He yapped, but sounded farther away.

Kate sprang free from Andrew, using the cellphone’s light to scan the front yard, or at least the miniscule swath it was able to illuminate. Staggering toward the tree line, calling for her dog, she’d forgotten all about the terrifying noises and the house shuddering. Her baby was out there, and she wasn’t going anywhere without him.

“But-But! Come here, But-But!”

The beagle barked in reply, this time coming from the side of the house. She followed the sound.

“Kate!”

She turned the corner, keeping the light pointed at the dirt so she could see where she was going and not get tripped up. She had a hard enough time navigating paved ground.

Something huffed to her left.

She froze.

Skin crawling, she lifted the phone, slowly turning.

The feeble light quivered, moving higher, higher, higher.

When it lit upon the terrifying face, Kate tumbled into a silent scream.

* * *

The moose had been split open, ribs pulled back, meat and organs steaming in the dirt.

Kate crouched on her hands and knees, peering into the dead animal. She sniffed the rotted contents of its perforated intestines.

“Come inside,” the moose said.

Its eyes were human, sky blue and clear as a cloudless day. Those eyes captivated her, daring her to look away.

“Don’t be afraid,” it said, though its mouth never moved. No, its mouth, black, parted lips buzzing with flies, would never move again. “It’s safe in here. I promise.”

Without hesitation, she crawled into the hot, putrid cavity.

“Welcome home,” the moose said.

She nestled deeper into its chest.

Ribs closed down on her like an iron maiden.

Kate wasn’t afraid.

She was home.

She stretched her legs, slipping into its legs as if they were comfy socks. With little effort, the Kate/moose stood.

There was a light in the woods.

She would go to it.

In her home.

* * *

Andrew heard Kate cry out and for a terrifying moment found himself unable to move. Eyes furtively searching the darkness, he spotted the soft glow of Ryker’s cell phone. The only problem was, it was on the ground.

“Kate!”

Andrew shoved the rifle into Ryker’s chest and ran toward the light. He found her on her side, unconscious. After scooping her into his arms, he headed back inside the cottage, bumping into Ryker.

“Honey. Wake up. Kate, can you hear me?”

“What happened to her?” Ryker said.

“I don’t know. It looks like she fell. She might have hit her head.”

They hustled to the lambent light spilling from the open front door. When Nikki saw them, she backed out of the doorway, hand to her open mouth.

“Is she okay?”