Light streaked across an army of stone, shadows growing as the unseeing night crept in. A deadly poison for those with panicked eyes as their only defense. Jasson could only see four of them, three ahead and one behind. Surrounded by still silent sentries, warriors of the dark behind his back.

“What do you mean?” Harriett tapped the statue before glancing at Jasson, “These things don’t have any angel wings- oh!”

Harriett skipped back, putting distance between her and the statue. “I see. It got me.”

“Are you okay?” Jasson fumbled back toward Harriett, “What did it do?”

“Cut my arm,” Harriett held out her arm where it dripped like a razor had cut it, “They have claws on their hands. Sharp ones too. Good thing I dodged as soon as I felt it.”

“That could have been bad,” Jasson tried to alternate which eye was blinking and held up his mirror, “I’m glad you’re…are you shaking?”

“Of course not,” Harriett flourished her sword in the reflection, “I- I’m excited. This is a challenge. After all, it’s not like they’re ghosts that I can’t stab. They’re just statues I can’t stab, cut, or fight in any way. Exciting. Not helplessly terrifying.”

Jasson paused then said, “You’re absolutely right Harriett. Unfortunately, I can’t quite convince myself not to be scared. These statues don’t really catch on fire, and I have terrible reflexes. If they get close to me I’m going to end up like those dogs.”

“Split in half and spread across the warehouse?” Harriett said.

“Precisely,” Jasson shivered, “Now what?”

“I d-don’t know.” Harriett said, “You think of one this time.”

“This time?” Jasson swiveled his head while not losing sight of the monsters, “When was the time you made a plan?”

“On the hill with the rabbits,” Harriett said, “Charging in and cutting up everything in front of me counts as a plan. One step. Beauty in simplicity.”

Jasson would have laughed if he wasn’t so scared, so instead he cracked a smile and said “Fine. I say we try to make our way out. Then come back with more eyes. Where did we come in from?”

Harriett pointed past his shoulder and said, “That way, past these three statues.”

“Great,” Jasson said, “Just great.”

Jasson carefully walked up to one, then glanced back in his mirror to see Harriett staring behind them. How would this work? If Jasson went through then there would be one behind him no matter where he turned. The mirror wasn’t reliable enough to stop that. But if Harriett turned to watch him, the one behind would attack.

“Harriett,” Jasson backed up towards her, “I have an idea. You’re just going to have to trust me, okay?”

“Trust my comrade in arms?” Harriett said, “We have spilt blood together. I trust you with my life.”

“Great,” Jasson backed up beside Harriett, “So what we need to do is turn around at exactly the same time so that we’re facing each other from where we stand. Then I’ll back up through the statues and keep moving toward the exit.”

“All right,” Harriett said, “On your mark.”

“Okay,” Jasson took a breath and closed his eyes, “O-oops.”

Jasson opened his eyes again and saw one statue halfway through a lunge, razor-sharp marble glinting in the dimming light. It stood, one foot off the ground as it sprung, and should have fallen over from lack of balance.

“Oookaaay.” Jasson took a breath and sidled out of the way of the monster, “Ready? One, two, THREE!”

Jasson crossed his fingers and toes as he spun, waiting for a claw to shred through his sternum. But nothing came, and Jasson was left looking at the monster pursuing them. Nearly identical to the rest, but with Harriett’s blood drying on an outstretched finger. Jasson shivered.

“Alright,” Jasson said, “I’m going to back up now and make my way through the Weeping Angels. You watch the three, and I’ll watch the one. Okay?”

“Sir, yes sir!” Harriett said.

It felt weird for Harriett to call him sir. The way she said it didn’t sound like she was being entirely playful. More…automatic.

“Okay.” Jasson backed up slowly, “Am I going the right way?”

“A bit that way,” Harriett motioned, “Yeah. Keep going. Stop! A bit more to your…”

Jasson navigated through, feeling his way through while fighting the powerful urge to turn around. To see if they were really frozen and not about to cut him to ribbons. Eventually, Jasson put his trust in Harriet’s speed, which he’d seen on full display while fighting those rabbits. If he was about to be killed, she'd rush in and save him faster than the blink of an eye.

“You’re almost there,” Harriett said, just another step to your left- no my left- look out! Stop!”

Jasson stepped into the outstretched hand of one of the monsters and froze. He could feel the blood trailing down his back, and felt the overwhelming urge to check the wound. The pain would hit soon and the monsters would tear him to-

I can’t look away! Jasson thought.

Jasson hissed through his teeth, a kind of shocked pain lacing across his shoulder. He flinched away, stepping forward and keeping his eyes fixed on the statue behind his friend. Jasson could see Harriett’s horrified eyes twist behind her as she stepped aside.

Jasson blinked.

“AAAH!” Jasson screamed eyes flying open as a dozen wounds erupted across his back. Jasson collapsed to his knees, eyes flinching as he tried to hide from the pain, but forced himself to focus on the one behind Harriet.

He was not going to die a failure.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Jasson saw Harriett, arms in bleeding shreds as she looked back towards Jasson. Determination evident, statue frozen an inch from her neck.

“Glad we’re on the same page,” Jasson said, “Are we even?”

“Close enough,” Harriett said, “Don’t look away again though.”

“I had to blink,” Jasson said, blood dripping down his chin, “How do I get out of this?”

“They’re surrounding you,” Harriett said, “You’ll need to back out between their legs. Just do your best to squeeze.”

Half a dozen legs supported statues mid-murderous blender, and Jasson moved his foot back and forth. Jasson felt a gap back, but when he tried to move the wounds on his back flared.

“Okay,” Jasson hissed as he froze, pain thrumming across his shoulders, “What if I’m in too much pain to crawl?”

“Good question,” Harriett said, “Um…you still have a healing crystal?”

“Oh, right,” Jasson hissed again, teeth gritting as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the crystal, “Only problem is, I can’t really reach my back like this.”

“Just use it anyway,” Harriett said, “And hurry up. But whatever you do, don’t stand up. Unless you want to become bacon.”

Jasson healed himself up as he could, but was unable to reach a portion of his back which, unfortunately, contained a shoulder muscle needed for crawling. Still, it didn’t seem inoperable.

“All right,” Jasson said, alternately blinking his eyes, “Ready?”

“Go on!” Harriett said, “I’ll feel much better when we’re back to back again.”

“Not my current back,” Jasson felt the stone legs around him and started crawling backward, “It’s- ah. Ow. Yeah- tsssss! Not great!”

After a little finagling Jasson managed to find his way out of the legs, backing up until he could see all four angels at once.

“Okay,” Jasson said, “Come on over. Watch out for their- ah. Never mind.”

Harriett strolled through the murderous statues and stood face to face with Jasson, grinning broadly. They had gotten all four statues on one side of them, but Jasson couldn’t help feeling uneasy. This wasn’t over yet.

“Another challenge overcome?” Jasson said, “Or…why do you look so happy?”

“Oh, nothing.” Harriett said, “It’s just awesome to have a companion that trusts me.”

Warm fuzz flitted around Jasson’s fearful heart, and he smiled.

“Speaking of which,” Jasson held out the crystal, “Let me see your arms. They need- ugh. Gross. That…that’s bone. Medkit!”

With a red flash, Harriett’s arms were healed and the only remnant was his own shredded back.

“Sorry I can’t use a healing crystal.” Harriett said, as they walked down the aisle, “let’s get out of here and come back with- oh? The statues around the eggs are gone.”

Jasson snuck a glance and saw that Harriett was right. The eggs were still there and roughly waist height, but the six statues were gone. When Jasson looked back, the statues were a few arms’ reaches away.

“So these were the statues around the eggs then?” Jasson said, “With another two we don’t see?”

“I see them,” Harriett pointed further along, “They’ve been hiding among the statues down the aisle. Keep moving in and out of view.”

Jasson frowned and said, “Do you really not recognize these monsters?”

“Nope,” Harriett said, “Not at all. Must not be native to this area.”

Jasson glanced at the eggs again, then back at the statues. They’d hardly moved. He could do this.

Jasson said, “They still need to reproduce, don’t they?”

“Yeah?” Harriett said, “Are you saying that these eggs are theirs? Seems a little big for monsters of this size.”

“Not if these are young ones,” Jasson said, “But…”

Jasson approached the eggs and felt one, careful to keep his eyes on the somewhat-distant monsters. The texture of the egg seemed to be different than marble, warmer, but when Jasson stole another glance it was marble. And it felt…colder.

“Hey!” Harriett said, “you’re moving behind statues. They’ll-eep!”

Jasson looked up to see Harriett flying toward him, panic on her face as four monsters froze. One was mid-pounce. Unfortunately, that meant that it was flying through the air, claws outstretched.

Crashing into Jasson!

“AAH!” Half a ton of monstrous marble crashed into Jasson, razor claws punching through his shoulders in a bloody spray.

“Jasson!!” Harriett shrieked, whipping behind him and swinging her sword with all her might. It clanged helplessly off the monster, and Harriett shrieked hitting it again. Her sword sang as it shattered, a broken piece slicing a cut across Harriett’s brows. Blood spilled into her eyes and she desperately wiped at her face, swinging her sword around as the monsters flickered forward.

Jasson lay, crushed, unable to feel his legs as he bled. The healing crystal had fallen from his hands when he hit the ground, and he could barely lift his head to see it. He grabbed it with a skewered arm, shock blocking out the pain, and tried to cast a spell. It was at this point that Jasson realized that he wasn’t breathing. He couldn’t say the words.

No, Jasson thought as the world went dim. Not like this. It’s my fault. Heal! MEDKIT! Please! I should have been more careful…

A voice in his head piped up, one he’d almost convinced himself he’d hallucinated when he’d been drowning in the river.

“Warning.” The voice in his head piped up for the first time since that day in the cave, “Lethal situation imminent. Emergency measures authorized. Advance Strength and Intent growth to checkpoints ‘Scottish’ and ‘Movie Adaptation’ levels for ten seconds.”

Jasson blinked, the world fading to black, and decided to try one more time.

Medkit! Jasson thought, and the world brightened up.

Harriett was crying, straining at the statue pinning Jasson. Jasson’s gaze had caught the other statues just as their claws were digging into Harriet’s skin and hair. Slicing at her lovely face with whole chunks of hair falling in slow motion. Blood filled Harriett’s eyes as she held them open, determination piercing her panicked fog.

Jasson grabbed the statue pinning him and heaved, pushing as hard as he could against the stiff form. It was heavy, but Jasson found that he was able to lift it off him like a strange bench press. With another thought, the healing crystal glowed and shattered to dust, completely healing Jasson in a flash of red light.

Harriett stared at him, mouth agape, and Jasson finally took a breath as he said, “Sorry to worry you. It seems like I’m making a habit out of dying when I’m with you.”

“How did you do that?” Harriett said, “That weighed a ton!”

“More like half a ton,” Jasson carefully grabbed his phone off the floor, pointing the business end at the monsters, “Too bad I used that crystal up. I have some in my locker, just- oh. You’re doing okay, actually.”

“What?” Harriett wiped bloody hands across her wounds and said, “You’re right. I’m not bleeding anymore. Although, my hair is ruined. But… never mind.”

Harriett stood and said, “So what’s your plan? They’re crowding around the opening and I doubt that we’d be able to do what we did last time without the other two finding our blindspot.”

“An excellent point,” Jasson looked around, then froze and grinned, “I have a solution though.”

It’s so simple, Jasson thought.

“Oh?” Harriett said, “And what is that?”

“We close our eyes,” Jasson said.

Harriett nodded and said, “That makes sense. You probably hit your head pretty hard when that thing landed on you. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something.”

Jasson laughed and said, “Have you looked where I’m standing? I’m not just covered in blood.”

Jasson made sure to watch the statues, the things he’d mistaken for Weeping Angels, and grinned as Harriett looked him over. He was sticky and bloody and covered in clear and yellow slime.

“It’s goopy,” Harriett said, “But what- The egg?! Did you break through that marble egg? So it was a marble shell then?”

“Sort of,” Jasson said, “I bet it’s the same as them. Only stone while you’re looking. It hurt when I crashed through it but-”

Jasson stomped on an eggshell fragment and grinned at the crunch. He was right.

Jasson said, “But it was just a thick eggshell in the end.”

“All right,” Harriett looked back up towards the statues, smile spreading from ear to ear, “So what you’re saying is…as long as we’re not looking at them, they’re stabbable?”

Jasson looked at the statues, covered in his and Harriett’s blood, nothing but hunger in blank souless stone eyes.

“Exactly,” Jasson shot an experimental burst of fire from his phone, “Or burnable. Mortal, in other words.”

You could almost see the statues start to sweat as Harriett pulled another sword from her micro-purse. Her grin was infectious, and Jasson found himself giddy.

“I’m going to spray the group in the opening,” Jasson said, “You stab this one on the ground, and then we both open our eyes when we’re done. Alright?”

“Aye, aye.” Harriett positioned herself, “Ready?”

“On three,” Jasson said, turning his flamethrower on, “One, two, THREE!”

Screams rent the night as the air filled with the stench of burning tires; Jasson and Harriett worked death upon their terrorizers. Flashing shadows of fleeing forms formed a murderous tapestry of flamethrower-light against the warehouse walls. For the first time today, and probably for weeks, the blood that spilled ran green and black.

“That’s for eating the cats and eating the dogs. Don’t e-eat the dogs,” Jasson opened his eyes, seeing three smoldering bodies strewn across the floor. Tangled as they tried to flee. Harriett panted, standing above another which had twenty to thirty fresh holes. She held up a large crystal and grinned.

“I can see the Earth Crystal in this one,” Harriett said, “There’s not much flux to it at all.”

Jasson said, “Fantastic-”

Jasson blinked and Harriett had driven her sword beside his head. Stepping away cautiously, Jasson saw Harriett withdraw her sword from the skull of another monster. Harriett opened her eyes as the monster collapsed and sighed, then wiped her blad off and sheathed it at her side.

Jasson thought, I guess I missed one. Nearly died there again. Whoops.

“Just one left,” Harriett said, “Give me a second. You keep your eyes out until I return, alright?”

Harriett leaped onto the heads of the nearest statues, then blurred and disappeared into the warehouse.

“She probably would have been safer without me here,” Jasson said, turning as he tried to watch every direction, “Could have easily outrun them.”

I guess I really am slowing them down, Jasson thought.