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the message,” She said rubbing her sore arm.
    “I want the object,” the man-creature said in a low, gravelly voice.
    “What object?”
    “I’ve been searching for it for about twenty-five years and there is a connection to you.”
    Amber could hear him shuffling around the room picking up and replacing things on the tables and bookcases. She became annoyed. This was her home. She heard papers being moved around. “Stop touching my stuff,” she yelled.
    A sharp pain shot up her side followed by another more intense before she realized he was poking her with something. Timing the jabs, she stood and caught the end of what felt like a rough wooden staff with both hands. With a quick jerk, she ripped it from him. In response, a solid shove from behind propelled her forward across the coffee table and onto the floor.
    “You will tell me where it is,” the intruder shouted, pinching her leg and tugging on her hair before she could even react.
    Dragging herself upright, Amber squinted into the darkness trying to find him. “My friend will be here any minute and if you’re still you’ll be real sorry.”
    He responded by poking a finger in her side so hard that it brought tears to her eyes. She slapped at the air. “Quit it. That hurts.”
    “Hurt all night you will, unless I find the object.”
    Angry now, she punched out her right fist and somehow caught him on the chin. She heard him stumble. “And so will you,” she countered. Air rushed past her as she sidestepped when he lunged at her again.
    “The object. I must have it,” his voice hissed.
    “Tell me what it is,” she challenged, turning in a circle, waiting.
    “The key. I need the key,” he insisted.
    The sound of glass hitting the floor made Amber’s stomach knot. She was sure he had a weapon. “What kind of key?”
    “A wondrous key. A remarkable key. But not a key at all. And I must have it,” he shouted as something heavy hit the wall behind her.
    “Look, whoever you are if you keep talking in riddles, we’ll never figure this out.”
    The air filled with the sound of his heavy breathing. “Then you’ll give this to me?”
    “Maybe,” she baited. She heard him knock over the table to her right and turned toward the sound. When she did, she felt a shard of glass cut her arm and a small trickle of warmth run across her skin. “You cut me,” she gasped with astonishment.
    “More I will if you do not tell me where it is!”
    She clasped her hand over the cut and held her arm to her chest. When she did a pain began like a knife trying to split her breastbone assailed her. She dropped her arm and pressed her hand against her chest. Beneath her palm, she could feel the pendant she always wore begin to pulsate. She looked down and saw a dim glow between her fingers.
    Instinctively she grabbed the amulet through the thin material of her blouse and wrapped her hand around it. In what seemed to be only a fraction of a second, heat grew on her skin until she felt as though she held molten lava in her palm. The urge to rip the pendant from her neck was dwarfed by a premonition that she must protect it at all costs. She tightened her grip around it.
    “Show yourself,” she demanded, as the sound of objects hitting the floor intensified. Almost as soon as she uttered the words, a flickering Day-Glo green outline began to form in front of her, growing more solid as she stared. “I can see you,” she said, her voice an unsteady whisper.
    Suddenly the room filled with yellow light as she heard the lamp near the door click on. “What the hell?”
    “David, look out!” Amber shouted right before she saw David pitch backward into the window, breaking the glass. “Stop him before he gets away!” she called out, almost knocking David over again when she scrambled after the disappearing figure. When she got to the street, she saw the small, dark shape hurriedly turning the corner. “Damn!” She walked back to the house and into David’s