Smoke swirled around his head as he knelt, staring at the body before him. Reaching his hand out, he touched it briefly then pulled a knife. Reaching out, he shoved the blade into the ear canal to pierce the brain. Taking the hilt in both hands, he stabbed straight down and began to make an deep cut into the abdomen. He peeled the flesh back, almost vomiting in his mouth at the stench. Shaking his head, he dropped the knife and reached inside. He felt around for a moment then lifted his hand with a key between his fingers. "Fat bastard," he hissed and rose. Moving to a fallen man, he cleaned his hands and the key on the prim white coat before walking away. A burned body shambled towards him as he shoved the knife into the ear canal, the body fell over as he kept moving. Going around the side of the burnt house, he headed down a set of steps and into the lower area. As he rounded the corner a man jumped out to attack him. Gripping the key, he punched the man with that hand then brought the knife around to slice his throat open. As the man dropped, he kept moving through the corridors as he came to a locked door. Opening his hand, he inserted the key and turned. Stepping inside, the people behind the bars turned to look at him. "Sorry it took a bit longer than I expected ... jackass swallowed the key." Inserting the key in the lock, he turned it and pulled the bars apart. "Come on, we don't have much time, the fire's getting out of control."
"Where are the others?" an older woman asked.
"They've either fled into the woods or are dead."
"Serves them right for abandoning, scared ass little whelps."
"They're not used to this, not like we are."
"Where's Cutler and his people?"
"Either dead, dying or turning."
"By your hand?"
"Of course."
"David, leave him be. Look how much he's done for us so far."
"You're right of course but still ... we didn't have half the violence before he came."
"And of course you think I brought it all with me."
As they made their way upstairs and out of the house, they looked around as a girl around 10 appeared out of the smoke holding a toddler in her arms. "Libby!" The woman ran to her and scooped her up, looking her over as he took the toddler. "Are you okay?"
"We're fine momma, Ali rescused us."
"Where is Ali?"
"Pissed off and hopped the fence to catch Jamison."
"I'm going after her, take Judith with you and we'll rendezvous at the house."
"Rick, you're no match for Jamison."
"Maybe so but I'll be damned if I let him get away with this." Sheathing the knife, he took off running across the yard. As he ran, he felt something inside him surging forward. His eyes flashed gold as he snarled loud and deep before jumping the fence in one bound. Everything was back to normal ... the wolf in him was alive and ready to kill.