Prologue

James ran up the stairs two at a time. He didn't notice the unnatural absence of life as he tore past grimy windows and boarded doors. Nor did he notice black streaks trailing the floors and walls. He ran as if Satan himself were at his heels. As soon as he hit the fourth landing he pulled his key card out of his pocket, spilling cigarettes over the floor, and charged to the seventh door on his right, slashing the card across the scanner. The door beeped and swung open a bit. A dank smell of rotting flesh came from inside the dark room beyond the door causing James to reel and gag. Backing away he turned as if to run, then his senses came back to him and he pushed the door open further. Looking in he could see nothing, so he stepped cautiously inside. He swallowed down the horror of the sight that met his adjusting eyes. The wallpaper had been slashed viciously and there were dark stains of something on the carpet. Blood? He could smell it now. He could even taste the tangy copper on the air. A new fear washed over him as he heard something in the adjacent room.
He stepped closer calling out. 'Lucy, quick! We have to get out of here now.'
He took a deep breath and began walking towards the closed door.
'Hello?' he called. There was a bang and a crash from within, then there was silence.
James swore under his breath and put a hand on the door. 'Lucy, are you in there?' he whispered. He could hear more movement inside and he called again, louder. 'Lucy. Hello? Is that you Lu?'
He strained his ears and could here the sound of slight footsteps creeping towards the door. As they came closer James backed away, shaking. He felt sick with fear. 'Lucy!' he yelled. 'Quit messing!'
He was too far to hear the steps now and he was glad of it. Reaching behind him he picked up his laptop from his pine wood desk. Preparing himself for whatever he might meet on the other side of the door, he reached forward and put a hand on the door handle.
Before he could turn it, though, he felt the cool metal slide beneath his hand. The door was suddenly wrenched open and James cried out in anguish. Before him, hanging on the wall as Jesus had once hung on a cross, was a girl whose hair could once have been blond, but was now streaked with dirt and blood.
James screamed. 'NOOOOOOOOOO!!! LUCY!!!' Blood had pooled beneath her still body from great gashes that had been torn into her skin. He could feel the sting of tears creeping into his eyes, but before he could have time to process what he had just seen something cold and clammy touched his shoulder. In response he span round, swinging his laptop towards the space where the average persons head should have been. It was at the moment that he realised his laptop had swung unhindered through the air that he noticed his attacker's appearance was not that of a human.
For one, it was lacking a head.