The first hint of danger was a howl so distant, it was more a feeling than a sound.

I know these people, Sadie,” Jim said quietly. “They’re all good folks.” “I know. That’s what bothers me.

It was like a mask had been pulled away from his face, uncovering a monster hidden beneath his friendly façade.

In his stupor, the forest had begun to change. The sounds were confusing, his eyes blurring in his exhaustion. He tugged another branch out of the way, gasping as a jagged twig poked through the palm of his hand, momentarily catching there. The pain was almost an afterthought, his fingers no longer working effectively.