They eased the door open and there was nothing, not a raptor in sight. Purple light had begun creeping in the windows, meaning dawn was breaking. They crept out—still nothing—and crawled rapidly toward first class, pausing to peek beneath the curtain before entering the cabin—saw the tail of a raptor swaying and curling above the seats, heard the distinct sound of flesh being gnawed upon. They lowered the curtain and looked at each other.
At length Samantha indicated a magazine rack, which was low to the floor on the cross-wall between classes, and Peter nodded, understanding. Then she removed a sheath of periodicals and threw them back toward the opposite side of the plane, hoping to draw the animal out. It worked, and as the beast barked and burst through the far curtain they shuffled f
