A man was huddled against the wall, cradling the spot where his hand would be if he still had it. Looking down the aisle, Julia saw moonlight glinting against what had to be blood. Pools and splatters of blood, spilling out from nearby cabins. Multiple bodies (or parts of bodies) lay on the floor as well. The only thing that calmed her in this moment was the low, steady growl emanating from Yuli. The dog’s beady eyes were trained on the open door of the cabin that the current victim had crawled out of. There was no doubt about who was still inside.

Image: A man with an eider aspect sits on the floor.. His head is tucked against his long neck and he is crying. There is blood on his face, neck, sweater, and one of his arms. The bloody arm is mostly obscured from view. End description.

The first things she saw as the killer emerged were large, white claws gripping the doorway. Claws that could in no way belong to a human.

“Yuli,” Julia said, “what the fuck is that?”




(06.20.20)