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"Maybe they werefunny!" Ellie told hiely

"Oh, and ere they saying?"

Joshua looked troubled "I don’t know I couldn’t understand them"

"H to one another?"

Joshua firmly shook his head

"Did you tell your parents?" Finn asked

Ellie sighed "They werearound in the house And they said the sa so--and that we should mind our own business Just because it’s almost Halloween, we shouldn’t think that everyone is a monster"

"I see Well, hht myself, how’s that? You two stay in your beds in your rooht?"

Joshua had joined Ellie before him Both of them looked at hio see what they’re doing?" he asked

"Soleh of relief "I will feel better"

"Me, too I’m scared, even in bed"

"Halloween can be very scary," Finn said "Don’t worry, monsters can make me feel a little uneasy, too, but I could swear that if you just stay in your rooht, you’ll be just fine And, of course, say your prayers before you go to bed"

"Every night!" Ellie said

Finn wondered what had caused him to say the last Monsters were just evil people He had to believe that It was all that was rational And rationally, it didn’t ht very well be around, thinking they had the power to do so awful, whether it was real or not

Half the heinousthat dogs talked to them or the devil demanded that they do it

He smiled firo ahead and sleep tight tonight I gave you my solean! he thought

Ellie slipped her hand into Finn’s and squeezed it "Thanks, Mr Douglas I don’t knohy adults just never want to believe children!"

The seriousness of her voicewith the wisdom of the words

"Sometimes adults can believe that they really know better; they don’t usually intend to be mean or dismissive," Finn told her "Joshua, reht in your rooet"

Joshua nodded seriously "I know you won’t"

He left the children, ood walk around Huntington House tonight

After he watched over Megan Carefully

He couldn’t… he couldn’t try to talk to her tonight, give explanations--or even beg an apology for whatever it was that he supposedly did

He would be strictly business Distant fro Because he felt as if he’d been warned by soht be

Don’t let her walk through the dark…

Or the fog…

Alone

As he left Huntington House, he was suddenly angry and determined, and he knew that he’d be damned if he’d let anyone hurt her

Anyone, or…