throughthegapbetweenhouses.Tessreturhthecoffeetoolatetoseethemgo,andohecreaturesdisappeared,thedogsquieted,settledbatheirkennels,andrelaxedtheirs.

    "Didyoufigureoutwhatalltheotionwasabout?"

    "Twothingsrunningthroughtheneighborhood,"

    "Things?"

    "Idontknow."Itookasip."Littlemonsters."

    "Monsters?"

    "tyousmelltheirawfulodor?Likesomeoranoveraskunk."

    "Henry,whatareyoutalkingabout?Idohing."

    "Idontknowwhatsetthosedogsoff.Masshysteria,afigmentoftheirdoggybrains?Amouseandabat?Acoupleofkids."

    Sheputhercoolhandonmyforehead."Areyoufeelingokay,Henry?Youdontseemyourselftoday."

    "Imnot,"Isaid."MaybeIshouldgobacktobed."

    AsIdriftedofftosleep,thegelingshauntedmydreams.Adozeoutofthewoods,steppingoutfrombehiree.Theykeptoning,abandofhollowchildren,surroundingmyhome,advangtowardthedoorsandwindows.Trappedinside,Iracedfromfloortofloorandlookedoutthroughpeepholesandfrombehindcurtainsastheysilentlymarchedandassembledinaring.IrandownthehalltoEddiesroom,andhewasababyagain,curledupinaballinhiscrib.Ishookhimtowakehimupandrunwithme,butwhenthechildrolledover,hehadthefaceofagrownman.Iscreamedandlockedmyselfihroom.FromthetinywindowIcouldseethemonstersbegintoclimbuptheporchrails,scalethewallslikespiders,theirevilfacesturome,menadhatredintheirglowingeyes.Windowswereshatteredinotherrooms;theglassexplodingandhittingthefloorin