Within the Shadows Ep. 02

Learning the Shadows

Kyle awoke to the sounds of someone calling for help.

"Anybody," called a familiar voice. "Are there any more survivors?"

Kyle looked over to see Eliza asleep on his shoulder and Joe passed out in front of him. They had survived the night. The sun was just starting to rise and the shadows of the night were retreating back to where they came. Broken glass littered the floor from the window just above Joe and there were multiple deep holes in the ceiling from the creature that had attached itself to the house.

He stood up and looked out the window to see Gavin, the pilot staring toward the house. His eyes seemed to light up when he saw Kyle looking out at him.

"Kyle," he shouted in relief. "How many made it in there?"

Kyle turned and looked around the house to see if anybody had returned after the madness ended. There were a few people lying around on the floor and a blond woman lying on the couch asleep. He turned back to the window and gestured for Gaven to wait. He opened the front door and gently closed it back before walking down to the middle of the dirt path.

"Looks like around six people including me," Kyle stated as he looked over to see that the house Gaven stayed in had a busted window and long angled scratches all across the outside of his house as well. "How'd you fare?"

"Ten," he answered with a saddened expression. "Including me."

"Sixteen accounted for then," Kyle said just as much to himself as to Gaven while nodding. "How'd you survive the night?"

"I didn't have to do anything," he admitted with a shrug. "They came after everybody except for Holly and me. It was like they couldn't see us."

"That's strange," Kyle said as he turned to look at the house he had stayed in overnight. "The same thing happened to Joe in there."

"What about you?" Gaven asked.

Kyle turned back to him and felt his face burning with embarrassment. "Apparently sex has a similar effect on them."

"You had sex while you were being attacked?" Gaven asked incredulously.

"It's a long story," Kyle said, hoping Gaven would drop the subject for now. "And it was more foreplay than actual sex."

"Well, any information is more helpful than what we started with," Gavin admitted with a shrug. "It seems that the ones who stayed in the houses with their names on the signs were invisible to those things."

"It does seem that way," Kyle admitted. Guilt started to wash over him. Most were planning on staying in their houses last night and he talked them out of it. If he hadn't done that then they may all be alive and counted for this morning.

"We didn't know," Gavin stated as he placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder. "We can't look back on things like this."

"Kyle," a voice called from the house behind him. Kyle turned to see Eliza through the window looking at him. She ran out the door toward him and stopped by the two men. "Who all made it?"

"Sixteen by our count," Kyle answered soberly.

"My god," she said in a shocked whisper. "How many died last night?"

"We never took count of our starting members," Gavin admitted with his head low. "We didn't know what was ahead of us."

"Where are the bodies?" She asked as she looked around.

It was strange. Kyle didn't think of that until Eliza mentioned it. There were no bodies. There were plenty of darkened spots on the ground where bodies had been, but they were not there. Did the creatures take them?

"This is so weird," she stated as she started walking around the small village. Kyle let her go as he looked around as more of the survivors began making their way out of the two houses.

"We have to keep these people alive," Gavin said to Kyle as he looked around.

"We need to figure something out before night falls again," Kyle stated in agreement just before Eliza's scream caused both men to start sprinting toward her.

She was standing in front of one of the houses and staring at the sign. As Kyle got closer, he could see what had her so worked up.

One of the names on the sign had been scratched out with blood seeping out.

"What the hell is going on here?" Eliza asked as she looked over to Kyle and Gavin as they stepped up on the porch.

Kyle couldn't quite make out what the name once said, but he assumed it was someone who had been taken away during the night. More screams from people caused him to look around to see that some of the survivors had found more signs with similar scratches on the signs.

"It's like a scavenger hunt for these monsters," Kyle said as he looked around. "We need to stay in the houses with our names on them tonight if we don't figure something else out."

"What?!" Eliza exclaimed. "I'd much rather stay with you, Kyle!"

"I'd rather you stay with me too, but I'd much rather you live through the night." Kyle turned to look Eliza in the face again. She looked scared. Her dark brown eyes shifted from one place to another as she seemed to look for a reason to discard his request. She finally gave in and a nod.

"Every house has two names on the signs right?" Gavin broke the awkward silence.

"I believe so," Kyle said as he looked back at the sign they were in front of. There was one other name that wasn't scratched out on the sign. "Carolyn Garnett."

The three walked toward the middle of the path and called for everyone to approach them for a meeting. The survivors all met in front of them and Kyle waited until the last one approached before speaking.

"I was wrong last night to suggest we packed in two houses," he started. "You have no idea how sorry I am for that, but how could any of us know what was going to happen? Look, I think we should stay inside our named houses tonight. That might be the only thing that stops us from being attacked again. Those that were in their named houses last night weren't attacked. We think it's linked."

"The scratches," one person called out with a quiver in their voice.

"We're thinking that those things are hunting us," he started. "When they get us, they scratch our name off the sign. Look for the sign with your own name on it and find your partner. Some of you won't have a partner because of last night. For that, I'm truly sorry."

Everyone silently agreed to follow along with his plan and split up again. He looked around as people were being paired off with each other. He walked up to each house as he searched for his own name, but hadn't had any luck yet. As he walked toward the house on the opposite side of the village than the one he had stayed in the previous night, he noticed the blond woman that had been sleeping on the couch across next to it. She held her hand up to a scratch mark as she cried.

He looked away feeling sorrow for her. She would end up having to spend the night alone with those things screaming outside. She had to be terrified knowing that they didn't even know if it was going to work.

There was a woman standing at the last cabin waiting for anyone to approach. He made it to the porch steps before she spoke.

"Kyle Sanders?" She asked as he stepped up next to her and seen his name on the sign.

"That's me," he stated. "And you must be," he read the name on the sign. "Krystal Shonda."

"Yes," she said with a shy smile. She was a woman of average height with a dark Hispanic skin tone and facial features. In any normal circumstance he would be trying to flirt with her, but in the moment of fight or flight like they were in at the moment, sex was the furthest thing on his mind.

"Looks like we're roomies," he said in a light tone, trying to brighten the situation with a little smile.

"Looks like it," she said as she fidgeted around nervously. She was wearing some kind of sports shirt with the number 11 on it. Her body was muscular like she played some kind of sport, with thick thighs and broader shoulders than Eliza's.

"What sport do you play?" He asked, trying to get her mind off the situation.

"Soccer," she answered as she stopped her fidgeting for a moment. "I use to play soccer. I just graduated from college and was taking a vacation before starting my new career."

"And what career is that?" He asked as he opened the door to the house and looked inside.

"PE Coach," she answered as he stepped into the house and looked around. The layout was exactly the same as the other house. The front door opened into a large living room with an open kitchen to the left and a hallway leading to two doors which would inevitably lead to a bedroom and a bathroom.

"That's great," he stated as he walked down the hallway.

"What about you?" She asked as she desperately tried to keep the conversation going.

"I'm a fighter," he answered as he opened one door that sure enough led to a bathroom. "I'm one of those fools that steps into a ring with other fools and we beat each other down until one of us either tap out or just doesn't get back up."

"Wow," she said in an impressed tone. "You know, I thought you looked familiar."

"You've seen me?" He asked as he opened the other door to see a bedroom complete with bed and everything.

"I believe so," she said as she followed him into the bedroom and walked past him toward the large dresser. "I think I watched one of your fights at a party once."

"Well, it's a small world after all," he laughed as he looked out the bedroom window to see the forest line. He studied it to see if he could spot any of those creatures peeking out toward the village. There was nothing to see through.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked as she opened one of the drawers.

"Sure," he answered, not taking his eyes off the tree line.

"I saw you and that woman last night," she started. "I saw what she was doing to do."

"That's not a question," he stated as he turned to look at her.

"Sorry," she said, looking embarrassed. "Are you and that woman, like, together?"

Kyle stared at her for a minute. She refused to look into his eyes. She was more embarrassed by the public events than he was.

"No," he finally answered. "We are not."

"Okay," she said with a quick sigh. "Good."

"Why is it good?" he asked turning from the window to look directly at the woman.

"Well, I mean," she began as she stumbled for the proper words. "It's just that we are going to be, you know, staying the night here together. I just didn't want to make her mad."

Kyle laughed as he thought about how ridiculous that concern was. Of all things to worry about!

"You have nothing to worry about," he answered. "We just discovered that the thing in the house couldn't see us while we were doing what you saw us doing."

"Really?" She asked as she looked up at him. "It couldn't see you?"

"That's what it seemed like at least," he answered. "I have no idea if that is the case though. It worked last night, but who knows?"

"That's interesting," she stated. Her embarrassment seemed to have disappeared. She rummaged through the drawers as he made his way out of the room.

"I'm going to check on the others," he said as he stopped at the bedroom door. "Make sure you're back here by nightfall if you decide to leave the house today."

"Okay," she said nervously. He could tell that she didn't like the idea of being alone in the house even during the day, but he had to make sure everyone else was okay.

He stepped out of the house and looked over to see the blond woman sitting on her porch with a lost look on her face. He walked the path and sat down next to her on the porch.

"I'm sorry," he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm alone," she cried. "I'm going to have to be alone tonight."

"I'll be right across the path there," he assured her. "I'll keep an eye on this house from that window."

"I appreciate that," she said, looking up at him and trying to put on a fake smile. "I'll stay in and just stay quiet."

"This will work," he stated with his own fake smile. He had no idea if this was going to work. He didn't know what the rules for these creatures really were. He only had one crazy night to go by. It would take more to establish what he could and could not do during the night.

"My name's Katie," she said as she laid her head back against the wall of the house.

"It's nice to meet you, Katie," he stated with a gentle smile. "My name's Kyle."

The two sat in silence for a few moments until Kyle finally stood up and reassured her of his presence again before walking down the path toward the other side of the village to check on the others.

People were talking amongst each other outside of their houses as he walked by. Maybe this would work. This had to work. He noticed the first scratch mark signed house as he walked toward Gavin. A woman stood by herself looking around. She didn't seem scared at all. She appeared to be studying everything around her with inquisitive eyes. Her long dark blond hair pulled back into a ponytail and her long white shirt practically see-through as her large breasts pressed against it.

Gavin stepped out of his house when he saw Kyle approaching.

"Find your place?" He asked as they met.

"Yes," Kyle said with a nod. "I'm boarding up with a woman named Krystal."

"I've been thinking about how you survived last night," Gavin stated out of nowhere as he looked around the village.

"That's a little strange," Kyle said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Look around," Gavin suggested.

Kyle looked around the village. People were still outside of their houses talking with one another and trying to comfort each other during the hard times.

"Okay," he said as he tried to see what Gavin was trying to get at.

"Every house is paired off with one male and one female," he explained. Kyle saw what he was talking about.

"Why are we here?" He asked more to himself than to Gavin. "It's like we are here to..."

"Breed," Gavin finished for him. "It's like we are here to breed."

"What?!" Came a call from behind them. They turned to see the pale tiny woman with short red hair approach them. "We are here for what?"

"It's just a theory," Gavin stuttered in embarrassment as he tried to explain himself to his new roommate.

"What's just a theory?" Eliza asked as she and Joe walked toward the small group.

"This guy just said that we are here to fuck each other," the red-head stated as she clenched her fists.

"We are here to..." Eliza started to say something, but she looked away in thought for a moment before changing her tone. "That does make sense."

The redhead's eyes went wide with rage. "You mean you are just going to accept that?!"

"Look, Holly," Eliza started calmly, "That creature was going to kill Kyle here until I gave him the best blowjob of his life!"

Holly stepped back in shock.

"Once his dick was in my mouth," Eliza continued. "That creature acted like it couldn't even see us."

"Well," Holly started to say something but could find the proper words so she just looked at Gavin and narrowed her eyes. "Just don't get any ideas!" She stomped back into her house and slammed the door shut.

"It's going to be an awkward night tonight," Gavin stated with a shrug and an uncomfortable giggle to himself. "I guess I better go see if I can fix this."

"Are you going to be okay?" Kyle asked Eliza.

"Yeah," she answered with strength in her voice. "Joe seems nice enough I guess. I hate that your house is all the way on the other side of the village though."

"I do too," Kyle admitted. He had honestly wished that he would be able to share a house with Eliza, but Krystal seemed nice enough. "I'm going to help set my house up for the night. Good luck."

Kyle and Eliza separated as he made his way back to his house. He stopped briefly to check on Katie once more before entering his house and closing the door. He checked all of the windows and tested the durability of the doors by pressing his shoulder against each one and pushing. He put the house through various tests before he nodded in satisfaction.

The shadows were already beginning to grow long and the distant sounds of the whispers were stretching to them.

"How did they know my size?" Krystal asked as she approached Kyle from behind. He turned to see that she was wearing a black nightgown.

"Where did you find clothes?" He asked as he stared down her chest at her busting cleavage.

"They were in the dresser," she answered as she realized what she was wearing in front of a stranger. She began to back away from him and hide. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" He asked with a chuckle. "You're gorgeous and have nothing to worry about."

She stopped trying to hide as she looked out the window at the shadows of the trees that looked like black fingers stretching toward them. She walked over next to him as her breath became heavier.

"This is terrifying," she admitted as Kyle put his arm around her for comfort.

"Yes it is," he answered as the night drank them up.

The whispers were on them and he could see the forms of the creatures dash into sight in their jagged movements. They moved and danced around the houses as they peeked into windows. He tried to see if he could make out the form of Katie in the other house, but the shadows covered any specific visual he could muster.

"Kyle," Krystal called from behind him. He turned to see her standing in front of another window as one of the creatures smiled at her. It didn't try to bust its way in, but it definitely saw her.

"Stay calm," he told her as he approached her and embraced her from behind.

Something wasn't right. He thought if they were in their house then the creatures couldn't see them, but this one could obviously see them. Did he get it wrong again? A scream from a woman caught the creature's attention and it dashed away from the window and out of sight. Kyle ran toward the window on the opposite side of the living room to see Katie run out of her front door and fall down her porch steps, landing roughly on the ground below.

"Kyle," she screamed as she stood on her knees and tried to swat the creatures away as they started to surround her.

Kyle ran out of the house as fast as he could toward Katie. He could hear the creatures start to scream their high pitched screech as he dropped and slid up against the frightened blond. She looked into his eyes and he could see the defeat all over her face.

"Please," she said to him in a shaky voice. "Protect me."

He wasn't sure what to do. He looked around to see those bald, pale, evil things everywhere. They wore the same toothy smiles as they raised their claw-like hands.

"Trust me," he said, bringing a confused face from Katie.

He pressed his lips to hers and pulled her on top of him. She opened her mouth and pushed her tongue into his mouth as he reached up her shirt to grab her large breasts. She moaned as he teasingly twisted her nipples in his fingers.

"I have no idea what you're doing," she admitted as she pulled her head back to set on his lap as she started grinding her hips against his crotch. "But I can't say that I don't like it."

He reached down and pulled his pants down, allowing his cock freedom to spring out fully erect and at the ready. She looked down at his dick and began rubbing it with her hands before she pulled her own pants and panties off.

He looked around to see the creatures looking lost. They chirped at each other but eventually dashed away in search of someone else.

He felt Katie's warm pussy surround his cock as she sat down on him. She moaned in pleasure as his throbbing shaft filled her completely and began grinding her hips around once more. He rubbed her thighs as she arched her back in a scream of ecstasy.

"I'm cumming," she screamed as her body twitched about before she collapsed on his chest, catching her breath.

He rolled her over onto her back and lifted her legs behind his arms as he began pounding into her. She felt amazing. The sounds of wet flesh smacking together echoed through the air as she screamed in pleasure for him to continue. He pulled her top down enough so that her breasts popped out the top of her tank top and lowered his face to suck on one of her nipples while he slammed himself into her over and over again.