Cole is so cold. Water has seeped through the hatch, creating a small river soaking the bottom of his cage in a thin film of moisture. The filthy straw is no help and his pleas for a blanket are made to the darkness around him.

And he is thirsty. His last drink was two hasty swallows the Boogeyman allowed him before taking Gavin away. Cole only knows Gavin is gone because the place is silent. No breathing. No shuffled feet on the ground. The last time the hatch opened and ...