Chapter 12

Another Attack 

It may be a gloomy day for most, or more of a fearful day and night. The fears and anxieties that they felt about their current situation never escapes their hearts. But that may not always be the case for some. There are those who lived and loved life as if the monsters never once stepped foot into their lives, as if they never cause the murder…as if they never existed and it was just a myth to scare little children and cranky adults into behaving. For these group of people, they were still living their lives to the fullest…maybe even carelessly to some. 

Just like this young couple. Naturally, they want to be just like any other couple in the past who can fool around and only get caught by officers or passer-byers…. 

Who would want to worry about their lives being at stake twenty-four seven? 

What do they get out of it other than fear? 

The night was still young, the dark was enlightening with the stars glimmering mischievously and it was teasingly inviting these eager couple to dance with it in the moonlight and soothing wind. Despite being in a car, they had the windows rolled down to let the cool air enhance their excitements. The city was quiet, assuming that everyone was either asleep or safely hiding in their bunker with their canned food and blankets. It was a peaceful atmosphere…but the city isn’t the couple’s intended destination for a romantic or…maybe a steamy late-night date. Thankfully the sound of the engines didn’t resemble a siren head alarm that could jolt the world awake. Instead, it was a satisfying rumble across the vacant road, singing a soft harmony with the wind.

“Are we there yet my dear?” Cindy asked while her arm was out the window as if she was giving the wind a friendly high-five and her long hair framing her round face while becoming one with the wind. 

“Don’t worry babe, we are, I know, we know that we’ve been there during the day but trust me, it’s so much better in the night.”

“Oh? I hope so, otherwise, I’m expecting a full week of surprises~” 

“You know I won’t disappoint you. It’s hard for me to get you out for this long and I want it to be…hmmm, as romantic as possible?” Leo chuckled as he teased her, earning a small whine with a gentle smack on his shoulders.

“Hey, hey!” Another laughter came out of Leo. “Don’t want to ruin our night in an accident hmm babe? I’m just kidding I love you.”

“I love you too, I can’t wait to see where you take me!”

How her heart fluttered, and it became overwhelmed with all sorts of jittery emotions caused by her dear boyfriend’s voice and how his eyes softly stared into her. While he was driving, his hands were holding hers, giving her the warmth of his love despite the cooling night. Despite enjoying the ride, she wanted all of Leo’s attention on her. It was their little time together before they had to suffer with all that was waited for them in life. 

Thankfully for Cindy, the drive didn’t take too long. They stopped in a public park parking lot that was in the middle of town. Sure, the place seemed quite…unappealing for a couple to hang out but what enlightened it was the direct view of the glimmering night sky along with the dark shades of the trees. Despite it being a public place, it was a pin-drop silence with no signs of life other than nature herself. Leo winded up the windows and increased the air-conditioner to give them more privacy for what he wanted to do with his girlfriend. He hoped that she wouldn’t be to be disappointed about the location since to him, what mattered most was their time together.

“Here we are babe!” Leo exclaimed before he rubbed the back of his neck, anxiously turning to Cindy. He expected a slight smile with eyes of disappointment. “I know it’s not much, but the view is to die for!”  but rather her eyes were glowing, and she had the brightest smile on her face that it could melt…no it already melted Leo like a candle. 

“What’s with the tone? I love it! Look at the stars! And what’s even better…there’s no one around~” 

“Oh? I suppose you are right babe.” Leo leaned towards Cindy and wrapped his arm around her waist to gently tug her closer. 

The soft music played in the car as they stared into each other’s eyes. The dark night and the gently lights in the closed car made an alluring atmosphere in the car as if a love potion was generated to bring the young couple close to the other. As they eyes stared at each other lovingly, their bodies leaned in closer and closer…till their lips met.

Cindy wrapped her arms loosely around Leo’s neck, closing her eyes as her brain entered a realm of her boyfriend. Her fingers curled and messed Leo’s hair while he was instead caressing the long ends of her hair that nearly reached her waist. 

From such a sweetheart kiss, it didn’t take long for the heat to kick in the car and that heat wasn’t coming from the environment. It was coming from the young couple. Leo gradually kissed with more pressure and Cindy following along his lead that it turned into a messing make out with their tongues dancing together. They were lost in the trance of romance that their bodies moved to guide them to the backseat of the car where there was more space for them and the activity that they are internally looking forward to without either having to verbalize it. 

Their steamy kiss lasted for nearly five whole minutes before they pulled away with loud gasps to catch their breath. Cindy’s face was a flush pink, and she was catching her breath while Lea ran his hands down her side. Before he was able to lift her shirt, her hand stopped his by holding it gently and their eyes met once again. As much as Cindy was excited before, she hated how she suddenly felt cautious. There was no one around but who knew if someone else might have the same idea and end up catching them…or worse recording them.

Leo felt her anxiousness, causing his small worries to build up as he wondered if it was going too fast for them. He moved his hand away and leaned in close, kissing her forehead and down towards her lips for a soft peck.

“Is…is this too fast for you babe?” Leo’s soft voice was filled with concerns. However, the pace wasn’t the issue unbeknownst to him.

“No…no, not that, the I’m fine with…with doing it but…are you sure…we can do it here? I mean the car, or specifically in the car?” Cindy let out a sigh when she saw Leo’s face showed more confusion about what she meant. 

“I know the windows are dark but…what if someone still sees us? Or maybe hear us? What if someone might be recording and I don’t want this to ruin our lives, I want to enjoy it in this lovely night with the stars shining so lovingly up there…but”

Cindy was interrupted by a gentle kiss from Leo who at the same time, was caressing her cheeks with his index finger. Soft shushes came out of his lips to ease Cindy’s worries. He felt it but the urge to continue as it was such a rare time for them to not be interrupted. As young as the night was, he knew that no other would stop by this park as it was a working day the next day. 

“Shh, babe relax. People should be sleeping for their work…there’s no kids, and this is our chance. Let’s take it before we can barely grasp it again. I…I want to show you how much I love you…I want you to feel loved and pampered especially in this beautiful night that is not more gorgeous than the lady under me…” 

Oh, how his sweet words were pulling her intro a trance. She was about to weight the cons but hearing how Leo urged for her…urged for them to share their love. As Leo said, it was such a rare opportunity after all. So, it doesn’t matter if they get caught so as they forget it and enjoy the opportunity.

An opportunity for them to forget about the actual problems in this world.

And that was more than enough to convince Cindy. More than enough that she thought the only worries she had to worry for other than being a new adult in the world and possibly some perverts or random criminals who had nothing better to do. Hence, instead of what was once the obvious worry that wasS10 shown in her eyes, it was a more mischievous one instead, staring directly at Leo’s while she used her finger to trace his lips, tapping impatiently as if she wasn’t just concerned about their surroundings before. 

“Well then handsome…what are you waiting for? Don’t keep this poor lady waiting for you…” 

With that said, the young couple didn’t need to be asked twice to start taking off their clothes piece by piece, dropping it onto the side while staring into each other’s eyes lovingly. They never once broke the loving eye contact as they stripped till Leo leaned in to kiss Cindy again, gently laying her down and staying above her, making as much space as they could at the backseat of the car. Their bodies were one and it overtook the temperature from the air-conditioner. The car was soon filled with soft mushy kissing and pleased noises and they’re movements were nearly shaking the car. It was such a glistering and romantic moment for the young couple…too romantic that it may or may not have attracted what they least expected.

While the car was shaking, the first hit was barely noticeable especially when Leo and Cindy were too engrossed in their kiss and body contact. The second one became louder. However, it was neither loud enough to alert them nor obvious as the car was still in one place which was where and how they parked so they decided to carry on with their deep kiss…even after the first two hits, it only made Leo break the kiss but proceed onto his next choice of love message to Cindy instead of realizing that someone…or something was hitting their car. 

Third time’s a charm.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t so charming for them…

Finally, the last hit was so robust that it made the car shift in place, causing Cindy to jolt and Leo to hurriedly hold her close in case if that was another vehicle that collided with them. Unlike before, Leo was now reluctant to continue…his eyes winded and his pupils narrowed with fear, matching Cindy’s like the couple they were. His breath was hitched and so were her. He held her as close as he could, internally cursing and blaming himself but... there was nearly no point of doing that when he knew it would change nothing. All he could expect that other than a possible drunk driver barely missing them…or it could be a monster waiting for them to come out and investigate. They stayed as still as they could, as if a slight movement might flip the car as if they were hanging on an edge. 

One second passed…

Then five…

Then a minute…

Finally at five minutes later when there were no other movements, no other sounds or even breath to indicate that there’s something alive out there, Leo was the one who had the courage to speak as he needed and wanted to show a brave upfront for his girlfriend. 

“Babe…I need you to listen to me and calm down…” He whispered, only continuing when he received a nod in response.

“I’m going to lock the doors-yes, I know, I know I should have locked it. I’m going to know and I’m going to do it…very…slowly. Alright? We’ll be fine.” Leo assured her as much as he could before looking at the driver’s seat. 

But they both knew that deep down…they were at a dead end.

He carefully set his knee on the floor of the car, maneuvering himself swiftly to reach for the button without making a sound or any obvious movement that indicate someone was inside. His fingertips managed too silently lock the doors of the car and quickly pull Cindy underneath him to hug her as tight as he could, turning his body into a human shield. All the effort just for her mind to be a peace…even though Leo knew that they were dead at this point. He was internally beating himself for his carelessness. This current world wasn’t like how it used to be where they are usually caught by criminals or some busybody ruining their sweet little dates.

They huddled as close as they could together, forgetting everything around them out of fear instead. There was no use in putting on their clothes now since it may cause too much movement and alert whatever it was outside. Cindy was deep down, hoping that it was a police officer or something.

She didn’t expect her hope to be shattered that fast…

Skrrr…. skrrr

Soon enough, Leo’s arms tightened further, and his breath hitched when he heard those scratches. Cindy at this point was holding back the tears that was threatening to fall and her palm was over her mouth to prevent any sounds from escaping. Their hearts were thumping when the scratches outside the car became louder and more prominent…till it fell into a sharp silence. 

Cindy had some hope restored in her, hoping that the monster was gone…yes it was no use of denying that it was a monster now. Denial will never save someone…but are they even lucky enough to barely escape this? She looked up at Leo who gradually loosened his grip on her as if he was sure that the monster was gone before looking at her eyes. He let out a silent sigh and gave a small smile to Cindy, opening his mouth to speak when the roof unexpected caved in on top of them. Their hearts dropped especially when the car started to violently shake from side to side along with an unintentional scream escaped Cindy’s lips as she tried to duck lower on the floor of the car. Leo rushed to cover her mouth, hoping that he the sound of the car being forced around was loud enough to hide her scream and relay to the monster that there was no one inside and it should leave. He felt as if his heart was quickly covered in small shards of ice from guilt and denial and misery…that this was their last day in this world. Tears escaped their eyelids and before Leo could wipe them off Cindy’s eyes, the back of the windshield shattered.

Rain of glasses befall against them.

Leo used his body to shield Cindy from the millions of sharp shards while biting his lip to hold back his screams of pain. That was merely the beginning. Cindy looked up to Leo when she felt the vibration in his chest when he resisted his pain and lifted her hand to caress his cheeks…but it was too late…

“NOO!” Cindy screamed when Leo was pulled out harshly from the back windshield that even a scream for her name wasn’t fast enough to reach his lips. Her legs were stuck to the floor of the car in fear when she had a first-class seat to his screams and the horror sound of his bones and skins tearing ruthless. Shivers filled her veins hearing each bone crack, what was once the love of his life was now a pile of broken mess thrown in a living blender. Cindy had tears framing his face like a waterfall, but nothing came out of her lips. She wanted to cry, scream, and blame the world…but all of that wouldn’t change the fact her love was now dead. Her breaths hitched in as her eyes went wide, in both belief and disbelief. She didn’t know how long she had to listen to the torture of hearing her boyfriend eaten alive…she didn’t know how long it took.

The torture lasted for a few minutes even though it felt like years…and soon, the world once again fell into silence again, and Cindy sat in that silence for nearly twenty minutes.

“Please…please, please tell me that it left…I’m sorry Leo…I should have insisted we done it somewhere else…how…how could I have been so stupid to not remember that we live in a world where they are larger predators above us…where we are at the bottom of the foot chain for them…no…it’s not fair…how could they have attacked us without any warnings or chances for us to escape…”

This time, Cindy bravely…or suicidally assumed that the monster was done with its meal and would have left since she didn’t hear any breaths or growls. There was no indication that it was there. She gulped softly and with her shaking limbs, she carefully crawled towards the back of the windshield since it was the only opening available. Unlocking the door might cause an unwanted attention from the monster that she assumed had left. She held her breath, bracing herself to see blood and remains of Leo. How unfortunate that a funeral couldn’t be conducted with his whole body in one piece. Cindy vowed that if she managed to escape out of this alive, she would create the warmest memorial for him. Her thoughts were filled with Leo’s death that she didn’t realize what big of a mistake she was making. She slowly crawled out, making it onto the trunk of the car…when a red line drew at her soul the moment a glob of saliva landed on her head. Her heart shattered and her lips quivered. She slowly looked up with teary eyes, seeing how the monster was still standing directly above her.