Little Natasha Day was walking through the cemetery. It was a dark night, though the full moon was out. Old oak trees bent over tiredly, touching the ground with their tangled limbs. Long shadows of tombstones stretched across the cold grass. A slight breeze blew, whistling through the trees and flapping Natasha’s jacket. She regretted taking the shortcut through the cemetery to her friend Jane’s house, and now she was letting her imagination run away from her. Her father had warned her not to go out at night past ten o clock, and he intended to enforce that rule. He had read an ad in the classifieds earlier that week:

Professional Kid Watcher ‘Will enforce your child’s curfew while you sleep!’ Price negotiable. Call 224-0417. Ask for Duckhook.

Natasha’s father had hired this ‘Duckhook’ man, without Natasha’s knowing, to keep an eye on her. Natasha crept along the rows of graves. A sudden snapping sound grabbed her attention. Slowly, she turned her head and on a particularly large statue saw what appeared to be the shadow of a duckbill.

“Waaaack,” a very low, mysterious quacking noise came reached Natasha’s ears through the mist. Natasha shrieked and ran up to the nearest oak tree. She looked around. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched a small dark figure darting from grave to grave. The rustling noises disturbed Natasha. She made up her mind to sprint the last 400 yards to the west edge of the cemetery before she scared herself even more. She started running and it felt good; the cool evening breeze blowing through her hair. Natasha tripped on a surfaced root suddenly. She hit the ground with a plop. She looked down at her shoe so she could free it. But, it wasn’t a root. Two featherous wings clung to Natasha’s leg. Connected to the wings was Duckhook. With a mad glint in his eye, Duckhook opened his bill wide and let out a loud hiss. ‘Ching’ went a hook as it was raised in the air, poised and ready to attack. Natasha closed her eyes, and it was all over soon.

“Hey Chief!” shouted Sergeant Cliff.

“What is it, Sergeant?” replied Chief.

“Looks like some animal dug up a corpse!” concluded the Sergeant. The two men placed the fleshy bones back in a nearby hole in which a single white feather lie.