Jacob turned away from the field stripped Glock 19 laying on his desk to face the large picture window framing a sky of pinks, oranges, and purples as the new morning sun peaked over the horizon. The dawn’s serene light bathed the room in a soft glow.

  Jacob sighed softly as he felt, rather than heard, his office door slowly open.

  Cheri stepped in the room, glanced at the blankets and pillows still neatly folded on the couch. Jacob hadn’t even attempted to sleep during the night.

  “Good morning,” Cheri half smiled as she set a mug of steaming hot coffee on the desk.

  “Nothing good about this morning,” Jacob swiveled his chair around to face the young lady. Cheri didn’t look like she had gotten much sleep either. The dark circles under her eyes becoming almost too thick to hide with makeup and red veins spidering through the sclera made her look ill. “Doesn’t look like you slept much either.”

  “Sleep is evasive for all of us these days.” Cheri glanced down at the disassembled gun. “I don’t really think that’s gonna do much against Blackwell.” Cheri nervously laughed.

  “No,” Jacob sighed “probably not. It’s just an exercise that helps me focus. My dad…” Jacob’s voice trailed off.

  “Daddy! Daddy! I did it!” announced a bright eyed towheaded blonde boy. “Can I go with you hunting now?”

  Daniel Blackwell smiled down at his sweet five-year-old son, who’d had much to learn about guns, life, and family. It had taken two hours of arguing and negotiating to get his wife, Josphine, to agree to teaching the boy to field strip, clean, and reassemble a gun. The compromise was not taking him hunting until he was at least double digits.

  “We have much much more to learn about the laws and respect for the weapon and the animal before we are ready to go hunting.”

  “I know… I know… When we kill an animal we use all of it for nourishment and stuff. What’s nourishment?”

  “Ha,” Daniel let out the smallest of laughs. “We get nourishment from the food we eat. Every year I come home with one buck. Only one per year. I take the buck to the butcher, and he skins it and processes the meat. We use the meat in our meals throughout the year. The deer hide goes to Sally Mae who uses the leather to make some beautiful purses and wallets. I usually buy one for your mother. She loves the soft leather.”

  “And the antlers?” Jacob asked, even though he already knew.

  “Mr. Stanson, down in Shannon Hill, gets the antlers. He carves the most delicate figurines. Each year I give him the antlers and he gives me a piece of two of the chess set sitting in my study.”

  “Why doesn’t Miss Sally Mae give you a purse for Mom for free like Mr. Stanson?”

  “You’re just fully of questions today. You know very well all the answers, well most of them anyways. Sally Mae and I have different arrangements. No more questions.”

  “Daddy, just one more please?”

  “OK.”

  “Why doesn’t Mom go hunting with you? This way we’d get two bucks.”

  “Mom…” Daniel sighed softly as he remembered the doe eyed young girl he had met and had fallen in love with many years ago. “Mom didn’t grow up in a hunting family like I did. She didn’t learn to shoot until she was an adult, and only for self-protection.”

  “Jacob, where’d you go?” Cheri pulled him out of his thoughts and back into the present.

  “Sorry, anyways it never hurts to be prepared.”

  “Ok, well Hazel is going to be here in thirty minutes and the rest of us are in the kitchen. Tracy already alerted the nursing agency that we won’t need a nurse for tonight, but the day nurse will be here also soon. Probably now.”

  “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

  Jacob started putting the Glock back together as Cheri closed the office door behind her.

  By the time Jacob finished putting the gun back together the sun had risen high enough to turn the sky blue and erase the early morning colors.

  He glanced at his watch, realizing how quickly time had flown. The rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall marked the moments slipping away. His mind wandered back to the conversation with his father, and a sense of nostalgia washed over him. Hunting trips with his father had always been a cherished tradition. He hoped to pass on the same love and respect for the wilderness to his children.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Jacob stood up and stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from sitting too long. He knew it was time to join the rest of the family. As he headed towards the kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon greeted him. The warmth and familiarity of home filled his heart with a sense of peace.

  Cheri was bustling around, organizing breakfast, while Tracy and Hazel chatted animatedly at the table. The day nurse had arrived and was preparing for her duties. Jacob's presence was instantly acknowledged with smiles and greetings.

  "Morning everyone," he said with a nod, grabbing his second cup of coffee. The day's daunting tasks awaited, but for a moment, he allowed himself to simply enjoy the tranquility of this morning, surrounded by the people he loved.

  Hazel bounced into the house a few minutes later carrying a medium sized box filled to the brim with supplies for Cheri to build a protective circle. Cheri spent several days with Shayla learning how to effectively protect Katie and herself from any actions Blackwell might take after they start the ritual to free Katie.

  Hazel plopped the box down on the oak dining room table then twirled around to close the double doors between the living room and the dining room.

  “Good morning y’all! And yes it’s gonna be a great day because by this time tomorrow it will be all over and Katie will be sharing breakfast with us!”

  Cheri bounced in her chair and clapped her hands in an attempt to match Hazels positive energy. “Toys!” she let out a nervous little laugh.

  “Not toys,” Hazel waggled her finger and adorned a mock serous face “tools.”

  Hazel’s positive playful attitude became infectious to the group.

  Jacob couldn't help but smile at Hazel's enthusiasm. The weight of the day's tasks seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of hope and determination. The room buzzed with a renewed energy as everyone joined in the preparations. Tracy and Hazel exchanged a few jokes, their laughter echoing through the house, while Cheri meticulously arranged the items from the box.

  Jacob took a deep breath, feeling the camaraderie and unity around him. It was a reminder that whatever dark danger lay ahead, they would face them together as a family to fee Katie from her prison. The light-hearted banter and shared sense of purpose made the daunting tasks seem less intimidating.

  “Pink Himalayan Rock Salt, Nana cleansed it and cast her energy into to add to yours. She said just place it carefully on top of the white salt you have to make the circle. The four large geodes, one for each cardinal directions, what color go where is written on the card.” Hazel took a big breath, her positive attitude wavered in the face of what was coming. “And for after, when Katie comes back she’s going to be physically and mentally depleted. Nana included a bottle of water, she’s infused it with a variety of fruits and vitamins that will help with that and,” with a flourished wave of her hand she brought out a clear glass container “Nana’s special chocolate banana marshmallow fudge!”

  “Well luck you. You get fudge and we get all the hard work,” Jacob was trying to keep the mood playful.

  “Let’s get serious for a minute. We aren’t having a midnight picnic; we are delving into a world none of us have any knowledge of. It’s scary, and how certain are we it’s gonna work?” Jasmine’s faith was obviously faltering. “I’m not all that sure I can do this.”

  “You have to keep the fear out of your head. What’s the worst thing that can happen? It doesn't work. Then nothing ventured nothing gained. No big deal. What’s the best thing that can happen. It works, Blackwell is dead for good, and Katie comes back.” Tracy said, trying to keep everyone’s head in the game.

  “Hey guys,” Hazzel chimed in, “I’m gonna head to the house. Nana said to make sure you’re all there by nine tonight, so we have enough time to get set up. She wants to start the ritual by 11:55 so we hit midnight at the right time. Do whatever you have to do to get your head in the game. Nana will be doing most of the ritual work. She just needs your magical and physical energy to complete it properly.”

  Katie lay curled up on the bed, her arms protectively wrapped around her midsection. Her mind racing with questions, but no answers came. How could she have just forgotten him, them? Where was he now? Did he know about our babies? How did Alexander learn she was having twins? Was she really having twins? Where exactly was she and how did she get here? Where was here? Every day was the same, bright blue skies, mild warm weather, and warm sea waves on the beach.

  “Katie… Katie…” the soft call sounded distant to Katies ears, but she slowly opened her red puffy eyes.

  “Abby, how did you get in. Alexander has this place locked solid. Trust me, I’ve spent days looking for a way out when he’s not here.”

  “I haven’t yet had the opportunity to explain to you,” Abby softly smiled down at the distraught woman “this is a prison mean only for Alexander Blackwell. I am the warden, the prisons keeper. Nothing can keep me out.”

  “A prison?” Katie gasped.

  “We don’t have much time,” Abby lifted her head as if she was listening to the air. “He is on his way home. I know you’re scared, some very scary things have happened, but soon there will come a moment when you have a chance to run. In that moment everything will feel chaotic, and you’ll be afraid. I need you to remember that I’m your place of safety. In that moment flee to the cottage.”

  “I don’t understand, I just want to go home.” Katie began to cry again.

  “Don’t fret sweet child, you will be home with the people who love you soon. Just remember what I have told you. When the moment comes run to the cottage. The door will be open and I will be waiting for you. I have to leave, he'll arrive shortly.”

  Katie closed her eyes and laid her head on the soft pink pillow. With a soft sigh she drifted off to sleep.

  Katie closed her eyes and laid her head on the soft pink pillow. With a soft sigh she drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were haunted by fragmented memories and fleeting images of Alexander, the twins, and the life she once knew. She found herself walking through a dense, foggy forest, the smell of pine and earth filling her senses. In the distance, a faint light glimmered, drawing her closer with each hesitant step.

  As she approached, the light grew brighter, revealing a quaint cottage surrounded by a garden of vibrant flowers. The door stood ajar, and Katie felt an inexplicable pull to enter. Inside, the warmth and familiarity of the place enveloped her, and she saw Abby standing by the fireplace, her smile reassuring and kind.

  "Welcome home, Katie," Abby said softly. "You have made it."

  Katie awoke with a start, her heart pounding. The dream had felt so real, so vivid. She knew what she had to do. The moment Abby spoke of was approaching, and she had to be ready. Gathering her courage, she whispered to herself, "Run to the cottage, Katie. Run to the cottage."