But before you can get close, it buzzes and snaps out.
What the?Not just one, but two streetlights. What are the chances…
You shiver again, goosebumps rising along the back of your arms. Something doesn’t feel right.
The feeling of being watched prickles the back of your neck, but when you glance behind you, there’s nobody there.
You walk faster, eager to get out of this creepy section of town and never come back. Where the heck is everybody!? Usually it’s quiet, but notthisquiet.
Not a single car has passed by since you left work.
Just as you’re finally nearing the comforting safety of the next streetlight, it clicks out with apop.
You freeze.
“Well, that’s super creepy,” you mutter to yourself, glancing both ways before continuing down the dark street. If you didn’t know better, you’d think this was all some sort of sick prank.
You’ve never felt so creeped-out walking home before.
That’s when you hear the sound.
It sounds like a dog’s nailsclackingacross hard floor. Areally bigdog.
You gulp, swallowing hard, heart in your throat as you turn slowly around to see what that sound was.
Even in the near complete darkness, there’s no missing it.
You swear under your breath.
Not twenty feet away, a huge, plated monster with a body like a giant scorpion emerges from the shadows. It has glowing red eyes and way too many legs—legs that all seem to end in sharp pinchy bits.
Is this a nightmare!? It must be. Except that, unlike most of your nightmares, your feet don’t stick when you try to run.
At least there’s that.
You break into a sprint, clutching the wrapped book tightly as you careen down the dark block.
But the giant scorpion monster is faster. It slashes the air with its claws as you dive out of the way behind a dumpster.
Ew, the ground here is littered in trash and grime, but at least you’ve survived.
Your arm stings, and it’s too dark to tell, but you’re pretty sure you’re bleeding. It must have grazed you.
You swear under your breath.
This is bad. Because if you’re feeling pain, that means this can’t be a dream.
The dumpster rattles as the scorpion monster tosses it out of the way as easily as a toy. You scream, shoving off the wall.
“Help! Help me!” You yell, wishing you had time to grab your phone and dial the police. Though—would they even believe you? Probably not.
You’ve got no weapons.
Nothing to throw.
Nothing—you glance down at the book in your hands.
Nothing to throw, except the book.
