It's immediate, terrifying, the kind of split second thing that gets people in their world killed. When all of the experience and all of skill goes out the window. Ellie tries to say she doesn't believe in things happening for a reason, and cares even less for luck, but she knows all about when it runs out.

The world blinks back in with Abby's forearm around the stalker's neck, pulling it back off of her and into the kind of crouching, strangling bear hug that Ellie's seen snap bones.

It's a good one, a secure one. Or it would have been if her knife hadn't interrupted it. Given the stalker just enough wiggle room to half-turn towards Abby. For the hold around its neck to give just enough to bring Abby's arm close enough to bite.

She can see its mouth opening, rotting lips pulling back in a horrible grimace. There's no time for rational thought, to do more than draw a line between the stalker and Abby's arm and interrupt it.

And Ellie really only has one thing she can interrupt it with.

Ellie doesn't actually feel the bite, just as she didn't the first time. Too much adrenaline. But she can see the thing's teeth sinking into her left forearm, dull human incisors breaking into the skin.

The elation of got you, motherfucker.