The chilling discovery made me desperately want to flee this Long House that had once brought me comfort.
Indeed, that's exactly what I did. I don't know whether they had gone out for the time being or were hiding during the day, which gave me the chance to escape. Some remnants of sanity compelled me to take fire starters with me before I left. I opened the stove, picked out some burning coals and threw them into an empty oil lamp, added two new coals, and covered the lampshade again, clumsily and arduously climbing onto the window sill without even taking the time to grab the water bowl and distiller, afraid I would encounter those monsters if I delayed even a little.
