FT257

The persistent, rhythmic watch alarm roused me from a restless sleep. The room was dark; in the night, I had sensed some creature above or around me. I had visions of some strange, feral entity lurking nearby. Whatever its nature – animal, hallucination, or some mad combination of both – it was gone.

Through the gauzy mosquito net and the open window I could see the first inklings of a sunrise outlined above the ragged silhouette of jungle canopy. In the inky distance, I heard a chorus of deep guttural growls and howls from the treetops. I sighed, partly cursing the early hour and partly relieved to end the night.