Jeremy Bolt wondered how he had gotten himself into this situation. Jason should be the one counting this shipment. Jeremy hated being away from Candy right now. He had served his ten hours at the logging camp today. It was dark, and cold, and he didn't want to be here. He wanted to be home with his family. Molly and Christopher would be asleep by the time he got there. The baby was due anytime now, and he hated leaving his wife. What if she needed him? What if the baby came and he wasn't home? What if... what if... all this speculation was not getting his work done. He hurried to finish his counts, there was only one more wagon load to go, then he could leave. The cold, November wind cut through his overcoat, he shivered, and then smelled the air, it felt and smelled like snow. He had hoped that snow would wait until after the first of the year, but he didn't really expect it to happen. Thanksgiving was just two days away, and Lottie and everyone were bringing a feast to Candy and Jeremy's cabin to celebrate. It was going to be so special this year. The baby was coming. Biddie and Zachary got married. Karen opened her new nursing school. Seattle was thriving, and growing in leaps and bounds.

The wind picked up and whistled in and around the cabin. Branches brushed the sides of the house. A large branch started hitting the window in Molly and Christopher's room, waking Christopher up. Sitting up straight in his bed, Christopher looked toward the noise. The tree branch took on the shape of a huge arm, as the boy stared at it. His eyes grew wide with terror as he imagined the monster outside attached to that arm...

"CANDY!" He screamed as the fear overtook him, and he dove head first back under the covers.

Candy Pruitt Bolt awoke with a start at the sound of her younger brother's cry. She got up as quickly as her bulky, pregnant, body would allow. She walked down the dark hall to the children's room.

"Christopher, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" She asked as she hugged him tightly.

"Candy, there's a monster outside the window!"

"Chris, that's just the tree hitting the side of house. There are no monsters outside! "

"I saw it's arm! It was coming after me."

"It's okay, I'm here now, " she said as she hugged him even tighter. This was the third time this week that Christopher had awakened with a nightmare. Candy was not sure what was causing them, but they always involved a monster. When Jeremy came home, she planned to talk to him about it.

"Christopher, you're safe, there is no monster here. Now, settle back and try to get back to sleep."

He snuggled back under the covers while Candy tucked him in, kissing him on the forehead as she finished.

Two floors down, in the storm cellar, two feet moved silently across the floor. Two large hands removed several jars of canned vegetables off the shelves and placed them in a flour sack. After filling the sack, the huge person shuffled toward the cellar door.

Jeremy tied the last load of logs tightly to the wagon. He doused the campfire and the lantern and started for home. It was a cold, but brightly lit night. Off in the distance, he saw walls of puffy clouds moving in from the west. He walked the short distance home very quickly. Approaching the cabin, he noticed that the cellar door was opening and flapping in the brisk wind. Jeremy closed the door and locked it tight.

The next day, Jeremy sat down to breakfast and asked, "Candy, did you leave the door open to the storm cellar last night?"

"No, dear, I didn't go down there at all yesterday."

"Jeremy, I must have left it open, I was down there yesterday. I was looking for somewhere to use as a fort."

"Well, Chris, you're going to have to find someplace else to use as your fort. Stay out of the cellar."

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry. I thought I had locked it when I came back out."

"It's okay. Just stay out."

The two huge feet moved slowly up the mountain trail. The man stayed as close to the trail as possible as not to get lost. His girth made it difficult for him to walk. The old cabin sat back in the woods. No one had used the cabin for many years. The ground it sat on was undisturbed by humans. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling and the sparse furniture. The air was musty and thick with dust. The door scraped the floor as he pushed it open. He set the sack on the table and then collapsed on the old bed in the corner. Sleep came quickly.

The sun was peeking through the thick clouds hovering over the lake. Christopher Pruitt

climbed over the rocks nearby. Standing tall on a boulder he surveyed the area. Across the lake, he spotted a cabin in the woods. He remembered that Jeremy had mentioned the old Bolt Brothers cabin was in that are. It was deserted; no one lived there at all! That would make a great fort! He scrambled down off the rocks and around the lake toward the cabin on the other side.

Candy sat at a table at Lottie's talking to Dr. Karen Harris, and Lottie. They were finalizing the plans for the big Thanksgiving dinner the next day.

"Jason is roasting three turkeys. Josh and Mary are bringing sweet potatoes and green beans. Lottie is making the dressing and gravy. And Karen, you are making 3 pies right?"

Candy asked as she went down her list. Karen nodded her head in agreement.

"Clancey and Aaron are bring some bread and rolls they're buying in Tacoma today." Lottie told them. "I thought it was something safe for them to do.."

"Jeremy's making the coffee and tea, and I have made two of my mother's black walnut pound cakes."

"This is going to be a lot of fun. I can't wait." Karen said, then added, "What are Zachary and Biddie going to bring?"

"Biddie is making her famous squash and some fresh churned butter."

"Sounds like Aaron and Clancey should pick up some bi-carbonate in Tacoma too!" Lottie laughed. "We're all going to need it." The other women joined her in laughter.

"Candy, I want you to go home and get some rest, you look tired," Karen told her.

"I haven't been sleeping well. Christopher is having nightmares almost every night."

"Nightmares! What about?" Lottie asked.

"Monsters," Candy told her.

"Monsters, of all things! That young man has a very active imagination!"

"That's true, Lottie, but these dreams are really frightening him. Jeremy and I have done everything we can think of to help him."

"Candy, he should outgrow it. Children go through stages like this. He'll be just fine."

"Do you really think so, Karen?"

"Of course. Just give him some time."

Biddie Cloom Harris stood over the sink in her kitchen peeling squash. Her small garden had produced a bumper crop this year. The soil around this cottage was rich with nutrients. Zachary said it was Biddie's presence that made it that way. This usually brought giggles bubbling up in his wife. He was so romantic sometimes it was just plain silly, and she loved him dearly for it. A year ago, who would have thought she would ever marry! And to a rich man! It just boggled her mind. Two large hands started closing in around her waist.

"Zachary Peete Harris! Stop that! I have to get these squash ready for tomorrow!" Biddie exclaimed as she playfully slapped at his hands.

"Now, Biddie, you have plenty of time to cook, I came home just to see you, and I have to be back at the camp very soon." He hugged her tightly.

"Well, maybe I can wait a few more minutes..." she said as she hugged him back.

Christopher rounded a curve in the trail. He had lost sight of the cabin, but he knew it was somewhere nearby. Behind him, he heard the sound of a breaking twig, and jumped wide eyed. "Maybe it was the monster," he thought to himself. He looked down and a small black and white spotted bunny hopped into his view.

"WHEW!" He sighed audibly as he wiped his brow. He noticed that the bunny's foot was hanging limply to one side.

"Aw, you have a broken foot," Chris said to him as he leaned down to inspect it more closely.

"I'll take you home with me and fix it for you." He scooped up the small furry creature and headed for home. All thoughts of the cabin and the fort long forgotten, as he went down the road.

Candy Pruitt Bolt arrived home exhausted. The lower part of her back had an annoying pain that wouldn't go away. She put her parcels down on a chair, and slowly climbed the stairs and lay down on her bed. Jeremy would be home for dinner soon, but she could rest for a little while.

Christopher got a wooden crate from the shed behind the house. He filled it with hay and gently put the bunny into it.

"I'll be right back," he told the bunny. He ran into the house to look for rags to make a bandage with. Under the sink, he found an old sheet with many holes in it.

"This will work just fine," he thought to himself. He found two small sticks, then went back to where he had left the bunny on the porch. Picking up the animal, he tenderly splinted his injured foot and placed him back in the box. Candy's vegetable garden was on the side of the house, there were still some carrots to be harvested. Christopher picked one of them, washed it off, and placed it in the box with the bunny. Then he got a small bowl and filled it with water from the pump and put that in the box beside the carrot.

"There you are, bunny. You'll be all right now. I think I will call you Rupert, that's a good name for you. Rupert Bunny. "

He awoke with a start, unsure of his surroundings. The cabin was dark and unfamiliar. He walked unsteadily to the table and opened the sack. He removed a jar of beans, and ate them hungrily with his fingers. Wiping his mouth with his dirty sleeve, he sat down in the only chair in the cabin. He had to make a decision soon, he was running out of time. He had been running and hiding for so long, he was losing track of time. The pain made his thoughts cloudy.

If only he could remember where the money was hidden! With the money, he could buy the best medical care available! Maybe his life wouldn't have to end...

Jeremy looked at his sleeping wife. She was so beautiful, he knew how lucky he was to have her. He didn't have the heart to awaken her, so he went downstairs and fixed dinner. He made a tray to take up to Candy, and set the table for the kids and himself. Christopher had practically talked his ear off about the bunny he had found. Jeremy was glad to hear about it, maybe it would take his mind off these dreams Chris had been having. He placed the tray filled with stew, bread and milk on the table beside the bed, and gently shaken Candy's shoulder.

"Honey, wake up. I brought you some dinner."

"Dinner? Oh, Jeremy, I'll be down to fix dinner in a minute. You all must be starving!" She said as she sat up in bed.

"Candy, I've already fixed dinner. I brought yours up here to you."

"That was so sweet of you." She kissed him gently.

"Well, you needed the rest. This little one will be here soon enough to demand your attention." He smiled as he placed his hand on her swollen belly.

"I wish this little one would hurry and make it's appearance! I feel like a whale!"

"Well, you look beautiful! You don't look like a whale at all."

"Jeremy Bolt! If I didn't know better, I would think you were Irish instead of Scottish! You're full of blarney, as Clancey would say! But... I love your for it."