The razor sharp fangs of Isaac Brimstone bore in an open maw just beyond the window pane. “You have something that is not yours,” his voice quaked, the room's bearings reverberated with each hanging of a word.

  I stepped back, startled that he could speak while in form. “And you fell right into my trap!” I shouted back, side eyeing Denaux, who nervously glanced back at me.

  “Look around, girl,” Isaac exhaled an airy breath from his nostrils, “the caged one is not I.”

  The feverish banging continued its raid upon the bedroom door behind us, the pine trembling at its hinges, while the screeching for blood stayed ever present.

  “Pray tell,” Isaac ran a jagged claw menacingly along the window, seemingly tracing the outline of my body, while sending the glass weeping in pain, like nails on a chalkboard, “What was this plan of yours?”

  I hesitated, looking back at Denaux again, before fumbling for that bracelet of Isaac's.

  “Do tell indeed, chère!” Denaux added, keeping a close eye, and ear, on the door.

  “We need your help!” I said, brandishing the bracelet, letting it hang down in glimmering moonlight faintly glowing behind the beast.

  “Oh, that is evident.” The dark chuckle came back. “And why should I not just leave you and retrieve what's mine from your corpse?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Because we want the same thing!”

  “Is that so?” He growled. “And what is that?”

  “Vengeance.” I boomed. “Against that bastard murderer, Perrault.” I gripped the bracelet, baring my own teeth.

  “I don't need two weaklings for help in my crusade.”

  “What if we have information that might help you?” I cut him off, reaching for anything, any idea, and pulling out the vial I snagged from the zombie in the field earlier.

  Isaac's eyes narrowed, his red eyes glowing suspiciously.

  “Something bigger than you can imagine is going on here. You can't tell me you don't want to know. Hell, it might even give you an edge over him.”

  Denaux's eyes also widened in confusion, as he mouthed, “what?”

  The strain on the door became loudly pronounced behind us, each fiber of the dilapidated wood pressing to its limits, counting down the seconds we had to remain safely intact.

  “Well...” I stood firm, “your answer?”

  Isaac held still. The edges of his mouth twitching with resentful thoughts. “MOVE.”

  Before I could even process, Isaac barreled through the window, spiraling in as shards of glass flew everywhere, his fur brushing past my cheek as he collided with zombies who burst in, flooding over the broken door frame that had just snapped clean in half.

  Slicing and dicing, Isaac shredded the unread legions as Deanux and I stood in shock.

  “GO,” Isaac commanded. “I'll find you. We'll talk.”

  “Don't have to tell me twice,” Denaux said, scuttling to the window and trying to brush off pieces of standing glass with his photo book.

  I stared for a moment longer before nodding in affirmation, and headed to the window. “Allow me,” I said, swiping the glass shards away with my bare hand, with little pain, and helping hoist Denaux up and over.

  “Smart thinking, chère,” he whispered.

  “We'll see,” I said, looking back at the carnage being inflicted by Isaac before climbing out. As I slipped onto the roof-side, I looked back once more and spotted something peculiar. The eyes on the shrunken head were now fully open, staring straight at me. An eerie chill crawled down my spine. Shaking it off, I went forth with Denaux...but couldn't help the feeling of something ominous...dangerous...was occurring just beyond our comprehension at that very moment.