It burst from the wall of the crypt without warning, a venomous-green thing shining with a searing light that filled the chamber with angled shadows. A moment after it appeared it knocked Justine across the room. Her head hit the wall, and as the room went black she watched the monster advancing on Yesmin. When she opened her eyes, Yesmin was pulling her out of the crypt. The chamber where the demon had ambushed them was bright with red and green, blood human and otherworldly mixed in garish abstraction.

"J- j- j--" stuttered Yesmin.

"Justine," said Justine. Yesmin nodded. She shook her head and stumbled, and Justine noticed cuts, some still bleeding, all over her partner. She found her feet and started leading Yesmin through the streets of the abandoned city. "This way," she said. "How did you kill it?"

"Didn't," said Yesmin. "Couldn't. Had to get out." She stopped and doubled over against a wall.

"You did great," said Justine. "I can't believe you held it off long enough to get me out."

"Didn't," she said. "Couldn't. Had to get out." She retched, and her open mouth cast a burning green light on the street of the old city.