Jason

A cold draft seemed to slip under the store's glass door, sliding right up my spine.

What happens then?

I asked.

She looked at me for a long time, weighing something.

Sometimes nothing, she said finally.

Sometimes people just have bad dreams for a while.

Hear things, see things.

Sometimes, they start to forget what their own voice sounds like.

Like it leaves a door open, and something keeps sticking its hand through, seeing what it can grab.

Her eyes flicked over my shoulder to the big wall of shiny camping gear, then back to my face.

"'You should stay away from there,' she added.

"'Don't go back trying to prove something.

That's how it gets people.'

"'I'm never going back,' I said.

"'Ever.'

She nodded like that was the only right answer.

As she turned to leave, she paused."

you said it used your voices she said did you ever hear it use yours when you weren't there i frowned what do you mean sometimes it keeps what it likes she said a voice a face a name just pay attention okay then she left

The bell over the door jingling cheerfully, completely at odds with the conversation we'd just had.

For a while, nothing happened.