Allen awoke, heart seizing in terror. He’d been having horrible dreams, dreams of painted faces screaming in the trees, dreams of a long fall down a deep, dark tunnel. But, when he opened his eyes, he felt more like himself than he had in weeks.
He was soaked in vile-smelling sweat, as though his body was oozing out built-up toxic sludge. With a surge of bile in throat, he remembered his “friend” from the woods, and realized that his mother was right. And that she was in danger.