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The only way that I know I still exist is by the pounding of blood in my ears and the fact that I’m blinking. I’m weightless, floating between Earth andsomewhere.
At least, I think I’m floating.
My limbs are numb with weightlessness, and even though I’ve never been to outer space, I imagine this is what it would feel like aboard the space station.
I just wish I could see.
There’s no way of telling how much time passes before I feel a sudden jerk in my stomach, like plummeting on the first drop of a roller coaster. The darkness spits me head-first into a world bathed in dim light, and I hit the ground on my stomach.
The air is ripped out of my lungs on impact, and I whimper at the pain searing my skin. Begging my vision to adjust after being in the darkness for so long, I take several painful breaths before I’m able to push myself up onto my knees, and then I glance down to assess the damage.
My right pants leg is ripped, and my knee is scraped, blood beading on the surface of my skin. A sharp pain across my cheek tells me it’s injured too. Gently, I touch it with my fingertips, and when I take my hand away, I grimace. Yep, blood. My palms are pink and tender, but thankfully not bleeding, and my whole body hurts from meeting the ground.
Blinking frantically as my vision continues to adjust, I scan my surroundings.
A chartreuse orb glows brightly overhead, turning the sky into a flawless swatch of sickly green, like the eerie moment just before a thunderstorm. I stare up at the unusual color and it makes my skin crawl. It feels off. Unnatural.
I’m in an abandoned city—if you can call it that—surrounded by dilapidated, gnarly-looking buildings. They’re situated randomly, no rhyme or reason to the layout, and look like architecture from a fever dream. Stretched doorways, uneven windows. Some of their shapes are so distorted that I don’t know how they’re still standing.
Where the hell did that black hole dump me out?
Beyond the clump of houses are trees—lots and lots of mangled, twisted trees—that are just as eerie as the rest of my surroundings. Just as unnatural. The ground is jet black, from the sparse patches of grass scattered here and there to the jagged gravel digging into my legs.
As I shakily get to my feet and dust myself off, I scan the area for any sign of Azarius or Elio and come up short.
Shit.
Not only am I lost, I’m alone.
This isn’t good.
“Azarius,” I call out and my voice cracks. I’m afraid to be too loud, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to myself, but right now the guys are my only shot at getting out of this mess. “Elio.”
Movement near one of the buildings catches my eye, and for the briefest moment, I expect to look over and find one of the men I followed waiting for me, but that isn’t the case. A looming figure steps into view, making my blood run cold.
It’s at least seven feet tall, with red leathery skin and impossibly long limbs—its clawed hands almost brush the ground even as it stands straight up. A head protrudes from an intensely humped back, and its six black eyes are fixed on me. Its gaping mouth contains rows of sharp teeth, and twin tongues tease the air as it steps closer.
It’s a monster. And it’s fucking ugly.
“Human.” The sound that hits my ears isn’t much more than a hiss, and an icy chill rockets through me.
A voice in my head tells me I’m staring death in the face, and I’m inclined to believe it. The taser in my pocket seems like a feeble hope for survival at this point, and even if I can outrun this beast, I have nowhere to run to.
This is definitely not good.
The monster takes a step forward, and I turn on my heel, breaking into a sprint and tearing between two buildings. A roar rips through the air, and a pang of fear resonates in my chest when loud footsteps pound against the ground behind me. They’re getting closer with every second that passes, and a terrifying truth grips me.
I’m not going to get away.
I brace myself for impact just before something collides with my back, and I stumble, skittering across the ground. My exposed skin stings as my momentum drags me across the sharp rocks, and I roll onto my back to find the monster towering over me.
“Such a treat,” he hisses. “I haven’t seen a human in so long—haven’t tasted one in even longer.”
I grab for my taser, then point it at the figure and press the button to bring the electricity to life, but nothing happens.
Frantic, I try again, but the device does nothing.
A massive hand swings above me, knocking the weapon from my hands and ripping into my forearm in the process. I cry out as the monster lunges and throw my feet up to plant them against his torso, all while cradling my injured arm. I try to keep some distance between us despite his massive weight crushing down on me, but his long arms reach for mine and pin them to the ground on either side of me.
