American Falls, Idaho
December 21, 1987

An eerie calm crept over Elm Street as its roads became blanketed by new fallen snow. Homes here were few and far between, often lots of at least an acre, but no more than two, seperated by large gaps of undeveloped forrestry. Just towards the end of the street, hidden behind a small grove of trees, stood a 450 square foot yellow ranch style house. The smallest in the neighborhood and the most removed, it wasnt much - but to Jason Coulson - it was home. Standing in his driveway, dressed in a red and black flannel shirt, steel-toed work boots and jeans, he stood examing the engine of a rusted, light blue 1964 Ford Ranchero.

"And?" asked a nervous voice from behind him.

"And what?" he asked in reply, his concentration never leaving his patient.

"What's wrong with her?"

Sighing deeply, he stood back up and slammed the hood down, turning his attention towards the tall, blonde man in the black parka behind him.

"Tim, its a Ranchero," he replied in all seriousness. "That in itself is all kinds of wrong."

Tim frowned. Removing his glove from his hand, he playfully smacked Jason across the shoulder.

"That's not funny."

Jason broke out in a fit of laughter.

"Yeah it is."

Tim responds to Jason's playground humor with an annoyed grunt.

"Carborators shot. Going to take some work, but not beyond the realm of repair."

"How long?"

"Three days, two if Amy's schedule permits."

Tim looked to Jason, his eyebrow raised in slight concern.

"They got her pulling extra shifts at the diner," Jason explained as he leaned back against the hood. Tim followed. "Ever since Esther Guiney died, George has been a wreck. He and Es never had kids of their own. So Amy and the other girls are like family to him. Their trying to help him get thru this."

"That's gotta be rough though, leaving you here all alone with the girls."

Jason beamed, "Its not so bad, I mean, I get to spend time with my daughters."

"I mean Esther died, what, about two months ago?"

Jason nodded.

"And you're telling me that Amy has been working doubles ever since?"

"The Guiney's were always good to us. After I got kicked out of the house for knocking Amy up, George and Esther took me in. It was George who put in a good word for me with Mitch Patterson and got me a job at the garage. Gave Amy a job at the diner. It was George who fronted me the money to buy this land so that Amy and I and our children had a home. And right now he needs us."

"Yeah, but this can't be easy on you, working at the garage too. And the girls are so young . . ."

"Mitch is a good friend of George's. He understands the situation. Lets me work out of the house when Amy's working and I come into the garage when I can."

"But still - "

"But nothing, Tim. The world is a scary place. Things aint the way it used to be. There are too many monsters out there making it hard to find decent folk. Well, George Guiney is as decent as they come and I for one, am going to do my part to help him stay that way."

Tim looked as if he was about to reply, when he noticed a little girl dressed in pink Smurfette footie pajamas and clutching a large brown teddy bear staring out at them thru a screen door from the inside the house.

"I think somebody's awake," Tim said as he gestured towards the porch.

Jason turned to see his eldest looking back him thru overwrought eyes,

Leaping off the hood, "She probably had another nightmare."

"Kristina's having nightmares?"

Jason ignored Tim's comments and yelled in the frightened girls direction, "Just go wait in your room. I will be right there sweetie."

The girl nodded and immediately walked away from the window.

"She's been having them the last couple of days now. She won't talk about them."

"Have you tried?"

Jason looked to Tim exasperated.

"Of course I tried, what kinda question is that?"

"Hey, don't get all uptight," Tim replied throwing up his hands in defense. "I ain't meant no foul. I just wondered if with yours and Amy's schedule being the way it is, if you've been spending enough time with the girls like you would if you weren't spread so thin."

"You know damn well I would do anything for those girls!"

"I know that, Jayce, its just bit much for you is all. I mean, I know you want to be there for George cause that's what decent folk do, but there has to be a limit."

"George is family. And right now he needs our help."

"Well, from the look of things, he's not the only one. And honestly, who needs it more?"

Jason stared back at the screen door and look to Tim with resolve.

"Anyway, I will try and get the old girl up and running as soon as I can."

"Take your time, Jayce. I'm in no hurry."

"Thanks Tim, Jason said as he patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Don't mention it."

"You need a ride back to town?"

"Nah, Bill Hibbert bought a new pool table he's been dying to show me. I think I'll catch a ride back with him."

"Are you sure?"

Tim nodded, "I'm sure. Go be with your girls."

Jason watched as Tim walked away and was down the road a bit before turning back and running into the house. He noticed his youngest daughter fixated in front of the television in the den.

"Brienna, honey, what are you doing up?" he asked concerned as he scooped the four year old into his arms.

"Krissy woke me up. She had another nightmare."

"Brie, sweetie, where is Krissy now?"

"She's in her room talking with Mommy."

Jason looked at Brie, slightly taken aback.

"Brie, Mommy's at work."

"No, she's not. She's upstairs with Krissy. I saw her. She told me to go downstairs and watch TV. And so I did."

Panic ran up Jason's spine. He did his spent to steel his resolve in front of his little girl.

"Brienna, how about we play a little game."

"A game?" the girl asked excitedly. "What kind of game Daddy?"

"I need to go upstairs and talk to Krissy and Mommy for a minute. What I want for you to do is go watch TV in the den and don't come out until I tell you to. No matter what. That's our game. To see how long you can stay in the den. And if you stay in the den until Daddy is done, I'll make you a big ice cream sundae. You think you can do that for me?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"That's my girl," Jason breathed as he kissed the top of his daughter forehead and set her down in front of the TV.

"Now you stay put until I come for you, okay?"

Brienna nodded and Jason smiled as he closed the sliding door behind him. Wasting not a single second, he ran straight for the kitchen, grabbing a large container of salt from the cupboard, he ran right back, drawing a straight line just in front of the door. After he emptied the container he dropped it in front of the door and made a beeline for his daughter's upstairs bedroom. Stoppind dead in his tracks at the top of the stairwell, his heart began to race, his mind in a panic when he saw that her door had been closed shut.

"No," he breathed as he ran down the narrow hallway towards the door.

However before he could reach it, he felt as if a rug had been pulled out from under him and he landed hard on his back against the wooden floor. Hissing loudly his eyes squinted painfully. So wrapped up in his agony, he failed to hear the quiet footsteps aproaching him. When he finally was able to work thru the pain, he reopened his eyes, a cross of pained confusion grew across his face.

"Brienna?" he asked trying to lift himself up. "I thought I told you to stay downstairs?"

"Shh," Brienna said placing one finger in front of her lips.

Jason tried to speak, but soon found himself incapable. Grabbing at his throat as if trying to pry off unseen arms, he began choking violently. Large amounts of water spewing forth from his mouth and escaping from every orifice of his body until it was overcome with spasmodic convolutions. Brienna just stood there, watching, unreacting until finally Jason's body shook no longer. His dead eyes frozen in permanent shock. Smilingly brightly she walked up to the door and opened it widely. There in the corner of the room Kristina sat shaking and sobbing uncontrollably, her mother's still, dead form on the floor in front of her.

"It's okay now, Krissy," Brienna said sweetly as she bent down besides her sister and wiped the tears from her eyes. "They're gone. Its just you and me from now on."

Kristina looked up at her sister for the first time. Brienna's eyes had turned the brightest shade of blue with eerie vein-like tendrils seeping out from her eyes and bleeding onto her face.

All she could do was scream.