Closing Time...Chapter 7...Conclusion

This is a continuation of a story began October 1, 2019. Find the first of the story on the right side of the page to read the story from the beginning.

Chapter 7 Conclusion

Bret opened the door.

Amber didn't know what surprised her more, that Bret was not only alive, but well enough to drive his car to the police station, or that Todd--who only moments before was a black mist--flew into the police station. How could any of this even be happening?

Bret limped over to where Amber still lay on the ground.

"Are you okay?" he said as he bent down to help her up. Amber saw him grimace in pain.

"I am," she said. "Don't know if I can say the same thing about you."

"I'm okay," Bret said as Amber rose, her doing most of the lifting.

After standing on both feet, she said, "And what kind of a stunt was that? Gunning your green Land Rover directly at me?" A smile hoped she conveyed the right tone. In no way did she want to chid him after he saved her life.

"Oh, an athlete like you?" Bret smiled back. "I knew you'd get out of the way in time."

On an impulse, Amber hugged the man a good foot taller than herself. She heard a soft grown as Bret hugged her back. 

"I'm so sorry," Amber said breaking the hug after realizing he was still in pain. She looked up and realized it was his turn to blush.

"Come on--let's get out of here. I have no idea if we did anything at all to that guy."

As quickly as possible the pair jumped in Bret's running car. He put it in reverse and it rolled backwards. The headlights illuminated the smashed front of the police office. Both Amber and Bret instinctively looked at the building.

Todd appeared in the light.

"Bret?" Amber said, her voice unsteady.

"I see him." Bret stopped the car and waited to see what Todd did.

They didn't have to wait long.

In an instant Todd sprang high into the air and flew directly at the car. Amber screamed. Bret threw open the door and jumped out. He quickly opened the back door and drew out a baseball bat. Amber screamed again as Todd began his descent. As he fell, Bret slammed the bat on the pavement--Amber heard a crack. He then drew back the bat, waiting.

From inside the car, Amber watched as a look of pure rage on Todd's face changed to paralyzing fear. He headed straight for Bret who wound the bat back as if he were about to hit a game-winning home run to end the world series.

Amber buried her head in her hands--she couldn't bear to see what happened.

She didn't see it, but she definitely heard the sound of the bat connect with Todd. She screamed again.

Then, nothing...silence.

The next sound she heard was Bret opening the driver's side door. Amber finally looked up.

"Is it over?"

"Yeah, it's over."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. That guy's not going to threaten you again. He's not going to do anything ever again."

Bret backed up the car then drove out of the parking lot. Amber couldn't bring herself to look back. The two rode in silence. After a moment, curiosity got the better of her and she asked, "You said back there, you were sure it was over. How do you know? I mean, the guy could change into a black cloud."

"Well," Bret said as he drove through the empty streets. "As I drove over here from the gym, I kept thinking about what in the world this guy could be. I knew he wasn't human, that's for sure. I thought maybe he was a vampire. So, when he was flying toward me, I knew I needed to find a wooden stake. I grabbed the bat and  tried to make it as sharp as possible by hitting the ground. Luckily, the bat split right down the center, giving it a nice blade..."

"No, you didn't?" Amber said, shocked.

"Sure did--the bat cut right into his heart. I'm glad you weren't watching. It wasn't pretty."

Amber wondered where they were going. It was soon evident as Bret pulled into the hospital parking lot as the first orange hues of morning rose in the eastern sky. They probably both needed to be checked out.

Amber hurried and helped Bret out of the car and into the E.R. waiting room. As they approached the desk, Amber said, "Wait--I thought you said you played football."

"I didn't get a chance to tell you, I was high school All-American in baseball, too."