Chatterbox: Inkwell

Prologue

The boy runs through the ruins, his breathing echoing on the high, broken walls. He glances over his shoulder and trips, falling to the ground. He struggles to pull himself to his feet, righting himself and running another few yards. Then it happens. There is a flash of claws and teeth, a scream. Then the boy is dead, ripped to shreads by the creature. The monster stays there for a moment, devouringthe boys flesh. Then, with a howl, it turns and runs off, disappearing into the night.

One

I jolt awake, sitting up in bed.

"What is it?" My younger sister asks grogily.

"Nothing," I respond, pushing her dirty white blond hair off her brow, "Go back to sleep." I climb out of the bed and walk over to the small sink in our room. I turn on the water and splash it over my face, letting it sooth my nerves. I splash some over the back of my neck and go over to the single window. I open it up and take my customary place in the chair beside it, breathing in the cool night air. As I gaze out over the ruins of this once great city, I think back to my nightmare. I catch a glimpse of movement down in the street and withdraw instinctively, pulling my head back inside. When I can no longer see the glowing red eyes of the monster, I close the window and fish a book from my backpack. It'll be alright, I think It has to be, right?

Two

I wake to see a monster. It's towering over my sleeping sister. As I watch it draws one of its razor sharp claws across her throat, silently killing her. I pull out my knife and sneak up behind it. With a cry of anger and pain, I sink my knife hilt deep into it's back. I release the knife and back slowly away as it's body collapses on to of my sisters.