Chapter 8:
A New YearJanuary 3, 2015
Tara hates leaving her friends after the holiday, but especially this year. After finding the ominous gift, leaving Laura alone was difficult. No matter how she and Leanne tried to stay, Laura protested, saying she didn't need a babysitter. “After all, Callie's here; I won't be alone,” she'd said. However, Tara sensed Laura hid her fear behind a false mask of courage.
When Tara enters her townhouse foyer, an instant chill runs down her left arm—an acute foreboding that only strikes her back, never her arm. Warily, she places her bags on the floor and advances inside the home. Beyond the living room, shades are drawn on every window as if done intentionally. When she's away, she always leaves them down. In the middle of the room, her body lights with
