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Fur?

I slowly lowered my hands and stared at the offending creature. The cat’s fur was matted to its head, dark rivulets of blood cascading down its nose. One look, and I determined that the cat was a boy.

Pushing away my unease, I used my finger to scratch behind its ear. The cat purred.

“What are you doing out here? Where’s your owner?” I cooed in a high-pitched voice that made me wince. Apparently, I turned into an Elena when it came to animals.

I felt along the cat’s neck.

“You have no collar boy. Where did you come from?”

I waited, actually waited, as if the cat was going to answer me. Sometimes I really did question my sanity.

“You are filthy, do you know that?”

Suddenly, the cat lurched to its feet on my lap and turned towards the playset. The hairs on his back stood on end, and he began hissing yet again.

“What’s the matter, boy?” I asked softly, petting beneath his chin. Unlike before, the cat did not calm with my touch. He continued to stare at the thicket of trees surrounding the playground. It was almost as if...as if...

As if there was someone there.

Like cold water had been poured down my shirt, I tucked the cat closer against my chest with one hand. With my other hand, I began to roll back towards the door.

I didn’t dare look behind me, look towards where the cat was still hissing. I didn’t want to see what was out there. I didn’t even want to know.

Using my key card, I quickly scrambled back inside, the wheel from my chair nearly getting stuck on the rug.

The cat, now that we were inside, seemed to calm considerably. He kneaded my lap with his tiny feet before curling up into a ball.

I petted his back absently, but my eyes couldn’t help but wander towards the window next to the door.

At first, I didn’t see anything. I had thought maybe I had imagined the whole thing. Just as I was about to turn away, something stepped into the thin shaft of moonlight.

Taking in its torn ear and the wagging tail, I realized it was a dog. A freaking dog. Suddenly, the cat’s behavior made sense, and it made me feel like an idiot. I almost laughed at myself and my paranoia. I watched the dog take a few steps closer, now standing underneath the hotel’s outdoor lights. The laughter died in my throat.

On closer inspection, I saw the dog’s eyes were a bright, vivid red. Blood red. Something white was foaming at its mouth.

Well shit.