Blood Red

Something.

A shape.

Living darkness?

At the end of the pool, looking like a large black hole in the universe, someone—or some thing—in conversation with Deanna.

Deanna, looking gorgeous, was in a nothing but a white cotton nightgown, her hand to her heart, staring at… What?

Lauren couldn’t see clearly, but she was sure there was something there. Something besides darkness.

Darkness that moved.

Mark flew past Lauren. She was amazed anyone so big could move so fast and immediately thought he must have played football, then wondered how she could waste time thinking about something so inane thought when she was so afraid. As Mark ran, she noticed that he had pulled something from his pocket. Suddenly liquid went flying into the living darkness that lurked just behind Deanna.

Lauren came to a halt, her heart pounding. Mark had moved beyond Deanna, setting himself between her and whatever had been there. She refused to accept her feeling that she had seen a dark cloud of evil in the air. Someone had been there. She was simply being tricked by the shadows.

But when the liquid had flown, she was sure she had heard something.

A hissing.

Now the shadow was gone, and so was Mark. He didn’t go out the gate, though. Like a quarterback heading down the field with the ball, he ran—and leapt over the wall separating the cottages from the next property.

She stared after him blankly for a moment.

Then she jolted back to reality. Deanna was just standing there, shaking.

“Deanna!” she cried, and rushed forward, putting her arms around her friend.

Deanna didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge her.

“Deanna?” she said again, tentatively.

Deanna jumped, as if suddenly awakening from a deep sleep, and stared at Lauren.

“I…” She fell silent, looking around in confusion. “I don’t remember coming out here,” she said, and shivered. “Was I sleepwalking again? I had a dream. I thought that I was going out to see Jonas…but then it wasn’t Jonas.” She sounded lost and afraid. Then, suddenly, her demeanor changed. “Were you talking to Mark Davidson? What on earth is the matter with that man? Why was he trying to hurt Jonas?” Her tone had gone from confused to impatient and irritated.

“Deanna, this is serious. And it has nothing to do with Mark or Jonas,” she said firmly. “You were sleepwalking again. And you screamed.”

“I did not!” Deanna said, shocked.

“Is everything all right?”

Lauren swung around. It was Helen; she and Janice had emerged from their cottage, clutching robes around themselves.

“Oh,” Deanna groaned. “Did I wake you? Did I really scream?”

“You did,” Janice said. “Someone did, anyway.”

“I didn’t mean to. I’m so sorry. I even watched my drinking tonight,” Deanna said apologetically.

Heidi came wandering out then, half asleep, confused. “Hey, what’s going on out here?”

“It’s all right,” Deanna said, seeming like her usual self again, dismissing her disturbing behavior as if it were pure silliness. “You can dress me up, but you just can’t take me anywhere,” she said lightly. “I’ve had dreams my whole life, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but I never woke up the whole neighborhood before. I am so sorry.”

“No problem. Good we’re all nearby, huh?” Janice said cheerfully, then murmured, “That’s strange. Where’s tall, dark and to die for from cottage six? You’d think he’d be out here. He’s such a…”

“Lean, mean, fighting machine?” Helen teased.

“I think he’s a cop or something,” Janice said.

“He’s a writer and musician,” Lauren corrected.

“So he says. I think he’s a cop. FBI, maybe.”

I think he’s crazy

, Lauren longed to say.

Then again, this whole night was crazy. Though the courtyard felt entirely normal now, she had to admit—no strange eyes watching them, no living shadows—it was damp, late and dark. And Deanna was ashen and still shivering.

“Mark…” Deanna murmured. She laughed. “I think he went off to fight the monster from my dream.”

So much for Deanna being angry with him for attacking Jonas, Lauren thought.

“Well, as long as everyone is all right…” Janice said, and yawned.