Anna sat on the porch, staring at the watch tower in the distance silently. She could just make out two figures in yellow moving around. One was Michael and the other, well, she wasn't too sure of. She let out a yawn as she hugged her knees closer to her, resting her chin on the skirt of her long, nearly worn-out, dress. Her hair was out of her face, braided then tied off with a white ribbon. Her mother had did it for her.

Anna loved her mother, but she was at times uncomfortable. Like, for instance, if she was lying, or trying to hide something. Her mother seemed able to read her mind, and soon Anna was confessing everything she had done. Tonight while her mother was braiding her hair was one of those times, but fortunately her mother didn't keep pressing Anna for the answer.

"What's wrong?" Ivy asked concerned, but she did not stop braiding.

"Nothing." Anna replied too quickly. And at this, Lucius had looked at her. Obviously he hadn't noticed what was wrong. But that was fine with Anna, some matters she didn't

wish for them to know.

"Your worried for your cousin aren't you?" And at hearing this, Nicholas also concernedly looked up wanting to know why to be worried for their cousin.

Taking a breath she shrugged, "I am."

"Why?" Her father asked in a shaky voice, his face still was pale, but his eyebrow was quirked.

"Well he is on watching duty tonight." Anna said. It was the truth, but she was also worried from what he had said to her only a half an hour before.

"But he's got another person with him. Isabelle's older brother." Nicholas chimed into the conversation. All eyes turned to him for a moment, they all knew that he liked Isabelle as a crush. Nicholas's cheeks turned a bright red and he hastily looked away. Ivy continued braiding then, Anna looked down to her hands folded in her lap, and Lucius put a hand over his mouth with a sigh.

"Lucius, you should really go back and lie in bed." His wife instructed, looking towards him and he nodded, standing up.

He stopped in the doorway though, "Why do you worry about Michael? He'll be alright. I know he will..."

Anna's eyes flashed to her father's face and she thought, 'But he tempted the creatures and you don't know that. You don't know if he'll be alright.' But Anna just nodded, "Yes, father."

Lucius gave a solemn nod and the left into their bedroom, closing the door behind him. Nicholas looked to his mother and sister then with a cheerful smile.

Feeling that her mother was done, Anna stood up, "Can I sit on the porch for a while? To get some fresh air."

"Yes, Anna."

She nodded then opened the front door and she saw Nicholas scramble to Ivy, "Can you tell me a story tonight, mama?" He usually always would her 'mama', when he was with her, but if her was around the other boys of his age he'd just say, 'mother'.

Ivy nodded, "Yes, let's go tuck you in." She said, standing up, taking her son's hand, "I heard that you got apple pie tonight." Was the last thing Anna heard as she walked out of the house to sit on the porch.

Anna continued to stare at the watch tower.

With a sigh, she stood up to go back into the house, but then she stopped. It would be a nice thing to visit Michael, just to see how he was doing. It was that simple. She'd see how he was then be back within minutes.

She smiled to herself and walked down the steps, walking across the grass. Dead leaves crunched under her feet and Anna looked at the tall old twisted tree, it had already lost all of it's leaves. The branches swayed with the wind, giving a few creaks.

Looking ahead, she continued on the watch tower was slowly growing with each step she took. She was halfway to the tower now.

But suddenly Anna stopped, getting the feeling as if someone was watching her. She glanced around herself and saw nobody. All of the curtains were pulled over the windows of the houses.

A shiver made it's way up her spine. She could feel goosebumps running up her arms, and the hairs on the back of her neck felt as if they were standing up.

Anna held her breath, listening for noises. The only noise though was the creaking branches of the old tree.

She gripped her dress, trying to control the shaking of her hands.

With a gulp she closed her eyes, mumbling to herself, 'If I can't see it, it isn't there. If I can't see it, it isn't there.' Her eyes were still closed, her head lowered to the ground as she turned and started to make her way back to her house.

Walking with her eyes closed didn't seem to be such a good idea though. Without warning, Anna tripped in a hole. For a moment she lie on the ground. Her mother could make her way around easily. But Anna could not take five steps without falling.

Scowling, she lifted herself to her knees and repeated, 'If I can't see it, it isn't there.'

Pressing her lips together, Anna sighed. Something seemed to make her look up though. It was like someone was tilting her head up.

Anna slowly lifted her head to see eyes staring back at her.

No, scratch that. Anna couldn't see the eyes. The blackness under the hood was staring at her.

The blackness under the forbidden colored hood.

It was the creature.

Anna's eyes widened and she stared at it in silence. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. It surprised her that she did not fall dead at that instant.

'The bell isn't ringing. How could it sneak in?' It was also amazingly surprising of how calm her mind was behaving.

Even though it was night, and it was in the shadows... She could see it... It was there.

'Maybe it will be quick and painless.' A voice told her in her head, 'No.' A different voice argued 'It will hurt beyond belief. Just a scratch from it felt as if it may cause death. It will hurt.'

'Maybe it's blind.' The first voice said.

Those the villagers do not speak of took a step closer towards her.