The car door opened like a black swan's wing, the tall man in black unfolding himself from the driver's seat, sauntering toward them in a casual whirl of controlled violence, the thin dusting of new snow beneath his feet pristine.
Josie, RUN!
Shine buzzing through her head so much static, Josie stood frozen in the rubbish-filled bed of the truck like a deer in the headlights, silent warning unheeded.
"The missin' booze? Them pills?" Brian exclaimed with a nervous laugh, "Tell Tepes that wasn't us, that was-"
Spitting greenish ichor, Brian flew backwards, landing heavily on the pavement in a puff of snow, the tall man in black's hands a blur.
RUN!
"Now mumblemumble a mumble minute!" Tim said, slamming the passenger-side door open, grabbing a leaded bat from beneath the seat on his way out of the cab. Striding around the front of the truck, he rapidly approached their attacker, exclaiming in a strange, loud buzzy voice, "That'zzz a lizzzzzzzzzzl uncalled for!"
Josie, RUN!
The tall man in black grinned, eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses in the flat half-light.
Tim paused, motioning behind his back with one gloved hand at the girls to run. Stepping over Brian's body in its puddle of milky goo, he swung the bat up, aiming for the side of the tall man in black's head.
There was a muffled, wet popping sound.
Tim landed hard on his side on the snow-dusted pavement not far from his best friend and half-brother, overcoat falling open, exposing his shapeless bare torso, shattered cheap sunglasses revealing dark red faceted eyes as Josie and Puck stumbled over his body and then Brian's with its hidden extra set of arms thrust awkwardly out of his Carhart jacket on their way into trees.
The tall man in black grinned shark-toothed, mirrored sunglasses glinting in the twilight as he fastidiously wiped his hands on a gleaming white silk handkerchief before nonchalantly releasing it into the rising wind as he followed them, feet not exactly touching the ground in his leisurely pursuit.
Now this was going to be fun.