*Please note: This story is set after S10 Ep23 Brother's Keeper but before S11 Ep1 Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire*
-Chapter 1-
The wind rushed through the low brittle grass in every direction around him. Josh could see his breath coming out in great wisps in front of his eyes as his chest heaved with the effort of breathing. The run through the empty school yard had left his legs burning and he knew he wouldn't be able to take another step.
Spinning his head in every direction, the dry crinkling grass fell silent. No thudding steps of it following him, no sign of it creeping into sight. In the distance a coyote yipped, the sound drifted through the dark sky and over hills in the distance but no other sound followed.
Feeling a bit of relief, Josh scrambled for his phone. His fingers scratched at the denim around his hips in search of the pockets, slipping and fumbling to pull the smooth surface into his hand. Each second felt like hours and he kept pausing to do a 360 search for what he knew was following him. Finally in his grasp he slid his finger across the screen. The photo of Emily, his girlfriend, smiled at him as he pulled up the phone icon. Pushing the first number he saw Josh threw his head up to do another good look.
A scream escaped his lips as his soft brown eyes met their exact match. His own features staring back at him blankly as he jumped back, the phone falling uselessly to the grass as it rang. The first step back sent Josh tumbling to the ground, landing hard on the small of his back. The pain shot up his spine and down his legs while his arms struggled to pull his lanky frame backwards.
The matching lanky figure bent towards the boy, a burst of inhuman speed putting it inches from Josh's face while he blinked. The scream continued ripping from his throat as his own bony fingers gripped his chin tightly. The pressure at the hing of his jaw ached and forced his mouth open. As the monster pulled in a hissing breath Josh felt the scream in him snuff out and the air from his lungs rising, ripping itself out of his gaping mouth. His throat gulped and clinched at the air as it left him but he couldn't fight the suction. As he felt the warm air hit the back of his tongue his vision darkened.
The body went limp in the hands of the creature, the last of his scream echoing in the dark hills. Across the tiny town lights started to flick on. With a final glance at the body, The stone faced Josh that still stood flickered and vanished. The wind, whipping through the grass around Josh's body.
"Josh! JOSH!" a faint voice screamed fuzzily though the tiny phone speaker in the grass at the boy's feet.