"To be honest Adam, I just don't know what to think about everything. All I do know is that I am happy that you are here," Jason finally admitted to the group. At first, Adam did not say anything. He just looked at his older brother. Then he walked over to him and held out his hand.

"We have a mystery to solve and we can't do it sitting on our butts," Adam said, helping Jason to his feet. Jason was about to apologize, but he could tell by the way that Adam looked at him that it was not the time to discuss things. The boys had that way of being able to talk to each other without saying a word. This made Stephanie and Jacob feel very awkward, but the group trudged on. Adam and Jason went to the top of the ridge, while Stephanie and Jacob walked along the creek. They had walked for about a mile when Jason spotted smoke on the next ridge. They quietly got Stephanie and Jacob to join them and they cautiously made their way towards the source of the smoke.

The group made their way through the brush and briars until they spotted an old shanty about the size of their grandmother's living room. It was definitely old and drafty. They slowly and quietly walked up to the old house and knocked on the door. After hearing several weird noises and the sound of something rustling around inside, Jeb appeared at the door. He was very aggravated by his unexpected visit, but still motioned them in quickly.

"What in tarnation are you doing here?" he whispered, scooting them over away from the door. "I told you that I like my privacy!"

"I know, but we really needed to talk to you," Adam said. He could not believe the sight of the old shanty. You could see light coming from between the boards in the walls. An old black stove that was located in the middle of the floor heated the cabin. He also spotted a trap door. It was probably the door to a basement or cellar. He wanted to see what was down there for himself, but for now he had to get into Jeb's good graces.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Jeb said with an irritated voice. He walked over by the window and peered out. It seemed like Jeb was either very cautious or was afraid of someone else that might be watching him. This alerted Jason and gave him an uneasy feeling.

"Moth Man," Adam said.

"Moth Man? What are you talkin' about?" Jeb asked, taken back by the name.

"Don't play dumb. Grandma told us about how you saw Moth Man and then you disappeared out to here. I want to know what you saw," Adam quizzed the old man. Jeb eyed him down as he went to the other window on the side of the house.

"Why on earth would you want to know about this Moth Man? Are you here just to make fun of an old man? If you are, I am not standing for it. This is my home and I have permission from your grandfather to live here until I die, in peace!" Jeb fired back, switching the chewing tobacco from one side of his mouth to the other side. This grossed Stephanie out and she made a face. Jeb just looked at her and then back outside.

"Cos' we saw him the other night," Jacob interrupted. "Fell into the crick getting' away from him too!"

Jeb looked over at the big boy and then over to Adam, "Seriously? You saw the Moth Man?" Jeb snorted to the group as he made his way to them.

"They think they did," Jason said, but he was met with a side-glance from Jeb.

"So you are a non-believer, uh? Well, I saw him with my own eyes and people thought I was crazy for it. I know what I saw," Jeb quipped back.

"Please tell us about it," Adam begged. Seeing that Adam was going to take him seriously. He walked over to his spit can and spit the chewing tobacco out of his mouth. This even made Adam's stomach twinge a little.

Jeb walked over from his "lookout" and say down in a rocking chair by the fireplace that was being used as a kitchen. He reached over and stirred his stew that was in a black kettle and sat back in the rocking chair. "I was out looking for a new hunting area for deer season when I went onto one of the back roads. I never thought anything about being on the back roads at night since I worked in the mines. I was on the graveyard shift and I needed to unwind before coming home. I pulled my old Plymouth over to the side of the road and sat there, just taking in the sight of the mist from the river in the valleys. I had to go to the bushes so I walked a little off the side of the road. It was then I felt that something was staring at me," Jeb said with an uneasy tone. "It was then that I spotted these red eyes looking at me through the thick brush. I could not believe my eyes and I was scared out of my wits!"

"That would be horrible," Stephanie chimed in. Her eyes were big with interest in Jet's story.

"That was not the worst of it missy. I ended up peeing all over myself because I was frozen in my spot!" the old man said with a serious tone. The teenagers had to hide their shock and grins at that statement. It was obvious that Stephanie did not realize what Jeb meant when he said he has to go to the bushes. She was blushing at her misunderstanding, but Jeb did not care. "I finally finished my business, but I never even zipped my pants up. I just took off running for my car. I did not look back and I jumped into that old car and started the engine up and floored it. But when I looked back in my rearview mirror, I saw this moth like looking thing with big red eyes. He was flying right behind my back window! I rounded those curves and ridges like a moonshiner running from the feds, but that creature just kept up with me. Finally I reached the outskirts of town and it disappeared. I had to be going at least 65 miles per hour on those back roads because the city cop clocked me at 50. I have never lied in my life and I thought that would stand for something, but those people wanted to lock me up at the nuthouse. They wanted to send me up the river, but I didn't let them."

"That is so sad, they should not have treated you like that," Jason said, sympathizing with the old man. Adam looked over at him with a look. But Jason flashed him another look that said, "Not now."

"I asked your grandfather if I could live up here by myself and that was it," Jeb concluded, getting up and looking out the window again. But this time something was there. His face turned white and he started ushering the teenagers to the cellar door. "You have to hide. They are coming and they will kill us all if they knew anyone was near here. Just hide down there and be quiet!"

Jacob was about to protest, but after seeing his cousins doing what Jeb directed them to do; he followed them into the dark cellar. Jeb handed them a small pen flashlight and closed the cellar door softly. The teenagers quickly hid behind the crated supplies and were very quiet. Jason was crouched down beside Adam, while Jacob was behind a big wooden barrel and Stephanie was across the room behind a cupboard. Spider webs glued themselves to her and she almost shrieked at that yucky feeling. She quietly pulled the webs off of her, hoping that the owners were not on the webs. She turned around hoping to get into a better position when she caught a glimpse of a painting. She picked up the picture and made her way over to Adam and Jason, who had the small flashlight.

"What are you doing!" Jason whispered. He did not like the idea of his cousin being in the wide open of the room. She never said a word though. She just handed him the picture and made her way back to her hiding place. Adam pulled the picture over towards him and Jason put the light on briefly. Both boys were amazed at the picture. It was a painted picture of Moth Man, just like Adam and Jacob and Jeb had described him. Jason was too busy looking at the picture that he forgot where they were until he heard the cabin door creak open. He quickly turned the light off and did not move a muscle. He wanted to hear who would be paying Jeb a visit and who would even care if he had visitors.

"You don't have anyone up here do you!" males voice boomed. They could trace the locations of the people by the creaking of the cabin floor.

"You know I like my privacy! What are you doin' here interrupting my supper!" Jeb yelled back.

"Glen here thought he spotted someone near the cabin and we decided we would check things out. We needed to make sure that you were keeping your end of the deal," the same voice said.

"I don't lie. I told you that I would leave you alone if you leave me alone and bring me my supplies," Jeb recanted. "Now I would like to have my supper--- ALONE!"

"Okay! Okay! But old man, I am going to tell you. If you mess up my cash crop sittin' out there, I am going to make sure that you pay with your life," the voice yelled back.

"Does it really look like it would matter to me if you did?" Jeb smarted back.

"I am not taking your lip old man!" the voice said and the sound of a scuffle could be heard. Adam and Jason wanted to check on Jeb to make sure that he was all right, but they needed to trust Jeb and remain hidden. But then they heard a crashing sound of wood and a dragging sound across the floor towards the cellar door.

The cousins all held their breath as the cellar door was opened and Jeb was thrown down the old wooden ladder that led to the underground hiding place. Jeb landed with a thud and remained motionless as the two men laughed and mocked him.