Page 57 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Wearinga matching pair of green overall waders that looked badly stained, the two boyshad an almost pinched quality to their narrow faces that seemed to match theirwiry thin frames.
"Yeah,long time no see," the other boy on the right said to Todd, but his eyesremained fixed on her.
Gaunt,dirty, and wearing leering expressions, Sana felt herself take an instinctivestep back from the two boys. There was something wrong about them, somethingthat screamed at her intuition to turn around and walk away now.
"I…I…Thisis my friend Sana," Todd said, clearing his throat while his hand reachedfor hers in a strong grip. "We were just coming to take pictures of thecemetery."
Theboy on the left, who looked older, gave them an oily smile. "Oh well,that's cool," he said before turning the full brunt of his scrutinizingstare towards her. "Hi Sana, I'm Lance, and this is my brotherConnor," he gestured to the slightly shorter boy to his left. “We ju-
"You'repretty,” Connor blurted out, his eyes raking her form up and down in a way thatmade her want to visibly shudder in disgust. “Are you another one of thoseredskin Indians, or are you the towelheaded kind?"
Bothbrothers laughed as they stared at her with an almost cruel eagerness for herto answer.
Sanastiffened, and she felt Todd's hand tighten around hers as he shifteduncomfortably in place.
Watchingher, Lance gave her a contrived smile of pity. "I'm sorry," he cooedinsincerely. "Don’t get your feelings hurt. We were just teasing. wedidn't mean nothing by it."
Finally,Todd spoke up, and Sana nearly sagged in relief. "I think we shouldgo."
Pullingher as he turned to leave, Todd made to step around the two guys just as Lanceshifted to the side—blocking their way.
Holdingup a hand to Todd's chest, Lance gave him a cold, slimy smile. "Hey now,no need to get your panties in a bunch, pharmacy boy. We said we were justplaying," he said, giving Todd a savage look before turning to her with asly smile she assumed was supposed to be flirtatious. "I'm sorry. We'vebeen roughing it across the country in our van too long, apparently. Let'sstart over. Come have some beers with us. We've got off early and wanna justrelax with friends."
"Morelike we got laid off," Connor grumbled under his breath.
Shakingher head, Sana stepped back. This close to them, she could smell theoverpowering fishy odor clinging to their clothes. "No, I need to headback. It's getting late," she announced.
Turningon her heel, she could only hope Todd was going to follow her as she beganmaking her way back to the trail they took. Either way, she was leaving, withor without him.
Sheheard the crunch of leaves behind her and breathed out a sigh of relief atTodd's voice close behind.
"Yeah,guys, I'll catch you both later," Todd called out, though she could hearthe lie in his words. "Her parents are strict, and I told them I would gether home before dark."
Herheart was pounding as Todd came up beside her, giving her a glance filled withjust as much tense worry as hers as they both picked up their pace through thenow gloomy underbrush. Sana could hear the brothers saying something to oneanother, but she couldn't make out what they were saying as both she and Toddtried to subtly put as much distance between them and themselves. Theycontinued to walk, the seconds ticking by uninterrupted turning into a minute.Above them, the sky was streaks of orange and yellow as the sun fell behind thetrees and the mountains in the distance, leaving the forest half-lit and pockedin shadows and sporadic shafts of light. Looking at Todd, Sana could see someof the lines of worry around his eyes fade, and he gave her a tentative smileas they walked in focused silence.
Lance'svoice to her right broke the tentative spell of relief.
"Ithink they're trying to run from us, Connor," his voice called out in aclear, unmistakable taunt.
Bothshe and Todd stopped, sharing a brief panicked look.
"Fuck,that's rude. Don't be rude, pharmacy boy,” Connors called from somewhere totheir left. “How about you share your little friend with us, and we'll be sureto get her home safe and sound later tonight."
White-hotfear surrounded Sana's heart, making it feel suspended in her chest, separatedfrom her vital organs as she looked at Todd in horror. The meaning of theirwords fractured through her thoughts with images so terrible it made her bloodrun cold. Fear danced in Todd's eyes for the briefest second before he reached forher hand. Painfully his grip around her hand tightened as he pulled her into afull run.
"Getthem!" Lance shouted from behind them, his voice so much closer than sheexpected.
Insideher head, Sana felt as if she was screaming as she picked up her feet andpushed her legs to take her faster away from here. Sounds of the leaves andbrush being disturbed to her left and right pricked at her ears and sentanother infusion of icy hot fear to her heart as the thumping running footstepsof the brothers closed in on them.
Afigure shot out from a thick cluster of trees, tackling Todd to the ground. Itwas Connor! Nearly tripping over their grappling bodies, Sana stumbled into atree as she watched Connor pin Todd to the ground, punching him in the face.
"Stop!"she screamed, taking a few steps forward, intending to shove the boy off ofhim. But the painful grip on her shoulder pulled her backward. Sana didn't needto turn and see the other boy trying to pull her backward. Twisting her body ina panic, she wrenched out from his grip just as Todd kicked Connor off of him.
Todd'swild, scared eyes searched until he found hers as he scrambled to his feet."Run, Sana!" he yelled.
Notwaiting and not looking back, Sana ran in the opposite direction. She had noclue which direction she was running, no idea if she was going deeper into theshadowy forest or back towards the town. She just ran.
Ahowl sang through the air somewhere nearby as footsteps pounded into the groundbehind her.
