“That's about the size of it, and 
since I’ve been teaching Miss Rhonda   
the biz, I locked everything back up,  
so she could try it for herself.”      
     He looked at his watch. “That was 
two hours ago.”                        
     “My parents almost wouldn’t let me
come. It’s why I’m late,” she          
explained, “but once I got started, it 
only took me twenty minutes. Twenty-   
five, if you include the time it took  
me to pet a couple dozen cats and dogs.
Shit, you guys got a lot of pets.”     
     Beth and I had to laugh. We had   
the same problem when we went out to   
the barn, or anywhere around the back  
of the house, but not the front.       
     For some reason, our babies never 
ventured far from the barn, and that   
also included going to the front of the
* house. It was odd, but I was glad,       
because the front of the house was the 
only thing that separated them from the
road.                                  
     Since I’ve lived here, at least   
ten animals have been killed on that   
road. I know that for a fact, because  
Beth and I were there, trying to save  
every damn one of them.                
     The Darkness was also there.      
     “That’s not bad Miss Rhonda,”     
Darryl said chuckling, and then        
instantly got serious, “and also good  
for you, Crim, but I'd still recommend 
you get better locks for those two     
cellar doors, and also the one up      
here,” he said and pointed to it.      
     He paused for a second, and then  
added, “Also, never, ever, oil any of  
those hinges. Squeaky hinges and creaky
boards are your best friends, and      
they’re free.”                         



CHAPTER 14: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st
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