BAM!

The thieves spun towards each other, clutching one another, each with a firm hold on the bathtub’s half-wall. A second later they had regained control of their manliness, but a childlike nervousness still resided in them as they ventured out from the darkened bath.

“Wha’ on earth was dat?” Jeff asked, looking to the side and down the hall.

“Jus’ the door I think.” Paul ignored answering more by asking another question. “It’s windy, isn’tit?”

They both knew the night air on their street was nothing if it wasn’t deathly still. Jeff and Paul had seen the door had stayed open before and after they had entered the house. It wasn’t windy then.

With a jolt they stopped and turned together, seeing the wide-eyed fear in the other’s eyes.

“Wha’d if who’d ever killed’m is still…? ”

“Ya mean, in da…?”

“Yah!”

They hoped to run as quickly as shaking feet could carry them, outside and from where they had come. But on turning, they saw an ominous figure blocked the way, growing larger as it came closer.