"Erlkonig" in Journey Literary Magazine 2003
Summary: A young boy is haunted by a monster others serve, but no one else can see.
Excerpt:
William awoke late that night and crept from his bed, looking around for his father. He took a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of a dark hallway. His bare feet softly padded over the wooden floor and his heartbeat was loud in his ears as he looked around, silently seeking his father. He turned a corner slowly, hands twisting in the white nightshirt, drawing it tight against his thighs.
The Erlkonig lifted its dark head from the lifeless body of one of the children. His lips were stained dark red and saliva glistened on his razor edged teeth. Blood smeared down his chin and dripped slowly onto his broad, black chest.
William stared at the monster, his slender limbs tight with fear. A scream caught deep in his throat, only a strangled noise escaping, not enough to wake any in the house. The Erlkonig’s gaze settled on William’s face, fathomless eyes drawing the boy into its mind.
He stepped forward, foot catching the edge of a bed. Pain lanced up his leg, shattering the creature’s hold on his thoughts. William whirled, still unable to cry out for help, and bolted back down the dark hallway. Now the shadows seemed to leap out at him, catching his hair and legs, trying to pull him back to the monster and the carnage it created. The Erlkonig followed him, leisurely almost, steps slow and steady. Each foot slammed against the ground and its claws tore across the already ripped wallpaper, which tore with a sound much like that of claws through flesh.
William raced on, at times believing he felt the creature’s hot breath on his back, felt drops of burning saliva spill against the back of his neck, bared by the low neckline of his sleep shirt. Still he hurried forward, twisting around corners and darting up stairs, searching for his father. At the top of the staircase he fell, catching his foot on the top stair and spilling to the floor, knees and elbows cracking against the wood, all his breath bursting from his body in a short explosion. The Erlkonig grabbed him, one clawed hand encircling his small ankle; he jerked free, shoved to his feet, and bolted, his speed slowed by the coughing tearing from his chest.
William spilled into the room that housed his sleeping father and collapsed against the edge of his bed. He tried to speak, but couldn’t form words around the coughs filling his throat. Papa woke when the harsh sound dropped into his ears; the Erlkonig reached forward toward William even as Papa sat up. William could feel the creature’s hands tighten around his throat; Papa’s hand fell onto his shoulder, shaking him firmly.