Allary dove under the desk in the room, her heart thumping frantically in her chest. The bruises on her neck, wrists, and thighs ached, but she barely felt them through the panic and adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. She knew the thing had seen her enter the small office; she could hear it clomping through the room she'd just escaped. The metallic thumps and screeches drew closer. 

Allary briefly wondered if it had caught Travis, and if he was still alive. She hoped to god that they'd killed him. She never wanted to see him again. All train of thought was shattered as the door to the room banged open, and Allary bit back a scream. 

She held her breath, not daring to breathe as the creature entered the room. Its enormous feet touched down directly in front of her, the tips of the thing's claws digging into the wooden floor. For a moment there was silence, and Allary thought that it hadn't seen her after all. 

Then, its paw slammed down on top of the desk, and she sank her front teeth into her lower lip to keep from crying out. The paw slamming down on the desk was followed by a series of metallic pops, whirs, and squeaks. The thing's head appeared upside down in front of her, its red eyes illuminating where she crouched, unmoving. It stared at her like she was its prey, and she stared back, paralyzed with fear. Its clawed paw suddenly swung straight at Allary's face.