Page 12 of Howling Night

Another howl, this one sounded as though it were near the back of the house. I turned to the window, the bright full moon lighting up the sky through the curtains. It felt like I was being watched.

I swallowed hard, my voice soft. “Go away.”

ChapterSix

I set my book down and pulled the covers up higher, telling myself there was nothing to worry about. They were just animals doing what animals do. The howls continued, like they were having some kind of midnight conversation right in my backyard.

I reached over and turned off my bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness. Somehow, it felt safer not to advertise my presence, even though that was ridiculous. I lay still, listening to the wolves, wondering if one of them was the same animal that had stood next to Ryder in the woods.

It was probably something that happened when you lived out in the boonies, but it was definitely not something I was used to. In the city, you heard cars and horns, out here, I guess it was crickets, owls, and wolves.

The howling continued, sometimes sounding like it was right outside my window, other times fading into the distance. I pulled my pillow over my head, but it did little to muffle the noise.

Tomorrow, I’d stop by Courtney’s place and ask her about the wildlife. If she’d lived here her whole life, she’d know what it was all about and whether I needed to worry.

My eyelids finally grew heavy around three in the morning when the howling tapered off. I drifted into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of glowing eyes watching me through the trees.

The warm spring morning sunlight streamed through my curtains, pulling me from a deep sleep. I groaned and rolled over, glancing at my phone. Nine thirty and I was still tired. It was also a lot later than I’d planned to wake up, but after last night’s wildlife concert, I needed the extra sleep.

I dragged myself out of bed and shuffled into the living room to tackle the last few boxes before heading to Courtney’s house. By eleven, I’d finally emptied everything, broken down the boxes, and stacked them by the door. My new house was officially unpacked, but I still had a lot to put away. At least, for the most part, it felt like home.

I grabbed one of Courtney’s cookies for my early lunch and headed out the door. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and fresh wildflowers. Since the weather was more than pleasant, I decided to walk instead of driving the mile to her place.

Her house was easy to find since it was the only other house on the stretch of country road. It was a normal white two-story building with the most whimsical yard I’d ever seen. Cute lawn ornaments were scattered everywhere — cheerful garden gnomes, spinning flowers, a plastic flamingo, and more. Near one of the trees stood a black silhouette of Sasquatch, positioned as if he were trying to hide.

I walked up the stone path to her front door and knocked. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal a small boy with Courtney’s green eyes and a mop of light brown hair. He looked about four or five, if I had to guess.

“Mommy!” he called over his shoulder. “There’s a stranger at the door!”

“Mason!” Courtney scolded as she appeared behind him. “What have I told you about opening the door?”

“She knocked,” the boy said with wide eyes.

Courtney gently pulled him back, but smiled when she saw it was me. “Oh, Everly! Hello! I didn’t expect a visit so soon. It kind of seemed as though maybe I was bothering you when I stopped by. I’m pretty good at reading people.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry for disturbing you this early.”

“Early?” Courtney said, looking down at the boy. “I’ve been up since five. This is not early.”

“Well, sorry for dropping by unannounced.”

Courtney waved her hand in the air. “Are you kidding? I invited you… I said anytime, remember? I’m so glad to see you. It’s been quite a busy day here already, and I need to talk with an adult.” She looked down at the boy again. “No offense, Mason.”

He stared at me without blinking.

“Mason, this is Miss Everly from down the road. She just moved in and now she’s our neighbor,” Courtney said, a smile brightening her face. “She’s not a stranger, okay? She’s our friend. Well, at least I hope she will be. Oh, gosh. I’m doing it again.”

“Mommy, you are good at talking,” the boy said, his head bobbing.

“Nice to meet you, Mason,” I said, shocked at how easily I went from stranger to friend.

In Chicago, no mother would tell their child a neighbor they’d just met wasn’t a stranger. I wasn’t even sure it was a good idea out here in the middle of nowhere.

“Come in, come in!” Courtney sang as she stepped back. “Please, make yourself at home and forgive the mess. We played with blocks, then colored, drove cars, and were going to settle in for a TV show with our lunch. Would you like something to eat?” Her nose wrinkled. “It’s just mac and cheese. Although I have coffee. Want coffee?”

“Coffee would be great, but I can’t stay long,” I said, following her into the kitchen. The floor plan was open, and she could see Mason on the couch from behind the kitchen counter. “Wow, this is nice.”

“Thanks,” she said, pouring coffee into a to-go cup. “It was remodeled like four years ago. I have these handy to-go cups for when I had to rush off with Mason and needed my morning coffee. Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat? Do you take cream? Sugar?”

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