The small structures appeared polished and shiny and seemed to have been lifted right out of some small town in Maine. The entire area looked like a decent place to take a Sunday stroll—if you were on the East Coast of the United States and not in Hell.
Look, all the gazebos have low railings. We can duck into one of those. I say we make a run for it and once we get out there, we can see the layout of the square better. They’re also shaded. My wolf was hesitant and a low growl issued from her muzzle. What, do you have a better idea?
She flashed me a picture of us scaling the side of the building and landing on the roof. I turned and craned my neck up. The walls of the building were smooth, but if I launched myself between the two with enough momentum, I could literally bounce between them and propel myself to the top fairly easily.
The building was no more than twenty feet high at most.
You’re always thinking, I praised my wolf as I backed up. Let’s give it a try. The top of the building would keep us concealed if we could duck below a lip, and it would give us a great vantage point to scout the area. I just hoped there was some kind of shade or we were going to burn up. If there’s no cover, we’ll have to make it quick.
I took a running leap and pounded off one side of the building and jumped to the other, and back again until I was within reach of the top. On the last leap, I stretched my hands up, grabbing the edge. I hauled myself onto the roof and readied myself to spring onto the flat surface, but stopped myself just in time.
Holy crap, what are those? My wolf howled in distress. The roof was covered in dark cone-shaped structures. They were roughly the size of mailboxes. The sun burned my skin and it started to blister as I stood gaping at the display, riveted in place.
I turned, shielding my eyes from the sun, and scanned the horizon.
Every rooftop as far as I could see held the same structures. And the buildings never seemed to stop.
Then the smell hit me.
Oh, good gods. These are devil bat houses. They must come out after the sun sets. We have to get out of here right now. I’d come in contact with the dreaded Camazotz already and I’d managed to purge their wicked poison from my veins, but this many would surely kill me. Back to the original plan. We go scout out the gazebos, but it was worth the trip up, because now we know we can’t stay out here. We’ll have to search for a way inside the big building. Come nightfall this place is going to suck boatloads of ass.
If the distance was right, the sun was going to set in ten to fifteen minutes at most. We barely had any time left to find cover.
My exposed skin was bubbling in earnest now.
I turned and jumped, landing cleanly in a crouch between the buildings.
With a sigh, I leaned back against the building closest to me and gave myself a few precious moments to heal. If we can’t find an easy way in somewhere, we’re screwed. Once the sun goes down this place will be crawling with demons and devil bats and who knows what else. We go out there—I gestured to the gazebos—and try to find a way in or a good place to take cover until nightfall. We have no other choice.
I took off before my wolf could argue and sprinted across the short expanse, hoping that if a demon spotted me they would only see a blur. I barreled into one of the small structures, hopping the rails in one jump. I immediately lost my footing, slipping in something on the floor and crash-landing under a bench, my body sprawled beneath me. What the hell just happened?
The smell was putrid.
I gagged, rolling over, banging my head on a bench seat that ran all the way around the small space. I was covered in gunk. I brought my hands up and grimaced. Good gods, what is this crap? It’s all over. My wolf snarled, her lips curled back to expose her canines.
We were lying in leftovers of a kill of some kind.
There were bits of rancid meat and blood all over me and the floor. I sucked in a shallow breath and prayed my breakfast stayed down. This is where the demons must eat. That’s why there are so many structures. These are outdoor cafeterias. I lifted myself up, staying low, slapping the big, sticky parts off my body.
Something chirped above me.
I didn’t want to look.
I looked.
Mesh netting of some kind separated me from what looked to be hundreds of small piglike creatures. They were roughly the size of large rats and they all began to squeal in earnest, crawling all over one another in fear as they spied me peering at them.
This place keeps getting worse, I complained to my wolf. We have to find Tyler soon and get out of here. I’d only seen a small portion of this world, but I never wanted to set eyes on it again. Why would anyone everchoose to come here willingly? We’d only been in the Underworld an hour and I was totally disgusted.
The little piglets were covered in scales and a coating of short, coarse hair. As these ones stirred up a racket, more gazebos started erupting in similar sounds. They think it’s feeding time, and we’re here to eat them, which it will be soon if I’m not mistaken. Once the sun goes down, it must be a dinner free-for-all.
There was no way to quiet them down.
I poked my head over the rail, scanning the fronts of the buildings, searching for a way out, or at the very least a hiding place that wasn’t covered in bloody bits and squealing piglets.
Each building facing the square had a row of ten doors. Once darkness falls they must open those doors. I knew without a doubt that was how the demons were released. And we’re standing right in the middle of their dinner party. We’ll have to go back to the chupacabras. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but that’s a safer bet. We can wait there until—
I spun around to exit the gazebo and crashed to one knee.