The shards hadn’t even finished falling to the floor when the monster lunged at me, baring enormous yellowed fangs. It roared, hissed. I had no choice but to use my hands and whatever I had within reach; if I didn’t move, those gigantic claws it slashed through the air would rip me open from top to bottom. I had no doubt of it. It tried to shoot me again, but it had run out of bullets, so it hurled the gun violently to the floor and crouched to attack me from below, treacherously. The claw passed so close to my eyes that I could see the blood staining its curved nails.
Animal blood. Wild animal blood.
My arms moved on instinct, blocking the claws, striking its wrists, forcing it to recoil. I kept my chin down, trying to protect my throat. I would not let it into the living room, or reach
