Twisted limbs, pale and rotted. Eyes like festering boils. It waswatching us.Waiting. Planning.
The music still thunders behind me.
And the creaturehates it.
It snarled. It flinched.
The noisehurtit.
I stare down at my shaking hands.
“…sound,” I mutter.
“It can’t tolerate the sound.”
When I return to the garage, Olivia’s pacing, furious and scared. “Did you SEE it?”
I nod. “Briefly. It fled.”
“Why didn’t it attack?”
I glance toward the speakers.
Because ofthis.
Because ofthem.
Because ofGoat Funeral.
“Your music,” I say, turning to Booger and Burnout, “has power.”
Burnout grins. “Duh.”
“No, you do not understand. Itdrove awaythe creature.”
Olivia frowns. “You’re serious.”
“Deadly.”
Booger practically levitates with pride. “We’re like… monster slayers now.”
Burnout pumps his fist. “Metalsaves lives, bro.”
Olivia looks at me, stunned. “So… terrible music at high volume is its kryptonite?”
I nod. “Perhaps it is tied to its nature. It is undead, unnatural. Your world does not sing its song. This sound—this chaos—it repels it.”
She blinks. “We have to test this.”
“Yes.”
“And… we need more amps.”
“Yes.”
“And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… we needGoat Funeral.”
Booger screams with glee.
