The New Neighbor

He pulled himself over the floor with the distant sound of the dogs barking across the street still in his ears and -

– something else.

Robby heard his dad… grunting. Although it was a sound he'd never heard his dad make before, it was unmistakable.

They're fucking? he thought vaguely. Mom must not be too sick.

There was a moment of pause, a moment of embarrassment, then the panic set in again and Robby realized the interruption couldn't be helped. He dug his fingers into the carpet and crawled toward the bedroom.

* * * *

George lay on top of Lorelle, trying to hold in his cries as he slammed into her again and again, approaching his second orgasm as he looked down at her grinning face. His semen glistened around her mouth and in her hair and she reached up, swept her fingers through it, then licked them like candy.

She pulled away suddenly and George had to gulp back the shout of protest that rose in his throat.

Sitting up, she reached down between her legs and slipped three fingers inside herself. When she removed them, they were dripping wet. Lorelle rolled over onto her knees, ass raised high, and reached back between her cheeks, sliding each wet finger into her asshole slowly, one at a time.

George's breath came faster as he watched her, then stopped completely when she wrapped her fingers around his cock, pulled it toward her and pushed herself back to meet him.

He entered her with an almost painful groan and clawed her back as he pounded into her ass harder and harder and harder until.

* * * *

Robby heard a low, throaty groan, then a loud thump from the bedroom as if something heavy had fallen to the floor. Sprawled on the floor, mouth hanging open, Robby listened and, when he heard nothing more, became even more afraid.

What's happening? he thought, and took another breath, this time managing a feeble, 'What's… wrong? What's – “

The very air changed. The darkness seemed to thicken and Robby felt as if his breath were being sucked out through his eye sockets.

The house chilled, became so cold that Robby expected to see his breath puff before him.

Something moved behind the closed door, then -

– silence.

No grunting or groaning. Even the dogs had stopped barking.

Except…

Something gushed outside, like a sudden burst of wind.

Again… and again…

Like the slow flapping of great wings.

Then Robby blinked several times rapidly, feeling slightly confused, and looked around at the dark hallway. He stood easily, the deadly fatigue gone, and went to his parents' bedroom door, listened.

Nothing but his dad's snoring.

Massaging his eyes, Robby returned to his room. As he got back in bed, he tried to imagine his mom and dad making love. He'd tried before, unsuccessfully, but this time the image that came to mind was clear and vivid, as if he were in the room watching them. He relaxed in his bed, strangely warmed by the vision of his parents naked and entwined.

Outside his bedroom window, rain pattered and wind sighed and, once again, Robby sat up and looked out. There was a light on across the street at Lorelle's. A shadow moved behind the newly hung curtains, which suddenly parted, and -

– Robby ducked quickly, pulling the covers up to his chin. He didn't want to see her. He didn't even want to think about her.

And for some reason, he did not want her to see him.

He was still awake a few minutes later when a pulsing red and blue glow seeped in around the edges of his window shade. He pulled it aside to see Lorelle walking out to meet a police officer getting out of his car. Robby slid his window open a few inches and listened.

Above the hiss and crackle of the car's radio, Robby could hear their voices, but could only make out some of the words.

'… prowler a while ago,' Lorelle said.

'… good look at him? Or did… '

'… walked with a cane and wore a fedora… dark overcoat… scarred face, horribly scarred… arm with a metal hand… '

Robby closed the window and let the shade drop back into place.

Could she have seen him? There hadn't been any sign of life over there other than the dogs barking. And even if she had, how could she have seen his metal hand if he wore a glove over it, as Jen had said?

Outside, the car door slammed and the policeman drove away.

Robby tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't relax.

Something wasn't right…

Chapter 8

Something in the Air

It was not a typical weekend for the Pritchards. On Saturday morning, the sun rose behind lead-gray clouds and was nearing its peak before everyone in the house was awake.

Jen crawled out of bed, put on her robe, then shuffled around the house, her eyes closed half the time. After a while she realized she was the only one up. She made herself some toast, turned on the television and stared blearily at some dumb cartoon. As she began to feel more awake, her thoughts kept returning to the hideous man she'd met the night before, and the nightmares through which he'd stalked her in her sleep. She decided that, when he woke up, she would tell Dad about the man. She was afraid if she didn't, he would be chasing her through her sleep for many nights to come, laughing through his twisted grin as his shiny steel hand clutched at her hair.

But when Dad finally walked out into the living room wearing his bathrobe, his hair looking like a clump of barbed wire that had been pressed into his scalp, Jen had second thoughts. He was pale and moved slowly with his eyes half closed.

'Morning, Dad,' she said tentatively.

He went to the recliner, where Monroe was sleeping in a curled-up ball. He swatted the cat hard with his knuckles. Monroe hissed as he dove from the chair and shot out of the room.

Jen was startled. He usually lifted Monroe out of the chair. She knew he didn’t like Monroe, but she’d never seen him hit the cat before.

'You feeling okay, Dad?'

He made a noise in his throat and moved his head, but that was all.

It'll wait, Jen thought, turning back to the television.

* * * *

Every inch of George's body ached. He couldn't remember drinking anything more than a beer last night, but he