At first, the world laughed.
The chatter on the networks was light, dismissive, people tossing theories across message boards with the casual cruelty of those who had never seen the dark up close.
"Urban legends," they scoffed.
"Another conspiracy theory."
But within weeks, the tone changed.
The laughter died when the attacks began.
By February, five regions were under emergency alert. Entire villages near forest boundaries were evacuated under the pretense of safety protocols. The government claimed it was a rabies outbreak, wild animals gone feral, a crisis to be managed and contained.
But the footage that leaked online told another story. Creatures walking upright, their limbs grotesquely human, eyes burning with a predatory awareness that no animal should possess. People whispered again, but not with mockery this time, with fear.
