Family Murders: A Thriller by Henry Carver Page A

watch this," Eric said.
    He turned his body and wrapped his untrapped arm tight around Rocky's midsection. It left them in a side-to-side embrace, with the other arm still firmly locked between canine incisors.
    "He isn't going to let go, you know," Angela said.
    "I know. In fact, that's what I'm counting on. You see, Rocky here is so very loyal to you that, no matter what, he won't let go. Without that loyalty—without that love—I could never do what I'm about to do. But his love is misplaced, just like yours. That's what makes everything else possible."
    Eric started doing the one thing neither she or Rocky had suspected. Still holding firmly, he started pushing his arm instead of pulling it, forcing himself further and further into the back of the dog's mouth. He reached the back, and kept pushing.
    Inch by inch, Rocky's head started to bend backwards.
    "Stop it."
    Another inch.
    "Stop it, Eric."
    Another.
    "Stop it. Stop it!" Then Angela put her hands to the side of her mouth and screamed.
    Rocky's ear fell flat. His eyes moved wildly. He started to whimper, but not for one second did he loosen his grip.
    Angela tried to scream again, but she felt empty of breath. All that came out was dry air, a whisper, and all she could whisper was one word.
    "Don't," she said.
    Rocky's neck cracked like one of his soup bones.
    He went limp and his eyes rolled back. Eric turned him over and stood up, brushing his hands together. Angela stood petrified, numb.
    "You better run," Eric said. "There's a storm coming."
    Angela looked one more time at Rocky, lying motionless, not even breathing.
    Then she turned, and ran.

11
    It was mid-morning, the sun shining brightly from over-top the trees, when Angela Gray came rocketing out of the woods and across the lawn towards her house.
    She was sure no one could have followed her. No one could ever keep up with her, not when she went flat out, and that was as fast as she had ever run. So she was sure there was no human being behind her, just feet away, reaching for the back of her neck. But that's how she felt, and in the madness of the moment she hadn't actually turned and looked. At the edge of her deck she stopped, took a deep breath, and snapped around.
    No one.
    No one behind her. She bit down the urge to laugh, to laugh in the face of her stalker. Or fate. Or God. Whoever or whatever was driving the things happening to her, Angela suddenly felt, if only for a moment, that she had the upper hand. As quickly as the moment came, it left. He could be coming around the far bend in the trail at any moment, ready to finish the job he'd started on Rocky.
    Her laughter dissolved into nausea. She bent over, ready to throw up. Instead, she forced herself up the steps and over the deck, through the sliding door and into the house. The deadbolt slid shut with a satisfying thump. She turned around and pressed her face to the window. Breath came ragged and often, momentarily frosting the glass in front of her nose before letting it dissolve, rhythmically hiding then revealing the woods in the distance.
    No one there.
    She turned and headed up the stairs, trying desperately to organize her thoughts into something that would make sense. She should never have gone out, should never have given in to relief just because Ted was home. In the clear light of morning, everything had seemed over.
    Now, it was just getting started.
    Angela pushed open the door to the master bedroom, walked over to the bed, and put her hand the bulk in the center of the bed. She sank in up to the elbow. The mound was just tangled sheets and blankets. It wasn't Ted. Ted was gone.
    "Ted!" She yelled in as loud as she could.
    "In here, honey." The answer came from nearby. She took two steps down hall and went into Julie's room. The scene inside was a balm, soothing her with the knowledge that her family was safe and together again.
    Ted was sitting on the rocking chair with Julie balanced on his knee. He looked up and smiled as Angela