The doctor and the parents arrived shortly after that. The doctor confirmed that Delna would be all right physically, and the parents wanted to hear what had happened in private.
The doctor left quickly, and Rina and Vipin were about to step outside the house when Delna said, “I don’t want to talk unless they are here.”
Delna’s mother frowned, but the girl said, “It’s scary to talk about it. I want them here.”
Delna’s father gestured for them to come back. Rina obeyed, and Vipin followed close behind.
“I went to the house to bring some more food, like you told me,” the girl began. “But when I got close to the house, there was something watching me beside the neighbor’s house.” She shivered, and her mother hugged her closer. “It jumped out at me, and I ran.”
“You should have run back t
