Friday
4:25 A.M.

Lark wasn't surprised when she turned over in her lilac duvet to see the time. Through her blurred, crusty vision, she could  make out the red letters that disrupted the darkness of the early mornings. She groaned and stretched her arms above her head, mimicking the way her cat, Bug, stretched on his lazy days.

In a swift movement, Lark threw her covers off to the side, which startled Bug and sent him flying off. She giggled and watched Bug stalk off into her opened closet to sleep on top of all her clothes. Lark realized the cat hairs she'd be picking out later, but as long as her buddy was happy, she guessed she was happy too.

She made her way to the kitchen and flicked on all the lights while she passed through. Lark hoped she didn't wake up the neighbor parallel to her with the bright lights she had chosen. Nothing happened that ended up with Lark having to change her lights, so she left them on.

Lark yawned again and found herself turning on the coffee maker. She reached into the cupboard to get a mug when she first heard a noise. Pausing, Lark looked over her shoulder now alert, no sense of waking up drowsiness upon her. She slinked away from her spot and to the balcony that was opposite of her neighbor's. Lark couldn't accept a complaint anymore after the incident with the landlord. Cautiously, she peered through the blinds and saw nothing.

Her neighbor's house was pitch black like all the others in the subdivision. Lark took a deep breath and once she turned her back, the noise happened again.

"That better be you Buggers," Lark whispered uneasily. She took another step. Another noise.

"Don't be playing with me Bug!" She warned.

By the time she reached her coffee maker again, Lark was spooked. The noise kept on happening. She let her fear ease away the moment she heard the coffee pour into her mug. Cup of coffee in hand, Lark walked over to her couch and sunk into its pillows.

She sipped her coffee slowly, her eyes darting around the brightly lit room. Many things could happen at 4 in the morning, and a murder at Vendetta Creek Flats was a possibility on Lark's mind.

Lark brought the edge of the cup to her lips again and suddenly, another noise scared her.

"Goddamit!" Lark stood up quickly and ran to the sink, scrubbing off the hot coffee with a paper towel.

For a brief moment she looked at the balcony door and she swore she saw a boy - a boy hoppinng her balcony railing.