AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you to everyone who read episode one and especially those who took the time to leave a comment.

This is the second story in a series, so before reading this story it is advisable that you read episode one "midnight" first.

OVERTURE

Julie Marie Deacon was in the kitchen. She was 5 foot 9 tall, thirty-two years old, and had long brunette hair tied up in a neat bun. Today she was baking cookies. Chocolate chip. They were just about done. She was looking out the window, out at the back yard. The lawn was green and fresh under the bright California sunshine.

Julie was happy.

The Deacon family had moved into this new home just a couple of weeks ago. Julie already felt settled, she felt right. Life was treating her very well.

Judging by the wonderful smell the cookies were ready. Julie looked down, placing a hand on her abdomen, smiling. Three days ago she had found out that she was pregnant with a second child. Her husband Jeff had been thrilled; he'd hugged her and kissed her and told her he was the happiest man in the world.

Julie heard the front door open and close. The smile on her face broadened. She turned away from the window as Sara, her unbelievably cute and energetic seven year old daughter came bounding in. "Hey honey, how was school?" Julie crouched and gave Sara a big hug and a big kiss.

"I painted a picture," Sara grinned proudly. "Wanna see?" She looked up at mommy with wide eager eyes. Sara had inherited many of her mother's features; brunette hair, big green eyes, and that little dimple on her chin.

"I'd love to!"

Sara dumped her little backpack on the kitchen table and quickly opened it up to retrieve her latest work of art.

"Wow that's fantastic!" Julie enthused. To anyone else it would have been a very childish effort, but to her mother Sara's painting was a masterpiece. "Our new house," Julie smiled. The crude artwork showed the house and three stick figures of varying height; Mommy, Daddy, and Sara. "Well done, it's wonderful." Julie grinned and hugged her daughter. Sara was beaming with happiness.

"I have a surprise for you." Mommy walked across the kitchen, Sara following close behind.

"A surprise?" Sara asked, wide-eyed and curious. By the rather delicious smell she deduced the surprise would be something scrumptious.

"Surprise." Mommy's voice was suddenly angry.

Julie spun around a black handled knife in her hand. "Mommy!" There was a youthful scream.

An arc of blood splattered the window and floor.

A quiet thud. The small body had fallen to the floor on her back.

Julie lunged in, the knife held high over her shoulder. The blade came down, plunging, tearing. She brought the knife down again and again. Her face became spotted with red.

Fierce. Merciless Violence.

Suddenly Mommy froze. She shook her head. She tried to shake away the nightmare in front of her.

Blood.

So much blood.

Empty eyes.

Silence.

Tangy metal taste in her mouth.

The smell of burning cookies.

There was a clatter as the knife fell from Julie's hand to the floor. Her mouth was wide open in a soundless cry of despair.

A single tear rolled down her blood-splattered cheek.