Fourteen

Denise was relieved to get away from the house. The routine of doing the weekly grocery shopping was soothing. It allowed her to act without really thinking, comparing prices and deciding on quantities was so automatic she could put her body on auto-pilot. She felt she needed the space to consider what was happening in her life; well, in her house and in her children's lives.

The whole concept of a non-human who was living, not only in her house, but in her son's bed, should have been deeply disturbing. The fact that it wasn't, but that it felt both natural and somehow ... right ... was what was really bothering her.

Denise had spent some time wondering if it was some sort of mind-control process that had made her feel this way, this accepting, but the more she thought about it, the more she realised that wasn't the case. She was sure that there had been something right at the beginning which had dampened the initial flare of suspicion and protectiveness, but that had rapidly dissipated and left her head quite clear.

Denise got to the checkout and suddenly took conscious note of what she had stacked up on the counter. She laughed ruefully at herself when she saw how many little extra vegetarian snacks she had included, obviously her auto-pilot had been considering Syl'fair's need too. She ignored the checkout clerk's quizzical look, and just handed over her card to be swiped.

With her purchases bagged and loaded into her SUV, Denise climbed into the driver's seat and stuck the key into the ignition, but she stopped short of turning it. She had felt something teasing at the edges of her conscious mind all morning, and it had suddenly bloomed into a fully-fledged realization.

In a panic, Denise turned the key to start the car and pulled out. She was in such a rush that she stalled the car three times before she managed to get moving. She reached for her cell and dialed her home number frantically, ignoring her own iron-clad rule against using a mobile while driving.

Sally was busy putting together some food for a light meal, when she heard the phone ringing. "Hi, Sally speaking," she said, tucking the phone into her neck so she could have her hands free.

"Sally," Denise gasped in relief, "I'm so glad to hear your voice. Are you OK?"

"Sure Mom, I'm fine," Sally replied, "Why shouldn't I be?"

"I just remembered something that my Grandmother told me. I thought it was one of the myths that is used to frighten young girls, but it just occurred to me, it's possibly not."

"What story Mom? The one about..."

"Keep quiet and listen to me. Under no circumstances are you to go out of the house, do you hear me?"