Page 79 of Whisper of Nightmares

The hairs on her arms stand on end. Slowly, Euphemia turns.

Mounds of bodies block much of her view, but she still can see him across the way, standing near the entrance.

Ash reaches a hand up to his lips, one finger pressing upon them.

Dread has never sunk into her belly more swiftly.

A soft crunch echoes nearby, muted by something heavy. But always that sliding, gliding sound, like something moving without limbs. Like⁠—

In a burst of clarity, Euphemia suddenly remembers every strange detail about this place. The bones. The venom. The snakes on the ceilings.

A soft crunch echoes nearby.

Euphemia freezes.

Something moves across the bones. Not a footstep. Something sliding. Something without feet.

Slowly, Euphemia turns.

Cresting over the corpse mountains beside her, the head of a giant serpent appears. Fangs as large as her entire body. Scales covered in dried and fresh blood. Golden eyes searching for its next meal.

Slowly, so as not to catch its eye, Euphemia takes one step toward the entrance.

But when she does, her heels find purchase in the hollowed cavity in someone’s thigh. The unexpected sensation would be disorienting enough. But startling her more is the cry that wrenches from them. She hadn’t known anyone else was alive.

Glancing down, Euphemia realizes they might not be. For no one could survive the injuries the body at her feet has sustained. Puncture wounds that ooze. Venom coursing through every vein.

And yet, the man’s chest rises. His emaciated eyes meet hers. His decaying mouth foams, as he cries, “Help me,” over his engorged tongue.

Euphemia wants to slam her hand over his mouth.

But one glance back to the serpent tells her it’s too late.

The slits of its eyes narrow. “Ah, fresssh meat.”

Tears well in the back of her throat as Euphemia comes to terms with the understanding that she can’t save this stranger. She may not even be able to save herself.

“Father?” she yells weakly, hoping that maybe he is nearby. That maybe he’ll hear her, and they’ll share one final moment together, as grim as it may be.

If he is near though, his voice does not find her. For it is at that same instant that the serpent throws its scaly body down on the mountain of corpses.

Its enormous body carries it down the mountainside with a velocity that should not belong to any creature so immense. Far faster than Euphemia will be able to run.

Her legs carry her anyway.

Heart hammering.

Her feet trample into bodies that feel more like mulch and wet sand than anything solid.

“Sssatiate. Hunger,” the voice hisses behind her.

Euphemia runs like her life depends on it, locking eyes with Ash across the room.

He’s bounding toward her, sword at the ready. Though she is not sure he’ll make it in time. One glance behind her and she finds the head of the serpent has already reached the ground.

Something catches Euphemia’s ankle, her body sent sprawling.

Euphemia crashes into a heap of writhing corpses.