When Judy awoke from her nap, her ears gradually picked up the sound of the television in the next room. It sounded like a comedy; there was laughter.

Judy rolled off the bed and left the bedroom, keeping her steps light, soundless across the carpet. She poked her head around the corner into the living room. To her surprise, the tv was off. It was just Nick and their baby, sitting across from each other in the floor, playing with plastic toy animals.

Judy walked into the room, making sure to stay behind Elliot so that he doesn't see her; so that the child doesn't decide to clam up.

Nick made a horse gallop into his mouth: "Neeeihhh!" The fox chomped on the horse violently, but gently, not wanting to break the toy.

And what did Elliot do?

He laughed; he opened his mouth and let out the sweetest sound. Clearly the child loved this game of "eat the animals".

Nick looked up and met Judy's eyes and winked, then dramatically spat out the horse and road a cheetah through the sky and into his mouth. "Gaaawn nom nom nom!" Nick munched on the animal, slobber dripping from his muzzle.

"Help me! Help me!" Nick begged in a small voice, dragging a moose closer to his waiting jaws. "Aaaaaaahh- Nom!"

Elliot rocked back and forth on his bottom, laughing and clapping his paws.

Judy's voice caught in her throat: she choked on her spit, then starting coughing.

Elliot immediately shut his mouth, which is what hurt Judy more than anything. She turned away.

"Judy?" Nick stood up from the floor. "What's wrong? Did we wake you?"

Judy kept her back to Nick, her shoulders trembling with emotion. "I'm just getting a glass of water..." She whispered.

"Oh. Well I'll fix you one." Nick went into the kitchen and started rummaging in the cabinets for a clean glass.

Judy could feel Elliot's eyes upon her. She turned and faced him, tears running down her face. "What?" She demanded.

Elliot looked at his collection of animal toys. He studied them carefully, kicking at some of them with his feet. Finally he reached and grabbed one, raising it to his mouth. It was a rabbit; he put it into his mouth and gnawed on it, his teeth clattering against the plastic.

Judy took a step back and fell against the wall. "He means to murder me...!" She whispered to herself.

Nick came back into the room and handed his wife a tall glass of water. "Here you go, Jude." As Judy took the glass, the fox leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "You look exhausted. You should probably go back to bed."

You just want Elliot all to yourself, thought Judy. Since you two obviously get along so well. The rabbit drank from the glass heavily as if it were wine, then turned and stomped back into the bedroom without a word, slamming the door behind her.

...

"You know what I just realized?" Nicholas asked the next morning as he lapped at his coffee.

"Hmm?" Asked Judy, sitting at the kitchen table.

"We never celebrated Elliot's birthday. When was it? Two, three days ago?"

Judy nodded her head. "Five days ago." How could she forget the day that little demon claws its way out of her...?

"We celebrate. Elliot could use some new toys." Nick said thoughtfully.

Judy stared at the fox. Why didn't he suggest inviting the neighborhood children over? Had he realized how evil Elliot really was? Judy decided to test him.

"I think we should try and socialize Elliot; invite a few animals over and have a party."

Nick choked on his coffee, then hid his face behind a napkin as he wiped his chin. "I don't think that's such a good idea. You do remember what he did to that elephant, right?"

"I doubt he was being watched properly," Judy said with a frown. "We could make sure nothing goes wrong."

Why was she so insistent on winning? She dreaded the idea of multiple children running and screaming in her house- fleeing from Elliot... But she couldn't shake that feeling that Nicholas was hiding something from her. She wanted to know the true-true.

But Nick was finished arguing. "Maybe you're right." He looked at his wife. "I think socializing him could be a great idea."

Judy opened her mouth to speak, when Elliot started screaming from the living room.

Nick and Judy ran into the room to find him standing on the coffee table, pointing at the television screen.

There was a butterfly, as part of a nature documentary. Elliot grunted and kept pointing.

"Elliot, get off the table. You'll hurt yourself." Judy walked over and grabbed her son, who immediately kicked and shrieked. She plopped him down on the floor and stared at him as if he were a maggot; completely disgusted at his behavior.

Nick went over and squatted beside Elliot. "See the butterfly?" He pointed at the tv. "That's called a butterfly."

Elliot shut his mouth tight, then opened it; words, real words, came out of his mouth: "Butterfly."

Nick laughed softly and scratched Elliot gently between his ears. "Good job!"

Judy gasped softly and stepped back. She felt like an intruder. No... She felt like a monster.