Veiled (Ada Palomino 1)

It is who—what—the nun was talking about.

It is him.

I back up, slowly at first as the figure approaches, just twenty feet away, my feet stumbling over themselves though I don’t fall down.

The nun stands there staring at me through white eyes, scratching hard at her windpipe, drawing blood that flecks down onto her white collar.

“I-I think someone is following me,” I stammer to her as I keep backing up, thinking that because she’s a nun, she’ll be able to protect me if it’s a demon. If it’s not a demon and just a man, then having her with me might make him think twice. Because whatever the thing is coming across the rain-screened street, I know he means me harm. More than that, he’s smiling. I can’t see it, can’t see him clearly even now, but I can feel the smile all the same.

One that says killing me will be fun.

“I think that person is after me,” I tell her, eyes darting to the approaching shadow, “Please. Help.”

The nun doesn’t even look to the figure (who is just ten feet away now, almost to the garage entrance!) just keeps her eyes on me, shiny white orbs. She keeps scratching. “Like ants underneath the skin,” she murmurs, her lips appearing to move too fast for what she’s saying. Her tongue comes out briefly and waggles in the air, like a snake trying to smell. Her lips smack together wetly, spit flying.

And then the first ant appears.

It crawls out from under her nose, heading over to her cheek.

Yet another follows.

Then one from her lips, heading down over her chin.

I can’t even comprehend what I’m seeing and the air is filling with a sickening hum, like a frequency that no human should ever be subjected to, and the bad thing is coming. I just watch, my eyes glued to her face as yet another ant slowly emerges.

Then her check splits open, a long, jagged-edged gash the color of rusty blood, and hundreds of ants come pouring out of her at once, covering her face like a black moving mask.

I scream. I scream at her, I scream at the shadowy figure who is now in the garage with us. I scream for help. I scream for Jay.

Then I turn and run, though the last thing I see as I do so, such a quick flash, is a long, slick tail protruding out the back of the nun’s dress.

I run faster.

I head straight down the middle of the lane, into the darker depths of the garage, knowing how stupid I’m being but I don’t have much of a choice. I can’t run toward them, there’s no attendant in this lot, the only thing I can hope for is to run for the roof and hope I see someone, whether it be a shopper going back to their car or a security officer.

I don’t even know if it’s following me, if they’re following me, I can only feel the ragged breaths in my chest, my boots slapping on the concrete, echoing coldly.

I turn the corner and start running up to the second level, my feet slipping and I crash to the cement, my hands and knees taking the brunt of it. Everything stings. My skin wet with blood. But I keep going.

There are more cars on this level but no one to be seen. And underneath me, from the first level, I hear fast, heavy footfalls turning into something else. Quicker. More than two legs. Claws scratching on concrete.

An animal scurrying on all fours.

Hunting.

I contemplate continuing to run, but I’m halfway down this level and I know that it will turn the corner and see me before I can get to the next level. Not that I’m trying to pretend I’m not here. It knows I’m here. It’s just I can’t think, I can’t do anything but go where my feet guide me.

I hope my instinct won’t get me killed.

BLAM!

Without warning all the car alarms on the cars go off at the same time, each car turning on, their headlights shining like they’ve all come to life at once and are rioting.

My heart leaps into my throat and for a split second I’m frozen in the middle of the lane, enveloped by the cacophony, before I remember that I don’t have a split second anymore. I duck behind a black Chevy Escalade, moving my body back so that my legs are hidden by the back wheel, my butt to the wall as I’m hunched over.

I’ve literally painted myself into a corner here. I’m not sure what the hell I’m thinking. That I can hide behind a car and the thing will simply go away?

But my saving grace comes with an EXIT sign, five spaces down from me, only a little hatchback between me and the staircase leading to freedom. And possibly a demon nun. But mainly freedom.