Thread: Into the Darkness (theycallmemunchkin x Reydan)

He watched her swing the bat inexpertly, more enthusiasm than skill, and had to repress the sudden urge to shove Ashleigh back into a cupboard and lock her away safe and sound until all this was over. He grimaced, looking at his kid sister with anxious eyes, before placing a hand on the doorknob. Before breaching the outside world. Stay close he whispered, looking deep into those eyes, the same colour eyes as his, before swinging the door open. Teddy had expected to have to charge out, swinging, to find a snarling pack of things outside. But the night was cool and dark and empty. It was all the more unsettling for the absence of the creatures hunting them. They set off, feet crunching softly in the grass of the backyard. Step step step step, across their backyard that had once been the scene of triumphant play fights and camping excursions and paddling pools, but was now empty and neglected. He could hear, over his shoulder, the moaning and gnarling coming from the front of the house and, not for the first time, Teddy's heart sank at the thought that they were skipping out on their Dad. If you ever see me like that bash my brains in... He looked over at his sister, recalling her dark words from earlier, as she prowled, bat in hand, behind him. Her eyes were wide, her movements fretful and a little clumsy, but she was keeping up. He swore, in that moment, that he would do anything and everything in his power to keep her safe. To protect her. They shimmied over the whitewashed fence at the back of their garden, Teddy cupping his hands to help Ash swing up and over before following her. Still no sight of anything or anyone else. They trudged on, up the hill at the back of their house, only stopping when they reach the summit. There they paused, panting for breath, at the treeline. Before them, stretching out in the valley, was the little town of Bakersfield. Awh fuck was all Teddy could say when he saw it. The town was ablaze. Parts of it were burning, spirals of red-orange flame reaching upwards, the pall of night hiding the plumes of thick black smoke that must be down there. The sounds were feint but you could hear gunshots, the screeching of tires, and the odd muffled bang and crash. Their world was falling apart. He let his gaze, reluctantly, leave the town and travel up the hills alongside the one they stood on. Up off to their right, nestled at the foot of the mountains, was the State Park. And the cabins that made up the Ranger Station. It was the only place he and Ash and their Dad and Mary had talked about as a possible place of refuge. Isolated but with its own water supply, the dozen holiday cabins clustered around the Ranger Station would be pretty safe. IF none of the things were there.... We should head up to the Rang... he started to say to Ashleigh, then his blood froze in his veins. His eyes snapped back to the town. Mary. Shit. Their sister had been at a sleepover in town tonight. No longer able to resist being cooped up in the house. His face white, he turned to Ash. Mary. Oh God Ash, Mary's down there. And he pointed, as he spoke, to the hellish scene playing out beneath them.