“You rented The Thing?” Nathan asked Jane. “A horror movie? After everything that’s happened here?”
“Don’t be such a baby,” she teased. “It’s just a movie. Besides, if you get scared I’ll hold you and protect you.”
“I’m not gonna get scared.”
They watched the movie, ate some pizza and popcorn, kissed a little, and during some boring parts. Before Jane left, they ate some of the apple pie his mother had baked that day while staying home with Archie. Jane got it decadent and insisted that wasn’t her new word of the day. She knew it already and liked using it. He walked through the snow to her car, taking her arm so she wouldn’t slip.
“WIll you listen to ‘Sweet Dreams’ for me before you go to bed?” she asked him and he agreed to do so because while he hated that song with the white hot intensity of an exploding supernova, he loved Jane more. Besides, she always said she would know if he didn’t, which creeped him out. They kissed and it provided warmth in the cold January night air. He watched her tail lights disappear down the road.
Back in his room, he found the Air Supply record that Jane requested, put it on, and looked out his bedroom window toward the woods. They were dark and motionless. The sensation of Jane’s kiss lingered and he allowed himself a smile. The record ended, he turned to the record player and started it again. He peered outside again.
A figure stood in their backyard.
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