Paulie, Page 4

excitement and pleasure.

  "Does that hurt mommy?" she giggled as she twisted the claw slowly, causing Alice to scream and grabbed at the claw to pull it out, only for Julia to push it in deeper. "Na-uh-ahh. I'm not done playing yet."

  "Yes, you are!" gritted Alice as she pulled the trigger again, shooting a round into Julia's left foot. Her daughter's eyes went wide and screeched in pain, jerking her claw from Alice's stomach. Alice crumpled to the floor, her left hand pressed against her stomach as she pointed the gun again at her screeching daughter. "Sorry." Julia focused rage-filled eyes on her just as she pulled the trigger twice. The first round took her in the gut, doubling her over as the second shot took her in the head, sending her flying back to land on her back with a heavy thud.

  Her ears ringing from the gun shots, Alice was breathing fast, nearly hyperventilating as she looked at the still body of her daughter. Grief started to consume her when the ringing faded enough to hear Paulie screaming for her.

  "Momma! Momma, please, it hurts!"

  Forgetting the throbbing pain radiating through her stomach, Alice rose to her feet and stumbled towards her son's screams. Forgetting her flashlight, it took her eyes several moments to adjust to the darkness which was turning into various shades of grays and blacks. "Momma's coming, Baby!" she called out as she grew closer. Paulie's screams grew more frantic. Staggering through the dining room, she entered the kitchen, freezing in the doorway from the scene that greeted her. Hiding in the cupboard beneath the sink, Paulie was curled up in a tight ball as he tried in vain to escape Charlie who was hunkered down before him. Charlie was watching his little brother, his head cocked to the side as if in curiosity before glancing behind him, his demonic eyes reflecting a glimpse of the moonlight streaming in through the kitchen window.

  Alice's heart, damaged beyond repair from the events of the night, fully broke upon seeing her eldest leering at her. His bloody claws waggled at her in a crude semblance of a wave as Charlie grinned at her.

  "Look, Paulie. Momma wants to play too." Paulie, eyes screwed shut, remained screaming in terror at the slashed and bloody arms held before him. Charlie turned fully towards her, standing up slowly as he flicked his claws. Droplets of blood flew off, striking the kitchen walls and floor, adding to the streaks of blood throughout the kitchen. "Did you have fun playing with Dad and Julia?" A sob choked out of Alice, causing her son's grin to grow wider. Glancing at the gun shaking in her hand, his eyes pierced hers, bloody froth bubbling out of his mouth. He laughed manically. "Are you going to kill me too mom?" he asked, slowly stepping towards her and extending his arms out wide.

  "Shut up." whispered Alice, tears streaming down her face.

  "But if you shoot me, I'll never be able to ask that girl out from school."

  "Shut up."

  "I'll never go to prom. Or won't be able to go to college like we talked about." grinned Charlie, taking another step closer, his nightmarish eyes locked onto hers. "I'll never meet another girl. Or fall in love and start a family of my own." he whispered, taking another step closer, his claws twitching in expectation.

  "Shut up!" Alice yelled, the gun shaking in her hand.

  "You'd kill your own son?" he asked as he stopped a foot away from her, his arms still spread wide. "Phh, what am I saying? You're the fucking bitch that killed her own husband and daughter, so of course you'd kill your own son." he spat the last word out in a deep throated growl.

  "No." replied Alice calmly as anger welled up within her once more, replacing the fear and despair that held her only a moment ago. Dead. They're all dead. Killed. Taken from me. Her thoughts raced through her mind, repeating one after the other, over and over again as she focused on the thing that called itself her son. My baby. I'm so sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. Focusing her gaze on the thing standing before her, she steadied her hand, her gun pointed firmly at Charlie's chest. "I wouldn't kill my baby, but I'll kill the monster that did."

  Charlie snarled, his claws sweeping towards her as she unloaded her remaining three shots into his chest, sending him stumbling back towards the counter where he bounced off before landing on his face on the tiled floor. The pain from her wound lanced through her, causing her to moan out as she dropped her empty gun. She stumbled towards Paulie who was still screaming for her.

  "Momma's here, Baby. Momma's here." she cooed soothingly as she reached towards him. Paulie scrambled out of the cabinet wrapping himself around her, his sobs causing his body to shake. Sitting on the floor near the still body of her eldest son, Alice cooed again to her little one, rocking him where she sat as his sobs gradually slowed to hiccups. Her mind was blank, the horrors of the night finally catching up to her.

  "It's okay. Shhhh. Momma's here. Momma has you." she said softly, repeating herself again and again, the repetition calming her own pounding heart.

  A horrible warbling screech erupted from the silent darkness that seemed to weigh in on her a short moment ago. Paulie screamed out in fear and Alice gasped, remembering where she was. Quickly standing up with her son's arms and legs wrapped securely around her, she limped and staggered towards the door. She fumbled along the wall on the right side of the door until her fingers brushed her car keys hanging up. Snatching them, she quickly made it outside with Paulie before she heard something crash down the stairs with a warbling shriek following it. Her eyes wide and darting about, she ran towards her car as fast as she could, ignoring the blinding pain in her stomach. Reaching her car, she felt for the unlock button on her keys, but accidentally hit the alarm, causing her vehicle to start blowing its horn loudly with the lights flicking on and off. Another shriek sounded from inside the house, drawing closer. Paulie screamed and gripped Alice tighter, sending a jolt of pain racing through her as he squeezed his legs around her bloodied waist. Hitting the alarm button again, she turned off the blaring racket from the car and hit the unlock button. Opening the driver's side door, she pushed herself inside, letting her terrified her son cling to her as she slammed the door shut and started her car. The headlights kicked on automatically as she threw the car into reverse, showing the open front door of the house as a nightmare crashed through, ripping the door jam out of the wall with a powerful swipe of its claws. Alice screamed in horror as she punched the gas. The thing that was her husband's body, opened its fang-filled mouth inhumanly wide and shrieked at her. Its demonic eyes blazed with rage. Tearing her gaze away from the nightmare that wore her husbands body, she looked behind her as she sped the car down the gravel drive way. Her car bounced jarringly and hit a small dip before the road, causing Alice to cry out in pain. Putting it in drive, she punched the gas. The tires squealed before gripping the road, jetting her and Paulie away from their home.

  Alice sped down the dark twisty road for several minutes before slowing down enough to glance at her son. Her little one was covering his eyes with his hands as he cried.

  "It's okay, Paulie. Everything's okay. Momma's here." she said soothingly, trying to calm her son. "We're going to go to your grandparents. Does that sound good? They are going to be so excited to see their little man." Her son's cries simmered down, as he sniffed loudly. "It'll be okay, Paulie."

  Alice slowed down around a curve, needing to look around her son's head as he pushed himself up from laying against her. Coming back into a straightaway Alice glanced down. "Feeling better, Paul..." Alice's words died in her throat as her son opened his eyes, blood freely running from demonic eyes as they glared into hers menacingly.

  "Who's Paulie?"