The shed was located right behind Bruno's house and it was basically where Herb dumped all the farming equipment he didn't make use of or know their uses.

Bree had never been to Bruno's house but now, standing in front of the two storey house with a 16ft tall garage door and expensive furniture on the patio, Bree was convinced Bruno's paycheck was a lot more than she had initially thought.

The ground was wet from the rain and perfectly mowed grass caressed her ankles as she made her way to the front door. Bree had seen a lot of fine wooden doors but wherever Bruno had gotten his was certainly not from a mere carpenter in Maine.

She pressed the doorbell, looking around and at the fenced garden a few feet from the edge of the house. Her Valentine date with Norman was flower themed but Bruno's garden was where flowers literally came from. Bree stared at the different kinds she could identify ranging from asters, bugbanes, buttonbushes, goldenrods, hay-scented ferns to pagoda dogwoods, red maples, and summersweets. He even grew lavenders.

She'd done a little research after her date with Norman.

The door swung open and Bree was greeted by a smiling Lizzy. No surprise there.

"Hi, Bree. Come on in." She said casually, beckoning on Bree.

As soon as she stepped inside, the smell of freshly baked bread filled her nose. Did Bruno have a mini bakery in here as well?

The furniture was as impeccable as the ones outside - fine leather couches next to beautiful stools made out of redwood. The stucco walls were painted sheet white and the floors were polished marble, in fact, everything in the house was polished to perfection. A classic chandelier hung from the roof and Bree couldn't tell where it came from but soft music filled her ears.

The living room was the size of Bree's bedroom, bathroom and kitchen combined. Next to the television compartment stood a large cylindrical custom made clock filled with blue bioluminescent algae and a bunch of fishes swimming around.

The majestic rug lining the floor from the entrance to the door at the opposite end of the room reeked of new currency and Bree didn't know how she knew that as she didn't even bend over to sniff them - which would be totally weird.

"He's waiting for you out back." Lizzy said pointing toward a door. She wore faded shorts with a blue scarf around her head holding up her hair in a large bun. The plain white T-shirt she had on was two sizes bigger. Bree guessed it was Bruno's. Hell, he probably owned the sky above too.

Bree nodded, unable to speak as she ventured toward the back. She had left her uneasiness outside but as tiny streaks of sunlight bathed her face when the back door opened, she suddenly felt nervous again.

The lawn was wide and right next to the fence was where the shed stood - tall and wooden. It was huge enough to fit two tractors and its doors were wide open making Bree think of a huge monstrous mouth.

"It's about time." Bruno said as she approached the dark doorway. If anything, Bruno did not look rich. Same as Herb, both men drove rusty vans and wore clothes that could pass as rags. Bruno had a blue cap on with a dirty plaid sleeve atop a grey shirt and black pants. His boots looked like the ones Sawyer wore on pig duty. Bree never noticed his eyes, they were oddly golden like Herb's.

A strange thought came to her but she pushed it aside as he led her past shelves, worktables and gardening tools. A bunch of firewood was heaped right at the end of the shed. What did he even need them for?

Right behind a large compartment that looked like a single locker, Bree saw a bunch of large fishing hooks and spring traps. She'd gotten a bunch of her traps from Bruno but none came back the same or came back at all.

Bruno opened another door that Bree was sure was where the room was supposed to end. She followed him inside, clutching both hands in her hoodie pocket.

He flipped a switch and Bree's insides did a double back flip when her eyes fell on the men in the room. There were four elderlies and one that looked much younger. Each man had a bruised up face and a black eye. Bree turned to Bruno as if asking what they did to deserve being beat up then she remembered it was actually all her fault. Her stomach flipped again and she held back a guttural whimp.

Bruno crossed his arm and cleared his throat. The men sat in a single line in front of a large desk where a lamp hung from above producing enough light to illuminate their swollen faces. Behind them, shadows moved and Bree squinted to see who or what it was. She guessed those men behind had done the dirty work of beating up elderly men for Bruno since he looked pretty chill like the boss.

"We got two names from the docks, another from midtown and those two from Parrish. That one's Miles Bleezy." He began pointing to the elderly man at the extreme. Bree studied his face and clothes. He did look like a fisherman. She realized she had zoned out again when Bruno pointed at the last man and introduced him as Beasley Carter.

"None of em claim to know anything about a bunch of pigs so we was hoping you could identify them by face." Bruno finished.

"Even if i could recognize them, you've already done enough damage to make it difficult for me to." She frowned.

Bruno smiled and Bree guessed he smiled like that whenever he wanted to play innocent.

"My apologies but i don't really like when people uh, refuse to coperate with me." He said.

In the dimly lit room, he looked much like Herb if Herb were 20 years younger. Bree's mind began to work overtime again and she found it hard to think straight. She looked at the men whom she'd stupidly accused of stealing pigs. The younger one, although not so young, looked like a real estate agent Bree had seen before.

He wore a white sleeve shirt that was now covered in tiny blood stains and a brown dotted tie. His hair was badly in need of a brush and he looked like he was about to burst into tears any minute.

The others wore grim looks as though they'd pummel her if she pointed them out as the culprit. Bree looked briefly at Bruno whose arms were still leisurely folded as though he was enjoying the whole thing.

"None of these men is the thief." Bree said calmly.

"What?" Bruno asked, tilting his body slightly toward her.

"I said none of these men is the pig snatcher." She repeated and even though she didn't look, Bree could've sworn she heard a simultaneous breath of relief. The men had clearly been on edge about being identified as a thief.

"You do realize that time is running out and Herb won't be happy at all with. . ."

"We need to talk." Bree said through gritted teeth and exited the room without waiting for Bruno. She stomped outside and waited by the door of the shed.

Bruno casually strolled out, a calm but pleasant look on his face.

"What exactly do we need to talk about, love?" He asked in a sickeningly sweet tone that made Bree want to gag herself.

"I've told you dip twits that the pig snatcher isn't human." She began.

"Well, if it isn't, why haven't you caught it yet? Listen sweetheart, we run a chain of animals - domestic and farm alike and i've seen all kinds of animals but your description of whatever attacked you at the Pendulum and stole those pigs doesn't quite fit the bill."

"So you do believe me then?" Bree asked then caught herself. "what do i care anyway? I've got a whole month to bring results. Herb and i had a deal."

Bruno snickered. "Yeah, he told me about your little ultimatum . I didn't know you could be very persuasive like that, talking my old man into doing things in your favor."

Bree's eyebrows went up. "Herb's your father?"

Bruno leaned by the doorframe, his breath fanning Bree's face. "Surprised, sweetheart?"

Bree backed up in alert and the handle of a wheelbarrow poked her gently in the thigh. "I'm not your sweetheart. Let those men go. They've done nothing wrong."

"Oh but they have, you see, until you can bring us the real thief, these men will stay with us as um, how do i put this?. . ."

"some sort of surety?" Bree asked. The weather began to get increasingly warm and Bree regretted wearing a hoodie until a wave of cold breeze blew past her like a splash of ice water.

"Oh yes, you can call it that. You've probably been reading more than just fairytales." Bruno said waving his hand midair.

Bree's teeth clenched in annoyance. How had he known that? Gossip tended to travel across town faster than she imagined and she wondered who might've spread this one. She would be devastated if it were Pauline or Pepper.

"So you're going to keep them away from their families until. . ."

". . . until you provide their replacement. Herb and i have talked. You're not a people person Bree, but you do have a soft spot for people. Now we don't want anything to happen to these poor men on your account so you'd better act fast, you've got lots of options. Your paycheck won't come until you produce the culprit or at least prove your wild story and if you don't do so quickly. . . why, think about your sick mother!"

Bree thought she'd fallen face flat on the wet grass but when she blinked, she was still standing up straight. Bruno was pushing several buttons at once, sending her emotions into a frenzy. He masked his evil side with that sick smile he always wore but was a lot more heartless than Herb and she could see why - like father, like son.

Why did everyone have to know about her mother and try to use it against her? People were cruel and she refrained from having any friends for this reason. She couldn't trust anyone at all even those who claimed they were harmless.

At that moment, Bree hated Bruno. She hated Herb and she hated being indirectly called names such as a fanatic or a psycho. She hated that monster who stole pigs and made her look a complete idiot for it.

She balled her fists.

"You want proof, huhn?" She asked. The calmness of her voice stunned her even though on the inside she felt like a rocket with a burr up its behind.

"Exactly. Then we can let these men go and get you your paycheck."

"Alright then. I'll get you proof." She said and walked away without looking back.

As she passed through the house, she caught a glimpse of Lizzy setting the dining table. She had let her hair loose and was battling to keep it from floating into the plates. Bree stormed into the quiet street and walked down, ignoring cabs as they drove by.

She hated her life and she hated this small town that seemed to carry her plight around like a bag of garbage, dumping it in the nearest trash can. She hated leaving her first home - Texas. She had loved it there; her school, visits to Sugar Land and The First Colony mall. She sometimes skipped school to visit the Cullinan Park or the Constellation Field.

Life was much simpler then when it had been just her and her parents but sadly, her father had passed on from skin cancer leaving her and her mother. Melinda was pregnant with a second child at the time but had a miscarriage after a nasty accident where she'd fallen off the stairs at the public office where she worked.

Despite several warnings from her doctor to lay off work, she'd stubbornly insisted to continue her job to take care of Bree and that had cost Bree a sibling. She hated being the reason why her mother had to work. She hated how she'd felt when her mother broke the news of her miscarriage. She remembered the day like it was only an hour ago.

She was about 15, swiging in the giant tyres that hung under one of the big trees in the yard. Their house was only a few yards away, surrounded by a shelter of long tree branches, orange sun rays and clean air with thousands of leaves gracing their red roof like someone had done a wedding procession on it. She remembered the peach sweater she had worn, the black khaki shorts, the white strapped sandals with a loose buckle.

She swung back and forth constantly checking her blue wrist watch, waiting for her mother to come home by the stroke of four. An empty tyre hung on the other side of the tree, jingling and spinning around like a giant black dougnut. Bree imagined her sibling sitting in it, mindless of whether it were a boy or a girl swinging with her, singing the lines to her favorite ice cream themed song.

She could remember humming the tune when a black Mustang pulled up in front of their house. She didn't move, didn't even bother to look until she heard her name. Her mother was escorted by three men in uniform. Bree didn't know them.

"Mom, you're back early." She noticed as she lumbered toward her mother. Melinda had looked a shade paler but she managed a weak smile. Her eyes were swollen and Bree could tell she had been crying.

Later in the evening, Bree had struggled to make dinner after trying a hundred times over to get Melinda to reveal whatever had made her come home with escorts and swollen eyes.

Bree made pineapple pie that was wrong in so many ways and served it as beautifully as she could but her mother had been too weak to even to lift the spoon.

"Mom, won't you tell me what the problem is?" Bree asked again frustrated by the silence.

Melinda finally moved, drawing Bree next to her to stroke her butterscotch colored hair as she bit back tears. She explained the accident at the office with a grim expression and Bree listened in horror, unable to find the words to console her mother or herself.

She remembered crying almost immediately, chewing her bottom lip so hard it could've come off.

"But why didn't you stay home mom?" Bree had asked.

"You know i couldn't do that. You're still here and i have to take care of you." Melinda said.

Bree had felt anger, real anger for the first time. She wanted to blame her mother for going to work but she knew she'd done it selflessly. Her father was no longer here to take the reins while her mother rested and for that she also blamed him - for leaving them vulnerable and all alone.

From that day on, Bree had promised to work hard. She did not want her mother to work or suffer because of her. She did not want to be bounced around like a tetherball between the likes of Ed, Bruno and Herb. She wanted to whisk her mother away from this town and go somewhere far where nobody knew who they were.

She crossed over to the other side of the street, her arms still stuck inside her hoodie pocket. Regardless of the sun, the cold breeze constantly blew in heavy wisps. Bree loved it as it helped clear her head.

Anger still burned inside her but as she finally realized how much her feet hurt from walking for so long, she proceeded to hail a cab. Her brain began to work like a spindle. She had to think of a better way to catch her prey, a trap that it couldn't wriggle out of or smash to pieces.

She was going to give Bruno and Herb the pig snatcher they always wanted.

She suddenly remembered someone.

Someone she hadn't seen in years. Someone who would believe her and help her. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number, one she hadn't used since the first day she arrived in Maine.

"Hello!"  A familiar light tone came from the other end.

"Jimothy, i need a favor."

"Nice to hear from you again, twee. What's it been? Three years? Four? You've forgotten all about me."

"Save the sweet talk Jimothy, we need to meet and i need you to build me something." Bree said.

"Of course, twee, anything for you. What exactly do i need to build? A new wardrobe? A kitchen cabinet? Perhaps, a beautiful frame for your mirror."

"I need you to build a trap. I'll bring you the details."

"Alright twee. I'm glad you called. It's been quite a long time since i've had to practice my handiwork."

She placed her elbow on the window as the cab caught in a small traffic. Bree suddenly felt a sense of calm as her idea seemed to fit perfectly with her plan. She was going to take a different approach toward her missing pig problem.

She could almost hear its bullish growl, its roar like a lion. Its thick brown fur spreading across its body to reveal its contracting muscles when it had made to sprint at her.

She could see a flash of blue under its eyebrows and the deathly snarl it had given when it missed her by an inch and had broken her arm instead. The heavy smell of forest and dust hung around it whenever it walked past and made her downright dizzy.

Whatever this monster was, it was sly as well as fierce. It had somehow cleared out every evidence that it had been inside the Pendulum and Bree couldn't quite wrap her head around how it had done so.

Whatever this monster was. . .

She was going to find it and she was going to kill it.