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The next day …

Saturday, December 4, 1999

9:00 p.m.

Angela typed at her computer in sweatpants and a T-shirt, working on her master’s thesis to distract herself from the disappointment of not visiting Ezekiel that day. He had called her earlier that afternoon to cancel their magic session, stating he had to deal with a task he forgot to resolve for his dealership, though he didn’t elucidate. Ezekiel was his usual jovial self, but something about his tone seemed off—strained. When Angela asked if he was all right, he expressed he was fine, just saddened he couldn’t see Angela and Corin that evening.

Angela’s eyes were growing sore from staring at the computer screen for so long, and she called it a night. Her thesis was almost complete and would be ready well before her defense presentation, scheduled for the last week of January. She saved her document, switched the monitor off, and moved to her bed. Shade was curled up on the bottom half of the mattress, and she whined as Angela nudged her feet beneath the sheets under the dog’s belly.

“Goodnight, baby girl,” Angela cooed, scratching Shade’s furry head. The dog licked her fingers, then rested her muzzle on Angela’s thigh. Angela’s head sank into her pillow, and she drifted off to sleep.

A frosty breeze blew against Angela’s back, and she opened her eyes. She walked along a dirt path out in the middle of a grassy field, which stretched off into pitch blackness all around her. There was no moon or stars above, and Angela did not know how her immediate surroundings were illuminated with no light source. She couldn’t remember how she got there, but she somehow knew she was heading in the right direction. She had to hurry. Something terrible would happen if she didn’t reach her destination in time. She quickened her steps, and the trail soon led to a three-way crossroads.

Angela stopped several feet short of the forked lane and peered along each of the two pathways before her. They stretched out into the darkness, and Angela couldn’t make out anything beyond fifty yards or so.

A long moment of silence, then there were sounds—growling—up ahead on the left path. Angela could just make out monstrous shapes within the darkness, coming toward her. They stepped out into the light, an array of hideous creatures, mostly humanoid, but with grotesque features, jagged teeth, and predatory eyes.

Angela had the momentary urge to flee, but that instinct faded. Those creatures wouldn’t get the chance to hurt her, though Angela wasn’t sure how she knew that. She just knew she would be fine.

A figure came along the path behind the monsters, large, imposing, and well-dressed. Angela knew it was Ezekiel before she could make out his features. He sauntered along the trail as if he were on a casual stroll, hands crossed behind his back and calm eyes trained on the ground in front of him. He didn’t seem to notice the creatures ahead of him.

Angela opened her mouth to alert Ezekiel of the monsters, but then stopped. She somehow knew he would be all right.

The hideous, ogre-like creatures turned about and snarled at Ezekiel as he came toward them. A few approached him, but as soon as they were within a few feet of Ezekiel, they reared back in pain, their flesh tearing open all over and blood gushing from the wounds. The blood didn’t fall to the earth, but instead floated into the air and dispersed into a thick red mist. The crimson fog drifted around Ezekiel as he passed and seemed to absorb into his being. Within moments, all the ogres lay dead along the path. Ezekiel showed no sign of noticing his victims, making his way undeterred toward the fork in the path. He slowed as he neared the crossroads, coming to a stop just on the outskirt of the intersection.

There was a sound to Angela’s right—people’s voices. She turned her head and saw that the third path, deserted only a moment ago, was now occupied. There were several people, all smiling and commingling. Angela did not know any of these people, but she felt these were decent people—innocent people.

Ezekiel’s head lifted, and his gaze alighted on those cheerful individuals. He stared at them for a long time, his calm expression hardening into a glare, cornflower-blue eyes turning blood-red.

“Ezekiel,” Angela called. She tried to go to him, but found she couldn’t move. “Ezekiel, come this way.”

Ezekiel didn’t acknowledge Angela. Did he even know she was there? His murderous eyes remained fixed on the unsuspecting people loitering on the third track, his pupils thinned into snakelike slits. He took a step toward the third path.

“Ezekiel, no!” Angela shouted.

Ezekiel still ignored Angela, or he couldn’t hear her. He stepped onto the third path, heading away from Angela. He closed the distance between himself and the first person along the other trail. Angela hadn’t recognized this person at first because their back was to them, but the individual turned around and smiled at Ezekiel.

“Prudence?” Angela tried to move again, but her feet were locked in place. No, she had to stop Ezekiel. He needed to come her way, where he wouldn’t hurt anyone. “Ezekiel, you’re going the wrong way!”

A hand gripped Angela’s shoulder from behind, and Angela turned to find her grandmother beside her. “Honeybee, you need to wake up,” Fiona exclaimed.

Angela blinked. “What?”

“You’re asleep.” Fiona pointed to Ezekiel, who was drawing dangerously close to Prudence. “But I don’t think this is just a dream. I think you’re having a vision, and Ezekiel’s going to do something terrible to Prudence. You need to wake up and tell Corin.”

“But I …”

Fiona cupped Angela’s face. “I mean it, Angela. Wake up now!”

Angela jerked up in bed, startling Shade. “Uncle Corin!” she cried out, taking up her cellphone and dialing Ezekiel’s number without hesitation. Shade hopped off the bed and barked, as if calling for Corin along with Angela.

Corin’s footfalls and cane taps heralded his approach. He burst into the room, eyes wide with concern. “What? What is it? Are you all right? Who’re you calling?”

“Ezekiel.” Angela held the phone to her ear. “I had a dream. I think Ezekiel’s going to … going to … I think something’s going to happen.”

Corin moved to the bed and knelt beside Angela. “What’s going to happen?”

“I … I don’t know exactly, but something bad.” The phone kept ringing. “Pick up, Ezekiel. Please pick up.”

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