“Leave her alone,” Chad shouted.
Cyclops turned and stared, his body now charged with the energy of the dog pack. The boy was where he’d left him. His eyes were open and he was struggling to get up. Cyclops drew the knife from his jacket and the dogs barked excitedly.
Ann leaped forward and grabbed his arm. He lifted her up and pitched her against the concrete wall. She struck her head before dropping to the ground. Shards of broken glass bit into her palms. She felt him snatch her by the hair and lift her up against the wall and for a moment she saw silver motes dancing in the corners of her eyes. He leaned in close and waved the knife in front of her face.
“Don’t interfere, elk woman. Unless you want some of this.”
“What are you doing?” she cried.
“I think it’s his time, don’t you?”
“You don’t have to hurt him. He hasn’t done anything.”
“Why should it matter to you what happens to the boy? You just said a moment ago that nothing was permanent.”
“Then take me. I don’t think he’d even be here if it wasn’t for me.”
Cyclops stared at her. His single eye seeming to have filled his entire forehead like that of an insect. Ann gasped and looked away.
“I’ll take care of one thing at a time.”
“You’re crazy!”
“I know. But the dogs always get what they want.”
“The dogs? What dogs?”
“You don’t see them?”
“No. You’re just imagining them.”
Cyclops laughed. “I’m not surprised you’d say that.”
He let her go and started toward the boy, wading through the thick river of dogs that now filled the parking lot. They fought and howled for the best place to watch. He refused to look at them, didn’t want to see their faces anymore.
He heard a familiar sound and stopped. Recognized the growl of an engine. When he looked up toward the highway he saw the lightless van roaring down the empty highway. He looked over his shoulder and saw Chad struggling to sit up.
Not yet boy. Not just yet.
He ran up to the drive and waved. The van skidded to a stop in the middle of the highway. Sat while its engine boiled. It was too dark to see who was inside.
“Joseph,” he shouted.
The door swung open and the sheriff slid out and landed on weak legs. His clothes were covered in blood. His eyes moved slowly, as if he’d been hitting the whiskey. They paused on Ann. What is she doing here?
“He says he’s going to kill us,” Ann screamed.
The sheriff raised Cuke’s.45 and pointed it at the Cyclops’ forehead.
“Toss the knife to me. Slowly.”
Cyclops grinned. He lobbed it toward the sheriff and it landed next to his feet.
“Now get your ass on the ground. Before I blow out that goddamned eye of yours.”