Zora woke on her back, head resting on something warm and solid.
Opening her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of World Mythology Vol. 1.
She groaned, yanked the book out of Tariq's hands, and sat up. "You were supposed to wake me up!"
Tariq blinked down at her, unbothered. "You told me if I ever woke you up, you'd burn my bookshelf."
She narrowed her eyes. It was true, and the fact that he had a reasonable excuse somehow made her even more annoyed.
"Well, today's different," she snapped. "We're gonna be able to see Jupiter with the naked eye tonight!"
She scrambled upright and began scanning the night sky.
"And why did I have to be here for it?" Tariq asked dryly.
She turned slowly, giving him a flat look. "Because you said you would."
"No, I didn't."
"Well, you live down the street, so that was your confirmation," she said, triumphant.
He sighed.
She smiled. She had won.
Squinting up, her eyes darted from star to star. Then—
"There it is!" she pointed excitedly at a faint blue orb just barely visible. "Jupiter!"
"Congratulations," Tariq muttered. "Can I have my book back now?"
She ignored him completely. "Wouldn't it be so cool to see the stars and planets up close? What if you could talk to them?"
She turned back toward him—
But he was gone.
Darkness.
The hill, the sky, even the stars were gone.
Only silence and a vast cosmic void stretched around her, lit by pinpricks of starlight.
She spun in place, heart starting to race—then froze.
Right in front of her hovered a small star.
It pulsed gently, like it was… saying hello.
Zora's eyes widened. "Whoa…"
She reached out, cupping her hands around it.
The star pulsed brighter.
Brighter.
Brighter.
Until the light consumed her completely—
—then vanished.
All that remained was silence.
And darkness.
Zora's eyes flew open. "Oh dammit…" she groaned, coughing as she tried to lift her head.
Clang.
Her forehead smacked hard into something metal.
"AH, FUCK!" she yelled, grabbing at her head and wincing.
What is that noise?
The blaring sound finally registered — a car alarm.
She blinked rapidly and looked up.
A car bumper. Inches from her face.
Her heartbeat spiked.
Wiggling her toes. Flexing her fingers. Rolling her shoulders. Carefully twisting at the waist.
Okay… okay. No bones broken. Hopefully.
She slowly slid out from under the car, careful not to shift its weight. One wrong move and the thing could crush her.
Finally out, she sat up and surveyed the cafe.
Chaos.
The car had plowed through the far side of the building, shattering glass, shoving furniture aside, cracking concrete.
She turned to look at the damage—
—and her heart dropped.
Blood.
Two customers who had been sitting by the windows were now splayed on either side of the car.
The man was pinned beneath a tire, his torso flattened, blood oozing from his mouth.
The woman... her head was gone.
Just... gone.
Zora clamped a hand over her mouth, bile rising.
What the hell... who the hell did this?
Staggering to her feet, she rushed to the driver's side.
Movement.
She yanked the door open—
A woman tumbled out, hacking and coughing, falling to her knees.
"Are you okay? What happened?!" Zora asked, panicked.
No answer.
The woman just coughed, her breath ragged.
Zora stepped back. Something was... wrong.
Her torso looked too long. Her limbs... too thin. Like they had been stretched.
Then the woman vomited — a thick, dark sludge.
Zora felt a chill run down her spine and started backing up.
"Ugh, what the hell just happened?"
Tyson's voice called out from the kitchen.
The woman's head snapped toward the sound.
Too fast.
Then she flicked out her tongue — long, forked, and wetly hissing.
Zora took another cautious step back—crunch.
She winced. Her heel had landed on a shard of glass.
The woman's head snapped in Zora's direction. Her eyes were too large, her mouth too wide, stretching past human limits.
Then came the scream.
It tore through the café like glass in a blender. Her long arms shot up to cradle her skull.
"What the fuck is that?!" Tyson's voice rang out from the kitchen.
Zora could only stare in horror.
The woman's hair sloughed off in clumps. Her neck stretched, cracking, elongating. Her torso followed, expanding grotesquely. Her arms and legs just… fell off. Clean, like a doll shedding parts.
Zora turned and threw up.
What the fuck is that?!
Silence.
The scream had stopped.
Zora wiped her mouth, heart pounding, and turned back around — but the woman was gone.
She scanned the room. Nothing. No blood trail. No movement. Just… gone.
Then came Tyson's scream.
"OH SH—!"
Cut off by a wet, gurgling choke.
Zora bolted low, crouch-walking across the glass-littered floor to the kitchen pass window. She peeked up—
—and nearly screamed again.
A massive black snake coiled through the kitchen, filling every inch like a living pipe system. Its body flexed and constricted around shelves, counters, ovens.
At the center was its head.
Its obsidian scales glistened. Its red eyes were shut. Its mouth, open wide.
Where's Tyson?
Zora heard muffled screams. Her eyes followed the sound.
The serpent's jaw flexed. Tyson's shoe was still visible — halfway in its throat.
Zora dropped below the window, bile rising again.
What the hell is happening?! Was that the woman?!
Then — footsteps.
Zora froze. Someone's in there with it?
She slowly peeked back through the glass.
And saw…
Andrew.
At least, what was left of him.
His neck was twisted, crooked. Bones jutted from his elbows and knuckles. His spine visibly rippled beneath his shirt. Every step made him twitch, like something inside was pushing against the seams.
The snake's eyes opened, locking on him. It hissed, tongue flicking.
Andrew took a deep, painful breath. "Stop."
The snake froze mid-lunge, jaw inches from his face.
Andrew convulsed violently — veins blackening, muscles spasming, bones popping audibly beneath his skin.
And then, slowly, he turned his head in Zora's direction.