One afternoon, Nathan and Josslyn sat on the couch and watched TV with Caden and Trina.
Diva skulked from the den into the living room and plopped onto Josslyn’s lap.
“I notice Diva looks thinner,” Josslyn signed to Nathan, “and has lost some hair. Look at her.”
They all saw blotches of skin in sporadic areas where hair had been lost.
“I'm worried about the kittens,” Trina signed. “I’m going to check on them. Be back in a moment.”
She went to the den and knelt before the cat bed, which had replaced the maternity box. Trina’s demeanor became melancholic when she saw how infirm and weak the kittens looked. One of them appeared to be asleep. Trina stroked its back, then picked up the kitten. She cried when she realized the kitten was dead. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand as she told the rest of the family. “The others don’t look so good, either. That thing is scaring them to death!”
Josslyn's heart sank. “We're going to have to take Diva and the kittens to the vet. Right now, let’s see if we can find a shoebox and bury the dead kitten in the backyard.”
Nathan left the den and went upstairs to the master bedroom to look for an empty shoebox in the walk-in closet.
Thor walked beside Nathan as he and Josslyn went up the short path to the front door of his parents’ house.
Nathan carried the pet cargo cage with Diva and the kittens in it. He pressed the doorbell and the signaler lights flashed within.
George opened the door. “What did the vet say?” He stepped aside to let them enter, then closed the door.
Nathan set the cage on the floor. “He said it could be stress from anxiety or nervous tension because of all that’s been happening at our house. We really appreciate you taking care of the pets for us for now.”
Augusta joined them in the foyer. She took the bag of pet food from Josslyn and went to the kitchen. Thor followed from behind.
“I’m gonna get the litter box and some toys for the pets,” Josslyn signed to George. “Be right back.” She stepped out and went to the car.
George picked up the cage and looked into it. “They’ll keep us company for a while,” he signed after Josslyn returned. “After all, they are part of the family.”
On the way home from Nathan’s parents’, Josslyn sat in thought, pensive. She pondered how the evil spirit had the ability to make Diva and her litter ill, which caused one of them to die. It has some kind of supernatural power or ability that humans can’t comprehend, she thought. Then the full realization came to her that the demon had meant to kill the cat and the kittens. This miffed her as well as terrified her. If it can present this kind of danger and do harm to my pets, I shudder to think what it could do to me, my husband, and the kids. Josslyn turned to Nathan. “We need to move out of the house and move out now.”
“What? Where would we go?”
“We could stay with your parents’.”
Nathan shook his head. “No. I don’t want us to be a burden to them. We just unloaded our pets on them. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“Then what do you suggest we do? Stay at a motel?”
“We’re already paying mortgage on the house, and I’m not paying for a motel, even if our jobs afford us such a luxury, if you could call it a luxury.”
“Well, I’m not staying in the house. I think it’s getting to be too dangerous.”
“We can’t move! Not now! We just moved here. Even if we moved and were able to afford a new house, this thing would just follow us to that new home. It’s not worth it.”
“Now that’s a scary thought. You’re right when you say it could very well follow us—even to your parents’ house. What about—”
Nathan raised his arm, ready to give Josslyn a backhanded slap. “Damn it, woman! I’m gonna smack you if don’t stop ragging on me while I’m trying to drive and figure out something!”
The change in Nathan's attitude and demeanor shocked Josslyn into silence. He had never threatened her with physical violence before. She sat there, stunned, as he drove home.