Bringers Inn was an old-timey-themed restaurant in the middle of downtown. While it wasn’t the most popular restaurant around, the food was always excellent and the prices were in reason. Best of all, the manager was a Hornets fan, so the team got preferred seating and even a small discount! The team was seated around a long table, Lizzy between her father and Rachel, and everyone was chatting excitedly about one thing or another. Once everyone had been served their drinks, Coach McKaren stood and raised his tea. “To our victory today, and our victory at State!” A round of “Here here!” echoed as the girls all lifted their various waters, teas, and sodas in salute. In all, everyone was having a good time.

So why was Lizzy still so terrified? Ever since she’d seen that hooded figure, some nameless terror she couldn’t identify had settled into her stomach, and it had been slowly growing stronger ever since. She smiled and chatted with Rachel and the others, but she still couldn’t shake her fear no matter how hard she tried. Even as she spoke to others, she was often sweeping the restaurant with her eyes for anyone wearing gray hoods. Finally, Rachel asked her, “What exactly are you looking for, Lizzy?”

“Oh, uh, just… wondering where our food is,” came her weak reply. Rachel looked doubtful, but decided to let the matter go, instead talking one more about the various boys that were available for dating. Lizzy barely listened to her. [i]What’s going on with me?[/i] she wondered silently. [i]Am I going insane? Did I really see that thing back in our locker room? And why am I so terrified? I[/i] never [i]get terrified![/i] It was true; even as a small child, Lizzy had always been a tough child. With the death of her mother, she’d had to grow up strong and independent, even with her father there. By the age of 5, [i]she[/i] was the one checking her closet for monsters! So why now? Why was she suddenly so terrified?

“…Lizzy, are you sure you’re okay?” Rachel asked, breaking her out of her own thoughts. She was looking at Elizabeth with concern. “Your face looks a little pale.” Her father, too, was looking at her. Lizzy waved them off.

“I’m fine,” she assured them. “Just… a little tired from the game.” She stood up. “I’m gonna go to the restroom. Be right back.”

“I’ll go with you,” Rachel offered, starting to stand up, but Lizzy shook her head.

“I’m fine, Rachel. Really.” Again, Rachel didn’t look convinced, but she finally sank back into her seat.

“Just don’t take too long,” she told her. Lizzy smiled and walked toward the back of the restaurant, pushing open the door to the women’s room. It was actually a nice-looking restroom; it even had an air freshener that smelled like fresh flowers. Lizzy made her way to the sink and ran some cold water, splashing some on her face. It felt good against her (she now realized) surprisingly hot face. “Am I getting a fever?” she asked no one in particular. She glanced up at her reflection. Same blonde hair. Same blue eyes. Same small nose. Same rounded ears. Same Elizabeth McKaren. [i]So what feels so wrong?[/i] After a few more minutes, she wiped her face off with a paper towel and headed back out to the dining area.

When she got back, it was definitely not right. Everyone had stopped talking. Everyone had stopped [i]moving[/i]! Lizzy walked around, head turning this way and that as the sense of fear in her threatened to overwhelm her, but it was clear: she was the only thing moving in that restaurant. She made her way back to her table. Sure enough, everyone there was also frozen in place, her father’s mouth open in mid-conversation, and Rachel’s drink at her lips. No one moved. No one spoke. It was like time itself had frozen around her. “Guys?” She waved a hand in front of Rachel’s face, but the girl neither moved nor took notice. Lizzy turned around. “Alright, whatever’s doing this, this isn’t funny!” Even she realized that whatever was doing this was more than likely not [i]remotely[/i] trying to be funny, but as scared as she was, she couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Come out!”

She got her wish. Sure enough, from within the walls of the restaurant emerged the same hooded figure that she’d seen prowling the locker room. She saw no eyes, but she knew it was staring at her. “Who are you?!” she demanded. The creature gave her no answer. Instead, it lifted its hand – which was hidden within its sleeves – and held it in the air. Slowly, three more figures emerged from the wall around it, each identical to the being in front of her. Each of them was hidden beneath their hoods, but each was clearly staring directly at her. Slowly, as though they were floating through the air itself, the creatures converged on her. Lizzy took a step back, then another. The lead creature lowered its hand to point directly at her, and a blood-chilling moan poured from its hood.

Finally, the dam burst inside her. Lizzy ran for her life.

Over tables and around waiters, Lizzy simply turned around and ran for it. She could see the double doors that were the entrance, and she raced toward them. She quietly thanked whatever one called fate that her father had introduced her to soccer instead of dolls, because at that point, she needed to run. The creatures were slower than her, but their ability to phase through solid objects let them keep an even pace with her, and even slowly start to gain. After what felt like minutes (though in truth, it was a few seconds at best), she was almost at the front doors, when suddenly they were pushed open. A lone figure, hidden in a black hood, was stepping inside. Lizzy didn’t take time to note the difference in this person’s appearance and that of the creatures that now chased her. She also didn’t bother considering that this person was able to move when no one else was. In her terror, she knew only that this person was now standing between her and the front door. She leapt at him with her heaviest flying kick. “HYYYAAAAAAHHH!!!”