Nobody dared move as silence and cold filled the room.

Tom's eyes locked onto the massive creature before him. Standing at just over six feet tall, its menacing physique and brawny limbs dwarfed those of the Pygmies that were dead on the floor. What truly scared him was the single oversized mouth that gaped open, revealing a long, serpentine tongue. The creature squealed as its tongue lashed about the room in search of prey.

“Jesus Christ,” Tom muttered, his heart galloping. The creature tensed.

Oh shit.

Tom looked over to see Kate holding her finger to her lips.

After a moment, the creature turned away from the group and toward the fallen creatures. Its tongue glided over their bodies, patting them; almost as if it was grieving its comrades.

Kate slowly moved the kids behind her, away from the creature, her eyes never leaving the monster.

Tom’s momentary relief shattered as the edge of the creature's elongated tongue grazed the pool of blood left behind by his injuries. It began to slowly trace the trail of blood, the slithering sound of its tongue sending shivers down his back. The creature began advancing toward them, sniffing the air more forcefully.

Tom's frantic gaze shifted back and forth between the Headless Marauder and his loved ones. He tried to get to his feet, but his blood-drained body was weak and unresponsive.

The creature drew nearer, its revolting tongue leaving a glistening trail of saliva on the floor as it followed the blood.

Kate silently rose up to stand over him and the kids.

Tom clenched his fists. As the creature approached, he struggled again to push himself up from the ground. Through sheer willpower, he managed a semi-crouch, leaning on Kate for support. He pointed toward the back porch exit.

Kate nodded. With careful, deliberate steps—so as not to make noise or slip in the blood—Tom and family silently shuffled backward, their retreat mirroring the slow advance of the monster.

Kate's hand firmly gripped his arm, supporting him as he gritted his teeth against waves of dizziness that threatened to drop him to his knees.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears as the distance between them and the creature shortened.

He scanned the room. One of the bats was on the kitchen floor. It looked puny compared to the monster, but it was better than nothing.

Tom gave an over-exaggerated nod toward the bat.

Kate shook her head.

The creature was close now.

Summoning what little strength remained in his battered body, he broke away from Kate's grasp, and lunged toward the bat.

The creature’s vile tongue lashed out, quick as a snake’s strike. It almost hit his reaching hand, but it missed and caught the bat instead, smacking it across the room. Instantly, the tongue retracted and struck at him again. It came within inches of his eye when a sudden wave of energy pulsed through the room.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Move Dad!” Chloe screamed. Her eyes were locked onto the creature with panicked intensity, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Chloe screamed again, and pointed her hand at the monster.

The effect on the creature was immediate. It convulsed violently, its massive form crashing into the wall behind it. Its ear-piercing screams echoed through the air, sounding like a pig massacre.

Tom looked back and forth from Chloe to the creature in utter disbelief.

Amber vaulted past him, her nimble gymnast-trained body easily dodging both Kate's and Tom’s outstretched arms as they tried to grab her. She shot forward and rolled across the floor, coming to a stop near the fallen bat. With a swift kick, she sent it skidding in Tom's direction, before she continued on toward the kitchen counter.

Tom reached out, ignoring the twinge of pain from his once-injured thumb, and caught the bat as it clanked across the floor. “Get back here, Amber!”

The monster stumbled and shrieked.

What the hell is happening to it? Did Chloe do that?

Tom readied himself for the next move, feeling the weight of the bat in his blood-stained hand.

Amber reached for the knife rack in the kitchen. Her eyes glinted as she grabbed a knife and flung it toward the monster.

The throw was horrible and was nowhere close to hitting, but she didn't hesitate to grab another one and try again. Another miss. She growled, and reached for a third knife.

Tom signaled her to stop.

He could tell she wanted to argue, but she clenched her jaw and nodded, stepping away from the knives.

Thank God.

Tom took a step forward, eyes locked on the creature's grotesque form.

Kate silently side-stepped across the kitchen to grab the other bat.

The creature's monstrous tongue thrashed and whipped about, flailing in its terror-induced frenzy.

Tom saw an opening.

He swung the bat with all his strength. It connected with a sickening thud.

The creature's screams shifted from terror to pain. Whatever Chloe had done to it was over now, and the monster focused on him and stomped forward, its repulsive tongue slithering menacingly.

As its tongue slithered closer, Tom saw another opportunity. Or, at least, what he hoped was an opportunity.

Hope this isn’t dumb.

Channeling all his strength into one powerful movement, he stomped down and pinned the tongue firmly in place.

It thrashed and writhed, desperate to free itself from his hold.

Tom pushed his entire weight onto his foot and onto the creature's wriggling tongue, ignoring the ache across his back. The six-foot monster loomed over him.

“Don't be mad!” Amber yelled.

She sprang forward, like a cat pouncing on a mouse, and drove the large steak knife she held into the creature's trapped tongue. The blade pierced through its flesh and gouged deep into the wooden floor.

Tom spluttered for half a second at what his daughter just did, but the creature's renewed screams tore through the air. Enraged, it lunged at Amber.

“Watch out!” Tom yelled.

Kate, who had retrieved the second bat, grabbed Amber's arm and swung her away from the creature, toward the other girls.

The creature charged recklessly forward, still intent on Amber.

Kate swung her bat, and the hit was solid.

The creature’s oversized front teeth shattered under the blow. The beast was knocked backward, its own weight toppling it onto its back. As it fell, its tongue split along the length of the steak knife’s edge.

The bat trembled in Tom’s hands as he raised it high above his head and brought it down with devastating force onto the monster.

A heartbeat later, Kate was clubbing it with her bat as well. The room echoed with the sickening crunches of bone and meat giving way under the onslaught.

The screaming and bloody creature flinched and twitched, holding its arms up weakly, attempting to shield itself from the battering.

Tom kept swinging the bat.

“Stop! Stop!” Chloe’s voice cut through the chaos. “It's not moving anymore!”

Panting heavily, Tom took in the sight of the battered and broken creature at his feet. Its movements had indeed stopped, and the terrible screams had faded away, replaced by an eerie silence that filled the room. The only sound was the occasional twitch of the lifeless bodies scattered across the dining room floor. A shiver ran over his body as a gust of snowy air blew through the battered-down front door.

“Is-is it dead?” Loo asked.

“I think so. Stay away from it.” Tom’s breaths were ragged gasps. “Are you okay? Are you guys all right? Who's hurt?” Tom scanned each of their faces for any sign of injury.

“I had some small glass cuts,” Chloe replied, inspecting her arms, “but . . . they’re gone.”

“We’re not hurt, Dad,” Amber said, her voice steady.

Beside her, Loo nodded in agreement, though her eyes shone with unshed tears.

Tom closed the distance between them and hugged all three girls. He placed a hand on Amber's shoulder.

“Thank you. That was brave and you did amazing, but in case there are more of these . . . things, never do that again. I don't want you to get hurt. Understood?”

Amber hesitated, then nodded, wiping blood spots away from her face with the back of her hand.

“All right,” she murmured.

“I’m serious. No . . . monster fighting. Understood?”

“Yes, fine. Understood.”

“Good.” He glanced over at Kate, who was still watching him with concern etched across her face.

“Kids, come here,” Kate called out softly, beckoning them closer with open arms. “Give me a hug, and let us have a look at you.”

Loo and Chloe hesitated for a moment before approaching, their eyes never straying far from the spot where the Headless had fallen.

As Tom and Kate looked them over for any signs of injury, he could sense their fear slowly dissipating, replaced with curiosity.

Kate looked at him. “Your turn, Tom. Let me have a look at you.” She gently turned him around to inspect his back. “The bites . . . they're not bleeding anymore. They’re already starting to heal.”

Tom reached around his back, feeling a rough scab underneath his fingers.

Kate turned him again. She reached out and took his hand. “And your thumb . . . it looks like soon it will also be completely fine.” Her voice was laced with disbelief. “What the hell is happening? What's going on? Did we all go insane?”

The clattering of metal jolted the group from their thoughts.

Where the bloody dead creatures had once been, there was now a haphazard assortment of items: different-sized pieces of metal, and some kind of brown garment.

“Loot?” Chloe blurted out.