They were almost to the building when the light went out and the blackness closed in over the roof. Ronnie shivered again. The building seemed lonelier and more desolate than it had before.
Bill turned about and came close to Ronnie. “There’s somebody inside for sure!” he whispered. Ronnie could feel his friend’s breath against his cheek. “Listen. I can hear him walking around.”
Ronnie heard the sounds too—floor boards creaking under the intruder’s weight. “Come on,” he breathed, and taking his friend’s arm, steered him toward the side of the building.
The log was still in place below the window. Ronnie found a hold on the window frame and pulled himself up. He leveled his eye against the crack and peered inside.
Only a small portion of the interior came within his view, and the intruder, whoever he was, was out of range. But a portion of his flashlight beam was visible and lit up the fireplace and the hearth before it. Then the light shifted suddenly to the other side, stayed out of view for a moment, and then returned.
A moment later the light went out completely and the building was plunged into complete blackness.
Ronnie felt Bill tugging at his arm. “I hear something around back!” his friend warned. “Maybe he’s getting out.”
“But there’s no way out through the back,” Ronnie protested. Hadn’t Bill and he searched every square foot of the outside of the building? But then, the intruder had to enter and leave the building somewhere.
Ronnie stole another quick look through the crack before making up his mind. The interior was still pitch-black. “You stay here and watch the front and sides,” he directed Bill. “I’ll see what’s going on around back.”
Before Bill could protest, Ronnie had dropped from the log and was making his way toward the rear of the building. It wasn’t easy finding a way through the thick tangle of vines and bushes, but he didn’t want to risk giving his presence away by turning on the flashlight.