The darkness inside the wardrobe was so choking.
He held his breath, straining his ears, every muscle in his body, rigid and prepared.
He sensed Chloe's heart beating rapidly and unevenly against his back resembling a rabbit.
Her small body trembling so violently, he feared the vibrations alone might give them away.
He gripped her firmly, making a vow to keep her safe.
Outside their sanctuary the house wasn't theirs anymore.
The monsters advanced with brute force and calculated purpose.
A loud noise resonated throughout the room as the living room couch was turned upside down.
A loud sound of breaking glass echoed as the framed family pictures fell off the mantel.
Each sound was a fresh spike of fear in Daniel's chest.
The creatures communicated through guttural clicks and throaty growls, a language that felt like it scraped along the inside of his skull.
The heavy, non-human footsteps grew closer, stomping down the central hallway. One set of steps, heavier than the others, paused right outside his bedroom door.
Daniel's blood turned to ice. He squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his face against the fabric of an old coat.
The bedroom door suddenly flew open, with a deafening crack.
The creature entered, its claws making a dry, scraping sound on the wooden floorboards. It sniffed the air with a series of loud, wet breaths that made Daniel's stomach turn.
He felt Chloe trying to shrink herself into a small ball just behind him. He didn't dare breathe out.
The silence lingered endlessly coated with fear.
A muted thud occurred when one of the creatures bumped against the wardrobe. The old wood protested with a creak. The scraping stopped.
A rough and uneven claw scraped at the narrow gap in the door, forcing it open.
With force the doors were ripped off their hinges.
The hellish red light of the moon illuminated their hiding spot, overwhelming their sight. Daniel blinked, his eyes watering as they struggled to adjust.
A nightmare stood at the doorway. It was vaguely man-shaped but disturbingly deformed, its skin the color of a day-old bruise, stretched tight over a bony skeleton.
Its limbs were unnaturally elongated, tipped with sharp and blackened claws. Two curved horns jutted from its forehead and its eyes shone with a fiery brightness.
A foul smell washed over Daniel and Chloe.
Before Daniel could even process the horror, a clawed hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and dragging him from the wardrobe.
ZZRAKK!!!
He landed hard on the floor, the air knocked from his lungs.
He had fulfilled his duty, his body serving as a shield to protect Chloe from their sight. She remained hidden in the darkness nestled under the blanket.
"Hey, ugly! Over here!" Daniel shouted, scrabbling backward on his elbows trying to draw all the attention onto himself.
An alternate insect-like being darted into the room its legs tapping swiftly against the floor.
The first beast let out a growl and kicked him squarely in the ribs.
A sudden intense burning sensation exploded in his side, and he heard a sickening crack. He cried out, curling into a ball as another kick landed on his back.
They were on him now, a whirlwind of merciless blows.
A fist that felt like a bag of rocks slammed into his jaw, and his whole vision became blurry.
He savored the flavor of his blood!
He was nothing to them. A nuisance. A piece of furniture to be broken.
A horned beast pinned him to the ground, its massive clawed foot firmly planted on his chest, pressing forcefully that he fought to catch a breath.
It lifted its hand. Daniel noticed the tip of a rough uneven blade. His life flashed before his eyes. He squeezed them shut, unable to bear the sight of how it would all end.
The point was aimed at his chest. This was the moment. He was going to die!
As the monster's arm tensed for the final, killing blow, a sound broke the silence.
It wasn't a scream or a cry. It was the smallest, most pitiful noise imaginable.
A tiny, involuntary squeak of pure terror that slipped out from behind the pile of clothes in the wardrobe.
Every monster in the room froze. As at then, other monsters had joined the party.
The creature with its foot on Daniels chest slowly turned its head, its glowing eyes narrowing as it stared at the wardrobe.
The one holding the dagger lowered its arm, its attention completely diverted.
A new figure appeared in the bedroom doorway, forcing the others to part. This one was different. Taller, broader, and radiating an aura of chilling authority.
In contrast to the others who were savages, this one advanced with a cunning. Its horns were longer, curving backward from its head like a crown, and its bruised-like skin displayed detailed complex patterns.
It surveyed the scene, the beaten and battered boy on the floor, the lesser monsters standing at attention, and the dark wardrobe.
Its gaze was sharp and analytical. It proceeded intentionally into the room its eyes locked on the source of the sound. Then it spoke words.
The words were a series of guttural syllables, a command resonating with authority.
"Kra'shel tikta vren'sa nol'tar."
Immediately one of the horned grunts turned around. Strode, toward the wardrobe. It began tearing through the garments Daniel had carefully arranged.
A moment later, it pulled Chloe into the ghastly red light.
She was trembling, her face pale with fear and streaked with tears. In the light her dark hair and large clear eyes made her resemble a fragile porcelain doll.
The leader's glowing eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, what looked like genuine fascination crossed its face.
It was intrigued. This small, beautiful, terrified creature was far more interesting than the broken male on the floor.
It inclined its head to the side before signaling its followers with a snap of its fingers. It would take her. A prize. A pet.
As another monster grabbed Chloe's arm, a shining wave began to form in the middle of the room.
The air shimmered and distorted, gathering into a spinning, upright vortex of energy, a portal.
Seeing Chloe being dragged toward the portal shattered something deep inside Daniel.
The pain in his ribs, the blood in his mouth, the crushing weight of his failure, all ignited into a singular, explosive surge of pure adrenaline.
His entire existence revolved around one goal: rescue her!
With a primal roar that tore from his throat, he surged upward. The monster's foot was still on his chest, but he didn't care.
He shoved against its leg with every ounce of strength he possessed.
The being, surprised by the opposition stepped back, from its prey.
That was the opportunity Daniel needed. He quickly lifted himself.
Ignoring the pain in his side he pushed himself forward. He had never been a fighter. He was a lazy kid, but right now he was a desperate brother.
He leaped into the air, twisting his body into a clumsy, furious kick aimed at the monster holding Chloe.
His heel struck the creature's arm with a solid thud. The monster growled in annoyance more than pain. Its grip on Chloe loosened for a split second.
"CHLOE, RUN!" he shouted.
But there was nowhere to run.
His brief and futile act of defiance was over. The leader watched with a smile before giving a nod.
One of its guard spun quickly and swung a heavy metal object, the blunt end of some alien weapon, in a savage arc.
Daniel didn't even have time to raise his hands.
The impact against the back of his head was a sickening, crushing blow!
A sharp flash of light exploded behind his eyes followed by complete darkness.
His strength fled from his body and he collapsed to the floor like a puppet with cut strings.
The last thing he saw just before darkness consumed him fully was his sister's face, her mouth open in a wordless scream as she was dragged through the portal.
Then, there was only silence and pain!