I was about to move on when I felt him tense. His head dropped, his breathing changed, and a low rumble rose from his throat. He did not respond to my touch.

'What is it, boy?'

More rumbling.

'Not another dead squirrel.'

I reached out to stroke him and felt hackles. Not good. I tugged the leash.

'Come on, boy, we're turning back.'

He would not move.

'Boyd.'

The growl grew deeper, more savage.

I aimed my light where Boyd was staring. The beam crawled over tree trunks and was sucked into dead zones of blackness between.

I yanked the leash harder. Boyd whipped left and barked. I swept my light in that direction.

'This isn't funny, dog.'

Then my eyes made out a form. Or had it been a trick of shadow? In the moment I glanced down at Boyd, what I thought I'd seen vanished. Or had it been there at al?

'Who's there?' Fear crimped my voice.

Nothing but crickets and frogs. A falen tree lodged against one stil standing groaned and creaked in the air.

Suddenly I heard movement behind me. Footfals. The rustling of leaves.

Boyd turned and snapped, lunging as far as the leash would alow.

'Who's there?' I repeated.

A silhouette emerged from the trees, denser than the surrounding night. Boyd snarled and tore at the leash. The dark shape moved toward us.

'Who is it?'

No answer.

I thrust the flashlight and leash into one hand and reached for my cel phone with the other. Before I could autodial, it slipped from my shaking fingers.

'Stay back!' It was almost a shriek.

I raised the light to shoulder level. As I was readjusting the leash for better control, about to reach for the phone, my grip loosened. Boyd broke free and charged, teeth gleaming, a fierce growl rumbling from his throat.

In an instant the silhouette altered shape. An arm uncurled.

Boyd leaped.

A flash. A deafening crack.

The dog bounced off the silhouette, dropped to the ground, whimpered, and lay stil.

'Boyd!'

Tears ran down my cheeks. I wanted to tel him I'd take care of him. Tel him he'd be al right, but my body was paralyzed with fear, and no words came from my mouth.

The form moved swiftly toward me now. I turned to run. Hands grabbed me. I twisted, wrenched free. The shadow coalesced into a man.

He hit me with his ful weight, his shoulder beneath my armpit. The shock of the impact sent me faling sideways.

The last thing I remembered was breath on my face, sprawling. Then the crack of my skul against igneous rock.

===OO=OOO=OO===

The dream was frightening. An airless place. I couldn't move. I couldn't see. Then something stroked my cheek.

I opened my eyes to a reality more helish than any nightmare.

My mouth was stuffed and wrapped with tape. I was blindfolded.