Once Upon a Twist by Michelle Smart, Aimee Duffy

conclusion that she was better off without him—or so her therapist told her.
    But the thought of bumping into him made her heart thrum out an unsteady, agonizing beat. She chose the left path. Maybe if she put her speed-walking to good use, she’d make it to Grandma’s before the sunset. The wind picked up and howled through the trees, accompanied by owls’ hoots far in the distance, but the subtle sounds of other nocturnal creatures in the forest was missing. The back of her neck prickled, sending a shiver down her spine. She slammed her feet down faster, breaking into a light jog, keeping a tight hold on the bag in her hand.
    The closer she got to Grandma’s house, the darker the path grew under the heavy blanket of leaves above. If she hadn’t spent every other day of her life in these woods until her twenty-fifth birthday last year, she was sure she would have gotten lost. Sliding an arm around her stomach, she tried to hold back the guilt bubbling there, but it was no use. She’d run away and left Grandma, the only family she had in the whole world, because she couldn’t face him . And now Grandma was sick.
    She saw lights glowing through the bushes up ahead. She let out a sigh of relief. Grandma was awake. Pushing her legs faster, she hoped the hulking shadows she passed were nothing more than small trees or bushes swaying in the breeze. Not men or monsters reaching out for her. Ruby shook off the thought. Monsters didn’t exist.
    Breaking through to the small clearing, she darted a glance around. Her neck still prickled like she was being watched. Slowing to a walk, she opened the carrier bag, mentally tallying the medicine and herbal tea she’d brought Grandma. She hadn’t thought anything would have made her come back to this forest until Grandma had called her saying she had the flu. Especially not with his cottage so close. She hadn’t even come back when a buyer had asked to view her small apartment in town, choosing to have Grandma show him the place.
    Nearing the door she heard muffled scratching, a low growl, and then a thud. Her heart bounced into her throat and she pushed the door open.
    Ruby froze.
    It took a second for her brain to register the sight before her.
    A grey creature, bigger than a dog, loomed over a red-streaked lump on the floor in a puddle of dark liquid. The creature’s skin was hairless, flaking off in places, and covered in dark purple splotches in others.
    Low growls rumbled from inside its throat as its teeth sliced into the object, again and again. Her gaze slid over its body, while her feet remained welded to the carpet. The creature’s snout dripped with the same stuff covering the lifeless lump, but when her attention focused on the mound on the floor, she realized the frilly pink nightgown she’d bought Grandma as a gift last Christmas covered the…her…body.
    Ruby’s stomach shifted and turned, until acid launched up her throat. Gagging, she tried to swallow it down. Tried to stay silent. The thing’s ears kicked up and it turned its horrifying head to face her. Saliva mingled with blood dripped from the creature’s open mouth, and a wave of grief crashed into her chest so hard she dropped the bag and grabbed onto the door frame for support.
    Eyes filling with moisture, she kept her blurry gaze on the creature, and it stared back at her with the intensity of an intelligent being—as if it were studying her. Impossible. Its snout crinkled as it pulled in blood soaked air through its nose. The thing lowered its body into position and sunk down on its skinny haunches. She knew that she was its next prey.
    The creature pulled flaky skin back from its teeth in a terrifying grin. Then it pounced.
    Ruby’s body unfroze. She jumped back outside and pulled the door closed behind her. It shuddered as the creature hit the wood. Mind blank, body numb, she stared wide-eyed at the door until the thing crashed into it again, the force this time causing a crack to split in