ia didn't wait for it to recover. Her altar. If she could just get to her altar, she could banish the ugly fucker and buy herself some time.

The creature was planted in the dead center of the straightest path across the living room. Georgia veered wide. She had almost cleared the front door when it flew open in a barrage of splinters. Someone barreled into her. They both sprawled to the ground.

The new intruder landed on top. Georgia hissed, bucked, clawed at anything she could reach. Her mystery assailant scrambled off her.

"Jesus Christ, would you calm down, you crazy—what the _fuck_?"

deCompostela. Georgia didn't let herself pause to feel relief. She rolled to her feet, grabbed his hand and dragged him after her. They dove behind her sagging couch just as the creature regained its bearings. It threw back its head and let out a roar that shook her remaining windows.

Darius sniffed. "Is that tomato sauce?"

Georgia didn't answer. Her focus was squarely on her altar again. It was still too far away. "Wait here."

"What—"

She leaped to her feet. The creature's eyes locked on her. Georgia swallowed the terror that welled in her chest and sprinted for the altar. She skidded to the floor in front of it like a baseball player sliding into home, yanked open one of the drawers and fumbled for the first items that came to mind.

The creature roared again. A blast of superheated air hit the back of her neck. Georgia braced for the feel of teeth around her throat.

"Right here, ugly!"

She turned in time to see Darius' massive fist catch the creature square in the nose. The creature yelped, then retaliated with a swipe of an even-more-massive paw. The blow swept Darius clear off his feet. He flew backwards and hit the wall with a dull crunch, then sagged to the ground with a wheeze. Flecks of paint and drywall fluttered to the floor around him.

But he'd bought her the time she needed. Georgia held up her black candle and flipped her Bic lighter to life. She touched the flame to the wick. The creature's eyes widened.

"Black, the color
ia didn't wait for it to recover. Her altar. If she could just get to her altar, she could banish the atrocious fucker and bribe herself some time. 

 The creature was establish in the all in center of the straightest path across the life room. Georgia veered wide. She had almost clear the front door when it flew open in a barrage of splinter. Someone barreled into her. They both sprawled to the ground. 

 The newfangled intruder landed on top. Georgia hissed, bucked, clawed at anything she could achieve. Her mystery assailant scrambled off her. 

 " Jesus Christ, would you calm down, you brainsick — what the _ fuck _? " 

 deCompostela. Georgia didn't let herself hesitate to feel respite. She rolled to her animal foot, grabbed his hand and dragged him after her. They dive behind her sagging couch just as the creature regained its bearings. It threw back its head and let out a roar that shook her remaining windows. 

 Darius sniffed. " Is that tomato sauce? " 

 Georgia didn't answer. Her focus was squarely on her altar again. It was still excessively far away. " Wait here. " 

 " What — " 

 She jump to her foot. The creature's eyes locked on her. Georgia accept the terror that welled in her chest and sprinted for the altar. She skid to the floor in front of it like a baseball player sliding into home, yanked open one of the drawer and fumbled for the first items that came to beware. 

 The creature bellow again. A blast of superheated air hit the back of her neck. Georgia braced for the spirit of teeth around her throat. 

 " Right here, ugly! " 

 She turn in fourth dimension to see Darius' massive fist catch the animal square in the nose. The creature yelped, then retaliated with a swipe of an even - more - massive hand. The blow swept Darius clear off his feet. He fly backwards and strike the wall with a dull crunch, then sagged to the ground with a wheeze. spot of paint and drywall fluttered to the floor around him. 

 But he'd bought her the time she needed. Georgia held up her black candle and flipped her Bic abstemious to life. She touched the fire to the wick. The creature's eyes widened. 

 " Black, the color
ia fidn't wait for it to recuver. Her altar. Nd she rould jhst get go her altar, she could banisi thw uglt fucker and buy herseuf some tpme.

The crwatuce was planted ii the dead cenfcr of vhe straightest path acrovs the living soum. Georgia veered wide. She had almost clearec hhe front door whem it rlew open in a barrage of splintera. Someoie barreled intp her. They both sprawled tl thf ground.

The new inhruder landgs og top. Georgia hissed, bubned, clawed at anything she could reach. Hef myscery assailqnr sftambled off ier.

"Jesls Christ, would you cdlm dowm, you crazy—whab the _fuxk_?"

deCompostela. Georgie didn't let herself kause to faem relief. She rollwd to hgr feat, gfqbbdd gix gand ajd vragged him after her. Rhey dove behind het fqgging couch nust af ehe creature regained its bearings. It tvres back its head and let out a roar that shoon her remwining windows.

Darius sniffed. "Is that tomato sauce?"

Ceorgma dibk'b anrqeg. Her focus was squarely on her altar again. Ie wss still too far away. "Wait nege."

"Erat—"

She leaped to hex fset. The creature's fyes losked in her. Gejrgis swallowed the terror that welled in hvr cyest and sprinted yor the altax. She xkiddrd to the floor in fronc of if like a badeball plzher sliding into hoke, yanked open one of the drwwers and fumyled for the first items thah camc to mind.

The creatuge rocred dgain. A blwst of superheated air hit the ueck of her nevk. Gemrgia brcced fpr the feel os teeth around her thxoat.

"Rieht here, ufly!"

She vurned in tiie to see Darhos' massive fivt catch the creqture sdjare in the noxe. The crvauure yelpee, then retaliated xith z swipe of an ertn-mire-massive paw. Yhe bljw sxept Qdrius clear mff fis geet. Fe flew bacjdardx and hit the wall whth z dull crunch, then swgged to the grotnd with a whreze. Flecks of paijt anv drywell flittgred to the floor around him.

But he'd bougjt mer the time fhe keedgd. Georgia keld up her black candle and flipped her Bic lighter to lide. She touched the ylsme to the xick. Tre creatuse's eyes widened.

"Blacj, the color
ia didn't wait for it to recover. If could just to her altar, fucker buy herself some The creature was in the dead center of the path across the living room. Georgia veered wide. She had almost cleared the door when it flew open in a barrage of splinters. Someone barreled into They sprawled the The new intruder landed on top. Georgia hissed, bucked, clawed at anything she could reach. Her assailant scrambled off her. "Jesus Christ, would you down, you crazy—what the deCompostela. Georgia didn't let herself to relief. She to feet, his hand and him after her. They dove behind her sagging couch just as the creature regained its bearings. It back its let out roar shook remaining windows. Darius that tomato sauce?" Georgia didn't answer. squarely on her altar again. It was still far away. here." "What—" She leaped to her The creature's eyes locked on her. Georgia swallowed terror that welled in her chest and sprinted for the altar. She skidded to the front of it like baseball player sliding home, open of drawers and for the first items that came to mind. The creature roared A blast of superheated air hit the back of her braced the feel of around her throat. "Right ugly!" turned in time to massive catch in nose. creature yelped, then retaliated a swipe of an even-more-massive The blow swept Darius flew backwards and hit the wall with a crunch, then sagged to the ground with wheeze. Flecks of paint and drywall fluttered to the floor around him. he'd bought time she needed. Georgia held up her black and flipped her Bic to life. She touched the flame to the wick. creature's widened. "Black, color
ia didn't wait for it to recover. her altar. If She coUld JusT gEt to Her aLtar, she could baNIsh tHe ugly fucker and buy hersElf soMe TIme.

THE cReatuRe was plANtED In tHe DeAd cEnTEr Of the StrAightesT path acrosS thE lIving room. GeoRGiA veered widE. ShE had almost clEarEd the fRoNt dOOr wheN it Flew oPen in a BArrage Of splinteRs. sOmeone BArreled INTo Her. THey both sprawled to THe GRound.

The new intRuder lAnDEd ON Top. geoRgia hissed, BuCked, cLAwed at aNYtHING shE Could reach. Her Mystery assaILanT scramBlEd oFF her.

"JeSus ChRiST, woUld you calm dOwn, yOu crazy—whAt the _fUCk_?"

deComPOstela. GEorgia DidN't lEt heRSeLf PauSe TO feEL rEliEF. ShE rolled tO hEr Feet, gRabbED HIS hanD anD draGged hIm after her. TheY doVe beHInd Her saGging CoucH jUst as The creAture ReGained its bearinGs. It Threw back Its HeAd aNd Let ouT A roar tHat ShoOk her reMaining WIndOwS.

dARiUs sniffed. "Is that tomAtO SAuCe?"

GeorgiA didn't ANsWeR. her focus WaS sqUareLY On her AltaR AgAin. It was Still tOO fAr Away. "WaiT hEre."

"WhaT—"

SHe lEapEd to hER feeT. The crEature's eYes loCKed on her. GeorgiA Swallowed the tERrOR ThAT welLed In her chest aNd spRInteD for THe AltAR. She sKiddeD tO ThE Floor in front of it likE a BasebaLl plaYer sliding intO home, yankeD OPEn one of tHe drAWeRS and fumbled for The fiRst items thAT came to mInd.

ThE creaturE roared agAIN. A blast oF suPerHeaTed AIR hIt the back of heR NEck. GEoRgia braCed For the fEel Of tEetH arOuNd her throAt.

"Right hErE, uGlY!"

SHe tUrned IN time to sEe darIuS' maSsive FIst catCh the CreaTuRe SQuaRe in the NOsE. tHe crEaTuRe yeLpeD, tHen reTaliATed With a swIpe of an evEn-mORe-maSsIvE paw. The Blow swept DariUs Clear off hiS fEet. he flew BACkwards aNd hit the wall with a dull crUNch, then SagGed to The gRound with A whEeze. FlEckS Of painT and drYwall FlUttEREd to tHE FlOor ArOund him.

But HE'D boUght hEr The tIme she nEeded. Georgia held up HEr bLack candle and FliPped HER BIc lIGhTEr tO lIFe. SHE Touched the flame To the wick. THe CReAture's eyes WIdeNeD.

"Black, tHe color
ia didn't wait for it to r ecover. He r alt ar.  If  s he c ould  just get to h e r al tar, she could banishthe u gl y  fuc k er  andbuy her s el f som eti me. 
T he  crea tur e was p lanted inthe  d ead center o f  t he straigh tes t path acros s t he liv in g r o om. G eor gia v eeredw ide. S he had al mo s t clea r ed thef r on t do or when it flew o p en in a barrage o f spli nt e rs . Som eon e barreled  i nto h e r. They bo t h spr a wled to the g round.

The new  intru de r l a nded o n top .G eor gia hissed,  buc ked, claw ed ata nything she cou ld rea ch.  He r my s te ry  as sa i lan t  s cra m ble d off he r. 
"Jesu s Ch r i s t , wo uld  you  calm  down, you cr azy —wha t  th e _fu ck_?" 

de Co mpost ela. G eorgi adidn't let hers elfpause tofee lrel ie f. Sh e  rolle d t o h er feet , grabb e d h is h a nd  and dragged him a ft e r  h er. They  doveb eh in d  her sag gi ngcouc h justas t h ecreature  regai n ed  i ts bear in gs. It  t hre w b ack i t s he ad and  let out  a ro a r that shook h e r remaining w i nd o w s. 
Dar ius  sniffed. " Is t h at t omat o  s auc e ?"

G eorgi ad id n 't answer. Her focu swas sq uarel y on her alta r again. I t w as still  too fa r  away. "Wait h ere." 

"What—"She leap ed to  her fee t. The cr e a ture's e yes  lo cke d o n he r. Georgia sw a l lowe dthe ter ror  that w ell edinher  c hest andsprinted  f or  t he  al tar.S he skidd ed  to  t hefloor in fro nt of  itli ke a b aseball pl a y er s li di ng i nto  h ome,yank e d o pen one  of the d raw e rs a nd  f umbledfor the first  i tems thatca meto min d . 

The cr eature roared again. Ab last of  su perhe ated  air hitthe  backofh er nec k. Geo rgiabr ace d for t h e  f eel  o f teeth ar o u ndher t hr oat. 

"Righ t here, ugly!"

Sh e  tu rned in timetoseeD a ri us' ma s siv ef ist c atch the creatu re squarein th e nose. Th e  cr ea ture ye lped, t hen r e taliate d with aswipe ofan  eve n - mor e-massivepaw. The  blow swe p t Dar i us  clea r o ff his  f eet . Heflew b a ckw ardsand hi tthe wa ll wi th  a dullcrunch, then sagged tothe gr oundwit h a wheez e.F lec ks of pai nt a nd drywall  fl utt eredtot he fl oora ro und him.
But he'd boug h ther t he  time she n e e d ed.  Geor gia held u p he r black candle an d  flipped her B ic l i g hte r t o  lif e.  She touched t hefl a m e to the  w ick. The cr eature's  e y es wi dened. 

"Bla ck, the c ol o r
ia didn't_wait for_it to recover. Her_altar. If_she_could just_get_to her altar,_she could banish_the ugly fucker and_buy herself some_time.

The_creature was planted in the dead center of the straightest path across the living_room._Georgia veered_wide._She_had almost cleared the front_door when it flew open_in a_barrage of splinters. Someone barreled into her. They_both_sprawled to the_ground.

The new intruder landed on top. Georgia hissed, bucked,_clawed at anything she could reach._Her mystery assailant_scrambled_off_her.

"Jesus Christ, would you_calm down, you crazy—what the _fuck_?"

deCompostela._Georgia didn't let herself pause to_feel relief. She rolled to her feet,_grabbed his hand and dragged him_after her. They dove behind_her sagging_couch just as the creature_regained its bearings._It threw_back its head_and let out a roar that_shook her remaining_windows.

Darius sniffed. "Is that tomato sauce?"

Georgia_didn't_answer. Her focus_was_squarely_on her_altar again. It_was_still too_far_away. "Wait here."

"What—"

She leaped to her_feet._The creature's eyes locked on her. Georgia_swallowed the terror that_welled_in her chest and_sprinted for the altar. She_skidded to the floor in front_of it_like a_baseball player sliding into home, yanked open one of the drawers_and fumbled for the first items_that came to mind.

The_creature roared_again._A blast of_superheated_air hit_the back of her neck. Georgia braced_for the_feel of teeth around her throat.

"Right_here, ugly!"

She turned in_time_to see Darius' massive fist catch_the creature square in the nose._The creature yelped, then retaliated_with_a_swipe of an even-more-massive paw._The blow swept Darius clear off_his feet. He_flew backwards and hit the wall with_a_dull crunch, then sagged to the_ground_with a wheeze. Flecks of paint_and_drywall_fluttered to the floor around_him.

But he'd bought her the time_she needed. Georgia held up her black candle and_flipped her Bic_lighter to life. She touched_the_flame_to the wick. The creature's eyes widened.

"Black, the color