where Rusty knelt, motioning his friend to follow. Rusty shook with fear, and knew that he had to run. Glancing inside the window briefly, he noticed that the sleeping figure was gone. His eyes grew wide and spider chills crawled along his skin.
What was it? And where had it gone? But he had no time to think as Tommy reached the stone and the sound of Berger drew closer. On hands and knees, Rusty made it to the edge and slunk over, dropping onto the ivy that strangled the foundation of the house. He followed Tommy's retreating form as he snuck along the side of the home. Rusty joined him as a harsh growl erupted from the front of the building.
"Where's Jimmy?" Rusty was breathless from fear and the short sprint, and Tommy darted his head around, searching for their friend.
"He couldn't of gotten far. Where is he?"
They had no idea where the boy was. Dozens of yards away stood the dark woods, and rotten tree stumps littered the backyard. To the side of the house lay a wide stretch of grass, and the moonlight would have clearly revealed anyone crossing. The sound of a closing door reached them, and they stared at each other in horror. It came from behind the house.
"Someone came outside," hissed Tommy. He hesitated. "Or went in..."
"Now what?" Rusty's pulse raced. Visions of the strange little man swam before his eyes. Were they trapped? There was no other noise from Berger. For all they knew he could be waiting out front. Rusty felt like he was drowning, indecision freezing him.
"Got to find Jimmy. Let's check the back. If you see anything, run like crazy, and don't stop."
The pair crept along the house, expecting at any moment to have someone jump out at them. Thorn bushes lined the home's exterior, the nasty undergrowth cringing against the cold stone as if trying to scale the walls. Tommy reached a corner that blocked the view from the back entrance, and arched his neck as he gazed around the edge. "Nothing here, come on."
The suspense was unbearable -- Rusty felt ready to scream. A narrow porch sat a few yards to their left, the wooden planks warped and bent upwards at several spots. A dim light spilled out from a partially shuttered window next to the porch.
"I don't see anyone. Do you think Jimmy went inside to hide?" Tommy's question was a terrible one. What if Jimmy had gone in? He would be taking a dreadful chance of being caught. But then again, Jimmy had done some outrageous things before.
Tommy moved to the window, and Rusty turned around, worried that Berger might sneak up the side of the house.
"Hold on," he whispered, returning to the corner. Nothing stirred. Rusty returned, gazing across the silent yard as he rejoined Tommy's huddled form.
"It's clear. Berger must've gone in."
Easing up to the window, they held their breath, not daring to disturb the frame. Through the cracks, they saw a table in the middle of a modest kitchen, a seated figure facing the back door.
It was Jimmy!
The boy stared straight ahead, unmoving...
Two mouths gaped wide at the sight of their friend inside the forbidden home. But that was not the worst of it, for standing on the table was the little man, his back turned to the spying boys. He was gesturing to Jimmy, his tiny hands swaying in front of the boy's face like a diabolical maestro directing his orchestra. Rusty shuddered.
"Wh-what's he doing to him?" Tommy's voice whispered in Rusty's ear, but the boy was unable to respond.
As they watched in horror, Berger entered the kitchen, his gaunt form leering down at Jimmy, whose lips moved mechanically, mesmerized by the waving limbs of the small man. Berger nodded, speaking to the bizarre dwarf, a malevolent grin piercing his face, empty and humorless. Without warning, Jimmy stood, the movement dreamlike and controlled. He shuffled towards the door.
"What's he doing now?" Rusty felt Tommy's hands gripping his shoulder, palpable fear in the tight hold. "Are they letting him go?"
Jimmy reached the door, and the boys
What was it? And where had it gone? But he had no time to think as Tommy reached the stone and the sound of Berger drew closer. On hands and knees, Rusty made it to the edge and slunk over, dropping onto the ivy that strangled the foundation of the house. He followed Tommy's retreating form as he snuck along the side of the home. Rusty joined him as a harsh growl erupted from the front of the building.
"Where's Jimmy?" Rusty was breathless from fear and the short sprint, and Tommy darted his head around, searching for their friend.
"He couldn't of gotten far. Where is he?"
They had no idea where the boy was. Dozens of yards away stood the dark woods, and rotten tree stumps littered the backyard. To the side of the house lay a wide stretch of grass, and the moonlight would have clearly revealed anyone crossing. The sound of a closing door reached them, and they stared at each other in horror. It came from behind the house.
"Someone came outside," hissed Tommy. He hesitated. "Or went in..."
"Now what?" Rusty's pulse raced. Visions of the strange little man swam before his eyes. Were they trapped? There was no other noise from Berger. For all they knew he could be waiting out front. Rusty felt like he was drowning, indecision freezing him.
"Got to find Jimmy. Let's check the back. If you see anything, run like crazy, and don't stop."
The pair crept along the house, expecting at any moment to have someone jump out at them. Thorn bushes lined the home's exterior, the nasty undergrowth cringing against the cold stone as if trying to scale the walls. Tommy reached a corner that blocked the view from the back entrance, and arched his neck as he gazed around the edge. "Nothing here, come on."
The suspense was unbearable -- Rusty felt ready to scream. A narrow porch sat a few yards to their left, the wooden planks warped and bent upwards at several spots. A dim light spilled out from a partially shuttered window next to the porch.
"I don't see anyone. Do you think Jimmy went inside to hide?" Tommy's question was a terrible one. What if Jimmy had gone in? He would be taking a dreadful chance of being caught. But then again, Jimmy had done some outrageous things before.
Tommy moved to the window, and Rusty turned around, worried that Berger might sneak up the side of the house.
"Hold on," he whispered, returning to the corner. Nothing stirred. Rusty returned, gazing across the silent yard as he rejoined Tommy's huddled form.
"It's clear. Berger must've gone in."
Easing up to the window, they held their breath, not daring to disturb the frame. Through the cracks, they saw a table in the middle of a modest kitchen, a seated figure facing the back door.
It was Jimmy!
The boy stared straight ahead, unmoving...
Two mouths gaped wide at the sight of their friend inside the forbidden home. But that was not the worst of it, for standing on the table was the little man, his back turned to the spying boys. He was gesturing to Jimmy, his tiny hands swaying in front of the boy's face like a diabolical maestro directing his orchestra. Rusty shuddered.
"Wh-what's he doing to him?" Tommy's voice whispered in Rusty's ear, but the boy was unable to respond.
As they watched in horror, Berger entered the kitchen, his gaunt form leering down at Jimmy, whose lips moved mechanically, mesmerized by the waving limbs of the small man. Berger nodded, speaking to the bizarre dwarf, a malevolent grin piercing his face, empty and humorless. Without warning, Jimmy stood, the movement dreamlike and controlled. He shuffled towards the door.
"What's he doing now?" Rusty felt Tommy's hands gripping his shoulder, palpable fear in the tight hold. "Are they letting him go?"
Jimmy reached the door, and the boys
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