Landing on the pantry floor, Thorn crawled on all fours, dazed, trying to get his bearings. Finding the child unconscious beside him, he tried to lift him but was unable, falling backward as he heard the sound of the kiteKr door opening and dizzily turned. It was Mrs. Baylock, staggering forward, her head a fountain of blood He struggled to regain his footing, but she caught him by the coat, spinning him as he desperately pulled at drawers that flew out of his grip, their contents spilling upon the floor. He too came crashing down, the woman flinging herself upon him, her bloodied hands digging viciously into his throat. Her face was pink from the mixture of powder and blood, her teeth caked with it as she snarled, her mouth opening wide with the full force of exertion. Thorn was helpless, choking, as he stared into her maniacal eyes, her face coming closer until her lips pressed hard upon his. The floor around them was littered with utensils spilled from the drawers and Thorn's hand> reaching desperately outward, found a pair of forks and gripped them tight in each fist. In a single violent motion they streaked upward, smacking hard into her head, implanting deeply in the temples on either side. She shrieked and fell backward; Thorn stumbled to his feet as the woman rose beside him, staggering about the room, trying in vain to pull out the forks that protruded from her head

Lurching into the pantry, Thorn grabbed the still-unconscious child and reeled toward the garage door, bursting through it and stumbling toward the opened door of the car. He was about to make it when a sudden snarl rose beside him, a blur of black fur flying through the air and connecting with his shoulder as he fell sideways into the car. It was the dog, ripping at his arm, straining to pull him back out. The child had landed in the seat beside him, and Thorn reached for the door with his good hand, banging it hard into the dog's muzzle until blood flowed and the animal, howling in pain, let go, the door slamming shut in front of him.