I was wide awake and I didn't know what woke me - but something had. One sleepless night, a week earlier, out pure of frustration, I'd unplugged my digital clock.

So now I had no clue what the time was. One thing is for sure, it was clearly late. The clouds had moved on and moonlight was casting a dim glow in my room from around the curtains. I lifted my head to check on Noah, he was at his usual spot on the floor. He was not asleep; his head was raised and his ears twitching.

All of the sudden he jumped to his feet and took off down the stairs. He was running so fast, his nails clicked and scraped against the floorboards. I laid back down and listened to him running back and forth along the sliding glass doors downstairs. Something out there was exciting him. It's probably that fox, I reasoned with myself. Still, my heartbeat picked up.

A few minutes later he was back by my side, prancing on his toes. I sat up with a groan, flicking on my reading lamp.

"Need to go pee-pee, boy?"

He yipped and took off back down the stairs. I retrieved my coat from the hook before wadding downstairs in my slippers to meet him. He was waiting impatiently by the sliding door, tail wagging at a million miles an hour.

"Hang on, lil boy." I jogged to the front door and grabbed the leash from its peg. The last thing I needed was to be traipsing the woods in the middle of the night looking for him.

As soon as the door was open Noah was dragging me out onto the snow. When Noah was acting willfully he could be strong as an ox and I just about fell to my knees trying to keep up with him. His nose was down, ears twitching as he rapidly sniffed over the thick blanket of snow that had been deposited on the last day.

"Hurry up, Noah," I hissed trying to walk him over to a bush he particularly favored. Instead, he pulled me along the perimeter of the house and by the deck, his nose buried deep in the scent of something far more interesting than taking a piss on the tree. He stopped suddenly and looked up at the roof. I looked up also, I could see nothing but the thick cover of white that obscured the roofing tiles.

Adrenaline was starting to kick in and flight and fright were desperately shouting at me to get back inside. Noah pulled me again towards the tree line back on the trail of his scent again.

"Noah!" I complained. "Hurry up. It's cold."

And I am this close to pissing myself.

He came to a standstill and stared into the darkness of the woods. He was staring at something out there. My gaze traveled past him. There was something out there.

I couldn't see it.

But I could feel it.

I could feel it staring back.

That was my cue.

"Noah!" I gave a sharp tug and led him back inside. I practically leaped over the threshold before locking the door and running up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I threw off my outdoors layers and climbed back into bed and Noah followed suit, curling up in his bed too. I checked my phone. It was after midnight. I sighed and rolled over, hoping to fall back asleep quickly.

But it wasn't going to happen.

Every familiar settling creak of the cabin set me on edge. Even the whirring sound of the wind and the crackling of the fireplace from downstairs sounded contrary rather than its usual comforting hum. My ears strained to hear anything out of the ordinary.

Get a grip, Michonne.

Take a breath.

Relax...

I forced myself to move my focus to my mindfulness techniques and after many tense minutes, I slowly felt the edges of my adrenaline rush softening.

SNAP...

The loud noise made me jump, my heart started to race out of control, it felt as if it would heart would leap right out of my chest.

Snap… Thud, drag… Thud, drag… Thud, drag…

I sat up and stared up at the ceiling. Noah lifted his head to look up at the same point as me.

Thud, drag… Thud, drag…

It was on the roof. The silhouette of the foul smelling creature from my dream appeared in my mind; its elongated shape, its unnatural gait.

Was that what was up there?

Was it accepting my stupid offer to come and get me from earlier this morning?

Noah jumped to his paws and scurried to the curtain covered glass door that led to the balcony adjacent to my bedroom and began his familiar excited prance, wanting to be let out.

I swallowed, not knowing what to do. Minutes passed, Noah whining impatiently.

This is it, Michonne, I told myself. Was I going to keep living here in fear, trapped inside on the off chance I might get hurt? Or was I going to woman up and face whatever was out there?

I got up and pulled my gun out, loading it with bullets.

Screw this horror movie of a life I'd been living. I was done. Done with being scared and uncertain. Done with questioning my sanity. Done with taking the safe route and letting the world pass me by.

I pulled my coat on and grabbed my cell phone, turning on the flashlight app. I pulled open the curtains and unlocked the door to my bedroom balcony, sliding it open. Noah nosed past me and I followed, my feet crunching over the snow. I shone the light on us and then up over the roof.

Nothing was visible. Hard to tell but I couldn't see any footprints either. Maybe a branch fell on the roof, or some critter decided to use my house as a bridge between trees? Noah was happy to be back in the outdoors, even within the confines of my balcony and finally decided to mark his territory in the far corner.

Nice job Noah.

I pocketed my cell and took a moment to enjoy the beauty of Blue Ridge Lake at night. I had a perfect view from here, the reflections in the water rippled and distorted by the breeze, creating a surreal reflection of the hills and peaks surrounding the lake. My eyes came to rest on the stand of enormous pines that hugged my property. As my vision adjusted I could make out the individual branches and snow-covered limbs. There, between two of the highest branches, I made out the hunched dark silhouette of something. I felt the blood rapidly drain from my face, a panicked dizziness setting in.

Goddamn!

It turned its head and a pair of red illuminated eyes peered at me like lasers. I raised my shotgun, turning off the safety and backed away from the railing.

It remained motionless.

Watching me.

I heard Noah's whining from behind me. My boldness demolished one ragged breath at a time, I slowly stepped backward until I hit the glass of the screen door. I fumbled behind me and wrenched it open. Noah followed me in and I pulled the door closed with a bang, turning the lock into place. I stood still, staring at the figure, its silhouette black as a coal. I considered running downstairs and turning on the floodlights, finally getting a glimpse of what it was but I was frozen in place. Unable to move, unable to break my gaze. Noah whined at my feet again and I gave him a glance, placing a comforting pat on his head.

I looked back up, my eyes scanning until I found the branch again. It was empty. My heart jolted in my chest and I pulled the curtains shut, moving back to sit on the bed.

What should I do?

Call Maggie?

Call Rick?

Sit with my gun aimed at the door all night?

I withdrew my phone from my pocket and slid from the bed to the floor, I shot a quick text to Rick.

There's something outside trying to get in

Noah settled beside me, his hind legs trembling, his tail tucked between his legs. Minutes passed. Half an hour. Rick didn't reply but maybe there was no need? All was quiet now. Was it worth waking him if nothing else happened tonight?

Click, click, click…

I stilled, Noah lifted his head looking to the door straight before us.

Click, click, click…

I tried to stifle my cry, biting hard into my lip until I tasted blood. I cocked the gun, pointing it at the door, the tremor in my hands causing my aim to bounce around more than I'd like.

Click, click, click, click…

The tapping was recognizable. A fingernail against the glass. Tears obscured my vision. The lock began rattling, the sliding door knocking around on its track. With my free hand, I pulled up Rick's contact and dialed.

"What's wrong?" His voice was heavy with sleep but he was alert.

"There's something here," I whispered. "It's here. It's at my balcony door, tapping on the glass, trying the lock."

"Fuck! Hang on."

I let the phone fall to the bed and resumed my aim of the Beretta. My legs felt like coiled springs ready to snap, my palms were sweaty under the cool weight of the weapon. I wanted so desperately to be anywhere but here. To just close my eyes and open them somewhere bright, safe and not this place. But I was here, where fear and panic had replaced the blood in my veins. It was pumping through me, making every nerve twitch and burn like ice on hot skin.

Click, click, click...

I stared at the auburn curtains. They were the thick blackout kind. I had only to crawl forward and snap them to the side and I would face what was taunting me, making my life hell.

"Don't do it, Chonne," Strangely I heard Daryl's voice, his voice was so clear, like he was whispering in my ear. "Just wait...Listen carefully..."He said.

And I did just that.

He follows you... I heard Dolores's voice chime in. "He's always with you, trailing close behind ...Your whole life...its death...You know him, and he knows you. You follow him, he follows you. He wants you to know you've got others. Your enemies, the collector and the prince. They are drawn to your light and have latched on, but they can only watch you...for now...Death is one, but not a singular. There are many, doll, and they all want you..."

I sobbed, pressing the back of my hand to my mouth. I didn't know if it was him or my subconscious talking but I sure as hell was going to listen. Minutes passed, the rattling lock stopped but the clicking continued, slowly morphing to a shudder-inducing screech as it dragged its nail across the glass.

The sound of an engine rumbling down the drive caused the scrapes to halt. Rick began banging on the door downstairs, calling out to me and I leaped to my feet, Noah at my side.

"Oh thank heavens, Michonne! You're okay," he said when I yanked open the door and I pulled him in. He was barefoot, dressed in black fleece pajama pants and a navy blue long-sleeve thermal. I gave him a trembling smile and locked the door shut behind him, turning the deadbolt.

"Are the police on their way?" He asked.

"What? No!" I took to the stairs again, climbing them silently, gun aimed.

"What do you—?"

"Shhh..." I took the final step up to the second floor and waited for Rick to move by my side.

"I'm calling the police," he hissed. "You're being stalked!"

"Put your phone away," I hissed back at him. "You can't call them. What could they do? Whatever's out there isn't human."

I crept closer to the door, turning my head to search for Noah; he had settled back into his bed, his snout resting on his paws. I stood in front of the doors, debating whether or not to pull the curtain back. Rick took the lead and pulled them back for me. The balcony was empty. The only evidence of any activity being the snow, scuffed and kicked around by me, Noah and… it.

I pressed the safety on and lowered the gun.

"What do you mean, it's not human?" he asked. "Not human as in an animal..?"

"I think–" I cleared my throat as my voice broke. "No..." I flicked off the lamp, the room falling dark, and I moved to the sliding door, scanning the trees. My vision didn't take as long to adjust this time. The trees were empty. It was gone. Or so I hoped.

I started at the beginning, telling Rick about my strange dream the night before, the footprints around the house I'd discovered upon waking, using the smudge stick to cleanse the cabin, before finally recounting all that had happened over the last hour. He stared at me intently as I spoke, one-half of his face in shadow the other half pale and ghostly in the moonlight.

"Its shape is not human. Like its form was too stretched and bulky."

"So what are you thinking? Bigfoot?"

"What...? No!" The thought never crossed my mind. "A Sasquatch doesn't explain what happened when I fell outside, or how the door unlocked and opened on its own." I switched the lamp back on and sunk into the bed. Rick pulled the curtains closed again and sat beside me.

"I thought you only believed in what you could see in the here and now," he said quietly. He took the gun from my hands and laid it on the bed, barrel pointed away from us. I didn't meet his eyes at first, picking at a stray thread on the quilt.

"I do," I whispered. "But I also don't really think I'm crazy… Do you?"

"No." His voice was firm, gaze unwavering.

"If I'm not crazy and whatever is happening is beyond normal explanation then…"

"Then it's something abnormal. Extra-ordinary."

I nodded. He placed his warm hand on top of mine, stilling my nervous thread pulling.

"C'mon. Let's go downstairs. You're shaking like a leaf." He pulled Gram's old afghan from the bottom of the bed and wrapped it around my shoulders. "I'll make you some tea and I'll call my new friend, he lives close by and I think he can help."

Still wrapped in the frayed blanket, I burrowed myself into the armchair beside the fire, nursing the mug of chamomile tea Rick handed me. I could hear him softly speaking on the phone in the kitchen.

"He'll be here soon," he said, settling himself onto the couch a few minutes later. "I didn't tell him much, but I must warn you, he already has it in his head its Bigfoot since I showed him those pics of the tracks."

"So that's where that suggestion came from," I took a sip of my tea, trying to lose myself in the taste and aroma.

"Yeah. It wouldn't be my first guess either." He stretched his legs out on the couch, resting his feet on the arm at the other end, ankles crossed.

"I wonder why it didn't unlock the balcony door when it... or something seemed to unlock the front door just fine last week." He paused for a moment. "Maybe that smudge stick actually did something? Protected your home somehow?"

"Maybe. I need to go back to the antique store tomorrow and see Ruth again."

"I think we should pay a visit to Dolores too."

I smiled gratefully at him, so thankful that he was including himself in my dramas. Independence came naturally to me, I was so used to doing everything on my own, but hearing him say 'we' made my heart full of emotion.

As we waited for the ranger, Rick dragged the coffee table away from the window back to the couch and we sat, knees touching, working together on the old jigsaw puzzle.

"This was clearly made for masochists," he grumbled after trying and failing to place the fifth piece he'd picked up.

"There's nothing masochistic about liking a challenge," I said pressing the piece I was holding into place. What a satisfying feeling. I felt his eyes on me and I looked at him curiously.

"Well, that I can agree with," he smirked, brow raised and expression playful. I laughed softly. He was so damned good-looking, I could hardly think straight when I was around him. He was tall and strong in a way so very different to Daryl; Rick's form slender and muscular, like a swimmer.

And he liked me.

I leaned against him, pressing my lips against his. He jerked slightly in surprise and I rested my hand against his stubbly cheek to keep him in place. His lips, firm and smooth, moved immediately in response to mine. I brushed my tongue against his lower lip and he brought his arm around my waist, settling me closer to him. Our kiss deepened and I slung my other arm behind his neck, moaning as his fingertips traced a tingling path along my spine under my flannel pajama shirt.
He pulled away, cupping my hand against his cheek then placing a kiss on my wrist.

"I've wanted this since the second I met you," he whispered. He brushed his lips against mine gently. His mouth moved along my jawline and he kissed down the path of my neck, sending a wave of pleasure all the way to my toes. I linked both of my arms behind his neck, giving myself over to the moment.

"And here I was thinking I'd moved next to some maniac who had it out for my trees," I said breathlessly. He laughed into my neck, his breath hot and face pleasantly rough.

"Well, if that means we get to do this, then I'll be investing in a damn chainsaw." He pulled away, an impish grin lighting up his face. We heard the rumble of a truck and moments later headlights shone through the curtains on the windows by the front entry.

"That's him," he said and the reality of the night came rushing back to me. With Rick, I'd almost managed to forget the horror of the night in the span of the last few minutes. Rick helped me to my feet before pulling me into a tight embrace. I leaned against him, grateful for him.

"It's going to be fine," he said, resting his cheek against the top of my head. I got the impression he didn't say it to comfort me, but rather to reassure himself.