Full Moon

It was late Tuesday night and Dakota along with her parents were driving home from school; returning from an especially disappointing parents evening filled to the brim with comments on her declining grades.

She looked up out of the window, watching a full moon rise high in the sky and light up the trees and foliage that lined the road. They whipped past her eyes a blur of green and brown shapes. Finally drawing her attention back to inside the car, she noticed she was tapping her heel in her foot well, agitated by the bickering resonating from the seats in front of her; her father was borderline screaming at her mother making Dakota’s chest tighten and tremble with anger.

“This is your fault, it’s not my job to look after that brat.” His voice was elevated and made Dakota’s mother look away with tears in her eyes.

“I’m sat right here, dickhead.” She mumbled under her breath from the back seat.

“What the hell was that?” Unfortunately, her father’s surprisingly good hearing picked up on her remark and he suddenly turned to face her; ready to shout a deprecating statement her way. He was cut short however by a shrill scream that made him turn back around and slam the breaks on, but it was too little too late. The car collided with a figure crossing the road. The car swerved, dipping into a ditch which rolled the car over and over. The three were thrown around inside, airbags deploying but doing little to shield her parents from the impact of the roof caving in.

Once the car had stopped, finishing on its roof, somewhere inside Dakota coughed and spluttered. The sudden force of being thrown forward in her seat winding her. Her arms dangled down underneath her and when she curled herself upwards to fumble around for the seatbelt blood dripped down her forehead and into her eyes. Taking one last glance up to what was once down she released herself and fell to the roof of the car, landing with a thud. She patted herself down, though not a detailed survey of her physical condition, she concluded to herself she wasn’t seriously injured. For the most part it was relieving but the sense of panic she felt rising in her chest didn’t disperse and instead, she fumbled around in the dark again to search for the door handle and when she found it pulled on it only to find the door wouldn’t budge.

She turned herself around and brought both her feet up to her chest, slamming them into the door which barely moved from the contact. She kicked it again feeling it buckle slightly. On the last kick, it flew open and she scrambled out.

“Mum? Dad?” She called out, fear creeping into her words.

She fell to her knees and peered through the glass of the driver side door, her father was suspended upside down by his seat belt – just as she had – along with her mother a foot to his right. Before she could call out again something barrelled straight into her, knocking her off her feet. They both tumbled to the ground ending up in a heap. The figure sprung away from Dakota, taking in a sharp breath and letting out a deep growl.

The air caught in Dakota’s throat, making it feel like she was choking as she lay on her back dazed as the figure approached her. They only needed to take a single step before they were looking down at Dakota. Their eyes had an unnatural-red-glow about them and fangs protruded from their gums – dripping with saliva. Before she could react, the figure reached down and gripped Dakota shoulder, claws sunk into the skin and blood began seeping onto Dakota’s t-shirt. She desperately tried to escape from the iron-clad grip, but her arm was soon lifted from her side and teeth tore into her flesh releasing a scream from Dakota’s lips. Whoever, or whatever it was retracted itself, pointing their nose to the sky, a look of pure animal instinct twisted its monstrous features. It bolted; heading for the treeline and disappearing with a swish of branches and the odd snapping of a twig.

Dakota remained on the road, shifting her position so that she was on her hands and knees, her only movement was the trembling that racked her body; her blood had run cold in her veins and every breath was cut off by a choking sob. Blood trickled down her left forearm, creating a small crimson pool around her hand. Her eyes watched it intently as somewhere behind her someone ran up to the scene and quickly ducked down checking the upturned car only to find the recently deceased bodies of Dakota’s parents. Flames were licking at the once underside of the car, and the metal still creaked as it settled into its new place.