That night as she lay sleeping, something invaded her mind. He began having strange dreams. Dreams of wooded areas and wild animals. Blood and death seemed the common theme. All around her she could see dead gutted animals, their entrails lying in pools of blood. She began to run as fast as she could, frantic to escape whatever was chasing her. Deep guttural growls chased behind her, fast footsteps approached closer and closer. She dodged around trees and over roots, always to

be captured by a low-lying branch. Tripping her, causing her to fall. As she turned over to her back, she could distinctly make out a wild dog of some kind leaping towards her. Fangs bore with a deathlike vengeance. Eyes of evil, intent on feeding. She screamed and leapt from her bed. Heart pounding, covered in cold sweat, breathless.

In those moments between wide awake and sleep, she seemed to sense a remaining presence in her room. So strong she almost wanted to call out to it. But as wakefulness overcame sleep and danger, she realized that she was the only one in the room.

She rose from her bed, still shaking from her nightmare, and made her way to the kitchen. Maybe a hot cup of tea would calm her down enough to get back to sleep. As she filled her mug and placed it in the microwave, she heard a strange sound outside her back door. A scratching, as if some animal wanted in. She walked to the door and threw on the outdoor light. All was quiet and calm as usual. The big maple tree in the middle of the courtyard stood guard over all. The benches sat

empty, waiting for some company. She saw nothing out of the ordinary. She never noticed the shadow of a young man creeping away in the darkness.

The same dream haunted her the following night. Again, she woke up feeling as though she was not alone, and again, she was.