* * *

The pelting rain mixed with Jaime’s tears. She stuffed the map in her backpack and stared for a moment at the spot where her mother had stood. Jaime questioned herself as to why she was doing this. Hoping her mother would agree Charlie was a worthy cause, Jaime turned her emotional turmoil on her friend.

“Nicole, why did you come through with me? You were suppose to explain to Mom where I was going.”

The rain poured down in sheets, drowning out their voices. Nicole saw Jaime’s mouth move when the lightning flashed, but could barely make out her words.

“Are you crazy?” shouted Nicole. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“What?” asked Jaime. The storm rumbled over them like a steamroller. Except for the thunder’s crash and the driving rain hitting the earth, almost nothing could be heard.

“Let’s go back,” screamed Nicole, “I’m wet and cold. This is scary! We don’t belong here.”

The sky burst with splashes of white light just long enough for Jaime to twist around and make out the huge structure behind them. Streamlets of cold water slithered down the main building constructed of gray stone blocks. The natural-light show continued, glinting off the glass from upstairs windows. Jaime thought she saw several ominous faces leering from one of them. Nicole tugged on her shirt and motioned frantically at something behind Jaime’s back.

Pulling her feet out of the mud, Jaime turned and screamed. Four hooded figures moved toward them with slug-like speed. Beyond the beings a wet Algernon scampered toward an open door. The eerie glow coming from inside was accented by the miserable night.

Nicole grabbed Jaime and struggled to pull her down the road away from the building.

“We can’t leave Algernon. He went inside,” shouted Jaime fighting to see through the cold rain.

Nicole screamed and pulled again. “They’re coming and they’re between us and Algernon. Forget the cat. We’ve got to get out of here.” She motioned wildly.

“But he could help us find Charlie,” muttered Jaime unsure whether Nicole heard.

Jaime jerked away. Dodging the first two, she slipped in the mud, got up, and wrestled her mired tennis shoe from the muck. Recovering the slimy shoe, she steered for the porch steps and heard a shriek. Two figures held Nicole. The others were closing in on her.

* * *