun in his hand and tensed up. Aaron slowly raised his free hand and gave what he figured was a innocent smile. "Its OK. I'm not going to hurt anybody." He could see her relax a little, but she still looked at him warily. "I just want to know what happened here. Because something really...really freaky happened just a few miles from here... to a police man, you see... something sort of attacked him... and killed him... and by the looks of this place and you guys, well... did something come here?"
Their fear was slightly replaced by confusion. It was the pudgy man, Greg, who spoke up. "Now listen here." His voice was strangely calm compared to his demeanor. "We were just robbed, not five minutes before you came in here. A man, who was quite mad, ran in here with a shotgun screaming about demons and damnation. He seemed very crazy and very dangerous so I opened the register and got on the floor." Greg stopped to swallow and glanced over at the woman behind the counter.
Aaron followed his glance and saw the woman nodding. Then the woman glanced at her feet then back at Aaron. "Why don't you tell us what happened to you first." She said with cold untrusting eyes.
Nodding, Aaron leaned against the isle divider and scratched his head. "Well I was heading up North to visit my friend when I got pulled over by this cop. I was speeding because I was trying to beat the rain." Aaron wondered why he bothered coming up with an excuse for his driving at a time like this. "Well he was giving me a warning when there was this loud thud from behind his car." Aaron noticed they perked up to this a little. "When he went to check it out there was this... strange sound, like a scream, but stranger and this... thing, some small creature flew at his head and landed in the road. Then he pulled his gun out and tried to shoot it, but it jumped again on... on to his..." Aaron lowered his head and looked at his shoes. He was surprised how difficult talking about this was. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder and noticed that Greg had moved next to him.
"So you said that this animal killed the police man. Is that right.?" There was understanding in his eyes. Aaron nodded. Greg nodded. "We should call the police. It is what we were trying to do but that is when you showed up so-"
"Wait there is more!" Aaron interrupted. "The thing didn't just kill the police man, I don't even think that it killed him... well not fully, there was lots of blood... but after the officer stopped... struggling, he fell against his car and I went to see if I could use his radio or something to call for help. My cell phone died. Anyways I got out and picked up his gun that he dropped, I figured I could shoot it if it came after me." Aaron motioned to the gun in his hand. "Well when I got close to his body he stood up, and I thought that he might be alright and all. But then he started coming towards me and raising his arms, which were looking really strange, I backed up into the road and he yelled and I tried to shoot him but the gun didn't go off but before he got to me this semi came barreling down the curve and hit him. I ran to my truck and drove as fast as I could and I think I even hit something that got on my windshield. Then I saw this place and came in here and found you guys and I am really freaked out right now." Aaron was breathing hard and shaking a little.
Greg and the woman looked at him with wide eyes. They looked at each other for a second and Aaron saw the woman shudder. Then she took a deep breath and started talking. "I was driving home from my parents house when I stopped here for some coffee and diapers for Joe." She bent down and picked up a baby car seat that until now Aaron had no idea was at her feet. Placing it on the counter a little baby with a green blanket and a orange beanie could be seen looking around while sucking a pacifier.
"Anyway," she continued, "I was paying when the man came in here yelling. Now I... we-" she nodded at Greg, "thought he was crazy because he was ranting about bright lights and... demons... little demons eating peoples heads and leading them to the gates of hell." She paused to brush a strand of hair off of her face and continued after clearing her throat. "Then he saw Joe here and muttered stuff about babies not being allowed into hell and he tried to... tried to take Joe from me." She lowered her voice, and Aaron could see how she held back her emotions. "Well I held on tight and cried for him to stop and then he pointed his gun at both of us and I thought the worst was going to happen. Then a bright flash of light, that I thought might have been his gun but it wasn't, flashed. He started screaming that they were here and would be coming for him. Thats when he ran outside into the rain. I was so relieved. Greg here asked me to call the police while he went to lock the doors. That is when we saw your headlights and I ducked behind the counter here. It was just awful to see you with a gun, but I guess we are all on the same side. Huh?" She gave a weak smile.
"Yeah, I guess so." responded Aaron with an equally pathetic smirk. "Well I guess we should call the cops and let them know what is happening. And Greg should probably lock the doors. I know I would feel a lot better if-"
The woman screamed.
Greg gasped.
Aaron followed their gaze right over his shoulder and to the door. Standing right outside in the pouring rain was a figure. It was clearly illuminated by the convenience store lights. The limbs were swollen and disfigured. The clothing was seeped in red. The head was a featureless mass of flesh. The legs slowly started moving the creature closer. The lights flickered. The lights blinked out.
To Be Continued
