When they arrived at Taya's house there were no signs of anyone being there. All the windows were dark and no car parked in the driveway. Margot banged on the door, calling for Taya. No one answered.

       "If she isn't here, where is she?" Joe wondered.

       "I don't know," Margot said, anxiously looking at the darkened windows. "I want to try the back."

       As they made their way to the back gate, Aria remained in the front leaning against the large mesquite tree, clutching her stomach. She'd been feeling nauseous most of the afternoon like a heavyweight had settled inside her belly. Now nausea turned into pain like something was clawing into her stomach. Sinking to the ground, the shade of the tree surrounding her like a cool blanket she made herself take deep breaths. Closing her eyes, counting backward from a hundred, reminding herself, again and again, this too shall pass. Taking deep breaths in and out, a rush of cold engulfed her. The pain in her stomach traveled up her chest, her breathing becoming painful. It then clenched itself into her, again and again, throat until she couldn't breathe at all.

       Her thoughts whirled into a panic. I'm choking. I'm...I can't breathe! The pain was constricting as if someone had placed their hands inside her throat and squeezed. Her vision blurred, at some point she found herself lying on the ground. Aria could just make out the image of someone watching her. She could hear the sound of someone pounding on a window ...wake up...wake up...

       "Aria! Wake! Up!"

       Aria was blinded by sunlight when her eyes opened. She took in deep gasps of air, coughing and sputtering, head spinning. Joe rubbed the small of her back while Margot held her up. With each breath she took she prayed in thanks, grateful to be able to breathe, to be alive. Gently they helped her up, tears moving down her cheeks like raindrops. They walked her over to the front porch as she explained what happened between great gulps of breath. Margot looked at the darkened windows of the house, pitch black and barely visible to see the inside. With absolute certainty, Margot knew that the shadow creature was here, within her friend's house and Taya was alone with it.

       A terrible thought intruded into her mind, Taya's probably dead. Ferociously shaking the ugly thought out of her mind Margot refused to believe that was possible. The all too familiar fear bubbled from the saddest depths of heart and foremost into her mind. I can't lose one more friend, not again. She looked down at Aria rubbing her neck, her voice hoarse. Joe began dialing on his phone,

       "That's it, I'm calling the cops." He said. After two rings the phone shut off. As the three remained distracted they failed to notice the subtle click of the door unlocking. Slowly, gently the door opened to the inner darkness of the house. It was Aria who noticed, goosebumps dotting along the nape of her neck and spreading down her arms. A cold breeze from within gently caressed their cheeks. Normally a welcome sensation in the burning Texas sun, felt, instead, very wrong. The door was wide open, beckoning them inside and no one dared to move.

       "Ta..." Margot coughed. "Taya? Is that you?"

       Voice still shaking, not at all sure what was happening, she was caught between two very strong sensations. Grabbing her two friends and dashing back to the car, find help and pray that Taya was fine. Or, charge inside with all the bravado she could summon up, find Taya and leg it. It was Joe who took the first step, taking out his small pocket flashlight to shine a dim light into the darkness. He looked alongside the side of the wall for a light switch. Gently hovering his fingers against the panel he found it, Flipped it down and back up.

       One by one the lights flickered to life. Margot and Joe looked to each other and then Aria. Helping her up on shaking legs they went inside. The air felt wrong; cold, heavy and stale. Almost like walking into a crypt. Margot took out her phone to text Taya again. No message went through, it too going dead in her hand.

       "What the hell is going on?" Margot whispered.

       Aria leaned against the wall taking deep breaths to steady herself. Scanning the house nothing looked physically out of order. Around her was stillness and quiet which bothered her. It felt lifeless. Wrong. There was still no sign of Taya. Oh God, please, please let her be safe. Please.

       They heard a creaking sound coming from behind the hallway door. Every creak and step sounded louder as it approached them. The three of them huddled together alongside the wall. Margot grabbed a chair, Joe lifted a picture frame and Aria held her pepper spray aloft all three bracings themselves for a fight. The footsteps ceased at the door. It was quiet. No sound or movement. Just silence.

       Margot mouthed for Joe to open the door. He refused. Too risky, he mimed. Margot tilted her head towards the door. Open it! She insisted. I'll attack it!

       Joe stared dumbfounded. No! He whispered fiercely. We call the cops! He whispered, making a phone sign with his free hand. While they argued back and forth in fierce whispers, Aria stared at the door. The adrenaline fed by her fear from her earlier encounter made it so she hyper-focused on the door and nothing else. The doorknob twisted left...right...

       The door creaked open. A lamp was thrown from behind the door Everyone screamed. Aria threw the photo frame, beaning Taya right on her forehead.

       "Ow! Damnit!"

       Everyone cried aloud.

       "Taya!"