For ten minutes, Joyce Byers was sure that her life was going to be at an end. Her and Doctor Owens had somehow managed to stay inside the secure hull of the turned over ambulance while a strange unearthly creature searched desperately for some means of entry.
Now it seemed as though the monster was calming down, and she knew that was either a good thing or a very bad one. Either it had given up on trying to attack, or it was determining its next move.
Her heart beat faster and faster as she looked about the rear of the ambulance, searching for anything that might be useful as a weapon.
She caught sight of a fire extinguisher rolling across the floor under a cluttered mess of plastic and gloves and knew it might be their only chance. Now if we had some matches she thought as she heard the creature growl just beyond the smashed doors.
She recalled that the older man she had driven her had offered her a lighter during the frantic trip and asked, "Doctor, do you still have that lighter?" Sam instantly checked his pockets and said, "Damn. I think I left its in the truck."
"It's our only chance," she told him as they felt the ambulance rock. Sam clenched his teeth and looked out toward the storm trying to get a good look at the creature. With the intense rain it was almost impossible to be sure just where it might be.
"If we are going to try it has to be now," Sam told her, almost certain the monster was temporarily distracted.
She held the extinguisher close to her body and looked toward the door, their only safety from what evil awaited outside.
"I should be the one to do it," Sam said bravely. She looked toward the older man in surprise as he took the equipment from her and added, "You've got a family. They are counting on you to reach them."
She didn't say a word as he crouched close to the door, listening for any other noises from the creature. "I think that the coast is clear," Sam muttered.
Opening the handle, the door fell open to the outside and he peered into the dark, almost certain he was falling into a trap.
Carefully and silently he walked out across the gap between vehicles and Joyce reached for the door, uncertain how quickly she would need to slam it shut if danger presented itself.
But she also wanted to give Sam every opportunity to get back inside if he had to run, so as he inches closer and closer to his Ford she felt her heart beat louder.
Sam even felt the need to crouch as though it would obscure his body, inside the truck though he wasted no time scrabbling to find the cigarette lighter.
As his hand touched it near the middle console he smiled in relief and then stepped back out onto the grimy muddy road.
He held it up like a trophy for Joyce to see and for a brief moment she smiled, gesturing him to hurry back.
But that moment ended quickly as Doctor Owens felt his right foot sink into the dirt and he looked down, only to see a widening maw of teeth on either side of the shoe he wore.
Before he could react the creature opened its mouth wider and grabbed ahold of his leg, causing Joyce to scream out in horror as he fell to the ground.
Sam cried out in agony as the ground around him shifted and the burrowed monster pulled him toward his death, his frantic but soft eyes turning to Joyce and begging her to do something.
Something inside her stirred her to action and she took hold on the fire extinguisher and ran toward the chaotic scene.
Holding it over her head, Joyce gritted her teeth and slammed it against the snout of the armored beast.
The first hit only seemed to anger it further as it pulled Sam deeper into the pit it had crafted and the doctor tried in vain to find anything to grasp ahold of.
Again and again she battered the monster until at last it let go, severing Owens' leg right below the knee.
Tucking the damaged extinguisher under her arm she pulled Sam back toward the ambulance.
As they drew closer to it the monster burst thru the ground again and reared up like a wild horse, ready to kill them both.
Sam ignited the cigarette lighter and gestured for Joyce to pass him the extinguisher, which she did without hesitation.
He stood back as the creature seemed to be evaluating the threat and then started a mist toward the monster, spraying it as fast as he could.
Tossing the lighter straight at the monster, they both watched as the cloud of spray turned into a fire storm and the creature screeched in agony.
"Get into the truck," Sam ordered. "I'm not leaving you!" she insisted as she pulled him up and together they moved to the Ford.
She started the vehicle as he winced in pain and behind them the monster continued to be burned and thrashed about. Grabbing the door, Joyce slammed it and pressed hard on the gas.
Doctor Owens tried to smile in relief as they drove away, but the pain from his leg was too great. Joyce looked at all of the blood, knowing that at any moment the older man could fall unconscious. And then stepped on the gas even harder as she turned the corner. She wasn't about to let this man die, not here, not now.