We then started looking for a way out. I went back into the kitchen, stepping over the monster’s body. I looked over by the door, knowing there was no way of getting out through there. I look in the pantry, I mean I was in a kitchen, why not grab something to eat.

That’s when I notice it, a door all the way in the back, a door with a large window. I pushed a broom and mop out my way and looked out it. I could have jumped for joy when I saw that it led out side.

“Guys!” I ran out of the pantry, jumped over the monster and ran back into the living room.

“Guys, I think I found a way out.”

“Are you serious? Dude, don’t go pulling our legs.” said AJ.

“I’m not.” I grabbed his arm and took him to the door. “Yes! We can get the hell out of here now!” said AJ.

“Why didn’t we see this when we were hiding in there before?” asked Brian.

“There was all this stuff in the way.” I said. I stood in front of the door, looking out the window, out to the backyard. To the path that ran through the swamp. Does that path lead through the swamp to town? I wondered. I decided it was worth a try.

“This is it, guys, our way out of this hell hole.” I exclaimed. “We’re almost free!”

I turned the doorknob, but the door wouldn’t budge, it seemed to be bolted from the other side, like all the doors in the house. “It won’t move, I think I’m going to have to break the window.” I said. I took one of the shovels that I had moved aside and picked it up, it was kind of heavy, but I could manage. I gripped the handle with both hands and took aim.

“Um, guys, wasn’t the monster’s body laying right here on the floor, just a minute ago?” asked Howie. I stopped in mid swing and looked for myself, he was right, the monster was gone. My mouth was wide open, shock was the last word I would use.

“But,….but he was right there. I jumped over him.”

“Well, then were did he go?” asked AJ.

That’s when I felt hot air on the side of my face. My face crunched up when I smelt a horrible smell, it kind of smelled like…..the swamp. Then I heard the roar, which was right by my ear. We looked at each other with wide eyes, slowly turning.

There stood the monster, and boy was he pissed. He was glaring and growling at us, his claws seem to have gotten longer.

We all screamed and backed away as quickly as we could, the creature rumbled in the doorway. His hideous head made a scraping sound as it brushed against the frame of the door, but he didn’t even seem to notice. He swung his huge arm and hit Kevin, sending him flying into a wall. “Kevin!” Brian dodge the monsters next strike and ran to Kevin’s side. Howie, AJ, and I spread out, this way the monster wouldn’t be able to get us all at the same time.

I rushed over to Kevin and Brian, I hope he wasn’t knocked out, or worst… bleeding.

“Kevin are you okay?” I asked.

“If you called being thrown across a room into a wall, okay, then yes, I’m just peachy.” He started to slowly get up, but stopped, he pulled something out from under him that he was seating on. His eyes widen, I think an idea was starting to form inside his head. “Nick, I need you to go over by the stove and pull out the gas cord. Brian go out into the living room and put on the fire place, until you hear gas. I got an idea on how to get rid of that monster.”

I would have asked what but I don’t think it would have done any good. I ran over to the stove, trying my best to get the cord. It would be so much easier if it weren’t for the stove being so close to the wall. It hurt badly having to push my hand down, I felt what I hoped was the cord and started pulling as hard as I could. I pulled until I fell back, hard, with the cored in my hand. “I got it!!” I shouted while holding it up in the air.

“How’s it going in there Bri?!” called out Kevin, he dodge a claw, then another.

“Everything’s set in here, Kev.” Brian came running back into the room, helping me up from the ground. We both ran and grabbed something to fight off the monster with. “AJ and Howie, do something about the window!” order Kevin. I gave him a broom and we started beating back the monster.

We heard a crash coming from the panty and Howie’s voice yelling at AJ to be careful. That got the monster’s attention and he started walking over to the panty area. Kevin ran and jumped on the things back, which, seemed to piss it off, big time. It just to buck him off, but Kevin held tight, he covered his eyes, he started making high screeching noises. It was starting to get on my nerves.

“Brian, Nick, get out of here now!” said Kevin. He had to be kidding, he didn’t actually want us to leave him there with that monster, did he?

“No, we can’t leave you here with that thing.” protested Brian. I’m with him, Kevin must have really hit his head hard on the floor or something.

“I’m not giving you a choice, now move it!” I grabbed Brian’s arm and pulled him into the panty. He was trying to get back to Kevin, but I wouldn’t let him do it.

“You guys go ahead I’m gonna help Kevin.”

Howie grabbed my arm before I could move. “Are you insane? We’re not letting you go back in there.”

“Yeah, Nick, he said for all of us to leave, not us go and you stay and play hero.” said Brian.

“Guys please, just go, I won’t let anything happen to me, just move it. Give me fifteen minutes, no more, no less.” I saw that they were thinking it over in there mines, should they let there ‘baby brother’ stay here and fight a hideous monster or take him with them? Oh the suspense is killing me, I didn’t give them time to think about it, because I was already pushing them towards the window, they climbed out, Brian was the last to go, but stopped and looked me straight in the eyes. “Don’t do anything stupid. You only go fifteen minutes, remember that. Be careful.” He gave me a big hug before he climb out the window.

I Ran out of the panty, shocked to see that the monster and Kevin weren’t in the kitchen anymore. That’s got me to worry, I didn’t want to think that maybe, just maybe, the monster had, well you know, kill Kevin. No I can’t think that way, don’t want to make myself feel all morbid and stuff. I grabbed the first thing that was in reach, a rolling pin, wow, the whole world is against me. I slowly walked out the kitchen, keeping close to the wall.

I could hear noises coming from the living room. I peaked in, seeing Kevin beating the monster back with a ling pole. The monster had him backed up against a wall in the corner. I had to do something quick before Kevin became his dinner, or lunch, whichever.

I got the monster attention by throwing things at it. It didn’t really like that and so it started going after me. Kevin was able to run up the stairs, I follow close behind. We ran in to a open room, closing the door behind us.

When Kevin turned to me, he didn’t look to happy to see me.

“What are you still doing here?” he asked.

That’s stupid. “I’m here to save your butt, what else would I be doing here?” I mean wasn’t it obvious, to why I was still here? He shook his head. “Nick you should be out there with others, not in here.”

“Yeah, about that, I promised Brian that I would be out of here in fifteen minutes and we’re running out of time. So let’s get to blowing this place up.”

“How did you know that’s what I was going to do?”

“Duh! Having Brian turn on the fireplaces gas and me pulling out the cored so there would be a gas leak. That way you could light this place up and blow that thing up to next week.”

I don’t think it takes a freaking rocket scientist to figure that out. He patted me on the back, showing me the light blue lighter that he had in his hand. I guess he got it when he was thrown across the room.

“We need to be outside, don’t want to blow up with this place, now do we?” He grabbed my arm, what’s with people grabbing me? He looked out the room first, he jumped back, he mouthed ‘the monster out there, shhh!’ I nodded that I understood. Hopeful, it won’t notice us.

Almost as quiet as mice, we tipped toed from the room out into the hall, we couldn’t make any sudden moves, we didn’t need to give ourselves way. The monster sniffed in one of the room, giving us the time that we needed. We jetted down the stairs, not surprise that the monster was right behind us. “Um, Kevin, when exactly does your plan go to in action?” I asked. We made it to the kitchen. I was almost out the window, but Kevin stopped me. We stopped in front of the window, I saw that Howie, AJ and Brian waiting outside for us.

“Come on guys, we need to get out of here!!” called out Brian.

“Not yet.” Kevin grabbed my arm. “Wait for it.”

The monster came in to view, his sharps claws grew longer and his teeth glisten from the light of the sun. It let out a loud screeching cry. He stomped closer and closer, never taking its glaring eyes off of either of us. I could feel the sweat slide down the side of my face. My heart started beating faster and faster in my chest. Whatever Kevin was planning I wish he would do it so we could get out of here. He pulled the lighter in view. “On the count of three, we jump.”

We moved closer to the window, and the monster moved towards us.

Kevin started the countdown.

“One….”

He started flicking the lighter.

“Two…..” Please, please, please let this plan go right.

Monster got closer.

“THREE!!! JUMP!!” Kevin pushed me and flicked the lighter, creating a blue, yellow glow, he threw it and jumped as far as we could. A loud blast erupted in the back of us. We fell to the ground hitting it hard. We got up and ran, the rest of the house followed the first blast and the rest of the house went up in flames.

We watched as the whole house crumble to the ground, the sound of the monster could be heard. Its cries filled the air, it could make your ears bleed if you could hear what we were hearing. Slowly, the cries die down, all was left was flames and smoke.

“You said that you would be out in fifteen minutes. Your time ran out twelve minutes ago.” said Brian, he had a seroius look on his face, but then he cracked a smile, pulling me into a big hug. “Never do anything that stupid again.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” I joked.

“Its over, I can’t believe that its over.” said AJ.

He was right, it was finally over, we could go home and forget this mess ever happen.

We walked through the swamp carefully, leaping over the inky puddles and gnarled three roots. The night air echoed with strange sounds. Low gurgling, scampering footsteps, piercing cries.

But I didn’t care. We had already battled the monster and won.

AJ stopped suddenly. “Wait a minute. Wasn’t there another letter that Kevin’s Aunt had written?” I started searching my pockets, feeling the piece of paper in my back pocket. As I smoothed out the wrinkles, a fierce animal cry cut through the swamp.

“I-- I don’t think we should stop now,” Howie said. “We can read it later. After we reach town. Once we’re back in Orlando.”

“Just read it now, Nick.” said Brian.

“Okay, okay.” I began to f=read slowly, struggling to see in the fog.

Brian rolled his eyes and let out a loud groan. “A little too late for that!”

“’The monster’s parents live in the swamp. We think they’re out there, waiting for him.’”

I could feel the color drain from my face as I read on.

“ They are not happy and there is no telling what they will do if they find you out there. So be warn, do not go into the swamp, please, stay away. Good luck, we love you!’”

I dropped the letter, looking at the others, seeing the fear in there eyes. A low screeching sound filled the air. “Um, Kevin, do you know where the main road is?” I asked hoping that he knew where it was. “Yeah, that way, let’s keep going that way.” he said pointing to the right of us.

“Well, I think it would be smart to start going that way, then.” said AJ.

We started off walking, but then picked up the pace, until we were flat out running, not looking back, not every thinking or wanting to care about that place, ever again. But I do kind of feel bad about blowing up Aunt Rose and Uncle Bucky’s house…. All well, what’s done is done.

At least I can say that this was one hell of a vacation, I think this will be the last time Kevin ever suggests a place to go for vacation every again.

__________________________________________________________________

THE END…

Well, that’s it, I hope that you all liked it and thank you all for reading.

Don’t worry, that won’t be the last thing I write.

Until next time.

Peace N’ Love. :D