First question of the test has been answered, the little voice said. Quite well indeed! Maybe instead of the student being intimidated, the student can do something to intimidate the test? Maybe there’s a weakness, Matthew.

There had to be something. Everything had a weakness. The difficult part was finding the weakness before dying. Yeah, that was the real trick.

Matt knew the thing was watching him, could feel its gaze upon him at all times. And he knew its breathing and ground-pounding gave it away. Another note in the file, he thought. It wasn’t much, but he was starting to collect information. And in this situation, any knowledge gained was precious.

He fought a powerful urge to yell at the creature, to let it know he knew it was watching him.

Oh don’t do that, the anxiety voice said. The point is to collect information, not give it away. Perhaps it’s best not to irritate? Keep every little thing you have to yourself. Surprises are tactical advantages, and you are at war for your life, Matthew.

He trudged back to the road, sickened at being handled by it.

You better get used to it, the voice said. Unless of course you don’t want more information, instead preferring to die like a confused, bleating sheep.

Matt hoisted the water jugs up the driveway, eyes darting across the orchard and tree line. His tipped truck looked like a mechanical bison, struck with tree branch arrows. He and his father had worked hard on the truck over the years, adding the bed cap, touching up the rough spots, and performing other repairs. His fingers clenched the plastic jug handles, deforming them.

Revenge without a plan isn’t revenge, it’s stupidity, the little voice said.

He wondered if the truck could run. He set the water inside the shack and grabbed the musty rope from the cardboard box under the bunk bed. With rope in hand he walked over to his disabled steed. Once on top, he opened the passenger door and tied the rope around the window frame. Then he tossed the rope end over the side of the truck and climbed down. Matt wrapped the end of the rope around the front axle and pulled it tight, raising the passenger door in the process. He tied a knot and stepped back.

It was enough to hold.

The last thing he needed was to be trapped in the truck and by the creature.

In this game, always leave an exit, Matthew, the voice said. Always.