The lingering scent of birthday cake still hung in Ming's opulent living room, a stark contrast to the terror that had descended just moments ago. Faye and I huddled under the dressing table in Ming's bedroom, our breath hitched, listening to the guttural growls and snarls that echoed through the otherwise silent house.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. Faye’s fingers dug into my arm, her grip iron-tight, but I held back any sound of pain. We were frozen, caught in a nightmare we couldn’t comprehend. The heavy footsteps grew louder, closer, until an unseen presence seemed to loom directly behind us.

Hot tears streamed down my face. I held my breath, desperate not to be found, desperately trying to understand what kind of creature moved with the weight of a volcano and snarled like something from the darkest myths. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the sounds ceased. The oppressive aura vanished.

A shaky breath escaped me, the first in what felt like hours. Faye’s voice, soft and trembling, broke the silence. "What was that?" She quivered, her eyes wide with terror in the faint moonlight. "What the hell is that?"