One chance. I ram my head into demon girl’s face. Pain jets from the impact point straight through my entire skull.

Never headbutt a demon, my brain screams at me.

The foolhardy move at least has the desired effect of momentarily loosening her grasp. I move as fast as my still groggy mind allows, slamming her to the ground at my feet. A demon-possessed little girl may have augmented strength and abilities, but at least her weight is still that of a child.

I scramble atop some wooden crates and grab at the fire escape ladder above me. Missed. I jump again and manage to catch the edge of the bottom rung. My weight pulls the ladder down toward the ground, and the creature lying under it. With a loud clatter, the left leg of the ladder slams into the demon’s shoulder and pierces it, pinning her to the ground.

The nightmare lets loose an unholy scream of pain, hatred and anger. She begins to curse at me in languages I can only guess at as black blood oozes around the edges of her wound.