Voracious - Alice Henderson [123]
The creature fantasizing about dragging her back to his rented cabin, slowly tearing her apart and eating all the soft parts, splitting open bones to get at the marrow. Later, after digestion, he’d go outside to test out his new psychometric ability …
Then … revenge. Killing Noah, his annoying hunter of so many years, before moving on to the next victim, reveling in the choices …
But first he’d go back to his cabin, get a chance to really recuperate, completely heal the wounds caused by Noah’s special knife …
She dropped the coveralls. “Oh, no …” she breathed, staring blankly out of the window, not seeing anything but her visions.
“What is it?”
Madeline turned to look at her friend, her eyes wide. “My friend Noah. He’s going to get himself killed.”
AS soon as the train screeched to a halt at the Whitefish station, Madeline looked out one of the windows. The police had arrived, and an announcement from the conductor told them that no one was allowed to leave the train until questions had been asked.
Madeline clenched her teeth. “Damn!”
The other passengers who wanted to get off at Whitefish groaned and complained, standing impatiently in the aisles. They obviously hadn’t heard yet about the disaster in the observation car.
“C’mon!” She grabbed George’s hand, and they darted to the opposite side of the train from the platform. Another set of tracks lay on that side. She pressed the emergency release button on a door on that side. The alarm was still jangling from before, so no new alarm went off to draw attention to them.
“Are you crazy?” George shouted.
“I don’t have a choice.” She grabbed him harshly around the wrist and dragged him out of the train, bounding over the tracks. Large pools of light illuminated the station on this side, and she quickly ran to the extent of the light and darted into the shadows. Dark shrubbery and trees swallowed them on that side of the station, and they ran on.
She listened carefully for signs of pursuit. She didn’t hear any police officers call out or hear anyone crashing through the bushes behind them. They reached a quiet, urban street, all the stores locked up for the night. She released her grip on George, who followed breathlessly, demanding to know where they were going. She shushed him rudely, not stopping to explain until they were several blocks from the station.
She turned down a shadowed, suburban street and stopped, waiting for him to catch up.
“I don’t think they followed us. It was pretty chaotic back there.”
“Okay,” he said panting, trying to catch his breath. “Now you explain?”
She nodded. “Okay. As best I can. And while I’m talking, we have to find a way back to your car.”
He brought his hand to his head. “I thought you’d decided on the bus?”
“No. The creature is headed back to his cabin. And my friend Noah is waiting for him there. I have to help him.” She gazed up and down the street, trying to spot the way to Highway 2, which led back into the park. “Let’s walk while we talk.” She picked up the pace to a jog, heading toward a gas station where she could get directions to the highway. “We’ll have to hitch,” she said.
They reached the gas station, and she went inside the snack store. A burly man sat behind the counter, eating a long piece of round jerky. “Can I help you, miss?” he asked, swallowing.
“Which way to Highway 2?”
He pointed out of the window. “It’s about seven blocks that way,” he said. “Just go straight. You can’t miss it.”
“Thanks,” she said and quickly left the store, George still following in bewilderment.
She spotted a pay phone and stopped. “I have to make a phone call. Got to know my dad is okay. I’ll be right back.” She walked to the phone and dialed his house. Her father answered on the second ring. When she heard his voice she paused, not knowing what to say. They hadn’t talked in over a year, she realized. Tempted to hang up, she remained gripping the phone. “Dad?