Ryan motioned for Samantha to stay low as he crouched behind the wreck of a sedan. The stench grew heavier. It was pressing against their nose like a physical weight. Every breath burned in their throats. Their Perception also triggered that there must be something dangerous in that house.
The broken house stood a short distance away, its doorway swallowed by the shadow of the canopy ahead. For a moment, everything stayed silent until they saw something moved inside through the window curtain.
Then a scraping noise came from within, followed by a deep rumble that vibrated through the ground. Dust fell from the broken windowsills.
Samantha's heart thudded painfully in her chest.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered.
Ryan nodded slowly. His eyes were still locked on the doorway. "Yeah. Something big is in there."
They waited without moving. Then, out of the darkness, a massive shape began to move.
