---

As Shaw sat with his eyes closed, he heard a noise that made him smile. It was a clattering accompanied by an echoing squeal.

He used the cover of the gathering noise to risk looking out of the doorway. Sure enough, there was a dark figure there, warily backing out of the stairwell, which was amplifying the clamour.

The pig that Shaw had met in the graveyard, and then coaxed through the door, had finally found its way along the corridor and was now making its way up the stairs to the confusion of the Crow, who had no idea what was coming.

She fired off a couple of rounds, but like Shaw, thought the target was taller than it was, so they went harmlessly over the top of the pig, which was now hurtling up the stairs, screeching as it leapt up each step.

Shaw stealthily moved towards the Crow from behind and was about to stab her, as he had the others, when she stepped back and slipped, falling and avoiding the knife. Realising that the real danger was behind her, the Crow raised her gun to shoot Shaw, who leapt forward and grabbed her hands. He swung his body around so the shot went past him, and tried to loosen the Crow’s grip on the gun.

The pig finally escaped the stairwell and, finding itself trapped in the hallway, ran around them and then between their legs, tripping them and sending them both to the ground, where they landed with a force that winded them both.

Shaw caught his breath first and fumbled for the gun, but the Crow wasn’t far behind him, and they grappled as each tried to get the winning grip, wrestling on the floor. Swinging his foot around, Shaw kicked his attacker in the shin and used the momentary shock to pull the gun away. With a final flash of focus, he aimed and shot the Crow dead.

He pulled his trapped leg from under the body and scrambled backwards towards the shadow of the doorway. He listened between each heaving gulp to check if all the noise had drawn the attention of the final Crow, but if it had, they were approaching quietly.

Now it was just the two of them.