The New Neighbor by Ray Garton Page A

pockets.  
    Jen moved back.  
    "I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered. "Really. I just need to know – it's important – I need to know about your new neighbor. What is her name?"  
    "I'm ... I'm gonna get my dad now."  
    He lurched forward quickly. "No, please believe me, I don't mean you any harm. I want to help you. But you have to tell me about your new neighbor. What's her name? What does she look like?"  
    Not wanting to take her eyes from him, Jen walked quickly backward over the grass until she lost her balance and tumbled back on her behind, landing with a grunt.  
    "Oh," the man breathed, holding out his left hand and hurrying toward her, sinking the cane into the wet lawn and asking, "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
    Miss Dupree's porch light came on, spilling light over the lawn, and –
    – Jen's fists closed on the wet grass and her throat tightened with fear when the light illuminated the man closing in on her.
    His face was melting as he rushed forward, dribbling down one side of his skull like hot wax. He staggered closer, his gloved hand outstretched and –
    – horrified, Jen tried to scream but released only a hiss of breath as she reached up and clawed at the hand, her nails digging into the glove's material, and –
    – the man balked in the sudden light, then pulled back, slipping his hand out of the glove and the glow of the porch light was reflected dully on the bony silver fingers along which ran thin cables that disappeared into the coat sleeve. He gawked for a moment at the glove dangling from Jen's hand and snatched it away, stuffing it into his coat pocket. He backed up as the lock on Miss Dupree's door clicked.  
    Jen rolled over and bounded to her feet, rushing toward the door as it opened and voices filtered out from inside. She stopped on the porch and turned.  
    The man was gone.  
    Her mind raced. If she told her dad about the man, he'd wonder why she was wandering around outside Miss Dupree's house and might even get angry. If she didn't , she could tell him she was just coming over to see him and meet Miss Dupree, and she wouldn't have to mention the man at all.
    But her hands were trembling and her heart was thundering in her chest. Wouldn't Dad want to know if someone like that creepy, hideous man was roaming the neighborhood? Would he even believe her, though, if she described the man to him?
    Probably not.  
    Jen decided to play it safe.  
    "I don't want you to forget it," Miss Dupree was saying as she opened the door.  
    "Jennifer! What are you doing here?" George stood in the doorway with Miss Dupree's hand on his shoulder.  
    Jen blinked up at her dad, afraid he was angry because that was the only time he called her Jennifer. "Everybody was asleep," she said, trying hard not to sound as scared as she felt. "I thought I'd come over with you and ... and meet Miss Dupree."
    The woman dropped her hand from George's shoulder and stepped onto the porch, smiling. "Well, I'm glad you did, Jen," she said. "I've heard a lot about you and it's nice to finally meet." She held out her hand. Jen took it hesitantly and they shook.
    An enormous dog peeked out the door and Jen gasped.
    "He won't hurt you," Miss Dupree said. "This is my dog, Sodom. You can pet him."  
    Jen reached out a hand and the dog sniffed curiously, then licked it. She smiled as she stroked his head.  
    "We should get home, Jen," her dad said. "You shouldn't be out in this rain. I don't want you getting the bug that's going around."  
    "It was nice meeting you, Jen. You're welcome over here anytime. You can come walk the dogs for me. They'd love that."  
    Jen waved to her as Dad led her across the lawn and into the street.  
    "You know better than to be walking around in this kind of weather," he said with annoyance.  
    "Well ... “
    "Well what ?" Now he sounded angry.
    "Everybody was asleep."  
    "What difference does that make?"  
    Although she didn't know what she was apologizing for – his