Chapter 39- Showcase of Horrors

"Don't get too close." I warned the teenagers as they took a step toward the monster perched on the hood of my jeep.  The boys were grinning and laughing, posing in front of the jeep taking pictures with each other.  "Mommy, how's he doing that?" The toddler standing nearby asked, fascinated.  The mother took a knee next to the little boy and I heard her say "It isn't real, its just a puppet, and the lady back there is controlling it."  The man with the phone was circling the jeep, looking for wires or antennas.  "Seriously dude, how did you make that?" One of the teenagers asked.  The other teenager was staring at Tracy hungrily as though he might have a chance with her if he could muster up the courage to say hello.  This is truly an unusual situation.  Here was a monster, determined to end our lives, now almost powerless and being put on display for the public to laugh and mock.  I wondered how long it would take for them to realize it wasn't a robot or some hollywood prank.  "You guys know this is real, right?" Tracy asked.  "This is what's left of the woman who used to work back there." She pointed to the gas station and the glass spread across the parking lot.  "She leapt out of that window and attacked us."  I could hear the agitation in Tracy's voice.  The teenagers didn't seem to register the seriousness of the situation.  "So cool.  This for some movie or something, right?  Or like a website?"  I held my hand up in front of them.  "Guys, you seriously need to step back." They ignored me and kept pushing closer.  "I just wanna touch the latex.  I'm not gonna hurt it." Before I could stop him one of the boys reached toward the creature and touched its skin.  With lightning fast reflexes the monster grabbed the boy in a vice-like grip.  He screamed like a little girl and his friend started laughing.  I grabbed the boy's other arm and began to pull.  The beast's grip wouldn't loosen, and the two of us pulled her right off the hood of the car.  The group stepped back, crying out as the torso dropped to the ground with a splat.  Luckily the fall broke the monster's grip and the boy stepped back, rubbing his wrist.  I looked down at his arm- the skin was broken and bruised, and he wrapped it in his shirt.  "My dad is gonna sue you for that!" He threatened.  His friend's reaction went from laughter to confusion.

The monster on the ground sprang to life, pulling itself toward the toddler.  The mother picked him up and screamed, "Stop it, that's not funny!" She said, looking back at Tracy.  Tracy motioned for me to get in the jeep.  I realized that there was nothing we could do to convince this crowd, and the longer we stayed here the more trouble we could be in.  I looked over at the man, still circling the area, nervously watching the crawler on the ground.  His eyes flitted to mine and I gave him a serious, penetrating stare.  His eyes widened and I gave him a nod.  I put the jeep in gear and backed up slowly.  I could see the man back on his phone, calling someone.  I didn't wait to see who arrived.