Stay In The Light

He ran, as fast as he could, hoping to get away. His bare feet slapped at the wet concrete as he ran down the dark street. His shorts were heavy with water from the rain that had just passed, his white t-shirt was ripped and torn. Both were covered in fresh blood, still pouring from the three deep gashes on his side. The flesh was torn away, revealing the same three gashes across his ribs.

His right hand covered the torn flesh as he ran, pain shooting through him as he took quick breaths and ran in fear down this wet street.His legs felt like lead, he was barely able to get them to work anymore, so he slowed to a fast walk. But he could still hear them. They were just playing with him, staying just far enough behind to fill him with fear but not too far behind to let him get away.

Suddenly he fell, his right leg muscles cramped up and he cried out in pain. He hit the concrete hard, scraping his knee and his palm, straining the skin and muscles around his side wound, blood pouring out of him and covering the ground beneath him. He laid down, unable to do anything except breath. Then he heard them, they were near him, yet he was unable to see them as the street light shone down on him. It was the only one working, the only light other than the dim moonlight that was lighting the street.

He waited for them to take him, to finish it all and to end his suffering at their enjoyment. But they did not. They stood so close and yet would not touch him. He forced himself to sit up, ignoring the sharp pain, and looked towards his feet. Two inches from them, outside the ring of light, was one of them, looking at his feet. He could feel its breath on his skin and pulled his feet closer to him. Then he realized what was going on, They could not go into the light.

He laughed out of sheer exhaustion and luck that he should fall in the only light working. He stood, unsteadily, and looked all around him. There were five of them, standing there, drooling and staring at him with red eyes. He laughed and then stared at the biggest one, obviously the leader.

"You can't get me! You played with me, toying with me. Now you can't get me. I, Thomas Greene, beat the boogie men!" He screamed at it and laughed.

Then he suddenly stopped in mid-laugh as he heard claws on metal. He turned and looked at the light post and fear filled his whole body, replacing the pain. On the post, climbing to the top, was the littlest of them. He watched as it sat at the top and grinned at him.

"No!" His screams echoed down the street, followed by the sound of glass and metal crashing onto the concrete and the sound of flesh ripping off the bone.

Thomas Greene was never found....