Chapter 9
"What is the matter with you, Bruce?" Lisa begged her dog as he growled incessantly at the darkness outside the door. Lisa checked the shadows time and time again to no avail. She finally resolved that it must be a rabbit or raccoon. Whatever it is that lives in these woods and agitates her dog. That must be it.
Just then, her spotlight winked on. The light pockets of snow glittered on the ground. Terrified, Lisa stood gazing at her illuminated driveway. I thought it wasn't working earlier… A shadow darted through the brilliance. She thought fast. Her gun. Lisa dumped her purse and clutched the gun. Her head screamed, how do I turn the stupid safety off again?
Frustrated, she threw the door open. Bruce darted into the night, barking at the wilderness. Lisa stalked the darkness, gun in hand. The barrel peeked carefully around the corner. She stopped. The light dimmed once again, cloaking her in darkness. Bruce's distant barks kept her bearings as she pointed the gun to the shadows. She shook. Bruce fell strangely silent.
"Bruce…" she called.
The dog whined and returned to the house. Lisa turned, sparking the light on once again. Just a rabbit or something… She let Bruce in the house and placed the gun on the table. She stepped back into the darkness, closing the door behind her. Lisa waved to her malfunctioning spotlight, hoping to trigger it again.
"Just a ghost, Leese," a familiar voice chilled her shoulder. She turned. The spotlight lit once again, revealing that cold, memorable gaze. Lisa froze.
She whispered, barely catching her breath, "Jackson…"