fullyrisen,sothatitcouldserveaspass,butatthetime,mythoughtswerecloudedbyquestions.Whathadshebeenthinking,planning,doingformybirthday?HowwasItogrowolder,beaman,stucketernallyinthissmall,uselessbody?Thewaningslivermoondippedanddisappeared.

    Asmallcreek,notmorethanatrickle,bisectedthepath.Idecidedtofollowthewater.Tragacreekatdawnbeapeacefulexperiendthosewoodshadappearedsoofteninmydreamsastobeasfamiliartomeasmyowhecreekitselfrahastonyroad,andtheroadledmetoasolitaryfarmhouse.Fromtheculvert,Isawtheroofandcircledroundtothebackasthefirstsunraysbathedtheporgold.

    Sometrickoflightgavethehouseanunfinishedappearance,asifcaughtinadreambetweennightandday.Ihalfexpectedmymothertoethroughthedoor,callingmehomefordinner.Asthelightbroughtitintofocus,thehousetookonamorewelingcharacter,itswindowslosingtheirmenagstare,itsdoorlessandlesslikeahungrymouth.Isteppedoutoftheforestandontothelawn,leavingadarkwakebehihewetgrass.Thedoorswungopensuddenly,petrifyihespot.Amancamedowairs,pausingo-to-bottomsteptolightacigarette.edinabluerobe,thefiguretookoepforward,thenliftedhisfoot,startledbythemoisture.Helaughedandcursedsoftly.

    Thespecterstilldidnotnoticeme,thoughwefacedeachother—heattheedgeofthehouse,andIattheedgeoftheforest.Iwaurnaroundahewaslookingfor,butIstoodfrozenasahareasthedaybreakliftedaroundus.Fromthelawn,achillroseinwispsoffog.Hedrewcloser,andIheldmybreath.Notadozenstepsbetweenus,hestopped.Thecigarettefellfromhisfingers.Hetookonemoresteptowardme.Hisbrowcreasedwithworry.Histhinhairb