The growl sent shivers down my spine as my feet sunk deeper into the golden sand. It would be beautiful, if I had time to admire it. Instead, I tried to pull my leg free and scurry for my life, to no avail. The creature emerged from beneath me, cloaked in jewels that ran down its forehead and back. I thought of what they said about this beast, how it used to be worshipped by the people whose lands I was robbing. Grave robbing, but it is what it is. And this beast,that’s what they called it, was here to protect her land. I couldn’t blame her - so I gave in. I didn’t resist. I made myself go limp, and sank deep into the sand.

Maybe someday, someone would come to rob my bones, too.

The cat rolled over on the beach towel, and half-awake grumbled, “Feed me already. It is time for my lunch.” He growled once more and rolled back over, to resume happily, lazily soaking in the rays from the sun.

My housecat begrudgingly enjoying the beach and all it had to offer.

I cringed at the crunch of sand beneath my foot, hoping the black and blue creature didn’t hear me.

Until it growled.

I stopped in my tracks and looked at it. Its long ears cover its body except for its eyes. This thing would hear every movement and action that I did. He breathed slowly from his mouth because it was the quietest. My shoes were especially made for stealth making noise unless something else made the noise, like the sand.

I kept going, either looking where I was stepping or checking to make sure the beast was still asleep. I had come here at great risk, trying get the book, that this creature had taken from me.

I saw it on the floor, at the corner of the cave and slowly went for it. This book was everything to me, it was my life. It allowed me to do everything I wanted to do.

I approached it and grasped in my hands. As soon as I took it, I heard a sound behid me. I quickly looked behind and noticed that the cave got pitch black. I looked everywhere and noticed that there were spots that had light shining onto them.

That is when I realized. I looked up and saw the feral eyes that stared at me. The creature was covering me with its ears making it so that I could not escape.

I tried to open the book but the creature batted me away. I was thrown towards the exit, the book escaping my hands. I crawled towards it, ankle broken. So close… the heavy foot steps of the creature grew closer to me.

If he could only get in the beam of the sun. The book was in the sunshine unreachable for the creature. I took out my phone as the creature on top of him. He put his phone in the sunshine and pointed the light to the creature and it reeled back.

It backed up, paws flailing around trying to hide from the sun. One of the claws ripped a cut through my leg and I screamed. The creature put its paws to its ears and ran into the cave.

I put my hand to my leg and tried to stop the bleeding. I ripped my shirt off and rapped it. I painfully stood up and took the book. I limped towards the town at the bottom of the mountain trying not to fall.

A few hours later, I reached the summit of the mountain and entered the town. I quickly limped towards the bunker for the sun was setting. I saw a few people entering and I yelled at them. One of them came to me and he helped me get to it.

As I entered the bunker, I heard a massive roar and I looked towards the mountain. There standing on its cliff was the creature. It looked towards the town and leaped off flying towards them, spreading it ears to glide.

We quickly entered the bunker and shut it, to wait out the monstrous thing that slashed at the bunker.

I was finishing a smoke in the back of the bar when Mike poked his head out the door. It was dusk, mid November, a chill in the air. Typical for South Jersey.

“Ashley, you ain’t smokin weed, are ya?” He asked.

“Noooo,” I answered, rolling my eyes.

“A bear has gotten into the dumpster again. I called animal control. Can you wait for them to get here?”

“Are they sending that cute girl out or the grumpy old man?” I asked.

“Idaknow, just wait for ‘em. I gotta get these wings started.” His head disappeared back inside.

I hoped it was the cute girl; yeah, she had a boyfriend, but one could always dream.

I peered out back beyond the dumpster to look closer at the mess. I blinked a few times. Did I see something stir?

The back of the Pic-a-lilli Inn had an open area with tables for the bikers, who often preferred to sit outside near their bikes. Some trash cans were tipped over, which wasn’t too unusual. The dumpster was located further away to keep the trash smell to a minimum.

I sauntered out toward the dumpster. That’s when I saw the tail.

It wasn’t a bear. At least not now.

I could see a trail of rubbish leading from the dumpster toward the scrabble pines. I knew I had to get moving before I was needed for the dinner rush. Currently just a couple of Pineys getting happily sloshed at the bar.

“Don’t see any bear,” I scoffed.

I blew out a last lungful of smoke and tossed the butt into the sand.

But Something was definitely scuttling around back there. I decided to just take a walk to check it out.

It looked like a large snake had gotten into the trash. Chicken wing bones were spread all around an area of several feet, along with strands of pasta, pizza bones, and potato skins.

The sound it made —- a snuffling, hungry gobbling—gave me pause.

My boot crunched on sand and dead leaves, and I cringed, hoping whatever it was didn’t see me —

Then it growled.

The thing came from behind the dumpster, rising up to full size, a snake or a bird or both — black leather wings 6 feet across, lizard-like feet with vicious claws, a head like a dragon’s, mouth bursting full of chicken wings. It shrieked at me, eyes blazing red, then hurled itself toward me — just then flapping off ground, into the air, disappearing into the cold lonely pine forest.

Then I passed out.

When I came to, Melissa from animal control was holding me in her arms. Had I died and gone to heaven?

This was only Monday, I thought.

Arose a giant beast One with three beastly heads The chimera rose and bore it’s fangs Venom dripped from snakes fangs Blood soaked the lions maw Intestines adorned the goats horns The mighty chimera is gigantic It snared and bore all to see How am I to survive? How to take on this great beast? I grind my teeth and stared deep into its eyes From the side I notice the snake moving towards me I lunged out of the way Without a second to breath the beast goes for the throat I dodge again and contemplate what to do After fifteen minutes of dodging I decide, I cannot out run, I cannot hide, I cannot fight I must outwit I dodge until I see an opening I roll under the beast I go for the throat And I feel a sharp pain in my leg The snake got me I will not live I strike hard to take this beast with me And i miss….

Staying still was unthinkable. Running seemed unwise. Two yellow eyes glared at me over a half-open beak, the growl coming from deep in its leonine throat. It raised its wings - to flee or to attack, I would never know, because its growl turned into a hiss as its muscles shifted around the thick black arrow stuck in its side, and it quickly lowered its wings again, still glaring at me from its huddled position in the reddening sand.

“Ronan, sorry was our meeting scheduled for eleven? I’ve been writing so many reports I’ve been running behind all day.” Reluctantly I followed Starbuck from the sea edge back to his office cave. Headquarters were damp and dark and pretty much impossible to heat. The brownies had moved into a modern office park on the outskirts of Glasgow and the wee fairies had left the clover patch to go completely remote. I sighed as I sank into Starbuck’s dank office chair. “How are the kids? Nick and Nora, right? And the wife.” “Mick and Moira are well, but Jemina is still recovering—“ “Excellent, happy wife, happy life. Well I won’t keep you on tenterhooks. Management has been impressed by your hard work. We like how you’ve handled surveillance of the northern and southern fishing fleets as well as volunteer coordinator for the Selkie/Mermaid Alliance. We have all been overworked and understaffed. You’ve stepped up.” Starbuck shifted through the haphazard piles of papers and fish heads. Willing myself to stay awake, I covered my mouth to camouflage my yawn. Early morning sea shifts and endless night meetings were wreaking havoc with my sleep. This morning I put a cup of coffee in my briefcase and tried to drive stick in my seal form. Starbuck pulled a file folder from beneath half a haddock. I gave him my brightest smile as I open the folder. “We want to offer you a new manager position, Director of IT Integration. Isn’t that exciting,” Starbuck said, clapping his hand fins. My head began to spin. A growl escaped. I masked it with a fake cough. “I know what you’re thinking—“ Starbuck said. “I’m okay with tech but I’m not an IT,” I said “No worries before Colleen heads to Shetland for her new position she’ll give you an overview. And good news we will let you continue to support your previous departments while embracing your new opportunities.” The downy hair on my neck prickled as if I were lost in open water I thought about the new salary, which was uncomfortably close to my original salary. I thought about the days of long hours stretching. Drowning in air I pushed from the desk and ran from the network of caves. I snatched at my clothes, leapt into the ocean shifting in mid air. As I sank below the surface I heard Starbuck shout, “I’ll leave your paperwork under this shoe, will I.”