THUNK.
The plastic crunch of a VHS tape avalanche caused Dani’s head to whip around. Her ears perked, and the fine hairs on her forearms stood on end. A muffled groan came from deep within the darkened bowels of the video store. Adrenaline buzzed through her legs in static waves as she turned and stepped in a puddle of something sticky and slick all at once. Dani lifted her foot to inspect her shoes and discovered that her brand new sneakers were splashed with something that definitely wasn’t spilled soda or coffee. Something viscous and awful and red.
Oh, no.
Kyle.
Her chest tightened and her breath came in fast and shallow bursts as she glanced around the darkened hallway for a weapon. She had gotten a canister of mace to keep in her purse for college, but now Dani cursed herself for leaving it at home. She grabbed a wooden-handled mop propped against the back door and pushed herself forward. Every worst case scenario played on a loop in her mind as she wrapped her trembling hands around the makeshift weapon. Maybe they were being robbed, or maybe Kyle had cut himself on a box cutter or something and was bleeding out. If theywerebeing robbed, she needed to get to the phone in the break room and call the police. But her gut instincts and the puddle of blood on the floor indicated that her coworker was already in far more danger than she could possibly imagine.
Dani tiptoed down the back hall and peered around the corner, her eyes still struggling to adjust to the low light. A pile of returned plastic VHS clamshell cases lay scattered at the base of the front desk. As she crept nearer, Dani could clearly make out the distinctshinksound of a blade followed by a soft thud and ragged, wet breathing. She gripped the mop handle and forced her fear-deadened legs to move forward, terrified of what she would see.
A flash of metal.
A spray of red.
Headphones smashed to pieces.
White teeth against tan skin.
Kyle lay sprawled on the floor behind the front counter, his eyes bugged open and his mouth frozen in a wide “O”. A wet gurgle escaped from his throat as she met his vacant gaze. His once light blue Cool Flix work shirt was stained nearly black with blood, his head cocked at an unnatural angle.
A shriek ripped from Dani’s chest as she registered what was happening to her friend. Someone was straddling Kyle’s waist, wielding a bloody hunting knife high over their head. Someone with empty, soulless eyes and perfect, glowing teeth.
“No!” The world tilted and swayed beneath her feet as Dani covered her mouth and muffled another scream. This wasn’t real. Itcouldn’tbe real. This sort of thing didn’t happen in real life. Kyle and Matt were messing with her. But the gash in Kyle’s neck didn’t look like bad practical effects from a B-movie. His bloodless face, contorted in pain, looked too convincing. Before she had a chance to fully comprehend the situation, Matt was on his feet, his sights zeroed in on her.
“There she is.”
Regurgitated gummy worms choked up her throat as Dani turned on her heels and fled down the hall back the way she came. She dropped the mop as she ran, the fight-or-flight chemicals releasing into her bloodstream and eliminating all thought but survival. When she reached the back door, Dani barely remembered to avoid the blood splattered along the floor. Heavy footsteps followed her as she flung the door open into the night where her boyfriend’s idling car was waiting for her.
“Daniiiiiii!” Matt’s voice boomed down the hallway, sending tremors of dread straight to her core. “Dani, come back! I just wanna talk to you!”
Dani crossed the threshold without looking back. His grunts and heavy footfalls were right at her back, his fingers grazing and grasping for her hoodie. Matt let out a yelp that under any other circumstances might have seemed comical. She turned just in time to watch his foot skid along the puddle of blood like a ridiculous Scooby Doo villain. His arms flew over his head as his legs kicked out from underneath him, sending his enormous frame crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Focus, Dani. Move!
She choked back sobs as she willed herself to go, go, go. Her boyfriend's Honda Civic was only a few yards away. Safety was within reach. All she had to do was get in and she would be home free. Tommy would back out of the parking lot, drive them to safety, and everything would befine.
Dani flung open the passenger door of Tommy’s car and the spicy scent of cinnamon and leather immediately hit her nose. The smell of her boyfriend’s car was a fragrance that she associated with warmth and security and love, a place of happiness and safety. She made it. She was home free.Safe.Dani slid into his passenger seat, frantic and gasping for breath.
“Drive! We’ve got to g—”
The words caught in her throat before she could even finish them. Tommy sat behind the wheel, motionless and slumped over in an unnatural angle. The keys were in the ignition with the A/C on full blast as Third Eye Blind’sSemi-Charmed Lifeblared from the speakers. His eyes were closed, lashes dark and thick against a colorless complexion as rivers of blood oozed from a long, horizontal gash in his neck. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces as she reached out and touched his cold hand.Dani didn’t have time to grieve her dead boyfriend. She glanced up at the receiving door and locked eyes with her stalker.
Matt was on his feet again.
Dani opened the passenger door and forced herself out of the car. She didn’t have a plan, the only thought in her head was to run, run, run as fast and far away from her attacker as she could. Matt was bigger, but she was faster. She didn’t want him to touch her.
She sped down the alleyway past trash cans and parked cars toward the boardwalk, hoping that someone—anyone—could help her. But it was past 11 p.m., and all of the ice cream parlors and novelty gift shops lining Santana Beach had long since closed. Dani screamed and shouted for help anyway, arms pumping at her side, though every step felt like she was in slow motion. The moonless night revealed an expanse of empty beach, devoid of people.
“Help! Somebody help me! Please!”
Feet pounded the boardwalk behind her, hard and heavy on the creaky planks. Her lungs flamed and constricted inside her chest as she forced herself to keep moving. Where were all the people? Why wasn’t someone coming to help her? The flood light at the end of the pier caught her attention, illuminating a lone fisherman. In one hand, he held a fishing pole, and in the other, a smoldering cigarette. A flicker of hope entered her heart as she pumped her arms harder and made a sharp left hand turn down the pier.
“Please! Help me!” Dani called out to the man into the dark night over and over again. She shouted as loud as she could, but the breeze swallowed her words. Her ponytail had come loose during her frantic escape, her favorite scrunchie long gone, causing her hair to whip wildly in the wind. Dark curls flew in her eyes, obscuring her vision as she scrambled toward the fisherman. Heavy footsteps vibrated through the planks into thesoles of her feet. He was getting closer. Panic threatened to consume her, but she refused to look back.
The fisherman’s eyes grew wide as she barreled toward him. Whether from the sight of Matt covered in blood or Dani screaming her head off, the man froze like an opossum. She collided into the startled stranger, winded and grasping at his collar. The scent of tobacco and catch of the day hung heavy in the air as she used her last breath to plead for her life.
“Help me!”
