What in the actual hell?

I watch as he moves closer to the house. He’s wearing all black, so it’s hard to keep track of him, but his blond hair stands out against the darkness just enough.

After spying on him for a while and trying to figure out what the heck he’s doing, I decide I’m just going to go out there. It could be a risky move, depending on if he’s trying to rob us or not, but at this point, I don’t really care.

After I put out the joint, I slip on my jacket and carefully step out of my bedroom and shut the door behind me. Then I tiptoe down the stairs, moving slowly, partly to be quiet and partly because my side hurts like a little bitch. When I reach the bottom, I sneak a glance toward the kitchen. The light is on, and I can see my uncle sitting at the table, staring at the pendant he jerked off me.

What’s his deal with that thing? I hadn’t thought about it too much when I picked it up, but with the way he acted when he saw it on me … Something’s up, and I want to find out what.

I make a mental note to look into it, even though I’m unsure where to start, then I quietly walk over to the front door and sneak outside. The front porch light isn’t on, so I easily make my way around to the back without being seen.

Instead of stepping out into the open, I pause at the edge of the house and peer around for Hunter. He’s gotten closer to the house, right beside it, and is hunkering down below the kitchen window where my uncle is.

At this point, I’m unsure how to proceed. I mean, the entire situation is bizarre.

“I’m not sure,” Hunter suddenly whispers, startling me. “I can look through the window, but I’m worried someone is in there.”

I squint against the darkness to see who he’s talking to and manage to make out that he has what looks like his phone in his hand.

“I know,” he whispers. “But … I just don’t want to get caught, okay?” He pauses again. “The only way to see if he’s in there is to look through the window, but what if he’s right there?”

Don’t ask me why I do what I do next. Maybe my mind is so drained that I’m not thinking clearly. Whatever the reason, I say, “If you’re talking about my uncle, he’s right in the kitchen. And if you look through that window, he’ll for sure see you.”

Hunter lets out a string of curses then pauses. “Raven?”

“Yeah.” I step out from my hiding space, and he moves out from underneath the window, straightening.

“What’re you doing out here?” he asks, sounding on edge.

I inch toward him. “Shouldn’t I be asking that question?”

“Yeah, you’re right.” He scratches the back of his neck. “Look, this isn’t what it looks like.”