The black blur scrambled wildly through the dining room, knocking over a lightweight chair before doubling back toward the kitchen entrance. It was heavy, yet incredibly fast, its claws clicking frantically against the hardwood floors as it sought an escape route. Sarah followed the sound, her heart hammering against her ribs. She managed to herd the creature back into the kitchen, cutting off its path to the living room.
Sensing it was trapped, the shadow dove into the narrow alcove between her refrigerator and the trash can. It spun around, completely cornered. Suddenly, a sharp, menacing, long-drawn-out hiss sliced through the air. At the exact same time, a heavy, rhythmic slapping sound started up again, vibrating against the linoleum. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Sarah stopped dead in her tracks, just a few feet away. For the first time, she was standing completely face-to-face with the intruder. She leaned down slightly, squinting into the shadows to finally see what had terrorized her house.