My footsteps slowed as my heart began to race. I listened hard, expecting to hear the sound of people working. But only silence rang in my ears. Where were the people?
But when a sound came, it wasn’t human.
Claws ticked and scraped along the polished floor as if an animal was running.
It was coming my way. I ducked into an empty office and slipped behind the open door.
The sharp clicking of claws on the floor made a stark picture in my mind. But I didn’t dare put my head around the door to see. The sound of heavy panting grew louder then abruptly faded away. The creature had bypassed this section and headed for the lighted area.
I took a deep breath and went back out into the hallway. Like it or not, I had to follow the sound of the scuttling claws. That’s the only way I’d discover what the werewolves were planning.
I rounded a corner. This hallway was similar to the others, except that it was brightly lit. Overhead tubes shed glaring light onto the stark white walls and gleaming floor. More light spilled from all the offices and rooms along the hall. Some doors stood open, some were closed.
I couldn’t go any further. There was no place to hide. Someone would be sure to see me.
But as I stood peeking around the corner, I realized something strange. I hadn’t heard a sound. Not a voice or a person shifting in a chair or anything. The place felt deserted even with all the lights. I dropped to my hands and knees and scurried along the hallway.
When I came to the first office, I glanced in. There were papers tossed around and a cup of coffee stood steaming on the desk. But no one was there.
It was the same with all the offices. I turned into another corridor and it was the same. Offices lit, doors open, not a soul around. Where was everybody? Rising, I continued down the hall, pressed against the wall, peering into the rooms. Trying to figure out what kind of work went on at Wolfe Industries.
“Ooomph!” I tripped over something soft and squishy. My feet tangled in it and I almost fell.
I looked down. It was a bundle of dark cloth. Cautiously I bent to peer at it. It was a security guard’s uniform. It had burst at the seams. There was something sticking to it. I picked it up for a closer look.
There was hair on the torn uniform. Werewolf hair.
Chapter 30
With a cry of disgust, I dropped the torn clothing. A tingle of danger electrified my spine. Had anyone heard me?
I hurried down the hall, deeper into the building. The corridor began to twist and turn at crazy angles. I passed an office and saw more shreds of torn clothing thrown all over the desk and computer.
Then, turning another corner, I slid to a stop in shock. The floor was strewn with shredded clothing. A torn sleeve here, a pant leg there. A suit jacket in three pieces, an exploded shoe. The mess looked like the empty husks of body parts.
I knew what it meant. A whole pack of werewolves had undergone the wereing, changing from human to monster.
Farther on I found a deserted workstation. Over one high-backed stool a guard’s neatly pressed uniform was carefully folded. For some reason that gave me the creeps even worse than the rags flung everywhere.
The trail of clothing led me deeper and deeper into the building. The rumble of large machines grew louder.
Then I saw a large puddle of something red on the white floor. Horror washed over me like an icy splash. I edged closer, cold sweat trickling down my neck. Had the werewolves killed some human who resisted them? Or—I stopped short—an intruder like me?
I wanted to run away, but I’d come so far through the twisting hallways that I didn’t know the way out. I had no choice—I had to keep going.
As I got closer the red stuff changed. It wasn’t blood, it was just a red dress! I was so relieved I almost laughed. The bright red dress was split down the back and left tossed onto the floor.
Suddenly the silence was broken.
Voices! Grunting sounds! And heavy, hurrying footsteps. They were coming my way.
Quickly, I ducked into the nearest room.
It was a laboratory. A machine with glass tubing bubbled on a workbench. The liquid in the tubes was a sickly yellow color. Bottles and jars with weird things in them were stored on shelves. It was all very strange and interesting, but I didn’t have time to check it out.
Outside the laboratory there were snuffling noises, as if an animal was laughing. My eyes darted around the lab, searching for a hiding place. I couldn’t find a safe spot, and the footsteps were getting closer.
Closer.
They were right outside the door.
I spun around desperate for a place to hide.
My sleeve caught on something. As I tried to get free a whole wire tray of test tubes tottered on the edge of a counter. I tried to catch it. Missed!
CRASH!
Chapter 31
I dropped to the floor.
WHAM! The door burst open. “What was that!” someone shouted.
A vile smell rose from the spilled chemicals, making my eyes water and my throat burn. But no chemicals were strong enough to keep my human scent from the werewolves.
Bits of glass fell from my hair, tinkling on the floor, as I skidded away from the mess. Under a lab table I spotted a cabinet. The door was standing slightly open.
I flung myself at it, scrabbled at the door with my nails. I pryed the door open and squeezed myself inside the cabinet. It was too small for me. It didn’t matter. I was doomed anyway as soon as the werewolf caught a whiff of me.
Heavy boots crunched on the broken glass. Boots? Werewolves didn’t wear boots.
“I don’t see anyone,” said a hoarse but familiar voice. A human voice. It was coming from the
