The howl wasn't a dog. Wasn't a wolf. Nigeria doesn't have wolves.
It was the same sound from Yume's witness reports. "Dry leaves burning."
Kelvin killed the lights. "Away from the windows."
Hana's mother clutched kalina. Hana grabbed a kitchen knife. Aoi had her service pistol out.
Kelvin went to the balcony. Didn't step out. Just angled his phone camera. Night vision on.
The street below was empty. Then he saw them.
In the trees. Three of them. Too tall. Limbs too long. Bodies thin like broken branches. No faces. Just holes where eyes should be.
One of them tilted its head. Looking right at his camera. Right at him. 14 floors up.
Kelvin phone screen cracked. Not dropped. Cracked from the inside.
The three things in the trees turned. Walked away. Not climbed down. Walked. On air.
Aoi was shaking. "What… what were those?"
"Demons," Hana said. "They found us."
Kelvin checked his phone. Camera was dead. All photos from Hana's window were corrupted. Just static.
"They don't like being seen," kelvin said.
Kalina giggled. Second sound she'd made.
It wasn't a baby giggle. It was low. Amused.