Page 42 of Starved Until Sunset

One of the deputies holstered his weapon and helped Walsh out of the water while the other kept his trained on the creature. When Lucia slogged her way out of the pond, she drew her own gun and got down on one knee beside Walsh who was on her knees, holding her shoulder and trying to catch her breath.

“I’m Sheriff’s Deputy Lucia Durant,” she shouted at the thing. “You have attacked an Aspen County Sheriff’s Deputy. I am placing you under arrest.”

“Are you kidding me?” one the male deputies said.

“I’m working this by the book,” Lucia said, never taking her eyes or her gun, off the thing. “Keep your mouth shut and your eyes on it.”

Whatever the thing was, it dropped into a low crouch and unfurled its massive wings. The moonlight leeched whatever color it might have had from its skin, leaving it a ghostly shade of pale. From what Cody could see at that distance, its face looked more bat-like than human, but its body was like that of a thin, strong man. As it slowly flapped its wings, Cody noticed small finger-like extensions at the corners, and he shuddered.

“I think it’s getting ready to do something,” Demmy said.

“What do we do?” one of the male deputies said.

“For fuck’s sake, shoot it,” Walsh snapped.

Before any of them could pull a trigger, a man shouted at them from across the field.

“Who’s there? What are you doing on my land?”

Everyone looked back toward the house. The man walked slowly toward them. He wore flannel house pants and a hoodie. Instead of a shotgun as Cody had imagined, he held a phone, the light on as he made a video of the encounter.

“Sheriff’s department,” Lucia responded. “Stay back!”

Movement from the other side of the pond made them all look back. The figure had raised one hand, the fingers long and tipped with claws. Both deputies fired, but the thing on the other side of the pond didn’t react. Either they were terrible shots, or this thing was bullet proof. And, of fucking course it would be bullet proof.

“Cease fire!” Lucia shouted.

Moments later, a cloud descended over them. It was a flock of bats, hundreds, possibly thousands. Everyone screamed and dropped to the ground, covering their heads. Cody dropped to his knees and pulled Demmy against his chest, ducking his head and covering both of them as much as possible with his arms. He heard the guy from the farmhouse screaming, but a glance showed he still held his phone up as the bats circled them.

It was over in seconds. The bats fluttered off as abruptly as they’d arrived, dust kicked up from their wings settling around them all. As Cody cautiously lifted his head, he saw the figure on the other side of the pond was gone.

“What the fuck was that thing?” one of the deputies said.

“Fucking bats! I got a bat wing in my mouth. Fuck!”

“What the hell just happened?” Demmy said.

“Good fucking question,” Cody said. “Just another evening in Parson’s Fucking Hollow.”

Lucia was already on the radio, calling for an ambulance for Deputy Walsh. The Parson’s Hollow EMTs were busy tonight.

The guy from the farmhouse approached, phone still up as he recorded their reactions. He was younger, probably Cody’s age, with messy blond hair and a scruffy little beard that matched.

“Dudes, what the hell was all of that?” the guy said. “Who was that guy?”

Lucia pointed a finger at him. “Stop recording right now. And I’m going to need a copy of whatever video you managed to make tonight.”

“Yeah, sure, okay. But I’m streaming it live, so everyone’s already seen it.”

Lucia hung her head and blew out a breath. “Of course.” She looked at Walsh who lay on her back, hands on her chest. “You all right?”

Walsh nodded, and Cody saw her hold up a small knife that gleamed in the moonlight. “I saw the pond below me and knew it was my chance. I stabbed it with this.”

Lucia looked at him and Demmy. “That knife is pure silver.”

Turning her head, Walsh smiled at them. “Clarabell suggested it. For protection.”

Cody scowled. “Of course she did.”