Stone Idols

By H. Copella
Darkness covered the quiet country setting. A large, impressive museum set nestled between a large cornfield and the nearby forest. The outside museum lights gave the surrounding fields an almost eerie glow. Several lights remained on within the museum. The parking lot remained relatively vacant with only a few cars present. Inside the museum, several guards collected within the main entrance of the lobby. The center of the spacious lobby area was filled with a skeletal replica of a tyrannosaurs. The area surrounding the impressive exhibit remained dark. Danby McMillan and his twenty-three year old daughter, Jessie, walked past the dinosaur exhibit. "All I'm saying is-be nice to him," Danby said gently. Jessie rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "I don't care for him, even if he is your business partner." "I'm not asking you to marry him, Darling," Danby continued. "No, but you want me to go out with him-sort of the same difference," Jessie replied simply. Danby sighed and looked at her with a smile. "All I'm asking, is that you try and get along with him. One little date won't hurt-just think about it, okay?" Jessie slowly nodded her head. "I'm going downstairs and see what Collin's up to." Danby groaned. "I wish you'd stop hanging out with him. Collin isn't altogether there-even for a scientist." "He's entertaining," Jessie replied then smiled. "I'll be back by ten to leave." Jessie turned and walked back across the lobby past the skeletal replica. Jessie sat on the edge of the desk while a man in his early thirties, Collin Rucker, looked through a microscope at some crushed stone. "My dad's been pushing Brian on me ever since he hired him," Jessie said. Collin looked up from his microscope. "Why don't you simply tell your father that you aren't interested in dating that pompous ass?" Jessie frowned. "Because he doesn't want to hear that. He wants to make sure I'm dating the right kind of person. It would break his heart." Collin shrugged. "Then I guess you're going out with him." "There has to be some other way," Jessie announced with a depressed sigh. "Tell him you're already seeing someone," Collin replied and looked back into the microscope. "Like he'd ever believe that," Jessie snorted. "He knows I don't go anywhere." Collin looked up from his microscope and leaned back in his chair. "Tell him you're dating me." Collin smiled deviously. "That's sure to unhinge the old man." Jessie looked at Collin with a surprised look. She blushed then looked across the room. "He'd kill me if I told him that." "At least you wouldn't have to date Brian," Collin announced simply. Jessie looked at Collin and attempted to hide her smile. Her feelings for him were rather obvious. "But how would I convince my father we were actually dating?" Collin stood up from his chair and leaned across the desk toward her. "I suppose I could pick you up around six o'clock tomorrow night. That should be enough to prove it to dad." Jessie blushed gently and looked down to the floor. "I think that would work nicely." The security guards drank coffee near the front desk just outside of the security office corridor. The five men laughed and talked quietly among themselves. Dack Rusher glanced at his watch then walked toward the main doors to the museum. Fred looked up from the desk and watched Dack. "Where're you going, Dack?" Fred asked curiously. "Just going to check outside," Dack replied simply. "I though I heard a car in the parking lot. Save me a cream filled." Dack paused before the door and unlocked it. The door was suddenly

thrown open. Six men dressed completely in black with black hooded masks barged into the lobby. Fred jumped up from behind the lobby desk. The men raised their automatic weapons and open fire at the unsuspecting guards. Fred fell to the floor, riddled with bullet holes. The weapons made little sound as they dispensed bullet cases from the chamber. The guards scattered and two others fell to the ground after taking several bullets. Dack shut the door as the six men scattered and chased after the two remaining guards. Danby and Brian sat in the back office having brandy and smoking cigars. They laughed about something that was just said. "Seriously though, do you think Jessie will go out with me," Brian asked in a more serious tone. "I think she's coming around," Danby replied. "You know Jessie, she has her mother's spirit." Dandy puffed on his cigar then smiled brightly. "So where's this new stone idol that we've been making such a fuss about to the media? It's supposed to be on display for tomorrow." "Collin should've put it out earlier after the museum closed for the night," Brian replied. "Would you like to see it?" "For all the hype over it, I should think I should have been shown it right away," Danby remarked with a soft laugh. "You know Collin, everything has to be perfect before he presents it to an audience," Brian announced then stood. "I'll show you the display." Danby stood and set his empty glass down. "A cup of coffee is an order as well. Jessie gives me that standard lecture whenever I smell of brandy." Four men in black carried their weapons and followed Dack across the back portion of the museum. They approached a marble display stand and glass case. All five suddenly stopped and stared at the empty glass. "You said it was here," the first man lashed out in anger. Dack appeared equally surprised. "It's supposed to be on display for opening tomorrow. I was assured Collin was putting it out tonight!" Dack turned with a hardened look upon his face. "We have to find that statue." Collin locked his latest research stones in a cabinet behind his desk then turned to face Jessie with a tiny smile upon his face. "I can hardly wait to see the look on dad's face when you tell him I'm taking you out tomorrow night," Collin announced with a soft chuckle. Jessie stood and watched Collin as he walked toward the office door. "I'm sure you'll be able to hear him screaming from your place." "Are you sure you'll be able to deal with his reaction? He could make life miserable for you," Collin said simply. Jessie smiled lightly. "He could make life pretty miserable for you as well." Collin took a step toward her. "I'm confident it'll be worth his wraith." Jessie stared into his eyes. Neither looked away. Jessie blushed lightly but continued to stare into his eyes. "Just to upset my father?" "No," Collin replied gently and touched her cheek, "for the opportunity to take you out on a date." Jessie stared at him a long moment. Collin slowly leaned toward her and lowered his mouth to hers. The sounds of someone walking in the hallway could be heard. Collin pulled away before he could kiss her. Jessie looked away with an embarrassed smile. "I'll walk you to the lobby," Collin said warmly. He turned to the door and opened it while Jessie gathered her purse and jacket. Dack stepped into the doorway and aimed his handgun at Collin. He fired the weapon. Collin clutched his shoulder and fell to the floor. Blood seeped between his fingers as he lie motionless. Jessie gasped and dropped her purse and jacket. She stared at Dack with complete surprise and horror. "Where's the statue?" Dack demanded to know. Jessie stared at him with a look of confusion and concern. "Statue? What statue?" Jessie

quickly backed away from the desk and as far away from Dack as the room would allow. "Don't play dumb with me," Dack growled. "My patience is limited." Jessie nervously looked behind her to a connecting door several feet away. She knew she'd never be able to make it to the door. She looked back at Dack and the gun he held. Dack moved further into the room to keep the gun aimed at her. Collin pulled himself to his feet along side the desk, while clutching his bleeding shoulder in one hand and held the microscope in the other. He cracked Dack on the head with the microscope. Dack sank halfway in pain but didn't pass out. "Run, Jessie!" Collin cried out as Dack spun to face him. Dack fired his weapon at close range. Collin fell backward and was thrown across the desk and onto the floor on the other side. Jessie cried out then spun and ran for the back door. Dack turned and fired upon her. The shots rang out and hit the wall near her. She ran through the doorway and came out in the connecting hall. Jessie darted for the back stairs and ran up them. Loud footfalls could be heard racing behind Jessie. She passed through the first floor doorway and ran across the dark lobby, past the dinosaur replica. She hurried for the front door and skidded to a stop just short of it. She slipped in spilled blood on the floor and fell on her side. She slowly pulled herself to her feet and looked at the blood on her hands. Jessie gasped and hurried for the door. She attempted to open it, but it wouldn't open. Jessie looked behind her. Dack wasn't there. She ran back through the lobby to the security guards office. She threw open the door and bolted inside. She looked out the small window. Three men in black clothing and masks appeared near the dinosaur replica and looked around. One pointed to the front door and ran for it. Jessie nervously raked her fingers through her hair and looked around the office for some help. Fred and two other guards lie on the floor near the security monitors. Both were dead. She held back her gasp and flattened herself against the door. She turned toward the door. A man in black appeared before the small window. Jessie cried out and back away from the door. She looked back to the dead guards. They still wore their guns. She ran to the dead guard and removed his gun. She spun to the door with the gun in her hand, but the man was gone. "Find Dack!" he was heard yelling. "We need the key to the office!" Jessie held back her tears of fright and panic. She hurried to the office door and looked out the small window. Two men stood near the dinosaur replica with their automatic weapons. She'd never make it out the door let alone to the safety of the next. Jessie cursed softly and rested her head against the side of the gun. The two men in black suddenly became alarmed and looked to the high ceiling. The skylight only revealed darkness. "What was that?" the first man asked. "I didn't see anything," the second replied. Something moved past the skylight. "There!" the first man cried out and aimed the gun upward. He fired a shot at the skylight. The bullet penetrated the glass but didn't shatter it. A shadow passed the skylight and grew larger. The outline of a human struck the skylight. The glass shattered as a half human creature fell through the skylight and free fell into the room. The creature flipped once in the air and landed in a crouched position on the floor near them. He sprang up and punched the first man in the face. The second man backed up several steps with a look of horror then opened fire upon him. The creature backed up a step as the bullets struck his body then started to walk forward, despite the bullet fire. The second man backed up with horror. He swung the weapon at the creature. The creature caught the weapon with his left hand and punched the man with his right. The second man flew backward several feet and struck the base of the dinosaur replica. The first man jumped to his feet and cracked his weapon across the creature's head. The creature simply turned and grabbed him by the throat. The first man gasped and clutched the hand that held onto him. He was lifted a foot from the floor. The creature pulled him forward then cast him across the lobby with such force that he slid twenty feet along the floor. Jessie stared through the window with shock and horror while clutching the guard's gun. She looked back into the office a moment and contemplated her situation. When she looked back toward the lobby, the human-like creature was gone. Jessie stared a moment longer and looked around as best she could. She slowly unlocked the door and opened it. Jessie stepped out of the office

and looked around cautiously. The creature man was no where to be found. She quickly hurried across the lobby toward the front door. She hesitated several feet from the door then hurried back to the desk and picked up the phone. There was no dial tone. She cast the phone aside and looked back across the lobby. Her father was still in the museum and could be in serious danger. She hurried across the lobby, past the two men writhing in pain, and hurried into the back office area. Jessie opened the office door and looked inside. Her father and Brian were gone. Jessie hurried toward the desk and picked up the phone. It also was dead. She set the phone down and sank into thought. Someone could be heard in the hallway. Jessie approached the door and looked into the hall. Dack opened one of the office doors and entered. Jessie hurried into the hallway and bolted for the back hallway. Jessie entered the dark break room and slipped along the wall toward the back of the room. The sound of someone could be heard in the hallway not far from the break room. Jessie went to the window and attempted to open it. It wouldn't budge. A shadow passed by the break room door. Jessie tensed then hurried along side a vending machine with the gun raised. She cautiously looked around the vending machine. Dack entered the break room. He was now carrying an automatic rifle. Jessie flattened herself against the wall and shut her eyes a moment. She held her breath then looked around the corner with the gun aimed. She fired at Dack and winged him in the arm. He was momentarily surprised then opened fire at the vending machine. Jessie cried out as the bullets struck the soda machine. Sparks began to fly from the machine. The sound of the gunfire suddenly ceased. Jessie remained flattened against the wall near the soda machine. She was too frightened to move. She kept the gun level in front of her, prepared to shoot the first thing that appeared in her line of sight. Dack appeared several feet before her with his automatic rifle aimed. Jessie screamed and pulled the trigger. Click. Jessie gasped with alarm and pulled the trigger again. Nothing happened. She stared at Dack with wide, horrified eyes and dropped the gun. "Poor Jessie," Dack announced with false remorse. "Who's going to save you now?" A sinister smile crossed his face. "Understand, it's nothing personal. We just can't have witnesses." Dack tightened his finger on the trigger. A beastly snarl could be heard from the darkened room. Dack hesitated then spun around. The human-like creature stood along side Dack. At close range, the creature resembled a cross between a warewolf and a panther. His breathing sounded almost like a growl-an inhuman growl. Dack's eyes widened in horror. The creature snarled and snatched the rifle and tossed Dack across the floor with the use of the rifle. The creature cast the rifle aside and took two, large strides toward Dack. Dack sprang to his feet with a switchblade in his hand and slashed the creature across the chest. The creature hesitated a moment and touched the blood from his chest. He then looked back at Dack. Dack lunged forward and attempted to plunge the knife into the creature. The creature swung at him with four, long, sharp claws and slashed them across Dack's throat. Dack gasped with horror while clinging to the creature. Dack clutched his own bleeding throat and sank to the floor. Jessie remained still while staring at the creature before her. Jessie flattened herself against the wall with a look of terror. "What are you?" Jessie gasped softly, more to herself. The creature stared at her a moment then turned and walked away. Jessie remained flattened against the wall and stared at the dead Dack. Jessie slowly moved away from the dead man, snatched the automatic rifle, then hurried from the break room. Danby and Brian walk along the museum corridor with coffee in their hands. Danby paused and looked behind him. Brian stops and looks back. "What's wrong?" Brian asked curiously. Danby shook his head. "I thought I heard something." "Probably security raiding the vending machines," Brian remarked simply then continued along the corridor. Dandy followed him to the doorway leading to the display area. They entered the dimly lit display area. The large room appeared ransacked. Both men paused and stared at over turned exhibits. The stone statue display was empty and the glass case was shattered. Both men looked at one another.

"What in the world-" Danby gasped softly. "I'd better call security," Brian announced and hurried to the nearest phone on the other side of the display area. Danby set his coffee down and looked around the scattered, broken exhibits. A shadow passed over top of Danby. "What's with the phones?" Brian remarked from across the room. Danby looked toward Brian, who held the phone away from his ear and looked at Danby. "It's dead." Both exchanged confused looks. A man in black appeared in the open doorway near Brian and fired at him. Brian clutched his chest and fell backward to the floor. Danby gasped and jumped backward with surprise and alarm. The man in black turned toward Danby. Something moved above Danby. He looked up. The creature crawled on all fours along the ceiling past Danby. The man in black was about to open fire, when the creature leaped from the ceiling and tackled the man straight through the open doorway and into the corridor. A loud snarl and a man's scream could be heard. Danby ran across the display area and slid onto his knees before Brian. He rolled him onto his back and checked for his wound. There was no blood! Brian looked at Danby and aimed a small handgun at him. Danby fell back onto his backside with complete surprise. Brian moved to his knees and kept the gun aimed at Danby. "Not quite according to plan," Brian growled lowly. Both men slowly moved to their feet facing one another. The man from the corridor screamed again then silenced. Brian kept the gun aimed at Danby then looked toward the open doorway. The man lie bleeding on the corridor floor. Bloody paw prints led away from the body and up the side of the wall to the ceiling. Brian gasped with alarm and shut the door. He quickly turned the gun back to Danby. "What was that?" Brian demanded to know with a horrified look upon his face. "Would you like to stick around and find out?" Danby asked in a more calm tone. Brian's expression hardened. "What happened to the statue? I know you're responsible for it's disappearance!" "Is that was this is all about?" Danby demanded to know. "Some statue?" "Not just a statue, my friend," Brian snapped. "I found some of Collin's notes. He thinks that statue came from another planet. The stone is like no other material he'd ever seen." Another man in black appeared from the opposite end of the display area. He paused and stared at them. "I caught the girl. She knows where it is, but she won't talk."

Brian looks at Danby with a tiny smile. "Looks like you may be of some use yet." He motions him in the direction of the man in black. Danby slowly walks toward the man at the opposite end of the display area. Brian follows behind. The man in black steps out of the doorway and allows Danby and Brian to pass before following. Just as Brian stepped before him, he raised the butt of the rifle and cracked Brain on the back of the head with it. Danby spun with alarm and looked to the man in black. Jessie removed the mask from her face while breathing harshly. Danby stared at his daughter with a look of surprise then relief. "Jessie, thank God you're okay," Danby gasped and pulled her into his arms. "We need to get out of here," Jessie announced and quickly pulled away. "There's still two more of his men running around the museum. The doors are locked." "We'll leave through the back door in the Egyptian display room. I have my keys," her father announced and pulled her along behind him. Jessie and her father appeared in the Egyptian display room. Mummy replicas and stone displays filled the room in an almost tomblike setting. Lights in the style of torches gave a dim, eerie glow to the room. They ran across the room and skidded to a halt halfway. Two men in black came from a back stairs carrying the white, stone statue in the form of a beast with fangs and claws. Danby pushed Jessie behind a sarcophagus display. Both crouched behind the display and

watched as the men hurried across the room with the statue. A shadow was cast along the floor. Both men paused and looked up. The mysterious creature ran along the ceiling on all fours. Both men aimed their guns and fired at the creature, but it didn't stop. They turned and ran on the ground with the creature following from above. The man carrying the statue threw it at the creature. The statue fell to the floor with a loud crack, though not breaking. Both men ran through the doorway. The creature ran after them, leaping through the doorway while remaining on the ceiling. Danby ran out from behind the display and ran for fallen statue. Jessie followed after him by several feet. Danby picked up the statue. A gunshot echoed through the room. Jessie's father spun slightly as the bullet penetrated his shoulder, and he was thrown to the floor. The statue fell from his hands and rolled across the floor to Brian's feet. Jessie stopped halfway and stared in horror as her father lie on the floor. She looked to Brian, who had his gun aimed at her. Brain looked from Jessie to the lying statue. "Being patient has it's rewards," Brian announced with a cheap grin and picked up the statue. He studied it with awe. Jessie took a step closer to her father. Brian looked back at her and sneered. "Stay right there." The cheap smile once more returned. "If you'd only had stayed home today, it wouldn't have to end like this." A man was heard screaming. Brian nervously twitched and looked in the direction of the doorway. One of his men ran through the doorway with his mask off and a broken rifle in his hand. The expression on the man's face told his horror. "Run!" the man cried out. "It's after me!" A vicious snarl was heard from the connecting corridor. The man ran past Brian. The creature bolted on all fours through the doorway and sprang toward them in bounds and leaps. Brian cried out and ran after the man. Jessie remained motionless where she stood. The creature ran after both men, completely ignoring Jessie. Once they'd passed, Jessie ran for her father and knelt by his side. "Daddy, are you okay?" Danby clutched his bleeding shoulder and gasped softly in pain. He fumbled in his pocket with his free hand and removed his keys. "Go! Get out of here. Get help if you can." "How can I leave you?" she sobbed softly. "If you want to help me, you have to go," Danby said softly and with pain in his voice. "You can escape through the basement door. It's your best chance. Please, go!" Jessie took the keys and quickly kissed her father's forehead. "I'll bring back help." Jessie sprang to her feet and ran back through the open doorway in the opposite direction of the creature and the two men. Jessie ran through the basement corridor, past the lab area. She paused near the open lab door and stared a moment. "Collin," she whispered softly and sadly then stepped into the doorway. There was blood on the floor near the desk, but Collin was gone. Jessie stared a long moment with confusion and concern. "Collin?" she whispered softly. Jessie looked around the room from where she stood then backed into the wall while shaking her head. She felt the wall behind her then quickly turned around. The red fire alarm box stared back at her. "I must be stupid!" she gasped softly. Jessie pulled the lever down without hesitation. A loud alarm began to ring long and loud with an almost deafening sound. She ran into the room and set the rifle down on the desk. She opened several cabinet doors before finding the first aid kit. Jessie retrieved her automatic rifle along with the first aid kit and ran from the lab. Jessie paused in the Egyptian display doorway and looked around the room with caution. She then entered the room and stopped halfway across it. There was a small pool of blood on the floor where her father once lie, but her father was gone. Panic and fear swept through her while the alarm continued to wail. She nervously looked around the room then hurried for the connecting corridor. Jessie entered the lobby and hurried past the dinosaur display through the broken skylight glass. There was still no sign of her father. Jessie was suddenly grabbed from behind. She screamed until the knife was placed against her throat. She immediately silenced. The man in black snatched the rifle from her and tossed it aside.

"You're getting me out of here," the man announced in a frightened tone. "You're insane," Jessie replied softly. The man began pushing her toward the front door while keeping the knife to her throat. He continued to look around nervously. Once they reached the door, Jessie fumbled with the keys to find the right one. Danby pulled himself up from behind the front desk while holding on the of the guard's guns. The gun trembled in his unsteady hand. "Let her go," Danby growled softly. The man looked behind him and spun Jessie around to face her father. He kept the knife to her throat. "Just leave," Danby announced in a weak voice. "I'm not interested in detaining you. Just leave my daughter." "Just as soon as I'm out the door," the man replied. He fumbled with the key in the lock and opened the door. A shadow passed over them. The man threw Jessie across the lobby floor and spun around toward the open doorway. The creature dropped down before him. Both the man and the creature stared at one another. The creature snarled and bared it's sharp teeth. The man screamed with terror. The creature picked him up and tossed him across the lobby. The man hit the floor and slid twenty feet toward the dinosaur display. Danby stared at the creature while the gun continued to tremble in his weak hand. Jessie quickly scrambled to her feet and remained motionless while staring at the creature. "Run, Jessie." "No, Dad," she gasped softly and continued to stare at the creature. "Don?t shoot it." "What?" Danby gasped. The creature continued to snarl and breath heavily. It walked on two feet toward Jessie while staring at her. It's heaving breath almost drown out the wailing alarm. The creature looked into Jessie's eyes. There was something familiar in his eyes. He walked past her and climbed up the wall to the ceiling. Both Jessie and Danby watched as the creature climbed across the ceiling on all fours and positioned itself in a dark shadow in the corner of the lobby. The darkness almost made it impossible to see the creature where it rested. Jessie quickly turned and hurried to the discarded first aid kit then ran back for her father behind the desk. "I couldn't find you in the Egyptian display," Jessie announced softly. "I thought something else had happened to you." "When I heard the alarm," her father began, "I figured I'd position myself close to the front door for when help arrived. You were supposed to leave." "Help's on it's way," Jessie informed him softly while fumbling with cloth pads and tape. "You're going to be okay." Jessie placed the thick pad beneath his shirt and pressed it against the wound. Her father cringed with pain. "Apply pressure." Danby held the pad to his wound and collapsed in the chair behind the front desk. Jessie turned and reached for the discarded rifle on the floor. Someone stood before Jessie as she was crouched down, reaching for the rifle. She slowly looked up. Brian stood over her with his gun and the statue in hand. Brian glared at her then kicked her in the chin. Jessie was thrown backwards and landed roughly on the floor, writhing in pain. Danby attempted to pull himself from the chair behind the desk. Brian aimed the gun at Jessie and tightened his finger on the trigger. "Sorry-no witnesses," Brian said simply. A loud snarl was heard just behind Brian. He suddenly froze. Brian spun around to come face to face with the snarling fangs of the creature standing on two feet. Brian fired the gun. The creature was thrown back a step. It straightened then took a step toward him. Jessie slowly pulled herself to her hands and knees. The sound of sirens could be heard outside of the museum. Brian threw the statue at the creature, turned, and ran for the door. The creature sprang forward and pounced on top of Brian like a wild cat, landing on top of him. Brian groaned with pain. Police officers could be heard approaching the door on foot. The creature sprang off of Brian, onto the wall, and ran across the ceiling and returned to the same dark corner. Jessie stared at the corner then looked to the front door as the police entered with their guns drawn. It was early the next morning and police cars still remained parked outside of the museum. The last ambulance pulled away with it's lights flashing but without the sirens. Two officers

remained within the museum lobby. They documented last details. Jessie entered the museum through the front door and looked around. There were several chalk outlines near the dinosaur display. Jessie looked to the dark corner. The faint outline of something could still be seen in the corner. She looked to the two officers. "We're just about finished here," the officer informed her. "We'll need to seal off the museum for further investigations. I've never seen killings like this before. Are you sure they did this to each other? That man we arrested said there was a creature." Jessie placed her hands in her pockets. "Brian coordinated the entire robbery. He ordered the deaths of all of those guards. They turned on each other, resulting in many deaths. As far as some wild creature, neither my father nor I saw anything that matched that description." The officer slowly nodded, although it was clear he wasn't completely convinced. "We're going to lock up now." Jessie smiled gently. "Could I have one minute alone?" Both officers looked at one another, shrugged, then left the museum through the front door. Jessie slowly walked several feet across the lobby and looked to the dark corner. "I owe you my life" she said gently while looking up to the corner. "My father thanks you too." Jessie continues to stare at the dark corner in the ceiling. "Are we still on for tonight, Collin?" The dark shadow moves then falls from the corner. Collin lands in a crouched position then slowly straightens and stares at her with a look of surprise. "How did you know?" he asked gently. Jessie smiled warmly and shrugged. "Something in your eyes. I'd spent a lot of time staring into those eyes." Collin ran his fingers through his hair and turned away from her. "Now you know how different I really am." He turned to face her. "I was the only survivor when our space shuttle crashed. I'd escaped in an emergency pod. I've spent years trying to find remains from the craft." "What's the significance of the stone statue?" Jessie asked curiously. Collin smiles gently. "Nothing really. It was just something I'd picked up in another galaxy at a market. I really do have a thing for stones." He became silent while staring at her. "I'm sorry I had to lie to you about who and what I really am, but I really had no other choice." Collin hesitates. "I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore." Jessie smiled warmly and took his hand. He looked at her with some surprise. "It's going to take a lot more than alien blood to change my opinion of you, Collin." She stared at him a moment and raised a curious brow. "You don't eat humans or anything odd like that, do you?" Collin laughs softly and moves closer to her. "No, nothing so dramatic?if you don't mind the whole half human half beast thing." "Actually," Jessie began with a tiny smile, "I find it fascinating. You took several direct shots and you're not even scratched." "My kind has the ability to heal rapidly," he informed her simply. "But it's taken a lot out of me. I'll probably sleep another ten hours." "As long as you're back for our date tonight," Jessie replied warmly. Collin nodded with a smile. "You can count on me," he announced warmly. Jessie watched as Collin jumped to the nearby wall and scurried back to his dark corner. She stared into the corner, kissed her hand, and waved it to him. A police officer entered the museum and looked at Jessie. "Is everything alright? I thought I heard voices," the officer asked. Jessie turned to the officer and smiled warmly. "Yes, everything is perfect." She looked back to the dark corner, smiled, then left the museum. The officer eyed the dark corner with a strange look then followed her out the door. *END*