• Return to the Monster •

“I guess we should think about killing the monster down there in the basement. Cameron said and the Hawkline women didn’t say anything. “We’ve been here all day and we haven’t gotten around to that yet. So many things have been happening. I’d like to get that God-damn monster out of the picture, so we can get onto something else because there sure as hell seems to be something else here to get onto. What do you think, Greer? Time for a little monster killing?”

Greer looked casually over at Cameron but at the same time his vision took in the fireplace. The fire that did not burn and the smoke that did not move were gone. It was a normal fire now. He looked back at the Hawkline women and casually but carefully around the room.

“Did you hear me?” Cameron said.

“Yeah, I heard you,” Greer said.

“Well, what do you think? A little monster killing?”

The Hawkline sisters were both wearing identical pearl necklaces. The necklaces floated gracefully about their necks.

But some of the pearls were glowing more brightly than the other pearls and some locks of hair hanging long about their necks seemed slightly darker than the rest of their hair. “Yes, we should get around to killing the monster,” Greer said. “That’s what we’re here for.”

“Yeah, I think that’s what we should do,” Cameron said. “And then find out what’s causing all these crazy things to happen around here. I never saw a man buried in a suitcase before.”