Page 14 of Primal Snow

“Baby!” Vicky shouts, bolting to the door, but I grab her wrist to stop her from vanishing into the darkness, too.

We all freeze, staring ahead.

The silence draws out before we hear the crunch of bones breaking. Followed by more cries of pain. Wet, tearing sounds, like meat being ripped from a carcass, come next. Jay’s screams fade into gurgles, then nothing.

Vicky backs away, her hands covering her mouth. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.”

I can’t look away. Through the frosted glass, I catch a fleeting glimpse of the enormous form of the creature—a shadow hunched over Jay’s body, its clawed handsmoving with horrific precision as it tears him apart, its shoulders heaving as it feasts. The obscene smacking and chewing noises grow louder, more horrifying. There’s no further screaming or any signs of life from Jay.

Mia starts to sob, breaking down as she clutches Derek. “This isn’t happening. This can’t be real.”

I stumble away from the window, my knees hitting the floor as bile rises in my throat. My mind reels, unable to process what I just saw—or heard.

The eating sounds stop.

For a moment, the only thing I can hear is my own ragged breathing.

And then something hits the spot where I was just standing. There’s a wet, bloody spot on the glass after the impact. I crane my neck to get a better look, and I notice Jay’s head resting in the snow, just below the window. His lifeless eyes are wide with disbelief, staring straight at me. His mouth hangs open, frozen mid-scream, blood still dripping from his lips and pooling beneath what’s left of his neck.

All I can think of is how alive he looked just seconds ago.

I shriek, which fuels a chain reaction as the rest follows, making a whole lot of noise. We scatter around like frightened pigs at the slaughterhouse, panic taking over as we bolt for safety.

Derek stands rooted to the spot, his face pale and blank, as if his mind can’t process what’s happening. “What the fuck... What the fuck!” he keeps muttering, his beer slipping from his hand and shattering on the floor.

Mia lets out a piercing scream, backing away so fast she slips on the spill and collapses in a heap, cutting herself on the broken glass and sobbing uncontrollably. “We’re going to die! We’re all going to die!” she wails, clawing at Derek’s leg like it might anchor her to reality.

Vicky grabs my arm, her nails digging into my skin as she yanks me toward the hallway. “Come on, Emma! We have to move! Now!” Her voice is sharp and hysterical but somehow keeps me tethered to action.

“Where do we go?” I rasp, barely recognizing my own voice over the pounding in my ears.

“I don’t know!” Vicky snaps, dragging me away from the windows as the heavy footsteps on the patio door reverberate through the cabin.

But there’s nowhere to hide. There’s no time. It’s already here.

The creature’s heavy body slams against the sliding door, and the entire cabin goes silent.

Chapter 7

The window explodes inward with a deafening crash, shards of glass raining down on us. The monster forces its way inside, its massive frame crouching to fit under the doorway.

The creature takes one lumbering step inside, its huge, clawed feet leaving deep gouges on the hardwood floor. As it straightens, looming over us, it lets out a guttural roar, the sound shaking the walls and vibrating through my chest. White fur, slick and matted with blood, gleams in the firelight, powerful muscles rippling just beneath, its extended clawsdripping red.

In the full light, I finally realize what exactly I am looking at.

A Yeti.

It scans the room, its black eyes narrowing, its breath visible in the frigid air rushing in from the outside.

“Itisreal…” Vicky stammers in disbelief.

“Holy fucking shit!” Derek yells, scrambling backward and knocking over a chair.

Mia screams even louder, clutching at his arm in search of protection. “Do something!” she shrieks in horror.

But Derek isn’t the hero she needs—his face is pale and twisted in terror. In a cowardly panic, he shoves her forward. “Take her!” he offers her as a sacrifice, his voice cracking.

Yeti doesn’t hesitate. With a swipe of its massive hand, its deadly claws plunge into Mia’s stomach. A strangled cry rips through her as it lifts her off the ground like a rag doll. Blood pours from the wounds, spilling over its furry hand and spattering over Derek. Mia gags, blood bubbling from her lips, before the monster slams her savagely against the wall with a vile thud.

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