Uncouthly, the freeze of late-february did start to wane,
and from the canals that run through the city of Manchester
mists slowly arose, along with degrading auras of heavy disdain.

As pubs and nightclubs alike
shuttered up and locked down upon the cusp of early morn,
slimy creatures slowly ascended, treading the shadows of the streets for easy prey to ****** before the oncoming dawn,

stray felines and dogs, the most common of their foods,
thy amphibious monstrosities leaving behind nothing but bones -
and upon the second night after, their hunger sought more,

so they snuck into unknowing buildings and stole children from their homes.

Now what happened on that morning after was most queer;
these children were not found dead nor reduced to corpses, but in the strangest of places -

standing upon the edge of the canal's miasmic bank,

untouched 'xcept for the stretch of skin that now covers their faces.