Chapter 4

The splinters from the plate had not finished falling to the ground and the monster pounced on me, showing me gigantic, yellowish fangs. He roared, hissed. I had no choice but to use my hands and whatever was within reach; if I didn’t move, those gigantic claws that he waved in the air would split me open. I had no doubts about that. He tried to shoot me again, but he was out of bullets, so he threw the gun violently to the ground and crouched to attack me from below, treacherously. The paw passed so close to my eyes that I could see the blood staining its curved nails. Blood of a wild animal.

My arms moved by inertia, locking his paws, hitting his wrists, forcing him to recoil. I was trying to keep my chin down, to protect my throat. I wouldn’t let him enter the living room, or reach the stairs, or get close to my children. Thinking about them, about my family, gave me the strength that instinct denied me. I caught the monster’s left wrist in the air and twisted his arm until