Emily

(Is that a claw?)

Right then, the moonlight cut through cloud and fog alike to illuminate a second figure: a man wearing a silk hat.

Its brim was large enough to shroud his face.

But I was in no hurry to discern his facial features after I saw his hands covered by bladed weapons. Each of his fingers were equipped to stab and dig like the claws of a wild animal.

Man

...!

Those blades rose and hastily approached the running man's throat.

Emily

...?!

I drew in a large breath and held it. I couldn't look away.

Man

G...agh...

The man struggled to speak, but what came was an unintelligible gurgle through his throat. His clavicle depressed unnaturally; what little breath that could be drawn was stuck fast beneath the blood coagulating within his oesophagus.

And then he dropped to the ground.