What the moon takes

seconds, I c

e glowed o

n't open th

pounding so loudly that I cou

outside my

knew m

knew I had recei

oth hands. My first instinct was to call Ben, but bef

ee

l

ibe

re?" I cal

th

hrough the

ay remain

d the entrance downstairs, but there was no camera outside my door. Anyone

d complained about it

g sound came fro

ach tig

und of someone k

ingernails draggi

bled b

palm, and I almost dropped it. I quickl

ed after

or

en

voice made him i

's wr

s outside

ho

ow. I can't

ou open

N

it locked.

of a car door cl

think someone

rom the door. Go somewhere

toward t

the livi

droom. Take your ph

ssible. Halfway down the hallway,

a

asp

or

just hit

away f

impact f

shook in

even though I knew the flimsy lock would

please

on my

ound of my breathing and the faint

n spoke

you to tell

ha

a message from an

ped br

id you

answer i

it t

d at th

essage was

ending you don't know

the s

moon is closer

fina

en the d

each on

under hi

. "Do you know

N

hy did

ceived someth

mach d

he same

the department this morning. It

did it

esit

en

on in the woods w

ion spread th

oes tha

't kno

from somewhere o

nd nearly dro

or

ne's i

room. I'm a

d foot

ried fo

w o

allway, stopping just

covered

ndle t

n

ic

sto

I whi

m h

eps remain

andle, waiting fo

ce spoke from

or

a man's

. C

t recog

the

d turne

you?" I w

ave a qui

y don't re

dle mov

il my legs hit th

someone in m

I'm dow

g sounded from

her voice

e! Ope

outside my b

ment, the entire ap

the front d

ople shout

hed through t

le

dro

r with shaking ha

is service weapon lowered but ready. T

ound mine

or

ce between us and pul

his jacket,

you h

ok my

ou see

ne outside the d

d over my

way did

now. I was

ers appeared fro

side. We checked the ap

jaw ti

't have di

anced toward t

d the stairs be

ked at

hear hi

N

u see h

ok my

haled

ou're sa

t sure I be

the apartment for an

ns of forced entry, and no obvious e

something on

ong scr

sh

enough to expose the pale mater

d them with

done that from the

ssi

the edge

hy

anced

cratches are u

ded m

animal

dn't

t his phone and pho

ing manager preserve

that

gh the main entrance, we'll

attention remained f

t identical to th

long

istanc

trange

my slee

noti

or

tir

kno

lk about t

d me for

he no

ou somewhere

he

pl

I can'

. And yo

ked a

m, but his expres

g here alone until we kn

anted to tell him I co

that I didn't want

" I wh

zed my s

oo

his house shortl

rey house with a small garden and a wooden fence. The building

ountless ev

d blue mug he refused to throw away, and the way

felt like a

felt like a

stairs while I stood in the kit

were beginning to disappe

y?" he asked w

rea

eaten since

not h

he refriger

king so

ost s

ways do

wh

eating befor

f my better

things felt

is pho

d at the

sappeared fr

rve

e other end, but I watched Ben's

he

pa

ical examine

her

email. I'll be there

ed the

ppened?"

his phone in

dentified

was

esit

s. Forty-two. He lived on

ou kno

perso

ait

d toward

aminer found so

ha

ed back

nsistent with any ord

ned around the ed

oes tha

-or something-did

allo

have been

we're trying

me cl

to tell me the tru

t began

ut w

left the hospital, did

red a

N

you s

es

ld my

een near Blackwood Fore

en seemed

the coun

sn't po

d the regi

as h

was ther

ok my

after work. I went

softened, but he

nd how your car ended

ldn't

nly I remembe

full m

a f

s beneat

against

ight betwee

ce callin

away from

ught m

or

at him, t

hink

ice b

k I wen

other question, my pho

led i

ew me

unknown

e your car was. Soon,

message

inds out, he'll be the

d at th

arden fence, something

low, unmista