The dining room door swung back and forth. Plates shattered against the walls, and small, screaming voices carried through. Calvin grabbed the door, stopping it mid-swing, and looked inside.

  Food spun through the air. Silverware lay scattered across the floor alongside broken dishes. The table had been smashed into pieces. And, pressed against the wall were the twins, dressed in matching blue pajamas, clinging to each other, faces red and slick with tears.

  In front of them a rearing tall black horse.

  It kicked its front legs, hooves slamming down on broken plates. Shards skittered across the floor. It neighed loudly, froth spilling from its mouth.

  “Help them, Calvin!” Elsie cried.

  Calvin shoved the box into her hands. “Stay by the door. Don’t move.”

  He circled the thing, certain it couldn’t hurt him. That if he reached for it, his hand would pass through, just like it had with the other creature. It didn’t turn toward him. Instead, its head snapped toward the twins as they tried to run, its body lunging forward in violent, jerking bursts.

  “Mathias! Michael!” Calvin shouted.

  “Calvin!” they cried back, voices breaking.

  “It’s not real,” he said, but the words only fed their panic.

  The horse shrieked again, rearing higher.

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  Calvin glanced at Elsie. She understood because she was older. The twins were too young. He’d have to help them another way.

  “Listen to me,” Calvin said, grabbing them both by the shoulders. “It’s your horse. Ma and Pa bought it for you.”

  They stared at him, terrified.

  “No they didn’t,” one of them said.

  “Yes, they did,” Calvin said quickly. “He wants to go outside and play. But you can’t be afraid. If you’re afraid, he gets afraid.”

  “He’ll hurt us,” one of them whispered.

  “He won’t,” Calvin said. “Not if you stay calm. Hold each other’s hands. Show him how to go outside.”

  The twins locked hands, and stepped forward.

  The horse charged.

  They screamed, but one of them, Calvin thought it was Michael, pulled the other forward and ran. The horse followed instantly, barreling after them. Elsie leapt aside as they burst through the door.

  Calvin followed, watching as the boys shoved through the back door and the horse lurched after them. He and Elsie stopped at the threshold.

  Outside, a thick fog churned around the house. They couldn’t see the wooden gate. Couldn’t see the neighbors’ houses. Then movement. The twins came running back, still holding hands.

  They slammed into Calvin, arms wrapped tight around his waist, shaking.

  “It’s okay,” Calvin said, holding them. “It’s gone.”

  “Look!” Mathias said, holding something up. “I found this on the floor.”

  A puzzle piece.

  “Me too,” said Michael.

  Calvin took both pieces, each smaller than Elsie’s. Then he grabbed the star and fit them into place, the white side facing out.

  Elsie pulled the twins into her arms, and they clung to her the way they clung to Ma.

  “What now?” she asked as Calvin closed the back door.

  A heavy thud came from above.

  All four of them looked up at the ceiling as a second thud followed.