My Sister Dropped Off Her Five-Year-Old Daughter for Three Days and Told Me It Would Be Easy. I Thought All I Had to Do Was Make Dinner and Turn On Cartoons.

But When I Set a Bowl of Homemade Beef Stew in Front of Her, the Little Girl Started Shaking and Whispered a Question That Made My Blood Run Cold: “Uncle… Am I Allowed to Eat Today?”

PART 3 — THE THING IN SERGIO’S HAND

At first, I couldn’t understand why Ruby had suddenly gone pale.

She was staring past me.

Past the hallway.