The leader, meanwhile, got into the back seat with Kristi.
	She could see his brown eyes inside the mask.
	They looked playful, excited...animated.
	You'll be the first tonight to enjoy it, he said.
	She wanted to slap it, or brush it aside.
	But she knew better.
	He examined her facial features and hair from under the mask.
	Just then, headlights from behind them lit up the inside of the car.
	As Kristi and the man turned to look, the lights went out and Kristi recognized her own car.
	The man driving her car got out and walked up to the door next to Kristi.
	Everything so far had seemed so contrived, so precise.
	Yet confusing.
	After I leave here and go inside, you will enter the front door.
	And don't even think about taking off.
	We'll be watching you and any variation from these instructions will result in...well, it won't be nice.
	So, you'll enter through the front door.
	From there it's really very simple.
	Follow the instructions you will be given.
	A few minutes after you get started you will be told that once you are outside the house again, you are free to go.
	All you need to do is get out of the house.
	She had questions but couldn't make herself talk.
	She assumed the answers would be evident once inside.
	And she didn't want to give away just how fearful she was by speaking.
	She jerked her head around toward the house when the porch light interrupted the darkness.
	Her heart skipped. Good.
	We're ready.
	Let me get inside and then go in through the front door.
	A few seconds later she got out of the car, closed the door and looked back at her own car.
	The silence around her was deafening.
	Then she turned and walked toward the house.
	As soon as she reached the first step leading up to the porch, the light went out.
	The sudden darkness caused her to stop on the steps before proceeding onto the porch.
	As dark as it was getting outside, it seemed even blacker inside.
	She stepped into the house and slowly pushed the door shut behind her.
	The urge to turn and run was overwhelming.
	But, so was the desire to get home alive.
	Ahead of her seemed to be a straight, narrow hallway.
	On either side were closed doors.
	She walked ahead.
	The walls seemed to be within inches of her on either side as she put one foot delicately ahead of the other.
	Just as she reached it, the door flung open and Kristi screamed, bumping against the wall on her left.
	Out from the door stepped the outline of a hunchback butler, adroitly holding a silver plate in front of him.
	She picked it up as though it would break with her touch.
	The butler bowed slightly and stepped backwards into the room, shutting the door as he did.
	She opened the envelope carefully, the noise seemingly filling the house.
	Should your blouse and skirt become wet in your travels, remove them and burn them.
	She took one more look back toward the front door, then followed the butler's path.
	This room, also, was nearly pitch black.
	It seemed to be about the size of an average bedroom, but without any signs of furniture.
	Still clutching the note and envelope, Kristi took a couple steps forward.