This was a bad idea.

No, scratch that. The more I thought about it the more that I realized that this was a really bad idea.

We were really just supposed to walk across the lot and pray that thing didn't see us? There wasn't that much prayer or luck in the world.

This idea was sounding more and more like suicide by the second.

"We can't just walk across. There's nothing to hide behind. It's going to see us." I voiced my worries to Cory, who despite the fact that we we were planning a suicide mission, looked uncharacteristically calm.

"Seeing us isn't the problem." He said as he stuck his head around the corner of the building just enough so that he could see across the street. "We just have to make sure it doesn't hear us."

Cory turned back around to look at me only to be met with my confused stare.

"They can't see." He explained. "But they have damn good hearing. That's how they hunt. So, if we want to make it across the lot in one piece, we have to be quiet. Dead quiet."

I wasn't sure if that was meant to be a pun or not but I chose to ignore it as I glanced across the lot that separated us from the parking garage. In all honesty it wasn't that far of a distance. It would probably take us less than a minute to cross under normal circumstances but these weren't normal circumstances. This made what would have otherwise been just an average stroll across an empty lot seem like walking across a minefield.

"The offer still stands. I can go in and get the medicine myself while you wait here." Cory suggested.

I shook my head.

"And stay out here with Fido? No, thanks."

"Well, I suggest we get going then."

Without warning he bent down and started untying his shoe laces.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I watched him pull off his right shoe.

"I told you, they have ears like bats. It's quieter and safer if we go across without shoes."

I guess that made sense and I quickly followed his lead and discarded both of my shoes before tying the laces together and hanging them around my neck just like he had.

Cory glanced around the corner one more time before looking back at me.

"Ready?" He mouthed.

I nodded.

Slowly, he started forward, inch by inch until the back of the pharmacy no longer offered him its protection and his body was out in the open.

I held my breath as I slowly followed until I was standing out in the open too.

Despite my better judgment, I couldn't help myself. Slowly, I turned my head in its direction fully expecting to see it running full speed at us only to find that it was still rummaging through the trash.

I closed my eyes only for second to relish in the fact that we were still alive and still going through with this crazy plan before opening them and continuing forward, only a few paces behind Cory.

We had made it halfway across the lot, both of us now directly across from it. The only thing separating us now was a few feet of concrete and a single road.

As if that wasn't bad enough, it chose that exact moment to stop rummaging through the garbage.

Cory and I froze almost instantly, both watching with bated breath as it straightened to its full height and then titled its head to sniff the air.

Even from here I could hear the large intakes of air through its nose.

I felt a single drop of sweat slowly make its way down my spine and silently grabbed Cory's hand, unconsciously squeezing hard enough that I'm sure he was losing feeling in his hand, but all he did by way of response was lightly squeeze my hand back.

It took one more deep intake of the air before its head snapped in our direction.

Those eyes that Cory claimed couldn't see, looked as if they were looking directly into my soul at that moment.

It cocked its head to the right.

Exactly three seconds passed and then it bared its teeth and let loose one of those blood curdling howls.

I knew exactly what that meant.

"Fuck! Run!" Cory hissed.

Without another word we were sprinting the rest of the way across the lot, the only sound to be heard was our own labored breathing and the sounds of feet and taloned paws hitting the pavement.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see it quickly shortening the distance between us as it crossed the street while we were still a good few feet from the parking structure.

We weren't going to make it. In a few more seconds it would be on us.

Cory seemed to realize this too because in the next instant he slowed just enough so that I raced by him just as that thing launched itself and collided with his back sending them both tumbling and crashing to the ground.

"No!" I quickly skidded to a halt and turned around.

"Keep going! Run!" Cory yelled.

I quickly glanced between him and it.

The momentum it had used to launch itself had caused it to roll a couple of feet away after colliding with Cory but it was quickly getting to its feet.

I turned back to look at Cory.

I couldn't just leave him, I-

He quickly shouted what I assumed was the name of the medicine we had come out here for in the first place before looking me dead in the eyes, his own wide with fear but determined. "GO!"

It was back on its feet now and I was out of time.

I didn't have a choice.

If I stayed and tried to help we'd probably both die which meant my dad would die too.

Someone had to make it back with the medicine if there was any chance of him making it and for this entire trip not to be a waste.

I quickly turned and sprinted the rest of the way to the parking garage tears stinging my eyes as I heard the growls and yells behind me.

I ducked under the yellow bar of the toll booth meant to let cars in an out of the garage before running a few feet and quickly sinking down behind the first car I saw.

Oh God.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and tried to focus on my breathing, tried to get myself to focus, tried to get my tears under control.

Cory.

What was I going tell Arden? How could I have just left him back there? What was I-

Despite my blurred vision, my eyes landed on the black pick up truck parked across from me, only a few steps away.

The pick up trip with the driver's side door open.

I scrambled to my feet.

Please let the keys be in it.

I made it to the truck and almost collapsed in relief. There they were. The keys sitting on the floor of the car as if they'd been dropped.

What was also there was an abundance of blood on the door but I chose to ignore it as I snatched the keys and quickly climbed into the truck, slamming the door shut after I was inside.

The truck roared to life as I turned the key in the ignition and without really thinking about what I was about to do I pulled out of the parking spot and floored it.

I had the gas pedal pressed to the floor as I smashed through the yellow bar of the toll booth and hit a hard left, the tires screeching as they attempted to keep traction with road.

Don't let me be too late.

I sped forward the last few feet and-

There they were.

It was on top of Cory, the only thing protecting him was the back pack he had brought with us that he was now using as a sort of shield as the creature's teeth ripped through it trying to get to his neck.

I rolled down the window and yelled at the top of my lungs.

"Cory move!"

The only indication that he heard me was the widening of his eyes as he titled his head back and saw me speedily approaching.

Thankfully, my yelling also caught its attention and it paused momentarily, lifting its head from where it had been previously trying to dig into Cory, probably trying to figure out if there was a second item on the menu.

Not today fucker.

The momentary pause was enough for Cory to roll from underneath the creature and out of the way as I pressed down on the pedal harder before letting the front end of the truck meet its body.

There was a loud crunch as it made contact with the hood of the truck before sailing through the air and landing several feet away with an audible thud.

I slammed on the breaks, the tires once again protesting, before throwing the truck into park before hopping out and rushing over to Cory who was now sitting up on his elbows.

His eyes couldn't have been bigger if he tried as he watched me approach. In fact I would've laughed if I wasn't so scared shitless.

I made it to him in no time and quickly dropped to my knees looking him over for injuries.

Other than a cut on his forehead and a few scratches on his arms he looked alright.

"Are you okay?" I asked just to make sure, my eyes still frantically searching for any other sign that he might be hurt.

"H-how did you-" Cory began, still looking at me with that shocked expression.

"I stole a truck. Whoever was in it probably didn't make it and the keys were still inside." I quickly explained. "Now, are you okay?" I asked again.

Cory blinked once before nodding.

I finally let myself sigh in relief.

"Thank goodness. I thought I might be too late."

Cory, finally coming out of his shocked state shook his head before getting to his feet.

I stood too and suddenly had the urge to run and get back in the truck or anywhere else really to escape the intense look he was giving me right now.

It wasn't angry or anything of the sort which made me want run and hide that much more.

"Why'd you come back? I told you to keep going."

Why'd I come back?

Maybe because even though I had barley known him for a day, the thought of him dying left a strange ache in my chest.

Those thoughts I kept safely inside my head but out loud I simply said, "I couldn't pronounce the name of that medicine if I tried. There's no way I would've found it on my own."

Cory surprised me by letting out a breathy laugh and I found myself smiling.

God, was I glad that he was okay.

The sound of a pained grunt had us turning our heads in the direction of the creature's body. It was bloody and contorted but I didn't think for a second that it was dead.

The words of the man on the news flashed through my mind.

"It was only when I shot it in the head that it died."

"It's not dead." Cory confirmed my thoughts.

I reached down and picked up his back pack that now had several holes torn into it from the battle it went through with that thing's teeth, before handing it to him.

"We'd better hurry up and get inside then."

***