The Armadillo with No Heart

Chapter 4: Nighttime

Lily Bailey looked out her bedroom window again, as she had done countless times in the last few hours. No one was to be seen outside. Of course, she was not sure who or what she expected to see. Her father would certainly not come home tonight, or tomorrow, or anytime soon.

And that was if he ever came home at all...

Stop it. Don't think that...

Lily had tried to pick up a book twice, but she could not concentrate. Before she had read even half a page, her mind would stray, and she would inevitably find herself thinking of the one person she could always count on, and how, as she sat in her warm and comfortable bedroom, he was somewhere out there, in the darkness, probably in danger. He had left in such a hurry, they barely had the chance to say goodbye to each other.

He'll come home, she thought. I just have to wait. He'll be all right... if anyone can survive in that forest, he can. And he's not alone. The others are with him.

Even as she told herself that, Lily could not help but remember the horrible death of Tobias Fletcher's brother, several years previously. He had not even gone very deep into the woods...

This is different. Dad has been in the Nymphwoods many times before. He knows how to stay safe.

She had been in her room for too long... maybe going outside would help her calm down.

Lily went downstairs, the dull sound of her footsteps echoing in the stairwell. The living room had changed very little in her lifetime. Thanks to her mother's fine taste, it was decorated impeccably, so much so that it would be almost intimidating to a first-time visitor. Everything there felt somewhat majestic, from the thick rug to the ornate chandelier. Still, the room was better suited for impressing guests than for everyday use.

The lights were not on. Lily's mother, Margaret, was in the kitchen, cooking dinner.

"Mom?" she called. "I'm going for a walk."

"Don't take too long," came Margaret's voice from the kitchen.

Lily opened the door and stepped outside. The sky was darkening as the last bits of daylight fell over Greentown. This time of day always made Lily feel melancholic. Today, even more so. She began to walk the opposite way from the setting sun, slowly at first, picking up the pace after a few seconds. Walking made her feel slightly better.

Northbridge Road was mostly deserted, but that was hardly surprising. The paved streets and roads of Greentown, so full of life during the day, were mostly silent at night – the residents almost invariably retired to their homes after dark. Lily was an exception to the rule; nighttime strolls were an old habit of hers, perhaps because the fact that the streets were so quiet allowed her to be alone with her thoughts. Her father shared her nocturnal habits, certainly because of his job as a watchman.

Mr. Brown, who owned the house at the corner of Northbridge Road, was outside, tending to his lawn. He looked up and waved to Lily. She waved back, then turned right.

Greentown's main street, lined with dozens of lampposts, was beautiful at night. From here, one could see the entirety of the surrounding valley and the woods. The Green River ran along the entire length of the street, separating the eastern and western halves of the town. Many park benches were to be found by the edge of the river, interspersed with trees that provided shade during the hot summer days. During her childhood, Lily would come here almost every day with her mother. Her father rarely came along, due to his long work hours. Her mother would sit on a park bench and read while Lily and her friends ran around and played for hours at a time. These memories suddenly felt very strange, as if they were not her own.