Fear Trouble

[amichan]

 It can't be here.

It can't.

Standing in the middle of the store, lolling tongue, gaping mouth and huge rotating eyes. For a moment there's a flicker and I'm expecting it to screech and disappear, and then something ripping my face off, but nothing.

It's still there. The lopsided, shit eating grin and then as my brain reboots and I drop the beer to go for it. It's gone and someone else is screaming and I run because fuck—I fucking froze! And it's ripping someone apart—but no, no-one's being attacked, just some crying woman—it would have—why has no one been attacked?

Am I going mad?

Shit—no--at the end of the aisle? Staring at me. Is it toying with me? I've never seen it out in the day but I've seen it all of twice...and the last time Jodi had burned a hole through it's chest.

Has some Child of Skinflayer activated a Trouble and come for revenge?

“Come on, lady,” I tell her, given I can't place her right now, “Let's get you away from it-”

“My husband--” she says, pointing in the direction it went.

Shit. Did it get someone aftera ll?

“We'll find him,” I tell her, “Where did he go?” I can hear the police sirens already coming up the street towards us.

“He's dead,” she whispers.

Fuck, “He might be okay...it--”

“No!” she grips me, cutting off my sentence, “He's been dead for years and he was—he was here!”

Shit—is there some sort of resurrection Trouble now?

“He shouldn't—” she points towards the back of the store.

“Alright,” I tell her, “Well, let's get you out from away from him,” and my focus elsewhere. It can't. It can't. At least hold her upright I feel less shaky myself. Think sense, Crocker. You're being dumb.

Nathan, Audrey and Audrey-2 are outside. I wonder when we're gonna get shot of her—actual FBI in town is one unhappy smuggler for some strange reason.

“Duke,” Nathan says in the tone that wonders how it can blame me for something.