((Follows It Moves In Daylight.))
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The house was silent. The witching hour had been and gone. In the master bedroom, three figures slept wrapped around one another in the large bed. Juno lay nestled between Max and Mataya, her human foster parents having taken the warning about never leaving her alone very seriously indeed. On the floor by the door, the large wolf-dog they now knew as Betryl, Juno's brother, lay watchful and waiting. And he didn't have to wait long. As the darkest hour of the night approached, a faint creak from below betrayed the opening of the basement door. Heavy footsteps began to ascend the stairs, dull and loud and closer with each thud.
Their shared sleep had been very light, their nerves almost shot to toast with this haunting. As soon as the basement door creaked, Max's eyes popped open as if the alarm clock next to his bed had gone off. He groaned. Why didn't this damn thing give them a break" Just for one night, why not' Max thought the creature very selfish, indeed.
Immediately, his hands reached to check that both Mataya and Juno were safely within reach and tucked under the covers. "Get 'im Betryl," he murmured softly. His shoulders stiffened and he lifted his head to look at their bedroom door. And he waited.
'Taya was a little slower to wake, not wanting to give into the sound of a door opening. But the footsteps ....they couldn't be ignored. Groaning lightly, she opened her eyes, her hand meeting Max's to link her fingers with his as Juno stirred between them. On the floor, Betryl rose onto his feet, a low growl rising from his canine throat as the heavy footsteps drew closer and closer. "Max?" 'Taya murmured warily, shifting to sit up a little as Juno rubbed her eyes, cuddling into her foster parents as she began to shake with fear.
"It'll be alright," he attempted to reassure both of the ladies that were sharing his bed. He knew that he had to do something but everything he'd tried, to date, had failed miserably. Still, he had to try. "Get yourself and Juno dressed. Pack a bag for all of us. We're going to the Shanachie," he whispered, then squeezed her hand tightly. With a nod and a grim look on his face, he disentangled himself and slid out of the bed.
"Alright, Betryl, let's let this thing know it's not wanted." Grabbing a baseball bat and an iron fireplace poker, he went to the door. Taking in a big breath for strength, he threw the door open, then went running into the small hall and towards the stairs. He waved both weapons and yelled. "Get the hell out of my house!"
"Right now?" But Max was already moving, and when Max made a decision, Mataya knew not to argue. She drew Juno up into her lap in the middle of the bed, both of them holding tight to one another as Max and Betryl charged out of the bedroom. There was nothing waiting for them, nothing breathing, nothing lurking in the shadows. All was quiet, broken only by the sound of 'Taya softly reassuring Juno as the two of them moved to get dressed. Then without warning, the bedroom door slammed shut, imprisoning woman and child inside, shutting man and dog out. From inside came the sound of heavy footsteps underneath Juno and 'Taya's screams, and the shocking shudder of floorboards under something almost too heavy to be borne there safely.
Max had made it down into the kitchen when the door slammed upstairs. "Oh no, no no no!" He whirled around and sprinted up the stairs. He didn't hesitate for a second, his shoulder slamming into the door. "Leave them alone! Let me in!"
The door stuck, refusing to budge, and from inside, Max heard 'Taya shouting at the top of her lungs for whatever it was to go away, to leave them alone. "Get off her - get off've her, you sick piece of sh*t!" Juno was still screaming and crying, her youthful voice harsh with terror as an horrific growling snarl echoed through the house. Beside Max, Betryl snarled himself, scratching at the door with sharp claws, as anxious as the man to get inside and protect the pair trapped inside with the demon.
Max growled, hearing what was going on inside of the room. Adrenaline was pounding through his veins and he only stepped back far enough to raise his foot to the door in a hard kick to the knob. "Son of a bitch! Get off of my daughter!"
The door snapped open just before his foot made contact, revealing Juno falling back onto the bed with a heavy thump, scrambling with 'Taya up against the headboard as the two of them huddled there, breathless and petrified. A shadow rushed from within the bedroom, a solid blow aimed at Max and Betryl as it passed them. The canine Sanagi was lifted off his feet and thrown against a wall, the impact coinciding with Juno screaming once more, frightened for the brother she'd only just rediscovered.
The house was silent. The witching hour had been and gone. In the master bedroom, three figures slept wrapped around one another in the large bed. Juno lay nestled between Max and Mataya, her human foster parents having taken the warning about never leaving her alone very seriously indeed. On the floor by the door, the large wolf-dog they now knew as Betryl, Juno's brother, lay watchful and waiting. And he didn't have to wait long. As the darkest hour of the night approached, a faint creak from below betrayed the opening of the basement door. Heavy footsteps began to ascend the stairs, dull and loud and closer with each thud.
Their shared sleep had been very light, their nerves almost shot to toast with this haunting. As soon as the basement door creaked, Max's eyes popped open as if the alarm clock next to his bed had gone off. He groaned. Why didn't this damn thing give them a break" Just for one night, why not' Max thought the creature very selfish, indeed.
Immediately, his hands reached to check that both Mataya and Juno were safely within reach and tucked under the covers. "Get 'im Betryl," he murmured softly. His shoulders stiffened and he lifted his head to look at their bedroom door. And he waited.
'Taya was a little slower to wake, not wanting to give into the sound of a door opening. But the footsteps ....they couldn't be ignored. Groaning lightly, she opened her eyes, her hand meeting Max's to link her fingers with his as Juno stirred between them. On the floor, Betryl rose onto his feet, a low growl rising from his canine throat as the heavy footsteps drew closer and closer. "Max?" 'Taya murmured warily, shifting to sit up a little as Juno rubbed her eyes, cuddling into her foster parents as she began to shake with fear.
"It'll be alright," he attempted to reassure both of the ladies that were sharing his bed. He knew that he had to do something but everything he'd tried, to date, had failed miserably. Still, he had to try. "Get yourself and Juno dressed. Pack a bag for all of us. We're going to the Shanachie," he whispered, then squeezed her hand tightly. With a nod and a grim look on his face, he disentangled himself and slid out of the bed.
"Alright, Betryl, let's let this thing know it's not wanted." Grabbing a baseball bat and an iron fireplace poker, he went to the door. Taking in a big breath for strength, he threw the door open, then went running into the small hall and towards the stairs. He waved both weapons and yelled. "Get the hell out of my house!"
"Right now?" But Max was already moving, and when Max made a decision, Mataya knew not to argue. She drew Juno up into her lap in the middle of the bed, both of them holding tight to one another as Max and Betryl charged out of the bedroom. There was nothing waiting for them, nothing breathing, nothing lurking in the shadows. All was quiet, broken only by the sound of 'Taya softly reassuring Juno as the two of them moved to get dressed. Then without warning, the bedroom door slammed shut, imprisoning woman and child inside, shutting man and dog out. From inside came the sound of heavy footsteps underneath Juno and 'Taya's screams, and the shocking shudder of floorboards under something almost too heavy to be borne there safely.
Max had made it down into the kitchen when the door slammed upstairs. "Oh no, no no no!" He whirled around and sprinted up the stairs. He didn't hesitate for a second, his shoulder slamming into the door. "Leave them alone! Let me in!"
The door stuck, refusing to budge, and from inside, Max heard 'Taya shouting at the top of her lungs for whatever it was to go away, to leave them alone. "Get off her - get off've her, you sick piece of sh*t!" Juno was still screaming and crying, her youthful voice harsh with terror as an horrific growling snarl echoed through the house. Beside Max, Betryl snarled himself, scratching at the door with sharp claws, as anxious as the man to get inside and protect the pair trapped inside with the demon.
Max growled, hearing what was going on inside of the room. Adrenaline was pounding through his veins and he only stepped back far enough to raise his foot to the door in a hard kick to the knob. "Son of a bitch! Get off of my daughter!"
The door snapped open just before his foot made contact, revealing Juno falling back onto the bed with a heavy thump, scrambling with 'Taya up against the headboard as the two of them huddled there, breathless and petrified. A shadow rushed from within the bedroom, a solid blow aimed at Max and Betryl as it passed them. The canine Sanagi was lifted off his feet and thrown against a wall, the impact coinciding with Juno screaming once more, frightened for the brother she'd only just rediscovered.