Maria watched the shadow move across the back wall of the storeroom for as long as she dared. Then she turned away and buried her face in a foul-smelling heap of greasy rags and foetid overalls. For a few moments all she could hear was the beating of her heart and the rasping of her breath. How could it - the thing outside the door - not hear them as well? How did it not know that she was hiding in here? Maria pushed her face deeper into the discarded clothing and prayed for deliverance.

"Oh God, I am mortally sorry for having offended thee ... ."

The words felt like ashes in her mouth, and Maria choked back the rest of the prayer. She did not want the last words she spoke to be blasphemous. It was bad enough that she was going to end up like the rest of her friends, mutilated and with an expression of abject fear frozen forever on her face. But to take word of the Lord in vain and to damn her immortal soul as well ... ?

Slowly, fearfully, Maria raised her head. The grille in the door was unobstructed; three shafts of blue-white light shone through the slats and onto the wall above her. Whatever had been there a moment ago had gone. Maria unfolded herself and lay back on the rags, then took a deep, sobbing breath. If only she knew who or what it was that had been stalking her and the others through the maze of corridors. If she could put a name to it, then perhaps it would be easier to face her fate. But, so far, for so many this had been the last thing they had found out. Maria had no doubt that when she finally learnt what was hunting her, this would mean her end as well.

Something passed in front of the storeroom door again, its form eclipsed against the light. For a moment, Maria thought that she could see something - shadows and shades of black that formed the rudiments of a face, before fading to become just a silhouette.

Something tugged at the door handle then set the door rattling in its frame. Of course! The lock! Maria sprang forward and started to beat furiously on the door itself. "Go away!" The panels shook from her blows. "You can't get in!" She looked up at the face of her tormentor and found herself staring into a pair of eyes, each one as dark as the pits of Hell. "Go ... ." Her voice faltered and she stepped back.

A spectral arm pushed through the door, groping for the lock.