Jeff Strand - Dweller

Toby hadnt believed that there was such a thing as truly paralyzing fear. He had never imagined being literally too frightened to move. His muscles ached with the effort to move them, yet he couldnt budge. He just knelt on the ground, staring at the horrific sight before him.

It was covered with thick brown hair, except for some bare patches on its arms and legs. It stood upright, like a human, though its arms and legs were slightly twisted, as if theyd been broken and not healed quite properly. Its clawsgood God, its claws were huge, curved white razors at least three inches long on each finger. Its yellow eyes were set deep inside of its face.

Its jaws were a complete horror show, with teeth that were almost cartoonishly large and sharp.

It was an imposing, terrifying creature. One that clearly had every intention of devouring Toby

Dedicated to Tony Tallicaro, who Im sure has no idea who the hell I am, but whose Things Youve Always Wanted to Know About MonstersBut Were Afraid To Ask is the book that made me love the genre.

1946

We shouldve brought more ammo, Thomas said, wiping the blood out of his mustache. He brushed his wet fingers along the oak tree he leaned against, then picked up his empty rifle by the barrel, holding it like a baseball bat. Phil was surprised the metal didnt burn his hands. Why the hell didnt we bring more ammo?

Phil didnt answer. They all knew why: because they werent fighting Nazis this weekend, they were camping by the lake. The only reason theyd brought the rifle in the first place was because Christine was paranoid about bears. Phil had humored herthere was no reason not tobut hed never expected to need any weapon more powerful than a fishing hook. The war was over. One fully loaded rifle should have been more than enough to protect them from nature for a couple of days.

It hadnt protected Christine, though. Shed been the first to die.

The creatures had gotten Darla, too, but instead of ripping her apart theyd dragged her away. Thomas, Phil, Mikey, and Nancy had chased after her, racing through the woods and screaming her name. When they found her half an hour later, she looked worse than Christine. They probably wouldnt have recognized her at all if it werent for those elegant shoes she insisted upon wearing, even on a camping trip. They sure wouldnt have recognized her once-white blouse. Or her face.

Mikey had screamed and vowed revenge. And hed fought like a brave soldier after those things ambushed them. Had they known how many creatures were out there, though, Thomas probably wouldnt have wasted the mercy bullet he put in Mikeys forehead before they fled.

At least their enemies had fared worse. Three dead humans, five dead creatures. Unfortunately, that left at least five more of the creaturesthat theyd seenand Thomas wasnt going to be doing any more running on that leg, maybe ever. Phils vision was still fuzzy from bashing his head against the ground when a creature pounced on him. Nancy was the only one of them not in terrible shape.

Do you think they can climb trees? Thomas asked.

I dont know. Theyve got two arms and two legsI dont see why they couldnt.

Maybe they cant, though. Thomas coughed, and a rope of red spittle dangled from his lower lip. Lets not kid ourselves. Im not going anywhere. Unless you want to carry me on your back, you need to hide me somewhere and leave me behind.

Phil nodded. You and Nancy hide in the tree. Ill go get help.

No, said Nancy. Im going. Youre hurt too bad.

Im fine.

Your head is bleeding and your words are slurred. Im going.

Ill go with you.

Honey, youll slow me down. She reached for Thomass rifle. Give me that so I can beat them to death if I need to.

Thomas hesitated for a moment, then handed it to her. Nancy gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Ill bring back help. I swear. She looked at Phil. Dont let anything get him.

I wont, he promised.

Nancy ran off.

Getting Thomas up the tree wasnt easy, but when they heard a rustling in the nearby bushes it encouraged Thomas to move more quickly, ruined leg or not. They climbed to about thirty feet high and waited.

They saw the first creature about three minutes before it saw them. It immediately shouted out in the guttural sounds of an ape, and was soon joined by two more. Then another three. Then another six.

But though it sounded like an ape, it couldnt climb like one. The creatures punched at the tree, kicked at it, and tried to shake it, yet didnt seem able to actually ascend the branches. Were safe for now, Phil thought.

Thomas bled to death before dark, so Phil had nobody to talk to.

By the end of the second day he was talking to himself.

The youngest one, the runt, was hungry. He was also getting impatient waiting for the food to fall out of the tree, so he searched for bugs. Caterpillars were his favorite. He let a bright green one crawl along his talon, then popped it into his mouth and chewed slowly.

He cried out as his mothers head burst open.

Loud noises everywhere. His father moved toward him, arms outstretched, but several red holes popped in his chest, all at once, and his father fell to the ground. The youngest one screamed and scurried away, just like his mother and father had taught him.

He hid in the bushes for a while, sad and scared.

When he finally went back, food was helping other food out of the tree. Some more food was poking at his brothers and sisters with the same kind of stick that had made his oldest brothers eye explode two days ago. All of them were dead, even Beka.

The youngest one turned and ran.

He ran and ran, as fast as he could, so that the food wouldnt kill him, too.

When he stopped running, he wept.