Cock-a-Doodle-Doom ☑️

Bad Eggs

My first reflex, when I'm back to Domenica's place, is to check if the bike is OK. That's probably incredibly selfish but in the moments of panic you'll want to hang on to the little things. The bike is fine, by the way. Looks like they only were after people. It's Domenica and little Nathan I'm really worried about.

The yard is a mess and there are signs that stuff has been thrown at the windows. None of the wild ones are in sight, though. Looks like they gave up for the day. As I edge closer to the house, the door opens wide and Domenica runs to embrace me.

"Are you all right?" she says. "Did they hurt you? I saw you out there, but I couldn't leave Nathan alone." That's a tight embrace. If she wasn't so soft, she'd be hurting me.

"I'm fine," I say. "I ran away and I lost them in town. Did you call the cops?" It might be a good idea to have them caught before they get to someone else.

"I tried, but there no one was answering the phone," she said. "Let's get inside for now, just in case they come back."

We get inside the house. Without saying hi, Nathan grabs one side of Domenica's sweater and doesn't let go. Poor little guy, that must have been particularly freaky for him.

Before settling down, she goes through the rooms, locks every window and door. I wouldn't say I feel safe now, but safer still.

I know my question is gonna be dumb before I say it, but I can't help myself. "What happened? Who were those people? They all looked so..." I don't have words for what they looked like.

Domenica stops me. She's in her decision mode. I can't blame her. "What if we all went to the kitchen to make some tea and relax a bit?" she says. "I might have a theory or two, but I can't promise it will all be very scientific. Do you still want to hear it?"

"OK", I say. I'm more in for the tea, for her, but whatever.

We get to the kitchen. The walls and surfaces are painted in an informal shade of matte gray. There is an old fridge from the fifties with an old radio on top. Domenica's love of collectibles is showing again. There is a bar counter separating the cooking space from the dining area, with a high table protruding from it. We all climb on high stools. Nathan seems pretty used to it, he's nimble.

They have all kinds of tea, from the standard green one to flowery herbal ones. I'd rather just get a coffee, but there's no way I'm gonna act spoiled right now, when Nathan needs most of the attention. I end up going for a bag of mint tea. With a little sugar, it will do just fine.

The water boils and we let the tea soak in for a few minutes, just wrapping our hands around the mugs, getting soothed by the heat. Nathan has climbed on Domenica's lap. He's starting to be a little big for it to be comfortable for any of them. It does the trick, though, as he seems less anxious now.

Domenica tries to call 911 again, to no avail. What kind of emergency line takes so long to answer? I sincerely hope that them being so busy has nothing to do with the rabid... people we met outside. She settles on the stool with Nathan still on her lap. That's a mom skill, all right. She looks straight at me. I already know I'm not gonna like her explanation, so I focus on how pretty she is. I'm aware of how stupid that sounds.

"About what happened," she says, "I might have a theory, it's very much a work in progress as we were just attacked right now, but it ties in with a lot of little discoveries we've made with Petrus over the last few weeks." She gives Nathan a hug. "Nat, do you want to hear it or would you rather to go while we talk?"

He clings to her arm. Definitely not ready to let go. "I'm good here," he says.

"OK, cutie. If there's something we talk about that makes you uncomfortable, you just say it and we'll find another way. What do you think?" says Domenica, petting his hair.