Winter Rose

XVIII. Smoke and Mirrors

We stop looking for monsters under the bed when we realize they're inside of us—The Joker

***

His footsteps stopped behind the door. A long, agonizing silence followed, before the key turned in the lock. My heart was thumping so hard in my head, I couldn't think. My ears stood straight as a rabbit's, collecting every ping, analyzing the slightest jingle coming from the other side.

He doesn't know, everything's fine, I chanted to myself; over and over, trying to make it stick.

I blew out a pent up breath, shifting restlessly—my eyes glued, unblinking, to the door.

Calm yourself!  Winnie chastised. Pretend you're asleep.

Yeah, sure. Easier said than done when every muscle in my canine body was itching to take off at full speed from the monster who was about to enter the doorway. 

I watched as t opened slowly and he stepped inside. The glow of the outside lamp protruded through the windows, outlining his frame. He stood, looking worn out, his jeans caked with mud from the knees down. He pushed the door shut slowly, locking it. Stooping down, he worked at the laces of his boots,  wrestling them off.

Straightening, he cast a dark look at my mother and siblings, who sat cowering in the corner, gawking helplessly at him. My mother's paw lifted nervously in response to his glare. Hank and Boon trembled next to her. His eyes swept the room resting on Winnie and I, hidden in the folds of the blankets, pretending to sleep.

For a brief second, through the slits of my eyes, I thought I caught a smirk. My breath caught, trapped in my chest. I held it until he turned away, boots in his hands, and headed up the stairs to his room. My heart continued to pound in my ears as I waited for the footsteps to cease.

Get some sleep, Winnie projected next to me.

Upstairs a door opened and shut. I don't think I can sleep with my evil twin plotting right above me. I wriggled out of the blankets, enough to uncover my head and get a good look at the stairs—just to make sure.

Without sleep you'll be useless. Winnie scooted closer to me in the blankets until her head was resting in the crook of my neck.

The closeness of her body triggered a tingling happiness that I quickly tried to suppress. Embarrassed, I forced myself to lie still until her breathing evened. The warmth of her breath soothed me as I sank down into the blankets and closed my eyes. Sleep snuck up on me—a welcome, deep, dreamless sleep. A couple of hours passed by.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound filtered into my sub-consciousness and conjured up an image of Sheldon writing the letter to Winter in the barn.

Tap. Tap. Tap. His pen hit the paper as he sat back to grin at the three words, written in blood.

Tap. Tap. Tap!

Winnie's nose shoved me hard enough to turn me over onto my side. I scrambled to me feet, still in thralls of sleep. She stared at the window, her ears high on her head. I followed her gaze, it was still dark outside.