7Author's Note: It's been a few days since I've updated. Sorry 'bout that. I've been pretty busy with schoolwork and scholarship applications. Preparing for college is a pain in the ass. I can't wait to be done with high school, though. Anyway, I apologize for the wait and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter Five
The tiny clearing was eerily dark as they cautiously advanced toward the house. The lightning seemed to have calmed and the velvety shadows closed in around them. The low grumble of thunder overhead was quiet like the throaty growl of a lioness, lying in wait and ready to pounce on the unsuspecting prey below. The forest was strangely quiet save for the odd sounds of the agents' boots as they moved across the muddy grass and of the roar of the rain that was deafening in the unearthly silence. The closer they got, the creepier the house appeared.
Dawn placed a hand on the weather-worn wood of the door and gently pushed it. The door swung open slowly with a loud creak that was reminiscent of a cliché horror film. She pulled a flashlight from her belt and clicked it on, sweeping the narrow yellow beam across the room that appeared to be a kitchen. Through the dust moats that floated lazily through the light, she could see a rusted stove and an old refrigerator, obviously long unused with the door ajar. The flashlight beam fell on something lying on the floor and Dawn froze with a sharp intake of breath.
The grey beast lifted its sleek head to stare out at the world with white eyes that were hauntingly blank. What looked to be a human arm lay between its large paws and a piece of flesh hung from its parted jaws. Dawn was almost positive the thing was blind by the way it swung its head back and forth, trying to figure out which direction the noise had come from. She liked to think the sound of the rain had thrown it off. It cocked its ridiculously tall ears in the direction of the door, listening. Dawn pulled her body out of the doorway, covering the beam of the flashlight with her hand.
"I don't think this is Howard's house," she whispered, eyes wide with fear.
Abe and Hellboy peered curiously over the woman's shoulders and into the kitchen. In the inky blackness, all they could see was the outline of the creature as it wandered blindly across the peeling linoleum floor, head swinging to and fro like a pendulum. They could hear it sniffing loudly and just barely see its huge ears rotating atop its head. It was aware of their presence even if it couldn't find them. A soft voice could faintly be heard from within the house and the lanky monster ceased its search abruptly. It padded off back across the floor, pushed the kitchen door open with its long snout, and disappeared.
After several agonizing minutes, the three agents slipped quietly inside. Dawn's muscles ached from standing still for so long. The house was small, but they decided to split up; Abe taking the basement, Hellboy taking the main floor, and Dawn taking the upstairs. She wasn't exactly excited about the, especially considering that they didn't know how many of those 'dogs' were in the house. And if the man Howard had spoke of was here, they could be in trouble if they were alone. It took her a while to work up her courage before they split up. She always felt so afraid at times like these and they guys always seemed to take it so casually. She envied them for their bravery.
The staircase that led to the second floor looked pretty rickety and the handrails were missing in several places. The old stairs groaned beneath her weight and clouds of dust rose gently each time her boots connected with the wood. She had returned her flashlight to its place on her belt, fearing that she might wake more of the slumbering animals if she happened to come across them. She had her gun in hand, though. She wasn't going to make another mistake and get attacked before she could even draw the weapon. As Dawn approached the top of the stairs, she slowed her pace dramatically, listening over the loud pounding of the rain on the roof as the same voice from earlier drifted to her.
She couldn't understand the quiet susurrations no matter how intently she listened, but the voice was quite obviously male. The door at the far end of the hall opened, light from the room spilling across the stained carpet, and the thin form of the old blind animal slunk down the corridor, head held low. It almost looked like a child walking away from a stern talking-to. Dawn stood stock still, every muscle in her body tense as bowstrings and ready to flee at any moment. As the creature approached her place, it stopped and cocked its head to the side before lowering its muzzle to the ground and snuffling the carpet in Dawn's direction.
She held her breath and her heart began to race, beating such a furious tattoo against her ribcage that she thought it might just burst through her chest. Surely that monster, with its keen hearing, could pick up the pounding that filled her ears and threatened to deafen her. The creature came closer and Dawn pressed herself closer to the wall, the step beneath her creaking loudly. Oh, shit. It picked up its head quickly as Dawn squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it wouldn't find her. It was similar to the childish "if I can't see it, it can't see me" tactic but, then again, it couldn't see her anyway.
A low growl issued from its maw but it sounded almost uncertain, and when Dawn peeked at it, she could see that the spikes along its spine were visible. It approached her cautiously, almost timidly, and craned its neck to touch her right hand with its cold, leathery nose. It hadn't expected that and it retracted its head quickly, a high-pitched whine coming from it. It truly was almost doglike and this confused Dawn. It stared at the place where she stood with those queer sightless eyes before slinking down the steps. Why hadn't it attacked her?
When the animal had melted into the shadows at the bottom of the stairs, Dawn let out the breath she had held, though her heart was still pounding away. This case got stranger and stranger. She stepped up into the hall, walking slowly and cautiously across the worn red carpet, hoping that the wooden floorboards beneath it weren't as squeaky as the stairs had been. She was halfway down the corridor when a clang came from the floor below. She turned swiftly, tightening the grip on her gun as she looked toward the stairs.
"Why, hello there."
The cool voice, smooth as silk, came from behind her. Gasping, Dawn turned back around, the gun in her hands shaking unsteadily. She hadn't heard the man's approach and it had certainly given her a fright. He stood at the other end of the hall, nothing but a shadowing silhouette in the pool of light from the open door. Dawn slowly took a few stealthy steps backward, retreating toward the stairs.