Ollie charged through the forest, running as fast as his legs would take him. His chest and shoulders ached, still sore from the damage he’d taken in the cave. But he ignored it, the same way he ignored the dangers of the forest, like uneven ground, roots catching his feet, running face first into a low-hanging branch. He pushed everything out of his mind, focusing on one simple thought.

Please don’t trip.

Please don’t trip.

Please don’t trip.

Screeches and catcalls filled the air, only barely hiding the sound of goblin feet pounding the ground all around him. The goblins were close, homing in on the racket he was making in his escape.

“Kimmie!” he shouted. “Kimmie!”

No response. She couldn’t be that far ahead. Had she run a different direction?

He realized the irony of looking for Kimmie. She had a head start on the goblins, she had his gun, and she probably knew how to get back home. He was defenseless, with a horde of angry goblins at his heels, and he was lost. At this point, he needed her to save him.

He hit a wall of thick brush and darted sideways to get around it. Something small and white scurried out in front of him. Ollie jumped, startled. He scanned the ground to see the white fox from earlier, scampering through the tall grass. It veered through the space between two bushes, finding a gap big enough for a human to get through. Ollie, in his panic, followed.

He couldn’t explain what happened next. He zeroed in on the fox, following it for a long time as it zipped through bushes and between trees. The fox was running away from the goblins, too. And it knew the forest better than Ollie, so why not follow the more experienced guide? Who cared if the fox stayed five or six paces ahead the entire time, close enough that it was always in sight but far enough away that Ollie couldn’t get near enough to get a good look at it? Maybe magic was involved, like the magic that got him out of that cave. The same magic that Kimmie never mentioned she knew. He decided he’d be angry about that later. For now, all he cared about was that the tumult of chasing goblins grew farther and farther away as they became trapped by the obstacles Ollie was miraculously avoiding.

As they ran, Ollie’s legs grew heavy, and his breath came in raspy spurts. He wasn’t used to sprinting for such a long distance, even with the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The sounds of pursuing goblins had faded, which meant he’d put some distance between them, but not enough to stop and rest.

He slowed, recognizing the clearing where he’d set up his traps a few nights ago. He was only a few minutes away from Kimmie’s house. He looked around for the fox, but it was gone. Goblin screeches carried on the wind, getting closer. Screw the fox, he needed to get somewhere defensible. His tired jog turned into a mad sprint down the path to Kimmie’s house.

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The path led over the top of the next hill and then sloped down into Kimmie’s backyard. He could see through the back windows and into the living room. Someone was walking around in the dim lights. Albert, maybe? The dogs lay on a bench seat next to one of the second-floor windows, lazily looking out the window for something to bark at. One of the dogs’ heads perked up when Ollie came running down the path alongside the cow pen.

He stumbled on the steps leading up to the patio, catching himself with his hands, and then launched himself at the backdoor. He threw it open and rushed into the kitchen, shutting and locking the door behind him.

He leaned on one of the counters, his chest heaving as he tried in vain to catch his breath. He needed a few minutes to rest, but before that, he needed weapons, and a plan. He had to get Albert and Wendy out of here. And the dogs. And Kimmie said she had a gun somewhere in the house. That would be helpful.

The dogs bounded across the second floor, rattling the kitchen ceiling as they sprinted for the stairs. Because of them, he didn’t hear the door to the living room open. Which meant he was surprised when he saw Andy standing in the doorway, his gun trained on Ollie’s chest.

“What the–?” Ollie jumped, backing up into the counter next to the kitchen sink.

The normally cool cop was ashen faced. His chin trembled.

“What. The hell. Is going on?”

Ollie held up his hands. “Relax. Just relax.” Andy looked anything but relaxed, but Ollie didn’t have time to ease the police officer into this. “I’m sorry for running away. I can explain that. I can explain all of this. But I need you to listen to me first.”

Andy moved closer, his expression twisted in anger. “I’m done getting yanked around by you! What was that out there?”

Ollie glanced out the small window over the sink. The backyard was still and quiet. That wouldn’t last long. He swallowed hard.

“A goblin.” Ollie waited for Andy to say something. When he didn’t, Ollie kept at it. “That’s why I’m really here. I hunt goblins.”

“Uh huh…”

“Kimmie found one, about five or six months ago. She brought me out here to catch it. Which we did. The only problem is it used to be part of a pack. A pack that’s on its way here, right now.”

Andy said nothing for a long moment. Then he glanced nervously out the window over the breakfast nook. “Why are they coming here?”

“They’re chasing after me and Kimmie.”

Andy’s wrath melted away. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know. We got separated in the woods. I thought this was where she was going.” The dogs barreled into the room, sniffing and licking Ollie. “Look, I know this is a lot to throw at you right now, but I can’t be worried about what you’re gonna do while all this is going on.”

Andy’s forehead wrinkled. “What I’m going to do?”

One of the pigs squealed outside. The dogs ran up to the door and started barking.

“They’re here,” Ollie said. He looked around the kitchen for anything he could use as a weapon. He saw knives on the counter, some pots and pans, a giant turkey thermometer. He turned to Andy. “I need to know. Are we on the same side?”

Andy stared at him, his eyes distant as he mulled over a thousand possibilities. The door to the living room opened behind him, and Albert came through, wearing one of his many Hawaiian shirts and pleated khaki shorts. He stopped suddenly at the sight of Andy pointing a gun at Ollie.

“Umm.” He took a step back, his eyes nervously flicking back and forth between Andy and Ollie. “Should I leave?”

Something pounded on the patio outside. Andy jumped, and aimed his gun at the door.

“What do we do?” Andy asked, eyes wide.

Another thump. Shrieks and hoots filed the air outside.

“What’s going on?” Albert asked.

Ollie pointed at the pot-bellied tourist. “Get them out of here!”

Before anyone could move, the windows exploded inward, and goblins poured through.