After the questioning, people had left, talking wildly about things. There shouldn't be a reason to why the creatures had crossed the borderline. It was the truce, the understanding between the creatures and the villagers. If you don't enter the forest, they won't enter the village. That was the truce. It was broken by the creatures they do not speak of.

Anna lay in bed the night, staring up into the corner to where the cob-web was. She couldn't see it, but she knew it was there. Nicholas wasn't tossing or turning, he wasn't moving really that much at all. But a small soft smile was on his face. At least he could sleep, and at least he was dreaming of something better then what was happening around everyone.

But Anna couldn't. She had woken up a half an hour ago, from a nightmare. She had been running in the forest, and had past a large dead tree that was knocked over. When she stepped over a section of grass, sticks, and leaves, it had fallen into a hole. Anna nearly climbed out of the hole, but the creature had seen her before she got out... It was just a foot or so from her, when she had woken up, covered in sweat, and trembling in fear.

Her mind wouldn't let the dream go, it kept replaying in her head. Anna did her best to ignore it, but she couldn't. She tried to get it out of her mind, but Anna simply could not.

Wetting her lips, she looked back up to the ceiling, trying to calm herself. But the more she tried, the more afraid she became. The blankets were pulled up to her chin, as if that would somehow help. She knew that it didn't help, it didn't protect her...but... it gave her something to hope or wish on.

Anna turned to her side, so she was facing the wall. Staring at the wall, trying to focus on it seemed to make her tired. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she'd let them fall, but she'd instantly wake a moment later. This went on for a few moments, until she completely fell asleep.

XwX

With a gasp, Anna sat upright in bed and looked around her self. Nicholas was still sleeping, giving a quiet snore every so often. She rubbed her eyes, and blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the light. The sky outside the window was growing paler, it had to be around four thirty in the morning. She took a deep breath and brought her knees closer to her, hugging them to her chest. Slowly she let the breath go.

Pressing her lips together, Anna silently dropped her feet from the bed to the floor. She blinked a few more times, trying to get her eyes to focus. Once again she looked to Nicholas, but he wasn't sleeping. He looked wide awake, staring at Anna. He was mouthing her name.

His face was very pale and filled with terror.

"What's wrong Nicholas?" Anna asked in a whisper.

Nicholas seemed unable to speak. After a moment he mumbled something.

"Nicholas...What did you say?" She asked worriedly.

She saw him gulp, but he suddenly found his voice, "There's... A monster outside the window..."

Anna's eyes widened, "What?"

"Outside the window." He said barely above a whisper.

Anna stared at him but slowly gathered enough courage to look at the window, she saw nothing. Standing up, she slowly walked across the floorboards, and stood a few inches away from the window, looking out of it, "Nicholas...I don't see anything." Anna frowned to herself and was about to look back to him until she saw something move in front of the window.

She didn't look at it directly, but from the corner of her eye she saw something in a red cloak staring at her.

She heard Nicholas give a quiet cry, but then in fear go silent. Anna would've screamed if she could. She was too filled with terror to do anything though, she couldn't look away, look at it, or move away.

It moved away from the window, but Anna didn't. She was too afraid.

The hand of the creature suddenly swung against the window and someone screamed. It took a moment before Anna realized that Nicholas had. In a swift instant, she was pulling Nicholas out of the room.

Anna bumped into something and she gasped, and standing in front of her younger brother, she whipped around to face whatever it was. But it was Lucius, "What happened?"

"The cre-creature!" Nicholas shouted.

Though the warning was late, the bell suddenly could be heard.