We go downstairs. "Mom?" I call.
No answer.
"She's probably asleep," I say to them. But Oh shakes his head. "I sense something inhuman in the air."
I freeze. "What do you mean, 'inhuman'? Oh?"
I realise Oh's also scared. "Not something, some things. Someones. Creatures."
I rush to the kitchen. "Oh, it's only Pig. There's nothing to worry about."
Oh nods, but he's still tense.
After a multitude of hugs, Violetta leaves. We both wave to each other and I grin before walking back in. Mom's talking to five people, or creatures. They all have weapons. Why are they in here?
"Mom, who are they? Are these people psychiatrists of some sort?"
"Tip-"
"Is this about my problem? 'Cause I've sorted it."
She freezes, relaxes, then looks surprised. "How?"
"Well, Oh did. He stopped the nightmare."
"That doesn't help."
I see a white-haired boy, about 18, leaning against a wall.
"As far as I'm concerned, he's doing it again," a 6 foot bunny says.
"What? Doing what?"
"Tip darling, you don't understand. What this man is doing, he's...he's..." she sighs.
"We understand," a Russian man says quietly. "Out. Leave them to it." He ushers everyone out, and then turns back to Mom. "We'll come back tomorrow Lucy, OK?" He doesn't wait for an answer, just smiles gently at me before walking out and closing the door, leaving us alone. I turn to Mom.
"What's he doing?"
Mom sighs again, looking down before looking back up, but not meeting my eyes. I frown. "Mom?" I ask.
"Tip, he did this...thing to me when I was little. He'd visit me, find out everything about me, then use it to manipulate me. It was one of the things that made us lose your dad."
"He was the main cause."
"Yes, he was. Your dad was terrified; he could see him as I did. So one night, he drove all of us away from the house. And then, he appeared..."
"...as a shadow. He made dad crash the car, and dad..."
(I can't. I just can't.)
"...died."
I choke back a sob. Mom looks at me. "Oh Tip," she whispers, hugging me. I hug back.
(Why? Why did this have to happen?)