Cherie Reich's entry

SHADOW

"Three Smirnoff Ices," Melissa said to the bartender. She leaned against the counter and tapped her foot to the low, thumping beat emitting from the speakers. On the dance floor, her two friends writhed with the music.
"This is the last call, sweetheart." The bartender set the beer bottles down. "It'll be six dollars."
She paid him and weaved toward her friends.
"You son of a bitch!"
The punch struck the man's face, and she was close enough to hear the crunch of his nose breaking. Someone shoved her from behind, and she dropped a bottle. It shattered and sprayed alcohol over her black pumps.
"Watch it." Her voice held the warning. Then, a woman pushed her, and she fell to the ground. Another bottle broke, but the third one didn't. She struggled to her feet while a full-out brawl erupted in the club.
Fists flew. Someone kicked her in the leg, and she cried out. The overhead lights turned on.
"Stop it right now." A burly bouncer dragged a man away.
Then, the lights flickered.
The club plunged into darkness.
Bodies pressed against Melissa, and she felt panic growing within her. They were too close. "Allison? Megan?" She couldn't hear her friends. Something slithered over her foot. "Megan," she said louder.
Dim, red emergency lights filled the room.
It was when the screaming began.
A shadow covered a section of the black-and-white tiled floor. It fluttered like a sheet over the man with the broken nose. The darkness bulged and flattened. The man disappeared.
People bolted for the exits.
Melissa struggled to get to the wall and cowered beside it. The shade swooped and swallowed another person. She lost sight of Megan and Allison, but she hoped they left.
Someone grabbed her hand, and she screamed.
"You've gotta get out," the bartender said and dragged her through the back of the club.
They entered an alleyway, and he took off running. Several more people passed by her. Then, it was quiet.
Melissa looked both ways in the darkened alley. It reeked of garbage and urine, and she fought the urge not to gag. Taking a few steps, her heel broke. "Damn." She limped down the alley.
What was that thing, she wondered. She ran her fingers through her hair. Her hand came away dark red. "What," she said aloud, not remembering hitting her head. Her voice seemed abnormally loud to her ears. Then, she felt the pounding begin. She was injured.
Something brush against her arm, and she jumped. Darkness yawned before her, and it wrapped around her head. She couldn't breathe or see, and she ran blindly through the alley. Her nails ripped at her head, and she pulled the shadow off her. It shook and pursued her.
The streets were empty. She lost her shoe and kicked off the other one. It followed her.
"Help! Someone help me!" She screamed and ran. No one answered.
Then, she spotted the church and sprinted toward the door. "Help me! Please, open up." She banged on the door and yanked at the handle. It was locked. "Please." She begged and pounded her fist upon it.
She ran again, but a light came on around the back of the building. Hope blossomed in the midst of terror. She found the iron gate unlocked and entered the church's backyard, which contained a small, old cemetery.
Heading to the church's backdoor, Melissa twisted around gravestones. The light grew closer. She saw a man moving inside.
"Let me in. Let me in!"
Footsteps fell behind her, and Melissa turned around.
A beautiful woman stood beside a grave. Her hair shone in the moonlight. A black dress clung to her curves. A breeze fluttered the ends, and Melissa saw her lithe legs. The woman's face focused upon her, and her red lips puckered before smiling.
The grin showed no teeth. Her mouth opened wider and wider, revealing a dark, bottomless abyss. She leapt at Melissa. She would swallow her whole.
Melissa screamed and bolted from the door. The church couldn't save her. Nothing would. The stones cut into her bare feet, but she didn't stop.
The other woman followed her and closed in.
Melissa glanced behind her when she left the cemetery. The woman was right there, but as soon as her foot crossed the threshold, she vanished into the shadow. Melissa shrieked at the sight.
She tripped, skinning her knee and hands. Darkness cloaked her.
She was suffocating.
The shadow bulged, flattened, and searched for its next prey.