...the cave was lit through an opening in the roof and the sand underfoot was soft. Tired, she lay down and was soon asleep.
If the tiny squirrel had not nibbled at her toes, she would have been late. She woke with a start, still with time to dress for the party.
Instead of being grateful, she felt a strange animosity towards the creature. With a flourish of her leg she drove out all signs of life; quickly she realized that killing the animal had given her an unusual sadistic pleasure. With a last hateful glance at the disfigured body, she departed.
She failed to notice that one of the squirrel's eyeballs had dislodged from the body and fallen aside.
So the story begins ...