'I promise.'

As Richard stood there holding onto his wife, rocking her gently in his arms and wondering how he could have gotten so carried away, he looked out the kitchen window and saw Damien walking across the back lawn, heading into the woods.

The sight triggered alarm in him.

'Where's Mark?' he asked, trying to sound casual.

'I guess he went out early,' Ann replied, drawing back from Richard and wiping her eyes. 'I noticed his overcoat was missing from the rack when I went to get the paper this morning.'

'Why don't we go for a walk, too?' Richard suggested.

'But the eggs-' They had started to burn, and she rush to the stove to rescue them.

'I could really use some air.'

Ann stared at her husband. Something was going on in their household, in their family, that she did not entirely understand. When she had married Thorn, she knew it was not going to be easy, but she had loved him so much that she felt she could overcome and withstand any and all crises. Now she wasn't so sure.

She shrugged and put the pan with the eggs into the sink. 'Okay,' she said lightly. 'A walk it is.'

***

Mark sat at the base of a tree far away from the house. He looked pale and quite worried. His eyes were sick with fear, and held a look much older than a boy his age should ever have. His arms were wrapped tightly around his knees, more from fear than from the cold, for he had never been so afraid in all his life.

And he didn't know to whom he could turn for comfort. He had always gone to Damien before with his troubles, but he couldn't do so now. He would have to handle this one alone.

Then Mark heard footsteps; a voice called out, 'Mark? Hey, Mark!'

It was Damien of course. Always Damien.

Mark got to his feet very quickly and very quietly, and moved deeper into the woods.

Damien was following his tracks.

Mark started to run.

'Hey, Mark!'

Mark ran on, but he knew he could not run too far. He hadn't slept the night before; he was exhausted and terribly frightened. He finally came to a very large, thick-trunked tree, and he hid there behind it, panting for breath.

A few minutes passed, and he heard Damien's voice again, very close now. Just on the other side of the tree. 'I know you're there,' Damien said.

Mark trembled. 'Leave me alone,' he said sounding weak even to himself.

Damien made a wide circle around the trunk coming to a stop some six feet in front of Mark. 'Why are you running away from me?' He actually sounded distressed.

There was a long pause. Finally Mark said in a hushed voice, 'I know... who you are.'

Damien smiled. 'You do?’