Tom awoke to a scream. There was day light pouring in from the window. Jumping up and stepping out of June's room ready to rock and roll. He looked down stairs to see June's dad holding his shotgun at the bottom of the stairs. That's when a "Tom!" hit him behind. June's mom yelled at him the way all mother's know how.

"Put that gun away. I know that scream and she is going to be fine. Now go down stairs and get breakfast with Jimmy. You two are just alike."

Tom nodded with a 'yes ma'am' and looked down stairs to give June's dad the all clear, but he was long gone. He put away his revolver and walked down to the kitchen. It was a nice breakfast with ham, eggs, bacon and hand made biscuits. About three minutes later June and her mom came down to join them. Tom was about to ask why June screamed early, but got his answer. At the base of the longer quills there was little black puff balls. She didn't look at Tom when she sat down. Tom thinking he knows what to say.

"The puffy things are cute."

June hid her face behind her hands and sat her head down on the table. Tom looked over at June's dad for help, but he mouthed 'on your own'. Tom didn't know what to do and got back to eating. June muttered something but no one could comprehend her. June's mom put a hand on her shoulder.

"Deer we can't hear you."

She turned her head to look up at Tom.

"They're not weird."

Tom bit off a piece of bacon.

"Now that I got a good look at them, they're just feathers."

She looked hopeful and asked.

"So it's normal?"

Tom finished off the bacon and added with a nodded.

"Completely normal."

She smiled and got something to eat. June's dad gave him the thumbs up. When Tom got done eating he put his plate in the sink and got a dreadful feeling right down to his core. He looked out of the window from the kitchen and then at the front door. The three of them could see he was worried about something as June asked him.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Tom's paranoia yelled at him.

'Need To Hide Or Not Be Here!'

Tom glared at the front door and didn't look at her.

"Is there some where we can hide? I think they're all round us."

June was going to ask who he is talking about, but a gentle knocking came from the front door. Unholstering his reliable gun, Tom leveled it at the oak wooden door. June's dad pointed to his study room and said.

"There is a trap door under the rug. Hun when they are inside put it back on top."

Tom and June rushed over to the small study. They moved the plush rug and after he opened the trap door, Tom got in. It a bomb shelter with all the stuff you would need to live for a week. June got inside next and he felt a lot better when the door closed. Siting down against the stone wall, Tom let out a long breath of relief. She looked down at him and asked.

"Are you going crazy?"

He laughed with a small.

"Yes."