17
The road sloped gently downward, running westward back to Delarac’s mansion. From the top of this small hill, Desa could see over the wall that surrounded the man’s property. She could just make out the roof of the mansion from half a mile away.
Something dark landed on it, a squid-like creature that let out a menacing wail. Its oily tentacles dug into the shingles, tearing them up. And then it was slinking forward, dropping into the front yard.
The portly man almost fell over, bracing a hand against a lamppost to steady himself. His thick, gray eyebrows tried to climb up his forehead. “What was… What was…”
Desa shook her head in dismay. “That is the thing that will kill you if you stay here,” she said. “Gather your neighbours and get them out of here as quickly as you can.”
“Hurry
