Seed 1.P

The beast paused, rearing its head back and snuffling at the air with flared nostrils, head turning from side to side in uncertainty. Something had changed, it could feel it in the air. But just what that change might be, it couldn't tell. Not beyond one simple fact.

It had been hunting the small and hairy ones through their tunnels. Carved large to allow for the passage of carts piled high with the profitable ores of their mining expeditions, wheeled back along rails to central supply depots to be sorted and smelted. And now, the scent was gone. It had not lost the scent in taking a wrong path, as it had been following the railway line without turning off or exploring side passages. Rather, it was as though it had never been to begin with.

The beast shook its hand, stamping at the ground with a frustrated bellow as it looked around.

Things had changed, but not too much. It was still an an underground tunnel. Still some kind of rail tracks set along the floor. Still an opportunity to hunt. Whether it was the small hairy ones or something else, it would find prey.

Distantly in the tunnel, a spark of light appeared.

The beast tightly gripped the shaft of its weapon, bellowing a challenge to the distant light as it lowered its head and began to charge at full speed... at first. Slowly slowing to a walk as the light got larger and brighter, confusion settling in as it came to a stop.

The last thing that it heard was a loud horn, setting its ears ringing moments before it felt a sudden heavy impact across its entire body. And then, nothing at all.

-

"-a shocking scene this morning in the subway terminals as people were heading in to work, as one of the trains came in with the front caked in a red mess. Viewer discretion is advised for the pictures taken at the scene. If small children are in the room, please ask them to leave, or change the channel."

Richard Ainsley paused in eating his breakfast and winced at the red splatter across the front of a subway train, featured from several different angles.

"Initial reports suggested the source to be a mysterious suicide. However, forensic examination of the biological material has found the samples to be nearly bovine in nature, closer in relation to a bull than a man, though laboratory analysis of the tissues and bone matter are still underway. While there is conjecture about just what happened in the subway tunnels, as of yet there is no conclusive evidence about where this material came from. Regardless, Mayor Smith has already made several comments on her social media in relation to this event, and it appears that we'll be seeing further discussion on the subject in the coming debates with her political opposition for the upcoming elections. More on this story as it develops. And now, over to Jan, for the weather."

"We'll be looking at clear blue skies all day today, with some light cloud cover in the evening as a cold front passes through the region, and potentially some scattered showers tonight to lull you to sleep. Expect highs of-"

Rick shut off the television with a push of the remote, then set it aside before putting his dishes into the apartment sink, to be taken care of either in the evening and after he had gotten back from work, or in the morning when he wanted breakfast again and would need them.

Then he washed his face, checked his pockets to be sure he wasn't forgetting anything, and locked up on his way out towards work.