PSYCHOSAPIEN

15

Ellie was the first to scream.

"Chuck! No!!!"

Sten grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away as Chuck's body stiffened and spasmed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. The creature pulled its arm out of Chuck and he fell to the floor, blood gushing from the gaping hole in his chest. Ellie reached for him, choking back a sob.

"It's too late," said Sten, pulling her back. Away from Chuck. Away from the creature. "We have to get out of here."

The creature gave a roar of triumph. With its missing eye, it looked like it was winking at them. Mocking them. As if killing Chuck had just been some kind of funny prank.

"Ellie, come on!"

Ellie took one last despairing look at Chuck's blood-spattered body before she let Sten drag her away.

***

It was only a short run to the south exit of the building. Dr Wilcox led the way through the maze of corridors and emergency doors until at last they burst out into the impossibly bright afternoon sunlight. Ellie threw a hand in front of her face, shielding her eyes from the blinding light.

"Come on," said Dr Wilcox, leading them across the parking lot at a brisk trot. "I'm parked just over here."

She reached into a pocket of her trousers and fumbled out a set of keys. She pressed a button on the fob and a small yellow convertible bleeped twice in response. Sten put his arm around Ellie in the back seat to keep her warm. To stop her from shaking.

It didn't work. She couldn't seem to fight off this numb, dead-inside feeling.

Chuck was dead.

Chuck—her best friend—was dead.

She would never hear his laugh again. Never listen to him prattle on about dinosaurs or the sociological habits of ancient cavefolk or whatever his newest interest happened to be. She would never get to sit in on another one of his podcast brainstorming sessions, never get to hear him come up with a million new ways of turning his own name into a pun.

When Dr Wilcox pulled the yellow convertible into the driveway of a large, sprawling house, Ellie looked up with confusion.

"Where are we?"

She felt a little more with-it now. The numbing fog of depression had started to lift. Now she just felt groggy, sick and sad. Like waking up with a hangover the morning after a bad breakup.

"We're at my house," said Sten.

"Your house? Why are we at your house?"

Sten squirmed a little. He looked uncomfortable.

"Listen, Ellie. I know you don't want a bar of me right now. But I don't think you should be on your own. Not now."

Ellie thought about arguing. But truth be told, she didn't have the energy. And as much she hated to admit it, he was probably right. She didn't want to be alone. Not now. Maybe not ever again.

Dr Wilcox told them she'd be by later with some NDAs for them to sign before she put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. She didn't come right out and say it, but the implication was that there would be a huge cash payout for them both if they agreed to keep their mouths shut about everything they'd seen that day.

Ellie turned to look at the house. It was an enormous mansion, complete with multiple balconies, stone balustrades and stained-glass windows.

"Sten?" said Ellie. "Are you rich?"