I Live In A Small Town In Texas Called Sanderson, And I Can Tell Something Weird Is Going On

The force of the wind was blinding as I hung onto the train. I could feel it picking up speed. Sanderson was a dwindling fire at my back and all I could hear was the wind rushing past my ears. I gently pulled myself around the freight car, careful with my grip and footing. I pulled the latch up on the side door and slid it open in front of me. I couldn’t see much in the car at first, but I didn’t care. I got in and pulled out my Zippo. I had a decent amount of room in the middle of the car, but all around were shiny new barrels. There was plenty of writing on them, but the only thing I looked at was the hazard sign. When you work in a factory all your adult life, your eyes shoot to certain things when they see them. Whatever was in these things, they were extremely flammable. I clicked the lid back on my Zippo.

When I turned around to shut the container door, it was just standing there, right in the middle of the doorway, staring at me with the dark hill country rushing behind it. It cocked its head to one side to fit in the doorway, and it stood perfectly still, taking my image in. Then its long, thin arm slashed out at me in a wide arch as it leaned in. I dodged backwards, just at the edge of its reach, but not quite far enough. I felt its razor-sharp, skinny fingers slice my chest and stomach, continuing through one of the barrels. My blood mixed with the chemicals as they splashed on the floor, leaving a sickening smell on the air. In the same motion, the beast backhanded me off my feet and into the barrels. I hit the floor and I felt blood running down my chest in tiny streams.

The bastard gurgled out its symphony of wet clicks that quickly started to form recognizable words. “F-f-family…W-W-Wa-ade.” As the monster finished my name, I fished the .38 from my bag and unloaded into the son of a bitch’s face. Every shot hit its mark. Both eyes exploded in black juice and flesh, the yellow rotted teeth splintered and shattered in a cloud around its head. It screeched out in pain, clutching at its wounds. The monster staggered into the puddle of chemicals on the floor. I glanced to my left and saw my Zippo on the ground. I grabbed it and in one swift motion, I heard the familiar click of the metal and saw the soft blue flame light up the area around me.