Anna lowered her axe and released the tension from her muscles. Standing straight again, Anna look over to Lisa, who had curled up in pain beside the campfire. Though she didn´t seem to be dangerous in any way. Anna slowly moved towards the Hag and crouched down next to her. The wind was howling through the forest and the rustling of the leaves joined Lisa's gasping breath.
With her left hand, Anna tried to turn her around. Gently, she pulled on Lisa's right shoulder and laid her on her back. The Hag kept her eyes closed, blood spurted from her gaping mouth. A morbid rattle could be heard as Lisa pressed her claws on the injury. Anna spotted a long wound running across her stomach.
Fear seized Anna's mind. She knew Lisa. Lisa had always been kind to her in the Fog. The Entity had hurt Anna, Herman had, Evan had. But not Lisa. Lisa was her friend and she obviously was in mortal danger.
Awkwardly, Anna tore the blue cloth from her belt and tried to squeeze it on the wound. Immediately the fabric darkened, became wet and heavy. Anna did not know what to do – She had learned to hunt and to fight, but she had never learned to heal once the damage was done.
Desperately, the Huntress thought about a way that could save Lisa. Quickly she rose to her feet and looked around the woods. Maybe someone was nearby. Someone who could help. But there was nobody there. Only the darkness.
Anna growled in frustration and she angrily stamped her foot on the ground. She knelt down again, bowing over Lisa. The Hag's chest rose and fell slower with every second passed, her breaths lost their strength. She had taken Anna's blue cloth between her hands and pressed it against the wound herself now. In agony, Lisa opened her eyes and looked at Anna, who could do nothing but stare back. Then a thought flashed though her mind.
Sally.
Sally would know what to do. She always knows.
Effortlessly, Anna picked up the groaning Hag from the floor and put her over the shoulder. Lisa was small, a true lightweight, so the Huntress had no problem carrying her, just as if she was a survivor in one of the trials. Anna tightened the grip around the axe in her right hand and clung to Lisa's trembling body with her left. She could feel the heartbeat of the injured and knew that her life was not yet lost.
Quickly she started running as fast as her legs could carry her. Following a narrow path, she broke through the undergrowth and set out to find Sally. Pointy branches and sharp stones cut her bare feet, but Anna was used to it. She did not need boots. Her soles were strong and resilient and the forest floor was no obstacle to her.

James Fairfield headed straight for the sheriff's office, knocking on the door three times. The by-going officers looked up in surprise and studied the two men who had just entered the police station, but made no move to intervene. They knew James and they knew he was one of their sheriff's best friends. It was not uncommon for him to come in late at night to have a drink with his friend after work. Since Dwight was kidnapped, his visits had only doubled.
"Come in," a voice came through office door. There were a bunch of white letters on the blurred glass, reading: "Sheriff Albert Freeman."
James opened the door, signalling Ace to follow him.
"Why, James!" the sheriff, an elderly African American man with a grey moustache, called in surprise as he spotted his friend coming through the door. He immediately got up from behind his desk.
"What gives me the honour? Wanna drink with your old pal? And who is this young fella?"
"I have an important issue to discuss with you, Albert," James replied.
"An important issue?", the sheriff asked a bit dumbfounded: "Of course, ´m listening."
"Dwight is back."
"What?"
"He showed up on my doorstep, just last night."
"Really?" the sheriff asked, leaning his back against the desk: "Why that's wonderful news. Is he alright?"
"Yes, yes, he is well. Albert ... "
"Damn, James, to be honest, I almost did not think I'd ever see the boy again," the sheriff mumbled, scratching his beard. "These are indeed important things to discuss. Does he know something about the other missing people? I wanna talk to him."
"Albert, before that," James interrupted the officer. "please remind me of the names of the other missing people. Do you remember them?"
"Of course I do. Not like their files were covering my desk for the last six months or something. Well, there is Meg Thomas," the sheriff raised a finger: "Last thing we know she was jogging near the western woods. Jake Park," the sheriff raised another finger, "lived in a hut near these same woods. Feng Min, also a girl from Waltonfield. Her parents immigrated from China. Claudette Morel, a student from Canada. Seems to have taken a walk and was last seen near the western woods as well. Nea Karlsson, a young girl from your block, James. I've had her a few times here at the station for minor offenses. I do not know if her disappearance is related to the others, but it could very well be that she just messed up with some criminals. Got into the wrong company a long time ago. A pity, but what can you do?"
"Regarding all these people," James said slowly, "they all turned up at my door this afternoon. All except Jake Park, it seems."
"Don't **** with me, James." the sheriff was rather incredulous, crossed his arms. "We shouldn't joke about…"
"Do I look like I'm joking?" James replied, and Albert looked at him speechless for a moment. Then he said, "If that's true, then the incidents must be related. Something to go on after all this time. But why are they all coming to you?"
"My son gathered them all in one place," Dwight's father answered, "The kidnappings really are connected as far as I know. But I think I'm not the right one to explain that."
Ace, who had remained in the background so far, stepped forward and held out his hand to the sheriff.
"This is Ace Visconti," James introduced him, and the officer gently shook the Argentine's hand in surprise. "He has some important information for you." James remarked, and Ace continued, "Indeed I do. I´ve been abducted as well, but without a family to report my missing, I have not become a case in your drawer. Dwight and all the others, including myself were kidnapped by one same being. The Entity, as we call it."
"A being? You mean a person?"
"I think creature would be a fitting word."
"What the hell…", the sheriff wanted to know, but Ace did not let him speak:" Please listen carefully. The Entity is still lurking out there. Hidden in the western forests. It is weakened, so we were able to escape. The Entity has supernatural powers and keeps slaves, whom it has deformed into brutal killers. We know that at least two of these killers have escaped with us and are currently in close vicinity to Waltonfield. You have to ... "
"I've heard enough, "the sheriff exclaimed angrily," James, what are you thinking? Bringing a…storyteller here to have fun fooling me?"
"We thought you wouldn't believe us," Ace said, pulling the officer's attention back to himself as he walked to the window. He looked out into the night and down to a car parked in front of the station. A quick nod, then Ace turned back to the sheriff. "That's why we brought proof."
A gust of wind passed through the office, sweeping the documents from the sheriff's desk as Sally appeared in the middle of the room, her left hand shaped into a glowing fist. With her covered face, she looked around the room and finally discovered the sheriff, who had torn his hands up in shock. Sally stooped down from her hovering position and said in a matter-of-fact tone: "Good evening, Sheriff. I think you might have a problem."

"So you´ve seen the intruder?"
"Yes"
"Did you recognize him?"
"No"
"Can you describe him?"
"Yes, he ... he was tall. Bigger than anyone I know. And he had black skin ... "
"So he is African American?"
"No, no, not dark skin. Black skin. Rough, almost like charred tree bark. And he had bright eyes. Like in horror movies. He…"
"So the intruder wore a mask?"
"No ... maybe ... though it didn't look like a mask."
"Mrs. Ojomo, I hope you don't want to tell me a monster broke into your house?"
The policeman looked questioningly at her over his notepad. Alexandra briefly glanced back at him and then buried her face in her hands. She did not even know what to believe. She only knew what she had seen and she was not surprised that they police had a hard time believing her. Even she had a hard time believing what she saw.
"You're in shock," the officer said. "We can continue this conversation later if you want to."
"I'm not in shock," Alexandra replied nervously. Then she noticed that she was shaking: "Alright, maybe a little. But I know what I saw. You have to believe me. You have to look for him. He got into my daughter's bedroom without even breaking a window or causing any noise. Locked doors are obviously no obstacle for him. What if he's breaking into another house right now?"
"Mrs. Ojomo, the window in your daughter's room was open," the policeman said. "I think it's probable that he used it to gain access to your house."
"I closed the window after I put Rachel to sleep and he was not there yet," Alexandra replied. "That I know."
"But it was opened when we got here. Listen. From your statement, I can only conclude that: The intruder came through the window, hid in the room while you were closing the window and was caught later when you returned to you daughter's room. He hid again and escaped through the same window once you left the room. As far as we know he didn't steal anything and he didn't seem to want to use violence."
The policeman put down his notebook and crossed his arms. Meanwhile, Alexandra stared blankly at the table top in her kitchen. The officer was probably right. It had been nothing but an attempt burglary. She should just be glad that nothing had happened to her daughters.
"I don´t think he's coming back," the officer concluded and got up from the table, "but you should close all windows and lock your doors before going to bed. I'll wait for you tomorrow at the station for charge against person unknown. We´ll get in touch once we learn more."
Alexandra nodded and got up to see the man to the door. His partner was in the living room with Jade and Rachel, and stood up as well when he saw his colleague going out. Alexandra glanced at her daughters. Jade looked as scared as herself, but Rachel was as delighted as ever and had a cheerful grin across her face. She was obviously too young to understand the seriousness of the situation.
"Good night, Mrs. Ojomo," the policeman said before returning to the patrol car with his partner. The two climbed in and shortly after disappeared into the cold night. The officers must have thought she was confused, maybe even crazy. A cold wind brushed her shoulders, shivering, she closed the door. Alexandra went to her daughters in the living room, and Jade looked up at her.
"And? Are they going to look for him?"
"I don´t think so," Alexandra replied, "They probably think we are crazy."
"I told you." Jade seemed a little pleased. Her mother replied, "Still, we had to call the police, didn´t we? I mean, we didn´t just imagine all of this…right?" he pronounced the last few words with increasing uncertainty. Jade shook her head. "No, I´ve seen him ... it ... whatever that was. I'm just wondering what he wanted in Rachel's room."
At the thought of a kidnapping, Alexandra felt fear sweep into her stomach and she quickly lifted Rachel into her lap. It made her calm down a little.
"In the last few years, a lot of people have disappeared around here." Jade remarked, "And as far as I know, none of them have been found. Maybe it was this thing."
"Stop that nonsense," Alexandra replied, but she was not sure about it herself. Jade now fell silent and for a while she just sat there staring into nothingness. Finally, she got up, wished her mother good night, and made her way to her room. An image flashed before her eye. She had seen the intruder's face in the cone of light for a fraction of a second and he had stared directly at her just before he disappeared. Jade could not remember, but she was sure she knew the face from somewhere.

Meg sat at the dining table, poking her food without taken a bite for the past five minutes. Dwight's mother had made spaghetti with tomato sauce alla napoletana, but the athlete had no appetite. She didn´t feel like eating. To be honest, she didn´t feel like anything.
Nobody said a word. Firstly, because they were all busy with their plates, and secondly, because no one really had anything to say. It was silent in the living room and everyone was occupied with their own thoughts, maybe even fears.
Meg raised her head a bit and looked around. Dwight and Nea enjoyed the noodles, apparently hungry after their trip to the woods. Feng seemed to like the meal as well and the Asian girl did not notice how Meg's eyes briefly rested on her. And when Meg looked at Claudette and realized that the Canadian too was staring at her food more than she was really eating.
Claudette returned Meg's gaze and then looked back at her plate. Meg also turned away and looked out of the window. The night was dark and it seemed as if the light from the street lights was somehow dimmer than usual. A shiver ran down her spine and suddenly she could hear a heartbeat in her ears. Her pulse was getting faster and sweat beads were forming on her forehead. Meg's ankles came out white as her grip tightened around her fork.
"Meg, are you all right?" Dwight asked cautiously, tearing her back into reality. She immediately took her eyes from the window and stared at him for a moment. Then she looked down at the fork. Meg noticed that she was shaking, so she hastily set the cutlery aside. Her gaze went around the room again. With the exception of Dwight, no one had seemed to notice her little panic attack, but when he had spoken to Meg, everyone had turned their attention towards her.
"Yes, yes, I ... I'm just not hungry."
"Don´t you like the spaghetti?" Dwight's mother asked solicitously, "I can make something else for you, no problem."
"No, thank you, the noodles are excellent," Meg hurried to answer, "I'm just not hungry, that's all"
She tried to form a smile and failed miserably.
"Come on, eat something," Dwight intervened, "That will do you good. You'll see."
Feng nodded encouragingly. Meg glanced from one to the other, before she answered, "Guys, thanks, but ..."
Her gaze swept out of the window again and in the pale glow of the street lights she recognized a figure. Everyone else followed her gaze. The silhouette moved down the street, seemed to be carrying a heavy load. The tall figure and the long stride made her fly over the sidewalk. Nea got up and walked to the window. Just as the person passed under a light, her face lit up and her identity was revealed. Meg now also stood up, with her heart beating up to her neck again. In the meantime, Nea moved away from the window and looked at Dwight, who exclaimed: "That´s Anna. What the hell is she doing here, I thought she wanted to stay in the forest."
The Swede did not answer, but was already halfway to the front door. She ignored her father calling after her and ran out into the night.
"Anna!"
The Huntress turned and looked right in her direction. She carried something over her left shoulder and only at the second glance Nea recognized that it was a body. Hopefully she hadn´t killed anyone and was now dragging their body through the streets. Terrible memories awoke in Nea's mind. Had Anna relapsed? Was the Huntress looking for a hook?
The killer paused for a moment before she spotted Nea across the street and quickly started walking towards her. Nea's breathing quickened as she saw the tall woman approaching. The flickers of the lights created sheen on the big axe the Huntress held in her right hand. Dwight appeared at Nea's side just before Anna came to a halt right in front of her.
"Where Sally?", The Huntress asked in Russian and Nea answered: "Sally is not here."
Anna growled in frustration and looked around desperately. Then she turned back to the survivors: "Help Lisa!"
Nea briefly tried to understand what Anna wanted them to do before her eyes fell on the body. Lisa, it went through her mind, that was the name of the Hag. Now she recognized the dark skin, the grey hair and the disfigured limbs.
"Here, into the house," Nea commanded, pointing to the Fairfield´s home: "quickly!"
The Huntress followed her along the short garden path and then stooped under the front door. In the corridor, Feng hastily made room with a squeak as Anna walked right past her and burst into the living room. Claudette and Meg were standing at the window and now following the entrance of the killer with fear in their eyes. Both of them took a step backwards as Anna looked at them.
Elizabeth, Noah, and Iris also seemed to be far more respectful of Anna than of Sally, who was much smaller compared to the Huntress. The tall woman was looking through the room apparently not knowing what to do.
"Help Lisa," she said again, but of course nobody understood except for Nea.
"Here," she answered and hastily cleared the plates from the dining table: "Put her down here."
Anna immediately did as she was told and lifted Lisa as gently as she could onto the table. Dwight's mother gasped in shock as she saw the Hag's face and everyone else tried to distance themselves as far as possible from the deformed body. In the meantime, Anna was looking at Nea, who had her eyes fixed on Lisa. Dwight slowly moved to her side while Feng hesitantly stepped into the living room, glaring at the Huntress's towering back.
"Is she alive?" Dwight asked. Nea didn´t answer but instead cautiously pulled the blue cloth from the Hag's belly to expose the wound underneath. Suddenly, Lisa was shaken by a fit of coughing and Nea flinched back. Blood ran out of the Hag's mouth and after she had briefly reared up, she fell back onto the table.
"Yeah, she's still alive," Nea answered and turned to Dwight's mother, "Do you have a first-aid kit in the house? Something to treat her?"
Elizabeth nodded, and immediately broke away from Lisa's sight as Nea urged her to hurry.
"Nea, are you sure?" Meg asked from the back: "She's a killer."
"Sally said she was fine," Nea answered, turning to Meg. The athlete did not look at her nor Lisa. Instead, her eyes were on Anna, whose tall figure surpassed all in the room. The Huntress followed Nea's gaze and eventually fell on Meg. For a brief moment, the two looked directly into each other's eyes, then Anna started a threatening growl. Meg shivered and pressed herself against the backwall.
"No," Nea quickly stepped between the two. "Meg won´t hurt you," she said in sloppy Russian: "She´s my friend."
Anna fell silent and tilted her head slightly to the right. Then she looked back at the Hag, who gasped for breath. So she said again: "Help Lisa"
Fortunately, Elizabeth came back just then with a first aid kit and brought it to Nea, taking a path that would lead her as far around Anna as possible.
"Thanks," Nea said, taking the small case. "Help Lisa," she murmured silently as she opened the closure and pulled out a roll of bandages. She then gently removed the blue cloth from the Hag's belly again and looked at the gaping wound. It was dirty. Cleaning it would be absolutely necessary before they could do anything else. Looking down again, Nea searched the first aid kit for a disinfectant.
"Here," Claudette said as she stepped up to her, bringing out the vial the Swede was looking for: "I´ll do it."
Nea nodded and made a step back while Claudette took her place with a professional look. She had always been the best healer during their trials and had saved her companions on numerous occasions. Anna's eyes locked on the Canadian girl as Claudette approached Lisa with the disinfectant and a swab.
"Hold her," Claudette said, waiting for Dwight and Nea to comply. Meanwhile, Anna took a step backwards. She realized that Lisa was in good hands and would be treated. She herself could not help, as she did not know how. From the corner of her eye, the Huntress noticed a movement and turned around. There, on her right, she discovered the small Asian girl, who quite obviously had not intended to catch the killer's attention. With her eyes wide open, she pushed herself against the wall and backed away a little as Anna squatted beside her. The masked woman cocked her head and looked at Feng for a moment. She reminded Anna of her own girls a little, back in Russia. But the thought was swept aside as she heard Lisa groan in pain.
Claudette had begun to cleanse the Hag's wound, and Lisa had palpably agitated herself, but was held back by Dwight and Nea. Every time Claudette touched the injury with her swab to cleanse her, Lisa seemed wilder. She was delirious and obviously did not know where she was. She only felt the pain, not knowing she was being treated.
"I can barely hold her," Nea called as she forced Lisa down again. Being treated with a disinfectant had put Lisa in immense pain and in her delirium, she desperately tried to break free from the survivor's grasp. Just as the Hag tensed again, Meg stepped up to the table, right beside Nea and put a firm grip on Lisa's upper body. The two survivors exchanged glances and Nea nodded grimly.
A moment later Claudette had already finished cleaning the wound and Lisa had calmed down for a moment. The Canadian laid vial and swab aside before addressing the other three survivors.
"A bandage won´t be enough," she said, "I have to stitch the wound. It will hurt, like, a lot, so hold her as tight as you can."
"Let's do it, "Dwight confirmed, increasing his pressure on the Hag. The Entity had equipped her with powers one would hardly suspect in someone as skinny and stunted as Lisa, but the powers were there and the claws on her paws were still sharp as razors.
Claudette reached for the needle and thread, took a deep breath and then went to work with amazingly calm hands. Before she made the first stitch, she looked at Nea, who returned her gaze. A short nod and Claudette lowered the needle.
A shrill filled the room as Lisa tried to rear up again, but this time she was firmly held back by three survivors. The whole process lasted only a few moments, but for Meg, it felt like an eternity. With all her strength she held Lisa on the table and tried not to look at the wound. Instead, her gaze caught the Hag's face. Lisa had opened her mouth and Meg could see a row of sharp teeth, similar to the ones found on a dangerous predator. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the trials. The Hag had never shied away from using her teeth against the survivors and Meg could almost feel the pain that these fangs were able to cause in her body.
"That's it", Claudette exhaled and cut the thread with a pair of scissors. Then she set the tool aside and reached for the bandages. "Pick her up," the Canadian commanded, before starting to apply bandages on Lisa. The Hag's body was shaking, but she did not resist anymore. Lisa had lost consciousness.
Claudette had finished donning and locking the bandages in in the blink of an eye. Then she stepped back, finally allowing her hands to start shaking a little under the adrenalin that was sweeping through her body. Meanwhile, Nea, Dwight and Meg gently put Lisa back on the table. Elizabeth quickly approached and put a pillow under the Hag's head.
"My goodness," Nea's father called from one corner of the room, "What a night!"
Dwight and Meg looked at each other. Both could barely suppress a grin given the absurdity of their situation. Had they really just helped Claudette to patch up the Hag on a kitchen table? The world had become even crazier than it had been for the past six months.
"Lisa dead?" Anna asked uncertainly, reminding everyone of her presence. Nea shook her head and answered, "No, Lisa lives. She´s just tired. She's sleeping now."
That seemed to satisfy the big girl and in relieve a smile went over her lips. Then she sat cross-legged on the floor and leaned her back against the wall. The Huntress was visibly deprived of her powers. Her head hung wearily from her neck and her axe was laying on the floor right beside her. Nea's mother looked at the murdering tool, shaking her head, but she could not find any words. Concerns were written on her face.
"You never told us, that you could speak… whatever language that is." Meg said, also sitting exhausted on one of the chairs. The athlete could feel her heartbeat, but not because the killers in the room. Nea sat down in the chair next to her and answered: "It´s Russian. At school I had mandatory language class requirement besides Swedish and English. We could choose between Spanish, German and Russian. Biggest country, greatest benefit, I thought." Nea shrugged her shoulders. "When we moved to the U.S., the whole thing was pretty much useless of course. Until today."
"I never thought we'd save the Hag's life one day," Dwight commented, looking at Lisa's body. Up to now they had only ever seen her during the trials and of course had never had the opportunity to take a closer look at the deformed limbs and disfigured facial features.
"We have problem," Claudette intervened. "We don´t know who did this to her. Actually, it could only have been one of the other killers. If it was neither Sally nor Anna, someone else must have escape from the fog."
The survivors looked at each other for a moment, before Nea turned to the Huntress.
"Anna?"
The killer looked up when she heard her name.
"Do you know who hurt Lisa?" Nea asked and Anna shook her head. "Lisa come out of fog. She already injured."
The Swede nodded.
"Thank you."
"What did she say?" Claudette asked.
"That the Hag came out of the fog injured," Nea answered. "probably somewhere in the woods before we met her. So, the one who did this to her could still be in the realm of the Entity."
"Maybe it was the Entity itself," Meg guessed. "He couldn´t control his killers anymore and would rather kill them before letting them escape."
Dwight thought for a moment and said, "I hope she can answer some questions when she wakes up."
"Provided she doesn´t kick the bucket until then," Nea said coldly: "I'm not the master healer here, but in my opinion, this wound still looks life-threatening."
"I can´t guarantee anything," Claudette replied, "but the killers are more resilient than they look."
Dwight agreed, "That they are."
Police cars drove past outside the street, but without blue lights and sirens. Sally as the evidence had apparently achieved the desired effect and convinced the sheriff.
"Here they come," Feng remarked and sat down at the table as well: "Somehow, I still don´t feel safer."
"No wonder," Nea replied, "We have two killers right here with us in the room."
The Swede leaned over the table and looked friendly into Feng's eyes. "I wouldn´t worry about it. Anna is harmless and Lisa, according to Sally, is too. Besides, she is seriously injured. The police will probably first secure the area and comb the forests in the following days. If any of the other killers got out, they will surely be found."

Ace sat next to Dwight's father in the car and looked out the windshield at the street. They followed some patrol cars on the way to the outskirts of Waltonfield. Luckily, Sally had quite easily convinced the sheriff and he immediately dispatched all available forces to the western parts of Waltonfield. He also requested reinforcements from the neighbouring police departments and had given out a warning over public radio to advise citizens to stay home and immediately report any suspicious behaviour.
Sally, sitting in the back, was to return with Ace to the other survivors. The police would send for her should they need her help in any situation. In addition, two officers would take the testimonies of all those who had already been in the fog.
"Quite an exertion," James mumbled, trying to break the silence. He glanced in the rear view mirror and watched Sally's hidden face. Then he turned back to the road. The passing streetlights made his face light up orange at regular intervals.
"How come you know the sheriff so well?" Ace tried to keep the conversation going.
"Old school friends," James replied, "We were together on the football team. Also won quite some games, if I do say so myself. It was not until he went to the police academy and I to my college that our paths separated for a few years. Then we met again in Waltonfield. Have been regular drinking buddies since then. I remember how proud he was of his uniform." James chuckled. "Man, it feels like it´s been ages ago. How fast time goes by."
"It really does," Ace agreed, "I've been on the move all my life. You make a bunch of friends, but no one really close. Everybody knows you, but nobody is really there if things get dirty. Believe me, you can count yourself to be quite lucky."
"I know," James replied, "Good friends are rare when you move around. But for my entire life I just wanted to see the world. Somehow it never happened."
"Why not?", Ace asked: "You're quite well-heeled, if I may say so. A short trip around the world is far from impossible."
James sighed briefly, "Job, marriage, kids...you know. I don´t mean to say I'm not happy with my life now, but ... I guess the mind longs for what it can´t have. You know?"
Ace nodded and for a while there was nothing but the hum of the engine and Sally's scratchy breath. Gradually, the patrol cars in front of them turned into various streets and spread out throughout the district. Then Dwight's father finally hit the brakes and said, "We're here."
Ace looked over to the Fairfield's house as he got out of the car. There was still light in the living room and he could see Claudette's head through the glass. Apparently, they had not gone to sleep yet. Ace stepped out of the car, before closing the door again. Sally, on the other hand, did not even bother to fold the seat in front of her and left the car in her conventional way. With a shriek, she appeared next to Ace, who could not suppress a wince. Too often, the bite of a bone saw had followed that sound. Dwight's father remotely locked his car and was already walking towards the front door, nervously peering up and down the street The three entered the house and the two men hung their jackets on the designated hook, while James announced their arrival by calling through the hallway. His wife immediately appeared in the doorway to the living room and one could tell from her look that something had happened.
"Is everything alright?", James wanted to know, but Elizabeth waved off: "Yes, we're all fine, but ... we've got visitors."
"Visitors? Who?"
"Anna, why are you not... is that Lisa?" Sally, who had already entered the living room, exclaimed in surprise. Hurriedly, she moved to the table and leaned over the Hag's body to feel her pulse. With a sigh of relief, she realized that Lisa was still alive. Her gaze wandered to the bandage around the Hag´s stomach, which had been done quite professionally.
"Anna turned up half an hour ago," Nea explained, looking at the Nurse's questioning stare. "She found Lisa in the forest and brought her here. Actually, she was looking for you, but instead she found us."
Sally turned to Anna, who had stood up at her appearance, and then back to Nea. Then her gaze wandered over the room.
"I can´t tell you how much ...", Sally began: "You did not have to do that and still ... I mean, you have every reason to ..." Searching for the right words, she took a scratching breath and finally said, "We are only deeper in your debt. I wish I could make up for it somehow."
"We should report to the sheriff that the Huntress is no longer in the forest," Ace, who had just entered the living room, intervened. He glanced at Anna, who is looming above him, then turned back to the survivors. "I don´t want to dictate any of your daily routines, but I think we could all use some sleep."

The sunbeams fell straight into Jade's eyes as she set off for the city centre early in the morning. Blinking and with a backpack on her back, she went out onto the sidewalk, yawning. She had not slept at all - the day had just been too unsettling. At first, her boyfriend broke up with her, then some burglar entered their house and she still couldn´t get rid of the thought of having seen him somewhere already. Jade even had a daring suspicion, but she quickly dismissed it for being too farfetched.
As Jade turned into a side street, she spotted a patrol car at the intersection only a few meters away. The officers stood beside their vehicle, constantly peering up and down the street, as if they were looking for someone. They were armed with shotguns, and when they spotted Jade, one of them came walking towards her. Jade slowed her pace, not sure if she had done anything wrong. As the policeman reached her, he said: "Excuse me, miss, but you really should not be strolling around alone."
"What? Why?"
"Did not you hear the warnings? All residents of the district have been advised to leave their homes only in groups. Do you have any friends or relatives that could accompany you?"
"Um, yes, but ... what happened?"
"We've got evidence that several high-risk killers are hiding in the woods. We don´t know how many and what they are capable of. Anyway, everyone should remain cautious until we catch them buggers. I´m sure we´ll have them in no time. But best stay inside if you can."
"Um... I just wanted to go to the next stop and take the bus from there."
Jade thought for a moment whether she should go back or ask the officers for an escort. Ultimately, she decided against the latter.
"I think I can take care of myself."
"As you wish, I can´t force you to do anything," the policeman said. "but please be careful. Good day."
Jade nodded and the officer went back to his partner. She did not know how serious the situation was, but she did not really believe she was in danger of being assaulted by murderers in streets guarded by armed police. Even though yesterday she had also believed that she was safe in the comfort of her own home.
Jade quickened her pace and looked over her shoulder. She swore she heard someone. But the policemen were still standing next to their car. Confused, Jade looked forward again. Should she go back? She really needs to be with Sarah in town. She should be alright.
A few hundred meters from the intersection, Jade discovered the bus stop. It was a combination of a rusty sign and a weathered wooden bench. On a board the departure times were listed, but Jade already knew the timetable by heart. She would not have to wait more than a minute, unless the bus was late. Though it rarely was, especially in such early hours.
Lost in thought, she plummeted onto the wooden bench and let her gaze wander towards the sky. Not a single cloud showed up, leaving a spotless and beautiful blue. A nice day announced itself. Light wind went through the surrounding gardens and enticed their plants to a soft rustling. Shivering, Jade pulled the zipper of her jacket all the way to the top while she waited for the bus with her arms crossed.
In the lawn behind her, a dog began to bark wildly at the fence. Jade turned around. It was a relatively small animal with correspondingly high pitched and annoying voice. It was a mystery to her why the dog had started to bark suddenly. Every morning she came past this stop. He should know her by now.
Confused, she looked up and down the street. Nobody was there, so the barking had to be meant for her. Fortunately, the bus appeared at the corner and with squealing brakes it came to a halt in front of her mere seconds later.
"Mornin' Jade," the driver greeted as he opened the door.
"Hi Sam," Jade replied and climbed past him, taking one of the seats. She did not know how long Samuel had been on this line, but she was sure he was here before she was born. The bus was empty except for an old man and a dark-skinned couple in the back.
"The damned door jammed again!" Sam cursed, getting up from the driver's seat to give the door a shove.
"Ah, there we go."
With a kick on the accelerator, Sam woke the engine of the vehicle to buzzing life and proceeded to drive it down the road, as he always did. At some stops he halted to let people get in and out. At others, he just drove right past, since nobody was waiting for him. Finally, the bus left the cosy surroundings of the outskirts behind and entered the towering buildings of the city centre. Jade pulled the stop request cord above the window and got up from her seat. Hissing, the doors of the bus opened.
"Goodbye," she murmured to Samuel as she passed the driver before stepping out onto the cement sidewalk. During the short trip, the rush hour had begun, but it was a Sunday and only a few people had to go to work today. Nevertheless, some cars shot down the road and it took Samuel a moment before he could re-join the traffic.
Jade glanced at the bus for a moment, then turned and walked down a narrow alley. She was to meet Sarah a short walk from here. They wanted to meet in a small, lovely café. The bar was secret and relatively well hidden. Jade sometimes wondered how the owner avoided bankruptcy, as it was rarely even half full. Somehow it just seemed to work.
After a short while, Jade reached the café and pulled open the narrow door. A bell announced her arrival, but no one paid her any attention. The owner was busy with other clients and Jade looked around the room, searching for Sarah. She spotted the red-haired girl on one of the green benches in a corner of the bar behind a round table. A *** of coffee was already in front of her and Sarah gave Jade a grin framed by freckles when she saw her friend.
"Hi, Jade," Sarah called and moved to the left to make room for her.
"Hey Sarah," Jade replied and dropped onto the bench.
"I arrived a little too early," the redhead said. "I've already ordered a coffee. I hope you don´t mind."
Jade shook her head." No, no. Not at all."
"How are you?" Sarah wanted to know. Jade thought for a moment and then truthfully said, "I don´t know. The last day was a bit much and I guess my mind has not quite coped with it."
"I know that hurts," Sarah nodded, reaching for Jade's hand, "But believe me, you´ll be all right. Christian didn´t deserve you. I thought you both would become a real couple and then it turned out he didn´t even have the decency to break up with you personally. You don´t want such a guy, so better now than later."
"Well, I suppose so," Jade answered, listening only half-eared to Sarah, who subsequently continued to natter about her ex. The sudden breakup via text message had been a small shock, that was probably true. But further events later that night had brushed Christian's out of Jades head. The unexpected visitor had taken possession of most of her thoughts and left her no room to deal with her failed relationship. As if in a trance, she stared out of a window.
"Jade? Jade, are you listening to me? "Sarah asked, reaching for her hand again.
"What? Yes, yes, I'm listening," Jade mumbled, looking back at her friend.
"Wow, you´ve seem to have gotten over him quite quickly," Sarah said a little astonished: "Jade, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jade answered, searching for the right words: "It's just that ... someone broke into our house last night and I guess I just forgot about Christian."
"No way!", Sarah shouted: "Someone broke in? With shattered window and all that?"
"Yes… I mean no", Jade replied: "There was someone in the house, but he didn´t damage anything, didn´t leave any traces and didn´t even take anything."
Sarah leaned back and raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you know that he was there?"
"We saw him," Jade replied, and Sarah put a hand over her mouth in astonishment: "We literally walked right into him."
"A burglar!" Sarah exclaimed, having difficulties to keep her voice down: "At your house! I thought in the suburbs something like that wouldn't happen. What did he look like?"
Jade did not answer right away and instead glanced back out the window. The creature's strangely familiar face appeared before her mind's eye.
"Come on, tell me something," Sarah shouted curiously: "Did he attack you?"
"No, luckily not. He ... He just disappeared when we discovered him." Jade turned back to her friend, whose face was written with disbelief. "Disappeared? You mean fled."
"No, I mean disappeared, gone just like that" Jade snapped her fingers: "To leave the room, he had to pass us but he didn´t. I have no idea how he did it, but from one moment to the next he was gone. Like a ghost. "
"Jade, what are you talking about?", Sarah reached for her hand for the third time: "People don´t just dissolve into thin air."
"He didn't look like a human either," Jade muttered, shuddering to remember the previous night. Sarah raised her eyebrows again.
"Not like a human?" she asked: "What do you mean? He had a mask on or what?"
"I think so." Jade tried to remember, but everything just happened so fast last night. "Probably. But it didn't look like he had a mask on. His face, and like his whole body, was covered with dark, encrusted skin. And he had bright eyes."
"You could write horror novels, you know that?" Sarah remarked. She sipped on her coffee.
"It surely was damn scary," Jade replied, "I can tell you, nothing has ever scared me like this creature. It looked like a wraith."
"That guy, you mean," Sarah said, "It couldn´t have been a wraith, because ... well ... wraiths don´t exist."
"No," Jade agreed and shook her head. "They don´t."
She looked out the window again. This whole time she had the feeling of being watched.
"Do you know what he wanted?", Sarah asked and Jade turned her eyes back to her friend. "No. He didn´t take anything, but I mean there wasn´t much to take anyway. We suspected that he wanted to kidnap Rachel."
"Your sister?", Sarah exclaimed: "Jade, that's terrible!"
Jade nodded. "I don´t know what we would have done had he taken her. Luckily, we got in his way on time."
"On time?" Sarah asked: "That means he nearly got her?"
"He was in her bedroom," Jade replied, "Mom had already put Rachel to sleep and she was in her cot. I wanted to get something out of her room and opened the door. He stood directly over her, bent down as if he wanted to snatch her." Sarah laid her hand over her mouth again while Jade talked. "I was petrified for a moment. Then we tried to attack him, but he was already gone. Of course, we immediately called the police, but they couldn´t find any traces. If you ask me, they didn´t even believe he was there."
"I can understand why," Sarah commented and Jade nodded. Of course, the whole story had sounded a bit outlandish. No traces, no broken windows and nothing stolen.
"But the whole thing isn´t over yet", Jae said and leaned closer to Sarah: "This morning I met two heavily armed officers on the way to the bus stop. They had posted themselves at an intersection and stopped me, urging me to leave the house only in company. Apparently, a group of dangerous criminals is hiding in the western forests."
"Jade, but you don´t believe ..."
"Would be possible," Jade replied and nervously looked again out of the window: "But then he would have attacked us, don´t you think? If it really was one of them and the police are monitoring the streets with shotguns because of them, then he probably wouldn´t have been stopped by the sight of two women."
"I think you were just lucky yesterday," Sarah said. The two continued to speculate about the crime before the conversation turned to other matters. Jade enjoyed chatting with Sarah. A pleasant relaxation filled her body and it was good to talk about less important stuff. Finally, the sun was nearing its zenith, and Jade, looking at the clock, said, "I should go. I promised to be home for lunch. Mom wants me to stay close to home."
"Can you blame her?" Sarah remarked and the two girls stood up. Together they left the bar and Sarah accompanied Jade back to the bus stop. Before saying goodbye, she reminded her friend: "Jade, remember. If you need someone to talk to, call me. I'm here for you, you know that."
"I know," Jade replied, "you really are the best friend in the world."
"Hey, you've been there for me too," Sarah smiles, before the bus doors closed. Then she waved goodbye to Jade and was off towards home. Samuel had finished his shift by now, Jade realized, as she did not recognize the driver. Silently she sat down on a vacant seat and stared out the window. The houses passed by and after a short time she was back in the suburbs. It was already past twelve o'clock, which meant on Sundays that the bus cut short its route. Jade would have to walk a short distance on foot.
She got out next to a children's playground and set off briskly on her way home. The grounds were completely deserted and the streets seemed empty. The news of the wanted criminals had evidently made the rounds and the residents probably all preferred to stay in the safety of their homes. Jade looked around. Not even a patrol car was visible and no police officer was around. A queasy feeling was spreading in her stomach. Then she heard footsteps. She glanced over, but no one was there. A little scared, she increased her pace.
Someone watched her, followed her. Jade could feel it. Her eyes flew around looking for a face in one of the windows, but there were none. Again, she looked over her shoulder. There was nobody to see. Where's the damn police when you need them, Jade was a little frustrated.
Suddenly there was rustling in the bushes to her left and Jade made a sharp scream. Startled, she jerked back, while a small cat appeared. Swift as the wind, the cat fled when her eyes caught on the girl and jumped over the nearest fence, probably into the lawn of her owners.
Jade stopped, took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Just a cat, she told herself, it was just a damn cat. Nobody was there. She should pull herself together and stop being so paranoid.
Nervously, she continued on her way and kept looking over her shoulders. Usually she would already have taken the shortcut through the park to her right, but today she had nothing against the longer, more open route. She was not really that scared, but she had a feeling that she should not put her fate to the test, despite her bravery this morning. The park was overgrown with trees. Hedges and bushes blocked any line of sight. It would be the ideal place for an ambush, Jade thought. Walking down the street she left the path to the park behind her. Then she stopped.
An idea had crossed her mind. Again, she looked over her shoulder at the empty street. Then she thought for a moment. Finally, she turned around and went back the way she had come, aiming for the park. Hastily she walked along the narrow walkway, leading her between bushes and shrubs onto a meadow surrounded by trees. A small fountain graced the centre of the peaceful clearing and gave the place an idyllic appearance.
But Jade did not go to the well. Instead, she took a path close to the bushes and trees. Gently she shoved some rustling branches aside, while listening carefully. She heard birds singing, the splashing water of the fountain and ...
Jade stopped dead and spun around. She knew exactly what she had heard and now she was completely sure that she was not alone in the forest. Trembling, she wrapped her arms around her torso and peered into the thicket. Nobody seemed to be there. But Jade knew otherwise.
"I heard you," she called, turning her head around, looking in every direction, "There is no point in hiding. Show yourself."
She peered nervously between the leaves, searching for her pursuer. The wind drove into the treetops and made them sway gently back and forth. Somewhere a bird broke through the branches and in the distance Jade heard a car horn. A rustle to her left made her scream in shock a second time before she could suppress it. Hurriedly she calmed herself again and called in the direction of the noise: "What do you want from me? Come out or leave me alone. I ... I'm not afraid of you."
Jade fell silent, listening for an answer. Like a cold breath, the wind touched her neck and made her shiver. Slowly, she turned in a circle and peered in all directions. Jade was absolutely sure that her pursuer was nearby and that he could hear her.
"Come out!" She shouted again. After a moment she winced and screamed sharply for the third time, when the answer was given right behind her back: "Then you will only be more afraid of me, Jade."
She whirled around and backed away several steps, almost stumbling over a small rock. Just then an invisible hand held her by the shoulder. As soon as she had regained her balance, the hand disappeared again. Wide-eyed, Jade looked around. Still, nobody was there. Only trees and bushes.
"Where are you? How… how do you know my name?", She asked in a trembling voice: "What do you want from me?"
Her eyes shot in every direction and a moment later the disembodied voice answered. This time on her left. "Don´t worry. I don´t want to do you any harm."
Jade was a little relieved and tried to calm down. Whoever spoke to her, he did not seem to want to hurt her. Adrenaline was flooding through her body and she could barely control the tremble in her limbs. On wobbly legs she turned in the direction from which the answer had come, but without taking a step back this time.
"I don´t want you any harm either," she said. "You need not be afraid of me." It took a moment for Jade to glance over her shoulder. Then the answer came out of nowhere: "I'm not afraid of you."
"Then why are you hiding?" Jade asked, challenging the voice. She was still scared, but she tried not to show it.
"Somethings should better remain hidden."
"But I want to talk to you."
"We´re talking already."
"Face to face."
Jade crossed her arms defiantly and waited for an answer. She had since given up looking for the body of the voice, as quite obviously it was camouflaged just too well. After a short while, in which Jade had already thought the speaker had disappeared, the high sound of a bell called through the park. A hand appeared seemingly out of nowhere holding the instrument in its fingers. Then a rib cage, finally legs, arms, and a head.
The creature towered above Jade and she instinctively backed away two steps. Goosebumps went over her skin as the creature's glowing eyes crossed her gaze. Dark skin stretched like bark over a slim shape, covered by a torn coat. The dry limbs reminded her of rotted branches. In his right hand, the monster held a strangely curved and spikey weapon, and on her second look Jade spotted a skull right above the blade. With its head tilted slightly to the side, the creature looked down at the girl and Jade took another step back.
"What are you?" She asked, getting ready to run away.
"Some call me a wraith," the creature replied, "You don´t have to be afraid of me, Jade."
"How do you know my name?", she asked warily: "Why did you break into our house yesterday?"
"I wanted to see you," the wraith said. A surprised look went over Jade´s face. "How long have you been following me?"
"Only since last night."
The creature continued to stare at her, but the look had something familiar. A memory flashed through Jade's mind.
"Who are you?" she asked, taking a hesitant step toward the creature. The wraith did not answer. "You ... you look like someone ... someone whom I once knew. But ... that can´t be."
The creature was silent for a moment, but finally he answered, "You mean Philip Ojomo."
Jade said nothing more. The longer she stared into the creature's face, the more she saw similarities. the way he stood, how he moved and talked to her. It all seemed so familiar. Images of her childhood solidified before Jade's mental eye. She had already suspected the night of the burglary, but now she was sure.
"What ... what happened?" She slowly moved forward and Philip squatted down so that their eyes were on equal heights. Slowly he held out a hand to her. "You were gone." Jade said in a trembling voice, "There were newspaper reports ... From a mass grave ..." She hesitantly put one foot in front of the other. "I thought you were ..." Jade reached out and touched Philips' index finger. It was twice as long as her own and the skin felt rough and hard. She looked him straight in the eye. A tear rolled down her cheek. "What did they do to you?"
"Lots of things," Philip answered, and the next moment Jade closed him in a hug. "I thought you had left us. I thought you were dead, "she cried on his shoulder.
"I would rather have died than to leave you, Jade," Philip said, placing his long arms cautiously around the girl. "But I didn't go on my free will. I was forced. Kidnapped. Into a world you can´t possibly imagine."
"But now you are back."
"Now I'm back."
For a moment, the two remained in the embrace. "Why did you sneak into our house?" Jade finally asked and broke away: "Why did you not reveal yourself when we met you in Rachel's room?"
"Look at me," Philip answered, rising to his full height. Jade took a step back, not out of fear, but so she could see him better. "I'm a monster. I have no place in your life."
"You will always be a part of my life," Jade replied. "You raised me. You were like a father to me, always there for me. I still have the violin you gave me. Did you really think I would reject you now? "
"Jade, I´ve done things," Philip replied, "bad things. The police ... they can only be here because of me."
"You're a good person," Jade said. "aren´t you?"
"I've always tried to be one," Philip replied after a brief pause, "but I think that doesn´t matter now."
"No, you´re right, it doesn´t," Jade said determinedly, "I want you back. You´ve been away for far too long."
"Jade…"
"Shhh." the girl looked up at the Wraith, "You're coming with me now. We go home to your sister. This way." Peremptorily, she pointed towards the right of him and quickly started walking. Philip hesitated for a moment, then he followed her. Just before they left the park, Jade turned to face him again. "Could you maybe ... your camouflage ... you know…"
Philip did not answer. Instead, he raised the bell to chest height and hit it three times with his weapon. A clear bell sound cut through the air and with every tone, a part of Philips body disappeared, seemingly vanishing into thin air. In the end there was nothing left to see of him.
"Are you still there?"
"I´m right here."
"Awesome! Let's go."