 come into focus a moment later and I realize I'm not blind. It's simply dark, which makes no sense. We got to the estate a little after one o'clock in the afternoon. None of us were stupid enough to want to visit a possibly haunted house in the middle of the night. But it's dark. Moonlight streams through the glass panels on the front door, highlighting the bloodstains in the entryway. I have no clue what just happened. Not hard to figure out it isn't good.

It's a struggle to get my limbs to obey my brain's commands, but I drag my hands beneath my body and jerkily push myself up to my knees. That's as far as I get before a hand grabs the back of my t-shirt and yanks me up to an unsteady standing position. I almost collapse immediately, but not because of my weakness.

"Shit," I say as my eyes take in the horde of oozing black Devourers closing in around us.

I have no idea how I ended up lying on the ground in the middle of the entryway when the last place I remember being was right in front of the closet door, but I'm the furthest from the creatures. In fact, there seems to be a buffer around me while the others are practically nose to nose with them. That's when the thought hits me.

"Why can I see them?"

Echo's voice from over by the closet door is small, but strong. "I don't know."

Her near-whisper draws my gaze to her. Planted in front of what I can only guess is Archer, she has an arm out to either side of her body, as if she could really stop them if they wanted to take him. Who am I to say, though? I haven't got the foggiest about what the hell's going on anymore. They haven't attacked her or Archer yet, which I assume must mean something.

Still feeling shaky, I take a step forward, just to see what will happen. The nearest Devourer drifts back, but looks no less menacing than before. I start to lift my arm to, I don't know, tell them to get the hell away from us or something, and realize I didn't lose the talisman when the pain finally stopped. Gripped in my off hand, it feels unusually cold. It may have stopped trying
come into focus a moment later and I gain I'm not blind. It's plainly dark, which makes no sense. We become to the estate a little after one o'clock in the good afternoon. None of us were stupid enough to want to visit a possibly haunt house in the middle of the nox. But it's dark. Moonlight streams through the glass panels on the front doorway, highlighting the bloodstains in the entrance. I have no hint what merely happened. Not hard to figure out it isn't adept. 

 It's a struggle to get my limbs to obey my brain's command, but I drag my hands beneath my body and jerkily push myself up to my knee. That's as far as I get before a hand grabs the back of my t - shirt and yanks me up to an unsteady standing position. I almost collapse immediately, but not because of my weakness. 

 " Shit, " I say as my eyes take in the horde of oozing black Devourers close in around us. 

 I have no idea how I ended up dwell on the ground in the middle of the entryway when the final place I remember being was right in front of the wardrobe door, but I'm the furthest from the creatures. In fact, there seems to be a buffer around me while the others are practically nozzle to nose with them. That's when the thought hits me. 

 " Why can I see them? " 

 Echo's voice from over by the closet doorway is belittled, but strong. " I don't know. " 

 Her near - whisper draw my gaze to her. Planted in front of what I can merely guess is Archer, she has an arm out to either side of her consistency, as if she could really stop them if they desire to take him. Who am I to state, though? I haven't got the dazed about what the hell's proceed on anymore. They haven't attacked her or Archer yet, which I assume must mean something. 

 Still feel shaky, I take a step forward, just to see what will happen. The nearest Devourer float back, but looks no less menacing than ahead. I start to lift my branch to, I don't know, tell them to get the hell away from us or something, and realize I didn't lose the talisman when the pain finally stop. fascinate in my off hired hand, it feels unusually cold. It may have stopped trying
 cole into focus a moment lxter and I realnze I'm iot blihd. It's skmply dark, which makes no seise. Qe gou to the estate a lkttle aftvr one o'coock un the aftxdnoon. None of ms wexe stupid enough to want tm visit a posshbuy haunted house in the middle of the night. Nuh it's dark. Moogligne stdvans through the glass panels oh the fgont door, highlignting the bloodstains in tje ejtryway. I have no flue what joat rqppened. Not fard to figure out it jsn't good.

It's a struggle to get oy likbs to obei jy train's commends, blt I drag my msnds baneath ky body and jevkily puwh myself up to my knxes. That's as far as Y get befmrz a hand grabs the baxk of mi t-shhrt xbd hanis ms up tl ai unsteady atanding powition. I almost colka[we immediatelg, but goe because of my weakness.

"Shit," I say as mj eyss take in the horde of oozing black Devourets closing in around us.

I have no idea how I ended up lying mn thx erobkq un the middle of the entryway when the last plass O gemember being waf right in grlny of the closej door, yht I'm the furthest fgom the crearures. In sact, there seems to be a buffer around me wkilw the others are pxactically nuse jo nosr with them. That's when che thkught hits le.

"Why can K see them?"

Echo's xoibe fsom over by the closet doow is smalo, buc strong. "I dpn't knjw."

Her near-ahispcs draws my gaze to her. Klanteg in front of what I can only guess is Arrier, she has am drm out to zither side of her fody, as if she could xeally stop them if theb wanted to eake him. Who dl I to say, tiough? I hwven'r gor the fuegiest about wnat the hvlj's giing on anymore. Thcy haxsn't attacked hex ir Archer yet, wnicf I adsnme mtvt mean somedhine.

Stkkl fedling shaky, K tale a step forward, juvt tk see what will halpcn. The neqrest Dedourer drifts back, but looks no less meiacing thwn before. I start to lift my adm to, I dln't know, tell trem bo ggt the hell away from us or something, and realize M didn't lose the talismqn when the pain fiuakly stopped. Grip[ed in my off hand, it feels ubusually cold. It kay have stopped tryihg
come into focus a moment later and I'm blind. It's dark, which makes the a little after o'clock in the None of us were stupid enough want to visit a possibly haunted house in the middle of the night. it's dark. Moonlight streams through the glass panels on the front door, highlighting bloodstains the I no clue what just happened. Not hard to figure out it isn't good. It's a struggle get my limbs to obey my brain's commands, I drag my hands my body and jerkily push up my knees. as as get before a grabs the back of my t-shirt and yanks me up to an unsteady standing position. I almost immediately, but of my "Shit," say my eyes take horde of oozing black Devourers closing I have no idea how I ended up on the in the middle of the entryway the last place I remember being was right front of the closet door, but I'm the furthest from the creatures. In fact, there be a buffer around while the others practically to with That's when thought hits me. "Why can I see them?" Echo's voice from by the closet door is small, but strong. "I don't near-whisper my gaze to Planted in front of I only guess is Archer, an out of body, if she could really them if they wanted to him. Who am I got the foggiest about what the hell's going anymore. They haven't attacked her or Archer which I assume must mean something. Still feeling shaky, I take a forward, just what will happen. The nearest Devourer drifts back, looks no less menacing before. I start to lift my arm to, I know, them to the hell away us or something, realize I didn't talisman when pain stopped. off hand, it feels unusually cold. may stopped trying
 come into focus a moment later And I realizE I'm noT blInd. it'S simPly dArk, which makes nO SensE. We got to the estate a littLe aftEr ONe o'cLOcK in thE afternOOn. nONe oF uS wEre StUPiD enouGh tO want to Visit a possIblY hAunted house iN ThE middle of tHe nIght. But it's daRk. MOonligHt StrEAms thRouGh the Glass pANels on The front dOoR, HighliGHting thE BLoOdstAins in the entryway. i HaVE no clue what jusT happeNeD. noT HArd To fIgure out it IsN't gooD.

it's a strUGgLE TO geT My limbs to obey My brain's comMAndS, but I dRaG my HAnds beNeath My BOdy And jerkily pUsh mYself up to My kneeS. that's as FAr as I geT beforE a hAnd GrabS ThE bAck Of MY t-sHIrT anD YanKs me up to An UnSteadY staNDING posItiOn. I aLmost Collapse immedIatEly, bUT noT becaUse of My weAkNess.

"SHit," I saY as my EyEs take in the hordE of oOzing blacK DeVoUreRs ClosiNG in aroUnd Us.

I Have no iDea how I ENdeD uP LYInG on the ground in the mIdDLE oF the entrYway whEN tHe LAst place i rEmeMber BEIng waS rigHT iN front of The cloSEt DoOr, but I'm ThE furthEsT frOm tHe creATureS. In facT, there seEms to BE a buffer around ME while the otheRS aRE PrACticAllY nose to nose With THem. THat's WHeN thE ThougHt hitS mE.

"whY Can I see them?"

Echo's voiCe From ovEr by tHe closet door iS small, but sTRONg. "I don't kNow."

HER nEAr-whisper draws My gazE to her. PlanTEd in fronT of whAt I can onLy guess is aRCher, she hAs aN arM ouT to EIThEr side of her boDY, As if ShE could rEalLy stop tHem If tHey WanTeD to take hiM. Who am I tO sAy, ThOuGh? I Haven'T Got the foGgIesT aBouT what THe hell'S goinG on aNyMoRE. ThEy haven'T AtTACked HeR oR ArcHer YeT, whicH I asSUme Must meaN somethinG.

StILl feElInG shaky, I Take a step forwArD, just to see WhAt wIll hapPEN. The nearEst Devourer drifts back, buT Looks no LesS menaCing Than beforE. I sTart to LifT My arm tO, I don't Know, tElL thEM To get THE hEll AwAy from us or SOMetHing, aNd RealIze I didN't lose the talisman wHEn tHe pain finally StoPped. gRIpPed IN mY Off HaND, it FEEls unusually colD. It may have StOPpEd trying
 come into focus a momentlater andI rea liz e I 'm  not  bli nd. It's simpl y  dar k, which makes no sens e. We  g o t to th e est ate a l i tt l e  af te rone  o ' cl ock i n t he afte rnoon. Non e o fus were stup i denough towan t to visit a  po ssibly  h aun t ed ho use  in t he mid d le ofthe night .B ut it' s  dark.M o on ligh t streams through th e  glass panelson the  f r on t doo r,highlighti ng  theb loodsta i ns i n  th e  entryway. Ihave no clu e  wh at jus thap p ened.Not h ar d  to  figure out  itisn't goo d.

It ' s a str u ggle to  get m y l imb s to ob ey  my  b r ain ' scom m and s, but I  d ra g myhand s b e neat h m y bo dy an d jerkily pus h m ysel f  up  to m y kne es.Th at'sas far  as I  g et before a han d gr abs the b ack  o f m yt-shi r t andyan ksme up t o an un s tea dy s t an ding position. I a lm o s tcollapse  immed i at el y , but no tbec ause o f myweak n es s.

"Shi t," Is ay  a s my ey es  takein  th e h ordeo f oo zing b lack Dev ourer s  closing in ar o und us.

I ha v en o  i d ea h owI ended uplyin g  ontheg ro und in th e mid dl e  o f  the entryway whenth e last  plac e I rememberbeing wasr i g ht in fr onto ft he closet door , but  I'm the f u rthest f rom t he creat ures. Inf a ct, ther e s eem s t o b e abuffer around m e wh il e the o the rs arepra cti cal lyno se to nos e with t he m.  T ha t's  when the thou gh t h it s m e.

" W hy can  I se e th em ?" 
Ec ho's vo i ce f romov er  bythe  c loset  doo r  is  small,  but stro ng. "I d on 't  know." 

Her near-wh is per drawsmy  ga ze toh e r. Plant ed in front of what I c a n onlygue ss is  Arc her, shehas  an ar m o u t to e ithersideof  he r body, a sifsh e could re a l lystopth em i f theywanted to take him .  Wh o am I to say , t houg h ?  I  ha v en ' t g ot the f oggiest about w hat the he ll ' sgoing on a n ymo re . Theyhaven't  atta c ked her  or Arche r yet, wh ic h Ia s sum e must mea n someth ing.

Sti l l fee l in g sha ky,  I tak ea s tep f orward ,  ju st to  see w ha t will  happ en . The ne arest Devourer drifts b ack, b ut lo oks  no lessmen a cin g than be fore . I starttolif t myarm to, I  don ' tkno w , tel l th e m to gett he  he l l  a way from us o r  so methi ng, and re aliz e I didn't lose t h e talisman whe n th e pai n f i nall ystopped. Gripp edin m y off ha nd , it feelsunusuall yc old.It may  havestopped t ry i ng
 come_into focus_a moment later and_I realize_I'm_not blind._It's_simply dark, which_makes no sense._We got to the_estate a little_after_one o'clock in the afternoon. None of us were stupid enough to want to_visit_a possibly_haunted_house_in the middle of the_night. But it's dark. Moonlight_streams through_the glass panels on the front door, highlighting_the_bloodstains in the_entryway. I have no clue what just happened. Not_hard to figure out it isn't_good.

It's a struggle_to_get_my limbs to obey_my brain's commands, but I drag_my hands beneath my body and_jerkily push myself up to my knees._That's as far as I get_before a hand grabs the_back of_my t-shirt and yanks me_up to an_unsteady standing_position. I almost_collapse immediately, but not because of_my weakness.

"Shit," I_say as my eyes take in_the_horde of oozing_black_Devourers_closing in_around us.

I have_no_idea how_I_ended up lying on the ground_in_the middle of the entryway when the_last place I remember_being_was right in front_of the closet door, but_I'm the furthest from the creatures._In fact,_there seems_to be a buffer around me while the others are practically_nose to nose with them. That's_when the thought hits_me.

"Why can_I_see them?"

Echo's voice_from_over by_the closet door is small, but strong._"I don't_know."

Her near-whisper draws my gaze to_her. Planted in front_of_what I can only guess is_Archer, she has an arm out_to either side of her_body,_as_if she could really stop_them if they wanted to take_him. Who am_I to say, though? I haven't got_the_foggiest about what the hell's going_on_anymore. They haven't attacked her or_Archer_yet,_which I assume must mean_something.

Still feeling shaky, I take a_step forward, just to see what will happen. The_nearest Devourer drifts_back, but looks no less_menacing_than_before. I start to lift my arm to, I don't_know, tell_them to get_the hell away from us or something, and realize I_didn't lose the talisman when the pain_finally stopped. Gripped in my off hand, it feels unusually cold._It may have stopped trying