Wipe the white golden dust into these broken hands,

must depend on a friend that will understand.

Like the glitter making love to the gleam, just remember

things aren't always what they seem.

-Troubled Minds, Marina and the Diamonds

Sarah groaned, forcing her eyes to open and look at the little boy jumping up and down on her stomach.

"Toby, gentle!" she cried, but quickly grabbed the four year old and laid him in bed next to her, attacking him with tickles. "What are you doing up so early, mister?"

"There was a man in my room." Toby said simply, but it made Sarah freeze.

The new apartment wasn't on the best side of town, but it was one of the better ones Sarah could get for the money she was making. It was a two bedroom, at least, something that Toby wanted. But living here had caused more problems than she had imagined, as it had gotten around that she was some kind of single mother, and everyone seemed to think she was an easy target. If it wasn't for Billy, her neighbor, her apartment would have been successfully broken into at least seven times by now, but luckily they only got in once before.

"It wasn't Billy, was it?" Sarah asked. The six-foot-eight neighbor was an ex-basketball player, and had made himself Sarah and Toby's best friend. He was with them most of the time, and was the first guy Sarah would call if she needed a babysitter. Surely, Toby would have recognized him.

"No, he was shorter than Billy, but taller than you." She bit her lip.

"Is that why you came to wake me up? Did he say anything to you? Is he still there?" Sarah said, shuffling to get Toby off her lap and reaching for the baseball bat she kept beside her bed.

"No, he just stood there."

"Okay, well you wait here, Tobes, and I'll go check it out, okay?" Toby nodded, giving his sister a smile.

She walked to the bedroom across the hall, Toby's room, and prayed silently that it was just Toby having a nightmare, just some well-placed clothing on a chair or something. When she walked into the room, it was empty.

Toby's room was boring, with no posters or pictures on the walls, only a small toddler-sized bed (that Toby would soon grow out of, and she'd have to find money to replace), a chair, and a dresser decorated the room. The boy's toys were piled up in a corner, because Sarah had yet to find the money or time to get him a toy box, but a few items were strewn out across the floor. With a sigh, Sarah started picking them up.

"It's alright, Toby, you can come in." She said. "Whoever he was, he's gone now. But if he comes again, you tell me right away, okay?"

Toby nodded, looking at her brightly.

"Can I play with my trains?"

"It's four in the morning on a Sunday, Toby." He gave her a questioning look, and Sarah only sighed. It looked like they wouldn't be getting any more sleep today then.