After Dark by James Leck, Yasemine Uçar, Marie Bartholomew, Danielle Mulhall Read Free Book Online

crickets were chirruping in the long grass, almost drowning out the squawking of the birds that were back outside my bedroom window.
    â€œHurry up, bro!” Johnny yelled from the truck. “I’m starving.”
    Johnny was in the front, and Lilith shuffled over as I squeezed into the back.
    â€œThere must be a million crickets in the grass. That sound could drive a man batty,” I said, sliding in.
    â€œThey’re cicadas, not crickets,” Lilith said.
    â€œWhatever. They’re bugs and they’re loud,” I said, as Mom backed out of the driveway. “By the way, that’s some collection of dolls in the drawing room.”
    â€œThey belonged to my great-grandmother. They’re extremely valuable.”
    â€œThey’re extremely creepy,” Johnny said.
    â€œThey’re antiques.”
    â€œThey’re still creepy, Ma,” Johnny added, and we started down the street.
    Elm Street is one of those old country roads that looks like it’s just about to be overrun by the trees on either side and is covered in long cracks that run through it like veins.
    â€œIn episode seven of Vampyre Hunter ,” Johnny said as we drove along, “I had to deal with a horde of possessed dolls. By the time we wrapped up shooting, I was totally freaked out.”
    â€œI’d be careful, Johnny,” I said. “According to Miles Van Helsing, those things are vicious.”
    â€œMiles Van who?” Johnny asked.
    â€œForget it,” Mom said. “Great-grandma Autumn’s dolls aren’t possessed.”
    â€œThey’ve been sitting there, alone, for a long time,” I said. “Maybe they’ve, you know, awoken. No wonder Hal walks around with a shotgun.”
    â€œYou might be right, bro,” Johnny said. “The research dude on our show says there’s a lot of weird stuff that goes on in the world that can never be explained, like frogs raining down or people randomly bursting into flames.”
    â€œAre you still wearing your uniform?” Lilith asked, cutting into our conversation. For the record, Lilith was decked out in skin-tight black running pants, a high-tech black running shirt and black and yellow sneakers with individual toes.
    â€œLilith, unlike you, I don’t strut around in thermodynamic pajamas or a running outfit that looks like it was built for Catwoman. Plus, Sterling forces me to wear a uniform when I arrive at Choke, I’m forced to wear it every stinking day that I’m there, and he makes sure I’m wearing one when I leave, so I don’t see the point in packing civilian clothes.”
    â€œYou pack them because, eventually, you’ll go on summer vacation,” she said. “Like Dad said in his book The Way of the Wise , the prudent warrior always plans ahead.”
    â€œSometimes the prudent warrior doesn’t have a strong grasp of reality,” I mumbled.
    â€œYou’re the one talking about dolls coming to life, Charlie. I’d say you’re the one losing your grasp of reality.”
    â€œReality can be surprising,” I said, “and sometimes people aren’t what you think they are, Lilith.”
    â€œCharlie,” Mom snapped, “that’s enough.”
    â€œRight … fine,” I said, biting my lip, “I guess I wasn’t expecting to be exiled to the edge of the world for the summer without access to my clothes.” A big part of me wanted to tell Lilith that Dad wasn’t the glowing superhero she thought he was, but I’d promised Mom that I’d keep it under wraps, so I kept my mouth shut and looked out the window.
    â€œYou look ridiculous,” Lilith mumbled.
    â€œGuilty as charged,” I said. “But at least my teeth are clean.”
    â€œDid you use the sink in the upstairs bathroom? You know there’s something wrong with the plumbing, right? Mom thinks the water might be contaminated,” Lilith