Feral by Brian Knight

also widely varied, but accounts of its evil deeds were the same.   The Bogey stole children from their beds at night and took them away, never to be seen again.
    Some people used charms to keep the Bogey from their children, some poured milk onto the ground outside their homes, as it was believed good fairies loved milk and would protect the house from bad spirits.   Some hung open scissors over the cribs of their infants to scare the spirit thief away.
    The Bogey was said to sleep with women and impregnate them.   The children of such unions were shape shifters, and would grow up to become Bogeys themselves.
    Though in later times the churched population no longer believed in the Bogey, its legend continued to grow, as a fairy tale told to children to inspire good behavior through fear.   All little boys and girls knew if they were not good, the Bogey Man might come for them.
    Even today, the grim legend of the Bogey Man persists, and every night children lay awake, fearful of every shadow and night noise.   They wait out the darkness in fear that the Bogey Man might come to take them away.
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    1793, a small village near Devon England.
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    More than a dozen children went missing over a period of several weeks.   Many of the missing children's parents were found brutally slain.
    One woman, a local tavern-keeper's daughter with a less than savory reputation, claimed that the Bogle had taken the children and murdered their parents.   She further claimed that the Bogle came to her in the guise of a handsome young gentleman, and slept with her.   Three months later, when it was discovered she was with child, she was accused of witchcraft and burned to death by a mob in the town center.
    None of the missing children were ever seen again.
    Other local children, even some in neighboring towns, awoke screaming from nightmares during those bloody weeks, only to see that their nightmares had followed them back to their rooms.
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    1810, Dublin Ireland.
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    A prominent political figure, whose name was later stricken from public records, was murdered along with his wife and one adult son.   His two younger children were taken from their home that very night and never seen again.
    Despite the ramblings of a superstitious house servant who claimed that a Ballybog committed the crime, the assassinations and kidnappings were believed to be politically motivated.
    The courts found the servant innocent of any involvement in the crime, but committed her to an asylum, where she died a few years later.
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    1852, a ship carrying Scottish immigrants bound for the United States.
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    During the month-long journey, over half of the ship’s population of children disappeared, many of their parents and older siblings were found butchered.   None of the missing children returned, and were assumed thrown overboard by the killer.
    A young Scottish woman reported being assaulted by a strange young man who, after satisfying himself, suddenly became very old, and withered away to nothing before her eyes.
    Six months later she died giving birth to a premature but healthy baby boy.   A Catholic home for orphaned children took the child in, but his fate thereafter is unknown.
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    The book read like a ghoul’s encyclopedia.   It was very mater-of-fact, and at the same time very implausible.   Jeannine Carter cited cases from as long ago as eighteenth century Europe to as recent as fifty years ago in the United States.   The book was one in a series of supernatural tomes, published in the spirit of The X Files .   Whatever the publishers thought of it, it was clear that Jeannine Carter believed.
    Gordon had been there for almost three hours, time to get back.
    He acquired a library card using the motel’s address and checked the book out.   On his way back to the room he stopped for sub sandwiches and espressos.
    When Charles woke up, his espresso was still warm and Gordon was still