• Solomon Parks sat watching the news in his home. He had just got back from vacation to New York and was glad to be home, back in good old Bothell Washington. He wasn't really paying attention to the reporter until he said, "A very large number of dangerous people have escaped. They are spreading rapidly; we recommend everyone in the area to lockdown and prepare to defend your life." Well, that can't be good, he thought to himself. He closed all the blinds, locked the doors and windows and got ready for a fight, his handgun at his side. The reporter continued, "Do not, under any circumstances, go-" The power outage cut him off. "Great," Solomon muttered to himself. He was now stranded in his own pitch black living room. There were no stars out tonight and, of course, it was a new moon. There was no light at all.
    He heard chirping in his attic. Uh oh, he thought, another mouse got stuck again. His attic had one floorboard that mice loved to crawl under, but they would always get stuck. Solomon was an animal lover, so he helped them whenever he could. As he started up the stairs, a flurry of chirps and squeaks piped up. There was obviously at least 15 or so voices. Jeez, how many mice can fit under a floorboard? Then he heard something that stopped him dead in his tracks: a long, loud, unnatural hiss that silenced everything else. Then what sounded like a conversation of low chitters, hisses and the occasional bark began. Solomon pulled out his gun. He had never heard any animal like this. Ever. He got out his flashlight, wondering why he didn't do that in the first place. He began to approach the door to the attic. A sudden harsh but quiet bark silenced everything. Solomon froze again. He was beginning to get truely terrified. He got out his cell phone to call the police - another bark...maybe SWAT, but his phone was dead. That's funny, he thought. It was at full battery just a second ago...
    Suddenly the attic door flew down the hall at Solomon in splintered pieces. He covered his face and started shooting at whatever did that. When he looked again, he forgot how to move. The only thought in his mind - in his entire body - was FEAR! What WERE these things? They looked like people, but there were several differences. They were pale like they were dead, but they obviously weren't. Their eyes were very frightening, and no human's eye reflected light like a cat's. Their blood was a tad bit thicker than a human's. Their fingernails were a bit closer to claws. They were also hissing like no creature Solomon had ever heard. He eventually re-learned how to run and he ran like there was no tomorrow, which there might not have been. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he skidded to a halt. More of the human-creatures were tearing his front door apart curiously with no more effort then ripping apart a paper towel. They turned to him and chittered excitedly, then began to snarl hungrily. Solomon was so afraid he didn't pay attention to what he was backing into...

    To be continued!!!