| Kidnapped

Ava joined Amon by the screen to see for herself, and a frisson of deep, instinctive fear scratched down her spine.

The body, laid out on royal purple padding inside a glass casket, was a murky brown color. Its form had been warped and twisted by the preserving sediment. The nose was little more than two holes poked into the ancient face; the eyes were half-melted crusts, mouth fused into a barely discernible line. The arms were folded over the mutilated chest and stomach, and the legs had shriveled into awkward angles.

The thing was horrible, and to Ava, it exuded evil. She shuddered, pushing her hands deep into her new coat's pockets, grateful for its warmth.