" It licked its pawfor a second. "It's dirty out here."I raised an eyebrow. "You can't even tell me what you are?" I'll tell you when we're inside."I ...ooked up at Kenny, who shrugged. "It wants to go inside, I guess wego inside."I sighed. "Fine. We'll go inside."***"You two are a little late," Sharena said, pulling an apron off. Shelooked like she'd just finished cooking something, so despite myconcern over the feather cat that I was carrying into the house, I wasready for food. Sharena was a. And coaches the football team..." Sam just stared at Todd for a moment, feeling stunned at that.Then he quickly turned his attention back to the TV, seeing that theyverified what Todd had just said. The monster that Sam had fought hadindeed been Roland Higgens, a local high school gym teacher andfootball coach. But from his actions, Sam doubted that he had been inhis right mind during that fight. "This is too much," Sam sighed as he rubbed at his eyes,wondering yet again why in the world he had. I don’t remember a word I heard. Sitting beside Lynn that day was the closest thing I’d ever had to a date. I kept stealing glances at her. Her hair looked soft and fluffy. She wore a hint of makeup, and a dab of something that teased my nostrils periodically. After church we split up to talk to friends until folks started heading home for their Sunday dinners. We four were soon back in Lynn’s car heading back. At Route 514 Lynn made a right turn instead of going straight to get back to my. ‘I’ve only know Michael a year…I didn’t know…’ He stopped, looking embarrassed. I smiled. ‘It’s okay. I’m kind of over it,’ I lied. ‘Plus, he died doing something he loved.’ When he asked how, I told him everything. How he’d been racing his motorcycle in practice for a competition. How he hadn’t seen the obstruction on the road ahead, and how the collision with another bike killed him instantly. I fought my tears. Gradually, we returned to cheerier conversation, and it wasn’t until an hour and.