Inside the tunnel, graffiti and dripping pipes loomed. A pair of workers stumbled across her. They froze, phone cameras raised instinctively. Sahara’s eyes met theirs. Neither screamed. She merely lowered her head, almost shy. The men bolted, their video later sparking millions of terrified views.
“Dangerous predator stalking the sewers!” screamed the headline hours later. Clips looped on news broadcasts: grainy footage of Sahara’s glowing eyes. Commentators speculated about attacks, though none had happened. Panic bloomed. Every barking pet dog sparked terror, cats vanished indoors, and some families packed suitcases, unwilling to sleep another night in Oakridge.