I must look and sound like a crazy person to them. So what? I’m not lying to them. I’m not!

Why couldn’t she be dealing with this and not have a raging fever clouding their opinion of her? Did it always have to be a total shit storm?

Ryker had gone to the dining room window and opened it a crack. “I don’t hear him,” he said. Buttons had either run clear from the cottage or was cowering somewhere, too afraid to make a sound. Kate’s heart broke thinking about him out there. Even if he didn’t see the creature, his dog senses would know it was out there.

Run, Buttons, and don’t come back until light, she silently pleaded.

At least they had the cottage walls between them and the thing in the woods. Her baby was all alone, exposed, with only his old stumpy legs to save him. She started to cry.

“In fact, I don’t hear anything,” Ryker added. He was now in possession of the rifle. It was so strange, seeing her pacifist brother with a rifle. She wondered how the people who paid for his positive life enhancement seminars would feel if they could see him now. Ryker preached that with the proper frame of mind, anything was possible. The universe would open itself to you, enfolding you within the slipstream of intention and reward.

Have a monster stalking your house? Affirmations that it would go away, if you believed them in your heart, were all you needed to rid yourself of the beast.

Kate made a low chuckle, covering her mouth.

I guess they don’t cover monsters in his seminars.

She laughed louder, this time catching Nikki’s attention, her brows knit, looking with pity at the sweating, sick girl in the bed.

Maybe I am losing my mind.

Ryker held his hand out. “Wait!” His voice got lower. “Something’s moving around out there. I think it’s at the back of the house.”

Andrew strode across the room and took the rifle from him, leaning into the window to listen.

“Footsteps,” he whispered.

Kate couldn’t hear them from across the room. Nikki crouched down and held her hand. Both women turned to look at the sliding glass doors, the blinds still pulled away.

It was right there!

Kate’s palm dripped with sweat but Nikki didn’t let go.

“Ryker, the blinds,” Nikki said. “Whoever’s out there can see us.”

Kate wanted to grab her by the shoulder and shout, “It’s not a who! It’s a goddamn monster!”

Andrew and Ryker ran to the back door. Ryker fumbled for the pull string to close them, unable to find it in the flickering light.

Kate saw the eyes before anyone else.