Page 24 of Missing Moon

Near to hyperventilating, both hands clutch the chain leading to his throat. It’s slightly rusty and definitely not new.Likely, whoever put this guy here found the chain on the property.

This guy is definitely not the man from the missing poster at the diner. This guy looks Asian, if I had to guess. There’s a large backpack on the ground beside him and the olive drab coat he’s wearing says ‘outdoor enthusiast’ on the sleeve.

I notice a few slice marks in his coat around his shoulders. Almost like he got picked up by a giant eagle. Oh, boy. This is getting weird fast.

“Do you have a phone?” rasps the guy.

“Yeah.”

“Call the cops… quick.” He shivers. “We gotta get the hell out of here before the monster comes back.”

“Monster?” I ask.

“This giant...thinggrabbed me when I was hiking. Dragged me here.”

I blink. “Who goes hiking this late at night?”

He stares. “Just please call the cops before it comes back. It said it was saving me as a snack for later.”

“It spoke?” I wrack my brain, trying to think of what sort of ‘giant monster’ would also talk to its victim.

The guy tugs at the chain. “It said it was going to kill me slowly.”

The sudden sense we’re not alone comes over me, making me look around and up at the rafters. I don’t see anything, so I’m either picking up on a ghost or whatever we’re dealing with is very good at hiding. I can see in the dark, but I can’t see through solid objects. An increasing sense that we’re about to be attacked crawls up my spine.

“Call the cops! Hurry!” rasps the hiker.

“No time.” I crouch over the guy, grab the ring of chain around his neck in my left hand, the padlock in my right, then give a hard yank. The lock breaks. I toss it aside and fling the chain off the gawking hiker.

He might be too dumbfounded to speak, but he’s quite able to run. It only takes him a few seconds to process that he’s no longer chained to the machinery before he gets the hint and takes off, forgetting his backpack. I grab it in one hand and chase after him. There’s enough moonlight for a mortal to see his way around on the farm. Not so much in the woods, though. I catch up to the guy and lead him toward my parents’ house.

Bringing this guy home is not the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but it makes the most sense, given the situation. He’s alone, helpless, and lost out here in the dark. Yeah, there are innocents at the house who I’m probably putting in danger right now. However, between Anthony, Tammy, and myself, I’m sure we can fight off whatever random creature is upset with me for stealing its snack.

Irony right? I’m all grown up now and still sneaking onto that farm to steal food—in a manner of speaking.

By now, we’re about three-quarters of the way to my parents’ house, following a dirt road through the woods. Trees surround us everywhere. It’s the sort of overgrown woods where a little kid can hide under the foliage from angry farm workers and not be found.

A growl comes from behind us.

Maybe it’s my imagination—but I got a feeling it isn’t.

Chapter Nine

Nuts

“Where are we going?” rasps the guy.

“My parents’ place is just up the road a bit more.” I point, not that it helps, since I’m only indicating the same direction as the trail we’re on—and he probably can’t even see. “You can spend the night if you like. Probably safer than being out in the woods by yourself.”

“Umm, sure.” He lets out a huge breath. “Holy crap. What the hell happened back there?”

“No idea. I just heard you screaming.”

“Wow. You heard me shouting and just came by yourself?”

“Yep.”

The guy looks about ready to ask what’s wrong with me when he seems to remember he watched me snap a padlock off with my bare hand.

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