Hide and Seek

I felt Casey stiffen beside me. The fear was coming back to her now,

rising off me, infecting her. I had only seconds before we'd both be

useless for anything but a blind run, and there was no running from

that monster. From the woman maybe. But not from him.

To my left was a large round stone. One long step away.

I handed her the pitchfork. I saw a moment of confusion on her face

and then I saw she trusted me. She winced as she tucked the axe handle

under her wounded arm. We were too close to them to let it fall. She

hefted the pitchfork and braced the handle under her shoulder, pointing

it toward him, holding it like a lance. I listened for the sounds its

jaws made, the scrape of teeth against bone. I remembered counting in

the dark, how hard it was to hear over the internal sounds. It would

be the same for them. That would cover me.

I heard what I wanted to hear and took the step.

The stone was heavy, wet and slimy on the bottom. My leg tore

painfully as I bent to lift it. But the weight felt good in my

hands.

I was lucky. The rock was standing free of other stones and lifting it

hadn't made a sound. The animal feasted on, oblivious to everything

but the blood smell and the eating sounds, nearly sated with pleasure.

The woman crooned and stroked, smoothing the short thick hair that

gleamed in the light of the moon.

I guess I'd pictured leaning over him and crushing his skull. But that

was impossible. I couldn't risk another step toward him. There were

too many stones between me and him to warn him. He was four-and-a-half

feet long. I wasn't even sure I could throw the rock that far, much

less hope to hit his skull with any accuracy.

He stood straight legged on all fours, legs splayed slightly, neck and

head down, back arched. I studied him. The back was vulnerable. Not

to pitchforks, but to weight.

So I knew what I had to do.

I didn't even breathe.

I was a million years old. A caveman in the moonlight.

I raised it. It must have weighed thirty-five pounds. I pulled

together every inch of muscle. I arched my back and bent my arms at

the elbow and then snapped forward- the rock and me with it.

The rock arced down.