"Peter And The Dead Men" - Page 56

“You’re so scared of my grandfather, but when he was shouting at us, you didn’t seem to care – you even talked back to him. I don’t get it.”

Dill shrugged. “I’m used to my whole family screaming at me all the time. When your grandfather’s screaming at me but not chasing me, I’m okay. When somebody’s quiet or when they’re chasing you, that’s when you gotta watch out.”

The entire lawn was in shadows now. Stars were out in the sky overhead. Darkness had fallen. And down near the forest’s edge, a figure in black stole out onto the grass.

Followed by another.

And another.

And another.

Peter’s heart skipped a beat every time another body ran out of the woods.

Thirteen skipped beats in all.

Dill gripped Peter’s hand so hard that Peter could feel his circulation cut off.

“Pete…”

“Yeah?”

“If this doesn’t go so great, I just wanted to tell you…”

Dill paused. The dark figures were halfway across the lawn. Now the boys could see their dark jackets flapping behind them.

“You’ve been a good friend, too, Dill,” Peter finished.

“Huh? That’s not what I was going to say.”

“What, then?”

“I just wanted to tell you I’m really P.O.’d at you for making me go in the forest.”

Peter stared at Dill.

“But I forgive you,” Dill continued.

“Thanks,” Peter snapped.

The burned men were in the garden now.

The first one reached the rose bushes.

But no matter how close they were now, their floppy black hats hid any trace of their faces.

They were all out of the garden now, and they split into two groups. One gang headed left around the house, and the other group headed right.

Then they disappeared. They were too close to the house to be seen.

They’re probably hugging the walls right now.

Will they come in through the kitchen, or the front door?

Or both?

There was the sound of the kitchen door creeeeeaaaaking open.

“Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh,” Dill whimpered.

From out in the front hall, there was a dull thudding on the door. Then the crashing of glass.

“I gotta pee, man,” Dill whined.

Peter turned towards Dill and hushed him. “You can’t pee, there’s not – ”

Dill screamed bloody murder. Peter turned back towards the window.

There was a dead man in the tree, not five feet away. His charred face did not cover his blackened teeth, and his empty eye sockets stared in blind hatred at the boys.

<< previous page | next page >>

Copyright © 2008 Darren Pillsbury. All rights reserved.