Still fighting the cold, I’m now calling it what it is: futile résistance.  Next stage, more or less organized revolution. Finally, fully embraced anarchy. Despite headaches akin to migraines and the inflammation of the trigeminal nerves, I wrote a striking 1k words every day for the last four days. I know it doesn’t sound worth declaring to all and sundry, but I’m not a sprinter. I’m the epitome of a marathon runner. Slow but consistent. Regarding today’s snippet, I couldn’t decided which portion was better suited to stand alone, so I kind of blindly picked. Several time… Then I decided to post the snippet that gave more information.

From X:

Allegra squinted and saw the upper corner of a doorjamb behind a big framed painting portraying some hunting scene—from what she could see of it since it was partially covered by two bookcases. She passed a series of coffee tables covered in books and statuettes, and even climbed over one to reach the other side . Finally, she squeezed between the door and the painting and entered the kitchen, where she spotted the person who had caused the noises and found it was no person after all.

“Kingstone!” Julius outstretched arms welcomed a small beagle who had apparently been gorging himself on what was left inside the oven.

She took notice of how the smell of baked goods wafted in and out of her radar depending on the dog’s mouth being open or not. “That explains why the scent was so fickle.”

“What are you looking at?”

“Just the oven—” She realized he was neither talking to her nor looking through her eyes and turned to face the wall the beagle was now barking at. Kingstone had started without warning, a low growl coming from inside his belly and getting more and more anxious until he leaped out of Julius’s embrace and ran back to the landing.

“Allegra…?” He seemed helpless for a just a moment, but she hated that immensely.

“Here.” She took his hand in hers and automatically pointed her nose after the beagle.

“Can you feel anything?”

“I’m afraid Kingstone was the only sentient being around.” She tried to focus on her sense of smell and shut down all the others, but she had the feeling if anybody was out there he or she must look like the street urchin they had just encountered at her house. And she wasn’t ready to face another of those blank stares and the horrors hidden behind them.

They still made a summary look-around, but were outside in the alley a few minutes later.

“At least we now know that whatever is happening here, animals are immune to it.” Allegra didn’t know if it was important or not, but she needed to say something.

Julius was lost in his thoughts and led the rest of the way to his house in complete silence.