She pushed Benji down the wooden steps into the darkness.

He landed on his hands and knees in the cold mud next to the rain gutter.

Jaclyn stood on the top step with her hands on her hips, tapping her long acrylic nails against her elbow while he fought to get back up.

She pointed toward the path into the back garden without saying anything the microphone could pick up.

Benji walked in front of her with his chin tucked to his chest, hugging the worn green tail of his stuffed dinosaur against his ribs.