A young man. He has returned to his place of birth and stands staring at the house wrapped in the dark of night. A voice shouts his name! His mother has seen him loitering in the darkness. She stares down from an upstairs window. Quickly, the figure of a woman leaves the home. She possesses no features. It is understood that she is a friend of his mother.
The woman walks up the street towards the bus stop and he and his mother decide to accompany her.
The man asks her what time it is and she reveals her watch-showing it is midnight. He notices that the sky at the top of the road is already showing the grey of dawn. It is already getting light.
The man and his mother return to the house where he finds his younger sister waiting. The women have been devining-foretelling the future. He sees that for their devination they have used a square wooden block, marked out with nails or pegs. He cannot quite see but he thinks they are 3 down and 3 across. A piece of red cotton is tied between the nails. The position determines the outcome.
He asks the women if they could also do it for him. They are very hesitant.
But, give in to just one question-one that isn't asked! This is done and vehemently they will continue no further.
He stares at the board and the string runs diagonally from left to right. He looks again-the red string runs diagonally from right to left.
His sister speaks; "You must be careful! There is a Red Dog. And, there is a Black Dog."