Unconventional

I considered tossing back a shot of ZzzQuil too, but I decided against it. My thoughts were all pleasant ones. I could let myself drift off, thinking about all the wonderful things the guys would do to me. Or maybe all the things I’d do — or even wear — for them, starting with Julian…

Visions of the big mason filled my mind, his body all naked and hard and swollen. I couldn’t wait to have him again. To just drop to my knees before him, or spread my legs for his thick, rigid—

OH!

I’d walked passed my now not-so-favorite window, and as always, glanced out. What I’d seen through my peripheral vision had started my heart pounding…

Something was out in the field again.

And this time, it was moving.

My heart leapt into my throat. I set down the warm ceramic mug and crept over to the window again. Very slowly, very carefully… I peeked out.

The man, or figure, or whatever it was, was out there again. Only now, it was a little bit closer.

What the fuck, Madison!

My first instinct was to scream. My second, to slide my hand over my own mouth. But I did neither of those things. Instead, I sat back a bit and reminded myself to be strong.

Who is that?

The figure wasn’t far from the treeline. It was the size of a man, but the color of dusk. It looked two-toned in the moonlight, half in shadow, half in light.

And it was moving. No… not stepping. Not gliding, either.

It’s… shambling.

That was it. The figure out in the field moved with a jerky — but somehow rhythmic — back and forth motion. Almost like it was dragging something… but not quite.

You could shout.

I definitely could. I had quite the pair of lungs when I needed them. Still, I imagined two possibilities to that outcome. The first, would be scaring the figure away. Watching it run off, back into trees it had come from, and not accomplishing anything.

The second…

The second was much worse. Because I imagined yelling at the shambling thing in my field, and having it look up…

… and then start running toward me.

Just the thought of that scenario set my whole body trembling with fear. I dropped back from the window and pressed my back to the wall, my heart racing so fast I thought it might burst.

Get a weapon.

It was my next thought, but a useless one. I had no weapon.

Any sort of weapon.

I crossed to the other side of the room. The smooth brass handle of the fireplace poker felt cold as I closed my palm around it, but at least it was something.

It didn’t make me feel any better. But it didn’t make me feel worse either, so I kept it.

Call somebody.

This was my last resort of course. I could call the police, tell them I saw a trespasser. Or I could call one or more of the guys. Get them over here, to find out what was—

Somewhere in the process of deciding what to do, I’d crept back to the window. I looked out again… and the figure was gone.

This time I didn’t know where it went. It could’ve made the treeline. It could’ve slipped past me to the east or west, out of sight, out of view…