Miah lay unmoving, staring up at the sky. The stars shifted, she noticed, with time; the globe of constellations spun slowly above her head, twinkling with a serene calm that made the night seem shorter and less unkind.
She knew that somewhere in the starlit darkness Ben stood; ever alert, ever watching. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and slowly breathing out. Her hands clasped, she could feel her pulse, and its rhythm filled her ears.
Far off, a wolf howled. Miah shivered and scooted closer to the wall of the truck bed, clenching her eyes tight.
Hope is a cruel thing, she thought bitterly. Hope would send me where common sense would steer clear. She sighed. Who am I kidding? Ben will never be the same again.
Clunk. Miah's eyes shot open. She felt her heartbeat quicken as clunk and then another clunk sounded in her ears.
“Ben??” she whispered. Clunk.
There was no response.
“Ben!” she risked raising her voice.
Clunk. Miah sat up and looked about wildly. It was coming for her, she knew.
She yanked on the chain, biting her lip to keep from crying out in pain. Caclunk. “Ben—” she yanked again, gasping for breath, tears brimming in her eyes. Clunclunk. “BEN!” Pulling with all her strength on her arm, Miah screamed, the clunk clunk growing faster and closer.
With a start, Miah jerked awake, and immediately jumped up, tripping over the chain and almost falling on her face. Clunk.
She knew that somewhere in the starlit darkness Ben stood; ever alert, ever watching. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and slowly breathing out. Her hands clasped, she could feel her pulse, and its rhythm filled her ears.
Far off, a wolf howled. Miah shivered and scooted closer to the wall of the truck bed, clenching her eyes tight.
Hope is a cruel thing, she thought bitterly. Hope would send me where common sense would steer clear. She sighed. Who am I kidding? Ben will never be the same again.
Clunk. Miah's eyes shot open. She felt her heartbeat quicken as clunk and then another clunk sounded in her ears.
“Ben??” she whispered. Clunk.
There was no response.
“Ben!” she risked raising her voice.
Clunk. Miah sat up and looked about wildly. It was coming for her, she knew.
She yanked on the chain, biting her lip to keep from crying out in pain. Caclunk. “Ben—” she yanked again, gasping for breath, tears brimming in her eyes. Clunclunk. “BEN!” Pulling with all her strength on her arm, Miah screamed, the clunk clunk growing faster and closer.
With a start, Miah jerked awake, and immediately jumped up, tripping over the chain and almost falling on her face. Clunk.
When will these lifelike nightmares end?
“Ben?” she moaned.
The sound stopped. “What?” his irritated voice huffed.
“Stop it.”
Kuncalunk. Ben stood and walked into view, arms crossed. “What?”
“You're creeping me out,” Miah huffed.
He leaned his elbow on the truck, trying to look at ease, but he seemed distracted and kept blinking, as if there was a buzzing in his ear. “That's your problem, not mine. I'll do what I want.” He stooped to pick up another stone and threw it at the nearby tree. Clunk. Dead center. Miah could barely tell there was even a tree there.
“Fine then,” she said quietly. She sat, watching his face.
Ben looked away, his gaze shifting uneasily. “Hmm...” Walking to the far side, he stooped again, slowly, and took a good-sized rock in his hand.
“What is it?” she asked. “Is it—”
“Shh!” He turned and walked off, looking out into the darkness.
Miah would have crossed her arms if there hadn’t been a big clunking chain around one of them. “Fine.”
“Ben?” she moaned.
The sound stopped. “What?” his irritated voice huffed.
“Stop it.”
Kuncalunk. Ben stood and walked into view, arms crossed. “What?”
“You're creeping me out,” Miah huffed.
He leaned his elbow on the truck, trying to look at ease, but he seemed distracted and kept blinking, as if there was a buzzing in his ear. “That's your problem, not mine. I'll do what I want.” He stooped to pick up another stone and threw it at the nearby tree. Clunk. Dead center. Miah could barely tell there was even a tree there.
“Fine then,” she said quietly. She sat, watching his face.
Ben looked away, his gaze shifting uneasily. “Hmm...” Walking to the far side, he stooped again, slowly, and took a good-sized rock in his hand.
“What is it?” she asked. “Is it—”
“Shh!” He turned and walked off, looking out into the darkness.
Miah would have crossed her arms if there hadn’t been a big clunking chain around one of them. “Fine.”
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