The monsters, they near! I hear their screeching and shrill voices, I smell the odor of their stench. Henry lies beside me, unconscious. I do not know how this happened, only that I woke up with the monsters in our house. I have to protect Henry, I have to keep him safe. Here they come! Their grotesque skin is slick and smooth, and their eyes are black pearls. Their claws are long and straight, and their toes are crooked and uneven. They crawl towards us, their mouths open and filled with shiny sharp teeth. I grab onto Henry and hug him close. I feel their breath upon my back! They-

  ———

  I awake. I am latched onto a small creature, a grotesque creature full of hair and skin. I let go of it. It is so small, so tiny. It looks delicious. I want to eat this little creature, I want to consume its flesh. I grab its skull and lift it by the hair. It sleeps, and doesn’t stir. How foolish of it to let its guard down when I am around. Foolish creature. I pull it close and clasp my teeth around its ear. The skin feels so soft, so tasty. I rip it off and chew. The meat is not bad, only a tad stringy. Very warm, and fresh. I smile, and a trickle of blood drips from my lips. Time to feast.

  This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

  ———

  -are touching me! What? Where did they go? Henry? Why is he out of my grasp? I look around the room, searching, scouring… there! I see him! He is lying on the floor, motionless. How did he get there? Where are the monsters? I stand from my kneeling position and walk slowly towards him. Abruptly, I stop. My hands, they are wet, covered in a red sticky substance! What is this? I look down at the floor. It is covered in it too! Why is everything red? I look up at Henry. Him as well! No, wait. I look closer. He seems strange, almost… no, no, no, no! It cannot be! I run over and kneel by his side. It is true! He is dead! His flesh has been chewed through and his skull crushed! The red substance, it must be blood! The monsters must have eaten him, consumed him and devoured him! My son, my only son! Why did this happen, why? What did he do to deserve this? I cannot take this anymore, I cannot, I cannot…I…I feel my brain fuzz and I see the ground fall towards my face. Then, all is black.