23

Elizabeth said that if someone were to just invite her in there, then she would be able to observe her as well. "She stopped for a minute, contemplating, and then said, "I think I'll go by home—by Aunt Judith's, I mean. I feel like I'm the only one not doing anything. I believe..." She paused for a moment, considering, and then said, "I think I'll go by home.
Perhaps I'll find Robert loitering somewhere in the bushes or anything like that. "We'll go with you, if you like." "Merit remarked.
"No, I think it's better for me to do it by myself. Really, it is. These days, I have the ability to be really stealthy."

Elizabeth gave a little nod before lowering herself down onto the ledge. "Then heed your own advise and be cautious; it's still snowing heavily."
She was getting closer to her home when she saw that a vehicle was in the process of pulling out of the driveway. She drew closer to the darkness so she could observe. An ominous winter scene was lighted by the headlights of the vehicle: a black locust tree belonging to the neighbors was reduced to a silhouette of barren branches, and a white owl was perched in the tree.

Elizabeth immediately recognized the vehicle as it sped past her. Robert's blue Oldsmobile.

That was certainly something to think about. She felt the temptation to follow him, but a greater need to check on the home and ensure that everything was in order. She was worried that anything would go wrong. She sneaked around it, looking in the windows as she went.


The bright area of the kitchen that was hidden by the yellow chintz curtains at the window was exposed when the drapes were rolled back. Aunt Judith was putting the final touches on the dishwasher. Was Robert going to join us for dinner? Elizabeth questioned herself.

The rolled back yellow chintz curtains at the kitchen window revealed a blue and white checkered tablecloth.
bright portion of the kitchen is inside. Aunt Judith was putting the final touches on the dishwasher. Was Robert going to join us for dinner? Elizabeth questioned herself.

Elizabeth wanted that the dimly lit TV would illuminate more of the room so that she could see more than just her aunt's profile. When she looked at the chamber, she was struck by the realization that she was unable to enter it and could only see it from the outside. How much time had passed before she became aware of what a pleasant space she was in? All of the things in the room, such as the antique mahogany cabinet, which was crammed with of china and glassware, the Tiffany lamp that was sitting on the table next to Aunt Judith, and the needlepoint cushions that were on the sofa, appeared priceless to her at this time. She stood outside, feeling the light, feathery caress of the snow on the back of her neck, and wished she could go inside, even if only for a little time, even if just for a minute.

The back of Aunt Judith's head was leaned forward, and she was closing her eyes. Elizabeth rested her head on the window for a moment before gradually moving away from it.

She was disappointed when she reached the top of the quince tree outside her bedroom and saw that the curtains were drawn all the way shut. The maple tree in front of Margaret's room was brittle and difficult to climb, but once she reached the top, she had a fantastic perspective since these drapes were pulled all the way back. Margaret was sound asleep with the bedcovers pulled up to her chin, her mouth slightly open, and her light-colored hair spread out over the pillow like a fan.

Elizabeth thought, "Hello, baby," as she fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. It was such a lovely moment.
The nightlight, the young girl sleeping on her bed, and the stuffed animals standing guard over her from the shelf all contribute to the sweetness of the image. Elizabeth then saw a small white kitten come padding through the open door, which she felt finished off the scene perfectly.

Snowball landed on Margaret's bed after his leap. The little cat yawned, exposing a pink tongue that was only a few millimeters long, then stretched, revealing tiny claws. After that, it moved slowly across to Margaret's breast and perched there for a moment.

Something gave Elizabeth's hair a tingling sensation at the roots.

She wasn't sure whether it was some kind of new hunter's sense or just her own intuition, but all of a sudden she felt terrified. That chamber presented a risk to all who entered it. Margaret was in danger.

The kitten had not moved from its position; it was still standing there with its tail moving back and forth. And all of a sudden Elizabeth understood what the object seemed to be. The canines. It seemed as if Chelsea had been observing Doug Carson in this manner before she leapt at him. Oh, my God, the municipality had placed the under quarantine.
dogs, but none had considered the possibility of cats.

Elizabeth's thoughts were racing through her head at breakneck speed, but this was doing her no good. The only thing that flashed before my eyes were images of what a cat with curled claws and needle-like fangs could accomplish. And Margaret was completely ignorant to the fact that she was in any danger as she lay there quietly breathing.

The hair on Snowball's back began to stand up, and her tail began to grow into the shape of a bottle brush. Her


Ears pushed forward, and she hissed in a low voice while opening her lips. In the same way that Chelsea's eyes had been focused on Doug Carson's face, hers were glued to Margaret's.

Ears pushed forward, and she hissed in a low voice while opening her lips. Her gaze was intently directed at him.
a look on Margaret's face quite similar to the one that Chelsea had given Doug Carson.

However, it appeared as if the snow, which had begun to settle like a blanket over her, rendered the words meaningless. Snowball's throat began to emit a low, discordant cry as it flashed its eyes toward the window and then back to Margaret's face. At the same time, Snowball's eyes flickered back and forth between the two.

Elizabeth yelled at Margaret, "Margaret, wake up!" The cat then hurled herself against the window just as the kitten was retracing the curvature of one of her paws.

Later on, she was never able to figure out how she had managed to keep holding on. There was not enough space for her to kneel on the sill, but her fingernails dug into the supple, ancient wood of the casing, and the toe of one of her boots became lodged in a footing below. She used her whole body weight to pound at the window while screaming at the same time.

Margaret, you need to get away from her and wake up!

The moment Margaret's eyes opened, she immediately sat up and threw Snowball in the other direction. During its attempt to correct itself, the kitty managed to get its claws entangled in the eyelet bedspread. Once again, Elizabeth yelled out.

"Margaret, I beg you, get out of bed and quickly open the window!"

The expression on four-year-old Margaret's face was one of drowsy surprise mixed with no sign of terror. Elizabeth clenched her teeth and watched as the woman stood up before stumbling toward the window.

"That's it. Good girl... now say, 'Come in.' Quick, say it!" "That's it. Good girl... now say, 'Come in.'"

Margaret complied by saying, "Come in," while blinking and taking a few steps backward.

As soon as Elizabeth was inside, the kitty leaped out. She attempted to seize it, but it escaped her grasp before she could. Once it was outdoors, it teased the maple trees by gliding effortlessly over their branches before leaping down into the snow and vanishing.

Elizabeth's jumper was being pulled at by an unseen child's hand. Margaret exclaimed, "You came back!" while putting her arms around Elizabeth's hips. "I missed you."

Elizabeth started to say, "Oh, Margaret, I missed you, but then she stopped herself." The sound of Aunt Judith's voice could be heard coming from the landing at the top of the stairs.

Margaret, are you still asleep? What exactly is going on in there?

Elizabeth had barely a split second to think about what she wanted to do. She lowered herself to her knees and uttered a hushed plea, "Don't tell her I'm here." Because there was no more time, Elizabeth hid herself under the bed and prayed. "It's a secret; do you understand? Say you let the kitten out, but don't tell her I'm here." Because there was no more time, Elizabeth hid herself under the bed and prayed.

She hid her face behind the dust ruffle and peeped out from behind it to see Aunt Judith's stocking feet enter the room. She buried her face in the floorboards and stopped breathing while she did so.

Aunt Judith's voice could be heard saying, "Margaret! What are you doing up? Come on, let's get you back in bed," after which Margaret's weight caused the bed to creak, and Elizabeth could hear her aunt fumbling with the blankets. "Come on, let's get you back in bed," the voice added. "Why on earth are you standing there with the window open? Your hands are cold."

the sounds of Aunt Judith rummaging about with the blankets and making noises. "Why on earth are you standing there with the window open? Your hands are cold."

Some further commotion resulted in the stocking feet being removed once again. "And now there's snow all over the floor. I can't believe this. Don't you open it up again, do you hear me?" The door was closed.

Elizabeth managed to get away from them.

As Margaret stood, the woman said, "Good kid." Margaret smiled. "I'm proud of you. Now tomorrow you tell Aunt Judith that you have to give your kitten away. Tell her it terrified you. I know you don't want to," she said, raising a hand to stifle the howl that was coming from the room. "I'm proud of you," she said again. "I'm pleased of you."
forming on Margaret's lips - "but you have to. Because I'm telling you that kitty will hurt you if you keep it. You don't want to get harmed, do you?" "But you have to. Because I'm telling you that kitty will hurt you if you keep it."

"No," murmured Margaret, her blue eyes brimming. "But-"

You tell Aunt Judith that you can't have a kitten or a puppy or even a bird until-well, for a while. Don't tell her that I said so; that's still our secret. Tell her you're scared because of what happened with the dogs at church. Elizabeth grimly reasoned that it was better to give the little girl nightmares than to have a nightmare play out in this bedroom. "And you don't want the kitty to hurt Aunt Judith, do you

Margaret's sorrowful mouth expression was quite obvious. "Okay."