Julian walked off the train, still drunk, and turned his head twice to check both ends of the platform. The sliding doors closed behind him. The train passed him by.

A man in a trench coat sat on a bench at the far end of the platform. He watched Julian as he stood still at the platform’s edge, nearly falling asleep on his feet. Julian jolted awake as gravity began to take course, and he stumbled forward into the parking lot.

“Impressive.” The man murmured. He followed Julian into the lot. It was mostly empty of cars or people except the two of them and one other.

“Hey! Hey, hey, heyyy! Do you know where…” Julian burped. “Do you know where I can get a drink? I’m — still trying to drink.”

A woman turned around in surprise. She had been on her phone and crying, although Julian barely noticed. Her pale skin was glistening in the night as her shocked expression turned quickly to concern.

“You’re in a strange part of our town. You shouldn’t be here.” Julian looked confused but undeterred. The man in the trench, a long man with dark gray hair, stood far from Julian and the woman, but made his presence known.

“Excuse me!” He shouted across the lot, trying to bridge the distance. “Are you looking for a party?”

Julian’s eyes lit up. He shot his arms into the air and jumped.

“Yes! Exactly!” He turned to the woman and gestured at the man, “this guy knows what’s up!”

The man in the trench smiled bashfully and shrugged.

“There’s a house party two blocks from here, I was just heading over there when I overheard you.”

Julian gawked at the man like he were a miracle unto himself.

“This is great! This is, like, wow.” His eyes darted toward the woman. “Hey, do you want to come?”

The woman, stunned by the situation, looked down at her phone, and then up at the two men. Indecision rang through her.

“I’m not sure. You look really sleepy, maybe you should go get some re—“ Julian cut her off.

“Please? Please! Don’t slow me down! I’m begging you! I’m — I’m going too fast! I’m going too damn fast!”

Julian continued to talk nonsense, but as he did, the woman got a good look at him for the first time. He wasn’t just handsome, he was pretty; shiny in all the ways she liked. The long dark curls especially. And as he exclaimed and persuaded with the fervor of a playful puppy, she relented to his kind brown eyes and soulful ease.

“Okay. Fine. Let’s go.”

The odd trio made there way to the party, introducing themselves along the way. Herman was visiting an old college friend for an annual tradition, while Marta was more coy. She explained that some plans had fallen through but not what they were or why.

They arrived at the house, a banner with the word “REPTILIA” on it hanging from the second floor windows. Herman was greeted with a hearty welcome. The owner of the house embraced him like an old friend would, while Herman had to shrug down to do the same. Julian and Marta were welcomed as well.

“Bathroom?” Marta questioned.

“Beer?” Julian tailed her question with his own. The house owner chuckled.

“Bathroom, upstairs to the left. Beer, right this way! You know, we’ve got plenty of beer, but we’ve also got some really great—“

Marta climbed the stairs and turned the corner. She began to touch up her makeup in the wide mirror. After a while, she caught her own eyes, and glared. Her lips crimped together as a lump built in her throat. She blinked her reddened eyes as tears welled up in them. She fought them back.

“Hey, I thought I told you…” she pointed and gave herself a stern look. Then she laughed. She went back to her makeup and then began fixing her hair when she heard a loud crash and the pitter patter of fast, heavy footsteps. Now up the stairs. Her concern ballooned.

The bathroom door flew open, and a bloody Julian stood in the doorway.

“Oh my god, what?” Shock consumed her.

Julian slammed the door behind him. He stared at her, catching his breathe.

“They’re lizards. All of them… They — they tried to, like, eat me.” Julian was gasping for air as Marta stood unamused. Then she smelled something burning.

“What’s that smell? What is that?”

Julian took one more deep breath and spoke.

“Lizards hate fire, right? So I lit that shit up. My older brother taught me how to make a Moly when I was young so, it’s like, a skill.”

Marta’s eyes widened in horror. She felt it now, the exasperating heat, and began to panic. She ran to the window and saw large lizard bodies slithering out of the backyard pool, into other people’s backyards and down storm drains. Then a knock at the door.

“Hello in there!” It was Herman, but his voice was more slippery now. “C’mon now, the night’s not even over! And a little fire, Julian? You’re not trying hard enough! Lizards love fire!”

“Shit.” Julian was stumped as Marta rolled her eyes in frustration. She moved to the tub, turned the faucet, and let the water run. She faced Julian.

“I told you, you shouldn’t be here, you pretty, drunk idiot.” She stepped into the tub as it began to fill. She squatted down, then dunked the rest of her body into the water. Then she emerged, changed. Julian stumbled backward into the toilet, tripping and sinking his ass into the unseated bowl. Marta, somewhat taller now, loomed over him, scaley and gorgeous.

“I just wanted to fuck tonight, ugh.” She opened the door and strolled by Herman and the house owner, both lizards as well. Desperate screams scored her balletic movement as she snaked through the flames with melodic rhythm. She walked out the door as the house burned behind her. As she considered poor Julian’s fate, a cruel thought sang in her head and all she could do was cover her mouth as she chuckled shamefully. As sirens began to sound off in the distance, and the fire bloomed to light the night sky, Marta hummed a tune, then cut herself off.

“I’m going too damn fast!” She mocked, letting out another hefty chuckle.