When he got home, James felt numb. His mind was still tangled with visions of the shed, the strange objects, and the unsettling woman. At dinner, he wasn’t listening to his mother’s voice. She spoke of his dad, of plans for the weekend, but all he could think about was the mysterious woman and the eerie shed at the end of the street.
“James, sweetie, did you hear what I said?” His mom’s voice broke through the fog in his mind. He blinked and realized he hadn’t heard a word she’d said. “Your dad called. He won’t be able to come this weekend. He’s stuck at work.” Usually, this would have made him feel a pang of disappointment, but tonight, it barely registered.