Don’t Go Outside At Night, Living Among Dogmen, Year One

After her divorce, Tess Kearney leaves the city behind, looking for a quieter life on the edge of southwestern Ohio’s wooded corridor. Sycamore Run Estates feels like a reset. A small estate of just eight homes set outside town, with large lots overlooking open fields and surrounding farms, all backing onto deep woodland. Open space. Fewer people. Room to breathe.Her eighteen-year-old son, Justin, finds a landscaping job within weeks. He starts making friends and spends more time out, enjoying the openness of the area and the distance from crowded streets. Tess adapts to a slower pace, getting used to working remotely and a more relaxed lifestyle.But something has lived in the woods behind Sycamore Run Estate long before the houses were built.And it notices the newcomers.At first, the details are easy to overlook. Footprints that don’t match anything familiar. Strange noises at night. Objects appearing on the back patio. Tess told herself it’s just part of adjusting to life near the woods... that is until the small things start adding up.And gradually, Tess understands something she never imagined when she signed the paperwork. There are rules in this estate. Rules no one explains. Rules that have nothing to do with fences or property lines.And the first one is simple: Don’t go outside at night. Because the residents of Sycamore Run Estate are hiding something. And sooner or later, Tess and Justin are going to find out the horrifying truth. 6