Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
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The most likely time for them to come was between eight and ten o’clock, so within the next two hours. She’d have to keep very still and stay in the same position for all that time. One movement and they might see her and flee. She made herself as comfortable as possible and held the phone ready in her lap. They wouldn’t be able to see her unless they came right up to the glass and looked in. As soon as they began taking the food she’d start filming, the infrared on her phone camera allowing her to film in the dark.
Jan kept very still and waited. Tinder was quiet upstairs, hopefully asleep. The minutes passed and her breath came fast and shallow.
Unable to risk checking her phone in case they were approaching and saw, she could only guess the time. She thought it was nine o’clock, not much later. It felt like nearly an hour had gone by, but it was difficult to tell. More time passed. She hoped it hadn’t all been in vain. Perhaps they’d been watching her arrange the food and had guessed her intention. She thought they were intelligent enough.
More time passed and then Jan saw a small movement at the very edge of her vision. She didn’t dare turn her head and risk being seen. Were they coming, lured in by the food? Investigating or eating it? Would they follow the trail and come close enough to the window for her to film? Her heart raced as her fingers closed around the phone. She kept very still and concentrated hard.
Another minute passed and then she saw a small hand. She had to stop herself from crying out. So she hadn’t been imagining it! Petrified but enthralled, she watched as it took a grape. Then a wrist appeared. Lean like a child’s but covered in fine hair. What was she seeing? It was taking food, but then the hand abruptly disappeared from view. Shit! Had she lost her chance to film? Jan kept very still, phone at the ready. Willing it to reappear but at the same time dreading it.
A few moments passed and the hand appeared again and then an arm, covered by the sleeve of a jacket. Her heart beat wildly. He was turned away so she couldn’t see his face, but he was the size and shape of a young boy. There must be children living feral in the woods like animals. There was no other explanation. She’d discovered something incredible and alarming that no one else knew. Should she start filming now or wait in the hope of getting a better view? She was sure she’d only get one chance.
Senses on full alert, Jan waited as he stayed where he was, turned away and eating. If she waited too long, she might miss her chance.