Listen to the Dogs' Warning

Never ignore it when all the dogs outside suddenly start barking at the same time.

My grandmother used to warn me, “If the dogs all bark at once, stay inside.”

But she never told me why. Years later, when I went back to take care of

her, I finally understood. One night around 2 a.m., every dog in the

neighborhood erupted— barking, howling, all facing the same direction.

The air felt wrong. I peeked through the gate. And there it was— a tall,

twisted shadow standing on two legs, turning its head toward our house like it was listening

for me. Before I could move, my grandmother rushed out, threw blessed water