Almond (ONC2021)

Chapter 10 - Second thru Ninth Blood

Following dinner, I dozed, sitting up and still clad in full combat gear, on the couch for a few hours. It was the middle of the night when I awoke with a start. I snatched up Sproom and surveyed the area, but there was no sign of ALmond.

When I crossed through the kitchen, I saw that the little monster had cleaned up the table. The plate was in the sink, the pizza box in the trash, and the bowl of almonds was back on the island. Spuds had been pretty spot-on about its unpredictable behavior.

With the basement done I headed upstairs. It was a nerve-wracking search. Knowing that ALmond could squeeze his round ass into just about anything made opening even the smallest container an exercise in trepidation. I sorted through Beth's office and the guest room and left with a combined nine almonds.

Next up was our bedroom. I dumped out the drawers, unfolded socks, tossed underwear around, and basically ransacked the place. After stripping the bed and going through the nightstand I had ten more.

That meant there were only five left somewhere in this house. I started to feel a bit of hope creep into me that this could be over soon.

ALmond dropped out of the hole in the ceiling, landed on my back, and dug a taloned hand into my shoulder. With its other hand it snatched my helmet off, and, in just a dishonorable display, began beating me over the head with it. Like a bronco with a seasoned rider, I bucked all over the room. ALmond was undeterred. The helmet rained down and the talon wrenched around mercilessly in my shoulder. I could feel the warm wetness of blood running down my shirt.

Flailing around was doing me no good. I had to strategize. I steadied myself, put my back towards the wall, and slammed into it, hoping to smash the little monster in between.

Once again, ALmond was too fast. It let go, dropped to the floor, and allowed me to bear the brunt of slamming into the wall. It was behind me on the floor and when it scrambled away it passed between my legs, its talons held wide so that it clawed both my calves as it went. The pain drove me to my knees.

ALmond paused in the doorway until my eyes had cleared enough from the pain-induced watering to see it. In another show-off moment, it squeezed my helmet between its claws, crushing it like it was made of tin foil. Then it dropped it dismissively and disappeared into the hall.

It took me a while to recover from the savage and sudden beatdown. The momentary elation I had felt at whittling my almond count to five was practically gone.

I limped into the hall and ducked into the bathroom. This search proved fruitless. When I moved on, I realized that I had left a trail of crimson drips on the tile. I had multiple bleeding lacerations and I wondered how long I could last.

Back downstairs I headed for the powder room by the front door. I don't recall shutting this door, but it was closed when I got there and, due to fatigue or blood loss, I simply pushed it open. I paid for this recklessness immediately when ALmond threw the porcelain lid of the toilet at me.

The lid hit me in the right shoulder, spun me around, and put me on my ass. With enough fight/flight adrenaline flowing now I managed to get to my feet and have Sproom aimed before the beast could attack.

Now I went after it, jabbing repeatedly with my homemade spear. ALmond was shaped like a beach ball but moved like an Olympic fencer. At one point I was sure I had it cornered. However, at the last moment, like a seasoned bullfighter, ALmond stepped aside with an ole' flourish and I drove the spear straight into the wall, the knife-end plunging deep into the plasterboard.

Frantically, I yanked Sproom free for another strike, but ALmond locked a talon around the end and, despite my whole body pulling in the opposite direction, easily held it in place. It was like trying to uproot a fire hydrant. With casual ease, like a refined diner about to take the first bite of a delicacy, the little beast leaned over and bit the end off of my weapon.