Chapter 6: The Footage

After I accepted, 703 sent a stream of voice messages, her voice shaking:

“Oh my god, you and 401 were right!”

“There really is something not-human—I just saw it!”

“I live across from 701. I heard their kid got locked out, so I wanted to check, but my security cam kept alerting me someone was out there.”

“I thought it was just the little girl, but… I’ll send you a video.”

She sent the file.

It was footage from her door cam.

I opened it.

The timestamp blinked in the corner, grainy green numbers flickering as the thing bent over the girl.

The girl was frozen, staring, unable to move.

The thing circled her, sniffing, then suddenly grabbed her.

I could see her trembling. She tried to run, but her legs gave out and she collapsed.

The thing stretched out a single finger—just one swipe, and its nail sliced open the girl’s arm.

Black liquid oozed from its nail into her wound.

A few seconds later, the girl’s eyes rolled back, her body convulsing on the ground.

The thing just watched her, expressionless.

Until the girl went still, then it pressed its hand to her wound again.

This time, a huge amount of black liquid poured into her body. The thing shriveled up, collapsing into a wrinkled husk.

And the little girl stood up again, her posture horribly unnatural.

Her mouth opened and closed, but I couldn’t tell what she was doing…