PINPOINTS OF LOVE

FEAR AWAKE IN THE MOODS

the big knives were kept. Their wooden block on the counter was easy to find with just the glow of the moon streaming in. No way was she going to turn on a light and illuminate herself further. Give herself away.

Once she had the weapon in hand, she made her way to the front door. It was slightly ajar from when Adam and Abbott had gone out into the night in search of whatever disturbed them. It was bright outside, the snow reflecting the starry sky. She scanned the winding driveway as it looped past the house and back into the forest. It was about a seven minute walk to reach the main road. She knew from earlier in the day when she’d walked the dog.

“Adam?” she softly called, seeing her breath catch in the air. No response. Her heart hammered. She shivered.

“Adam? Where are you?” A little louder this time. She waited, silent, on the front porch. She was ready with her knife in hand. Not that she’d ever had to use one in self defence previously. But she’d seen enough horror movies to feel somewhat comfortable holding it now for protection.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before she heard the crunch of his boots coming around the side of the house, Abbott in tow.

“Didn’t see anything,” he told her as he got nearer.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Abbott sniffed around a bit but he stopped growling. We walked around the property, close to the forest, even looked over the bank down towards the lake. Nothing.”

They went back inside.

“Are you holding a knife?”

“I wanted protection.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I think we should go back to bed. There’s nothing out there. Come on, it’s late.”

Adam took the knife and laid it down on the kitchen counter before placing his hand on the small of her back, in an attempt to comfort her and lead her back to bed. Still, she felt a sense of unease. What had she seen then? What was Abbott so worked up about? If there was nothing out there, surely they both wouldn’t have woken up.

“Adam, I know there was something out there in the woods. Abbott wouldn’t have been so alert if it was nothing. It doesn’t make sense.”

“I don’t know what to tell you babe, maybe it was a raccoon.”

“But there was this—”

Flash.

That’s when they saw it. Tucked up high on the shelf across from their bed, where Adam had left it, reflecting into the window each time it flashed its little green light. Giving the illusion that it was on the outside looking in, when in reality it was in their bedroom the whole time. Harmless, inanimate, innocently taunting her and the dog. They looked at each other and then back at the shelf.

The f*****g Fitbit.