The sound terrified her, and she pulled both her hands away from her, though it was absolute torture to do so when she was so close. "Turac?" she called. she knew it wasn't the cat. The floor only creaked when something about as heavy as a person stood on it -- it was how she knew when her dad was trying to listen in on her phone conversations. She rolled off her bed quickly and grabbed a pair of scissors off her desk, holding them out in front of her as she walked to her bedroom door. She flicked on the light as she stepped out.

"Mr. Orton!" she shrieked....