"Tom?" Denise called from the kitchen.
"Yes dear?" Tom called back from the living room.
"Did Joy get back yet?"
"No dear."
Denise walked into the living room, stopping at the window to peer through the curtains, somehow expecting to see Joy pull up just then.
"She hasn't called or anything."
Major Tom sounded a hum of agreement.
"Aren't you concerned at all?"
"No, I am." He said, looking to his wife. "But this isn't the first time she's been late coming home."
"Well, I don't like it."
Denise crossed the room to use their telephone, dialing her daughter's cell phone.
"Aw c'mon!" Major Tom whined loudly.
Denise turned to see what he was complaining about. It seemed that the channel seven news team had cut into his reruns.
"What's going on?" Denise asked.
"I don't know."
"Here, turn it up."
The anchor on television spoke frankly.
"Police are advising all citizens to stay at home and secure all of your windows and doors. Do not leave your house for any reason. We are being told that a large and deadly animal is loose in town, but we've not been told what kind of animal this is, or where it came from. Police are currently combing the city looking for this animal, which attacked bar and restaurant patrons downtown. Several people were killed and many more were wounded."
The phone pressed to Denise's ear was still ringing, Joy was not answering her phone.
"Joy.."
Tom looked to his wife, realizing a sudden panic.
"Is she answering her phone?"
"No. Oh god." Denise hung up the phone and tried dialing the number again. Tom got off the couch and decided to take action.
"You stay here, keep calling her. The moment she answers you tell her to call me, and I'm going to pick her up, where ever she is."
"Tom, you can't go out there!"
"Denise, I've been through all kinds of hell. An escaped lion is the least of my worries. But I'll be damned if some dumb animal lays a hair on my child."
Grabbing his coat from the closet, Tom ran up the stairs to their bedroom.
Clinging hard to the phone in her hand, Denise began to pace.
"Pick up, baby.. Pick up. Answer the phone!!"
Tom returned, shotgun in tow.
"I'll find her. Just keep a line open."
Denise nods, pressing her hand against her forehead.
"Honey, be careful. Please."
And with that, Tom stepped out the door, closing it behind him.
The night was cool, quiet. Tom got into Denise's car, and started it up.