Lying on my back on the porch, I grabbed a rock from a painted rock collection sitting inside one of the big potted plants and threw it as far as I could into the street. When it landed, it made the soft sound of rock to pavement and then immediately a huge CRASH! of rock to metal.

I hit the SUVs with the rock! The Suits turned to the street and were distracted long enough for Bones to crawl up the stairs next to me on the porch. I nodded to the front screen door that was not fully closed.

“We’re going in, Bones. Follow me.” And I had to add, because he’s Bones, “Don’t stand up!”

I crawled over to the screen door and opened it with my hand just enough to shimmy inside the house. The front foyer was dark, and the living room off to the right of the foyer was even darker, so I headed in there. Bones was right behind me.

When I looked back, I saw that the top of his giant foot was caught in the edge of the screen door. I tried to warn him. “Bones, don’t let the screen door . . .” SLAM! And things went eerily quiet.

We scrambled into the living room and hid on the other side of a big sofa that probably hadn’t been sat in for about ten years. Through the living room window we could see the Suits heading toward the front porch. Then the lights in the foyer went on. Someone was coming down the stairs.

From behind the sofa, I saw her. Annie.

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