Silver Silhouette Page 9

  Before they could even take a step something unimaginable happened. Several dark blurs streaked from the woods to the house. Tish froze in place, shaking her head to try and clear her vision. It wasn't her eyes, because everything else was clear. Still confused she was unable to even scream a warning as the black forms ran unbelievably fast up the steps to the deck and into the house. Glass shattered from the sliding door being thrown open as screams blasted from inside.

  Aaron was not frozen, however. He bolted toward the house. When he reached the steps he turned to see Tish still standing by the lounge chair. "Hurry!" he yelled, motioning with his arm for her to join him. She couldn't understand why he wanted to go toward the screaming instead of away from it. Then she realized her best friend Susan was inside. Tish started moving then, but timidly. She abruptly stopped again as two black forms exited the house to the deck above Aaron. This time she was able to scream as she pointed at them. But her warning was too late.

  One of the intruders leaped over the railing and landed directly on Aaron. Even from that distance Tish thought she heard bones crack. Aaron lay motionless on the ground as the remaining black images flowed quickly from the house. As fast as they had arrived they departed into the woods, leaving only screaming and a crumpled boyfriend behind. One of them stopped briefly at the tree line to stare at Tish. It was then that she could see the intruders were unusual people. They wore black pants and black hooded sweatshirts. The hoods were large enough to block any view of their heads, but Tish could see two red eyes in the darkness. Then it was gone in a flash.

  There were five of them, she realized. And they were all tall. In the distance Tish could still hear the screaming, like it was coming from a neighbor's television. Motion in the corner of her vision finally drew her from her trance. Aaron was moving, trying to rise. She ran to him as fast as she could, which felt like slow motion after watching the others move so fast. Aaron was on his feet by the time she arrived, clutching one arm to his body.

  "Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded. Then he bolted up the steps surprisingly agile with the wounded arm. Inside they found the source of the screaming, though it transitioned into desperate crying by then. It was Susan. She stood above Hunter as he lay bleeding on the floor. There was an unbelievable amount of blood. That's when Tish saw the other boy on the floor beside him, motionless. Hunter was gasping for air as he held Susan's hand to his chest. His eyes went blank as his arm dropped. His energy was gone. She hustled to Susan's side and pulled her away from his body. Susan screamed louder, fighting Tish's grip until finally she collapsed in her arms, sobbing heavily.

  Aaron ended his 911 call at that moment, and told them that help was on the way. Will Brobson straddled Hunter and began CPR, but it had no effect except to add to the pool of blood. Aaron took the lead in assessing the group's injuries as the remaining attendees filtered into the living room in shock. Two dead, three injured. Tish held Susan in her arms while others scrambled for supplies to treat the wounded. By the time the ambulance arrived Tish was thinking how quickly the evening had turned. From making out with Aaron by the lake to standing over Hunter's corpse, it took less than thirty seconds. The rest of the evening, however, felt like years.

  14 – Surprise

  The paramedics worked on Hunter even though he appeared to be dead long before they arrived. The other boy, Justin was his name, did not get as much attention. His lacerations were much worse than Hunters, probably accounting for most of the spilled blood. Before help arrived the teenagers starting sharing with each other what they had seen. Five robbers, dressed all in black, burst through the back door. Only they didn't try to steal anything. They went right for the people, slashing them with unseen weapons and throwing them into the furniture. Hunter grabbed one from behind when it knocked Susan into the living room wall. But his grip failed instantly. He found himself in lightning fast combat with two of them, not able to compete.

  A couple kids told everyone that the attackers were not human. They said that they had gray skin, large red eyes, and long skinny faces. Nobody really believed them, though. Someone said that the two of them drank almost all the tequila before the attack.

  The police searched the place while detectives questioned the survivors. Some of what they learned was shared with the group. The sliding glass door had shattered from the impact of being thrown open at great force. Nothing appeared to be missing, eliminating the idea that it was a robbery. The two people killed were not the first ones attacked, so they were not likely the targets of the attack. And there was no evidence of anybody in the woods or a getaway vehicle. Nobody mentioned the non-human aspect. All in all, it didn't make much sense.

  Aaron was transported to Inova Loudoun Hospital by ambulance. It turned out that he had several lacerations in addition to the broken arm. He needed to be thoroughly checked out. Tish stayed with him as long as she was allowed, but ended up in the waiting room. She didn't think to call her mother before midnight, so her phone rang a little after twelve. Her mom was checking to see why she was late.

  "Hi mom," Tish said, deflated voice evident across the line.

  "Are you okay sweetie?"

  "No. I mean yeah, I'm okay. But there was an attack at the party, and some kids were hurt."

  "Oh my God!" her mother said. She could hear her father in the background asking, "What's wrong?" She heard genuine concern in his voice. Tish told them she was at the hospital and they promised to get there as quick as they could. Susan's mother had already been called apparently. After Chelsea had a brief visit with Tish in the waiting area she was led by a nurse into one of the rooms to see her daughter Susan.

  The news coverage on the tiny TV hanging close to the ceiling in the corner announced that teenagers were attacked at a hunting lodge. The female reporter covered the story with mild interest, which Tish found to be very annoying. They had even less information about the attack, so that led viewers to wonder if it was a drug deal gone bad, or if it was possibly gang related. What idiots! They didn't even care what happened. They just wanted viewers to tune back in later for more details.

  Less than ten minutes since her phone call with her mother the emergency room doors slid open and Charlie ran in. Her dad. The only thing more shocking than seeing him there that fast was his attire. He had on gym shorts and a t-shirt, with sandals. He never dressed like that! Where the hell was he when he got the call? Tish remembered just then that she heard her father in the background on the phone. She had assumed they were at the house. Apparently, they were much closer to Leesburg, and working out? At a gym that she was not aware of? At midnight on a Friday?

  None of these questions escaped her lips due to the shock of being swept up by her father's arms. He hugged her to him tight enough to take away her breath for a moment. Or maybe that was from the shock of seeing her father so emotional. He managed to get some answers out of her before she starting looking around for her mother.

  "Where's mom?"

  "She'll be here in a little bit. Your mother had to drive all the way from the house," he replied.

  With her head cocked to the side Tish gave her father an inquisitive look. "I thought you two were together when mom called."

  "No," he said flatly. In that instant he went back to acting like her father again. Standing, he apologized and headed for the restroom. She stared after him confused. It was the first time she had seen him in shorts for years. And she didn't know that he even owned a pair of sandals. It was like he just woke up naked some place and grabbed somebody else's clothes to get here as quick as he could. His gait gave him away as well. He had no idea how to walk in sandals.

  As Tish waited for his return she made a mental note of the most important questions to ask him. He was hiding something, but she couldn't fathom what or why. The news had moved on to another story as Tish waited. Before she had the opportunity to question her suspicious acting father her mother walked in the door. Their warm reunion was sincere and tearful. After she regained composure Ti
sh answered her mother's questions patiently.

  Once her mother's concern ebbed Tish asked, "How did dad get here so much faster than you? I thought you two were together."

  Pam Hawkins stiffened noticeably at the question, then relaxed a bit before answering. "Sweetheart, your father has his secrets. Now is not the time for those questions. Promise me you won't push him on the subject."

  "Why? What is he hiding?" Tish demanded.

  "Soon, dear. I promise you we'll deal with those matters soon. But not now. Please. Promise me you'll let it drop." Pam gave her daughter the firm look of finality that she had used scarcely throughout the years. Tish knew it meant, "Pick your battles. Don't pick this one."

  "Ok," she reluctantly agreed.

  Eventually, they received an update on the status of both Aaron and Susan. Aaron was being admitted and would likely spend a few days in the hospital. He was badly bruised and had two deep cuts in his back and left arm. That arm was also broken, snapped clean through both bones. They assured Tish that he was in stable condition and she need not worry. He would be fine in a few days.

  "We were unable to reach his parents," the doctor said.

  "Yes, they are out of town, I understand," Charlie Hawkins replied. "I've had trouble reaching them as well. If I connect with them I'll let them know about their son."

  The doctor regarded him suspiciously, then said, "Yes, Aaron mentioned they were out of town. Please put them in contact with the hospital if you reach them before us. How are you related to the Vohs?'

  "Friends," Charlie answered quickly.

  They were not permitted to see Aaron until the next day. Susan, however, was being released in the next couple hours. Tish held her best friend tightly as they cried together in the emergency exam room. She had minor scratches on her arm and belly. The scars would probably be visible on her tan bikini body, but it did not concern her much at the time. She was devastated by the death of her boyfriend. Eventually, Susan insisted that Tish go home and rest. They would be in contact in the morning.

  Pam tried to comfort her daughter as best she could on the drive home. But Tish had become quiet, not interested in conversation. She had also lost interest in her dad's secrets. She didn't really care what his deal was. If mom was okay with it she should let it be. Aaron and Susan occupied her thoughts. When she arrived home Tish went straight to bed, expecting to lie awake crying. But the exhaustion of the stressful night finally set in and she slept soundly until eleven o'clock the next day. It was a Saturday, so it wasn't too surprising to find her parents’ home. They worked a good bit on the weekends, but after what happened last night she figured they would take the day off.

  They were both sitting at the dining room table when she arrived downstairs. They looked odd sitting there without food or dirty dishes, not even any paperwork. The only thing visible on the table was a small black box, a little thicker than a cell phone, with a camera lens on top.

  "How are you feeling this morning, sweetheart?" her mother asked.

  "Rested, but still tired somehow," Tish muttered.

  "We have some important things to tell you this morning. Would you like to get something to eat first?" Pam asked.

  This surprised Tish, and her appetite faded at the prospect of what this could be about. Apparently she was about to get the answers to last night's questions after all. She sat down in the chair across the table from her parents. The situation had the feel of an interview, or maybe even an intervention. Her mother was smiling and did not appear overly concerned. "We can do it now. I'm not that hungry yet."

  Pam sat back in her chair and glanced over at her husband. It was his cue. He was staring right at his daughter like she was a police officer doing the interrogation, instead of the other way around. She could see the wheels turning in his head through his eyes. Eyes that she had not seen directed at her for this long for many years. He was thinking of how best to reveal something that he didn't want to reveal in the first place.

  Finally, he spoke as if giving a lecture in a classroom, and she was the only attendee. "Tish, not everything is as it seems. I'm going to share some information with you that is very dangerous. It is extremely important that you do not share this with anyone. Do you understand?" Tish nodded after casting glances back and forth between her parents. "Not Susan. Not Aaron. Not anyone. Not even the police. You must agree to this."

  "Ok. I understand. I won't tell anyone. What is this about?"

  "As you know," he started, getting more comfortable, "your mother and I work for a media company. The truth is that we do more than just media."

  "Silver Silhouette?" Tish asked. It was the name of the company they worked for, but she never knew how it got its name. And she always found it weird that their business was based in a huge mansion out in the woods close to the Potomac River, instead in the city close to other businesses. She had visited there a few times in her younger years, but not recently.

  "Yes. Another responsibility we have is to keep a watch out for unusual happenings. By that I mean things that don't appear to be from this world. Does this make any sense to you yet?"

  Tish shook her head, but thought about the people that had attacked them last night. Some of the other kids said they looked non-human. What did that mean? She figured she was about to find out. "No, it doesn't"

  "That's okay. In addition to watching, it is also our job to make sure that the people responsible for these unusual happenings are caught, and sent away. It's for everyone's safety, of course. First of all, we don't want anyone else to get hurt, or killed. Secondly, though, it's wise not to start a panic. That's why it is very important that all this is a tightly guarded secret. Do you understand?"

  She was more confused than ever. What was she supposed to understand at this point? "No, I really don't have any idea what is going on."

  Charlie raised his hand to cut her off. Then he reached for the black box on the table, pressing some invisible button causing the thing to come to life. A light flickered straight up like a flashlight with a bulb that was about to go out. It was quickly replaced with a holographic image of a person dressed all in black, just like the attackers. Black pants, shoes, and hooded sweatshirts. And the hoods were oversized, exactly like the attackers. Tish gasped as the figure rotated until it was facing her. She saw the blood red eyes in the shadow of the hood.

  Tish snapped back in her chair, pointing an accusatory finger at the three dimensional image before her. "That's it! That's exactly what the attackers last night looked like! Oh my God!"

  Pam and Charlie sat quietly, allowing the presentation to continue. The legs of the figure disappeared into the table as its head and torso grew in size. The enlargement process stopped when only the head and shoulders were still visible, about twice as tall as actual size. Tish watched in awe as two holographic hands came up from the table to grab the hood. The fingers were long, skinny and gray, with sharp fingernails. This was something out of a horror movie, she guessed. Some kind of mythical creature that rises from a grave.

  As the fingers grasped the edge of the large hood she saw it recede to reveal a tall narrow head, with short dark hair clinging tightly to its scalp. The red eyes continued to glow, but faded a great deal as the light hit them. The facial skin was gray like the hands. Nose and mouth were small in comparison to the eyes. As the hood dropped to the shoulders and the hands withdrew she could see the full face exposed to the light. The eyes were huge, and black. Only the center of the eye was red.

  When its mouth opened to reveal sharp teeth Tish jumped in her seat, grabbing the arms of the chair with a white knuckle grip. The image spoke in some weird language that had more clicks than vowel sounds. Its deep voice made it sound like a baritone bushman from Africa. "What the hell is that?" she screamed.

  Charlie's hand snapped forward and paused the image, then the head receded to show the entire body again, small scale. "Is that a fucking vampire?" Tish yelled.

  "Language!" Pam yelled at her while slapp
ing the table surface. It snapped Tish back to reality. Or at least something closer to reality than the image before her. She was at the dining room table in her own home, talking with her parents, she told herself. She was safe. There was no need for panic.

  "I'm sorry, mom. But that thing is scary. Is that really what those people last night look like?"

  "Yes," her mother responded. "And to answer your question, yes. It is a vampire. But not the kind of vampire that you see in the movies. Hollywood vampires do not exist. But these creatures do. They are rarely sighted, but are no doubt the cause of the invention of the mythical creatures that you have seen on TV. Vampire is actually the slang term we use for them. They are officially called Sanguillen."

  Tish relaxed her rigid frame and sat back in her chair. "What is a Sanguillen? If it's not a vampire like the movies, what is it?"

  Charlie leaned forward and turned off the display. "Sanguillens don't really do the things that movie vampires do. They don't feed on blood. They can't turn you into a vampire. They are not burned by sunlight, but their eyes are very sensitive to light, so they are usually only spotted at night."