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Chapter 1 DAMN THE SANDMAN

PART ONE - LOCH

Chapter 1 DAMN THE SANDMAN

My hands are red with blood I'h a forest Naked, but I don't care I'm an animal, not a human Animals don't need clothes

Blood on ue too Must have fed recently Can't remember if it was a wild creature or a person Not bothered ry-that's all thatnew to chew And soon

I leap a fallen log As I land, s They snap and I sink into a pool of li up out of the s-they're teeth! I lash out withwordlessly

and mud and bits of bark fly everywhere I stare at theto nor I haven't fallen victim to a monstrous baby with mouths in the palms of its hands and balls of fire where its eyes should be It's just a muddy hole, covered with the remains of branches and leaves

Scowling, I rise and wipemy nails to pick off some splinters, a voice calls, "Grubbs"

The naister immediately Then I relance up warily, sniffing the air, but all I can smell is blood

"Grubitsch" the voice rily I hate reat, but it's better than Grubitsch Nobody ever called me that except Mum and my sister Gret

"You can't find me," the voice teases

I roar into the darkness of the forest, then lurch at the bushes where I think the voice is co on the other side

"Wrong," the voice laughs, co from a spot behind me

I whirl and squint, but I can't see anyone

"Over here," the voice whispers This tiht