“Okay,” Alana said. “Doesn’t matter. I need to ask you about what happened.”

Riley’s eyes went wide.

“I know. It sucks. But believe me, I am trying to help. I’m here to get rid of whatever took your family.”

For the first time, a little hope seeped into Riley’s expression. “You can do that?”

Alana nodded. “Yes. That’s my job. But I need to know what you saw.”

Riley hesitated again. She looked away. Then she began talking.

She’d woken up when she heard a loud thump. She thought it came from the direction of her brothers’ room. Possibly their closet. She heard a door slam, and wandered toward the hallway, still half-asleep, to tell them to be quiet.

She opened her door and saw her father rush past her, then her mother. They were running, because someone was yelling. It was quiet for a moment. There was another thud, and then something dark and heavy inside her brothers’ room. Riley stood frozen in her doorway and watched as her mother ran out. Riley saw the blood all down her side, but didn’t recognize it at first.

She doesn’t think her mother saw her. That was what was really scary. Donna Peterson was running in pure animal panic. She went right past her daughter.

Something went charging past Riley in pursuit, something awful. It didn’t look at Riley either.

Her mom got as far as the front door and opened it, and that’s when it got her. It pulled her back, and knocked her down in the kitchen, slashing at her with razor-like claws. It dragged her back, easily, though she was pulling at the rug with both hands.

The whole time, Riley stood, frozen, watching. She’d never seen so much blood. Not in her whole life.

Her mom looked up and screamed at her, “Riley, hide!”

Or maybe she said, “Riley, help!”

Riley wasn’t sure. She didn’t help. She hid. She ran under her bed and curled into a ball. She kept her eyes shut tight.

The thing came for her, but Riley held onto the bedframe. It scratched at her arms, but it kept jumping back like it was burned whenever it touched the frame. (Cold iron, Alana knew. Things from the Other Side hated it. That was the only reason Riley was spared.)

It gave up. Riley didn’t come out, though. She kept her eyes closed all night. She had to go to the bathroom really bad, but she held it until she couldn’t anymore, and she peed her pants. She heard the neighbor come in, she heard shouting, and she heard the police thumping around. But she thought it might be a trick. She didn’t come out. She was still terrified.

“Good girl,” Alana said. “You were smart, and you stayed safe. You did the right thing.”

Riley smiled a little at that.