ALIEN INVASION by Peter Hallett Read Free Book Online Page A

in. It looked like he’d adjusted his head on the back of the chair, but it thankfully seemed as if he was still asleep. I watched his chest rise and fall a few times, trying to figure if the pace of his breathing was enough to suggest he was still dead to the world. I had no idea what I was looking for though, so I decided to continue toward the door.
    At the door, I sat on my butt, scooted my legs into myself, and used all the strength my legs could muster to stand. Once on my feet, I wobbled, there was an awful ache in my weak muscles. My whole body felt tense, as if every part of me was knotted and pulled taut. I was also going lightheaded from holding my breath for so long. If I didn’t make it out of the apartment soon I was liable to pass out.
    I took the key out of my mouth, then I licked every inch. The idea being, if it was wet enough it would make less noise when I placed it in the keyhole. It worked like a charm. I turned the key as slowly as I could, my face crumpling every time I heard the locking mechanism click.
    Once the door was unlocked, I performed the same trick I’d used on my bedroom door. I gave myself just enough room to slip out through the gap. Once I was in the hallway, I turned and pulled the door closed.
    “Oh no,” I whispered, my breathing sputtering as I took in some air for the first time in a long time. I’d left the key in the other side of the door. That would have given the game away when he went to lock up before he went to bed.
    I pushed the door open, just enough to reach my hand in. It was a fiddly procedure to remove the key, but I managed it. However, the wetness on it made me drop the damn thing. I heard the impact as it hit the wooden floor inside. My eyes went wide in a sudden shot of panic. My heart skipped a beat. My vision even blurred.
    I was frozen to the spot. I didn’t know what to do. So I did nothing, apart from waiting for the moment the door would be pulled open, snatched from my hands, then the hand that would grab my hair and pull me inside for my punishment.
    But it didn’t happen. I don’t know how long I waited, it felt like ages, but it couldn’t have been. I let out a quick silent breath and took another one in. I got to my hands and knees again and edged the door open with little controlled pushes.
    I could see the key, but not my dad. I didn’t want to see him, I was nervous enough as it was without having to see his looming and menacing presence. I stretched my arm through the opening, grabbed the key between two fingers, pulled it back into my body, kissed it, and pulled the door shut.
    I got to my feet, placed the key in the lock, following a good extensive licking, and locked the door. I smiled. The first time I’d done so that close to home for a very long time.
    I ran down the hallway on my tiptoes, cleared every four steps once I was on the stairs, with a little heel-clicking jump. I had a bus to catch and a comic book convention to go to. After I’d changed into my costume, of course.
    BRAD
    “Okay,” I said as I finished fastening on the Thai pads. “You’re gonna drive in a leading round house, follow with a right cross, left hook, then a right push kick.” I nodded at Sara.
    Sara pulled tight the last of the Velcro straps on her pink boxing gloves with the use of her teeth. “Man, you know how to torture me.” She smiled.
    I laughed as she got set in a fighting stance. “I know. I’m mean, aren’t I?” I raised the pads, held them into my stomach and positioned myself for the first kick. “Remember, to take a small step away from the pad before you kick. I want to see you using your hips to drive it home. Make sure you hit through the target, not just at it.”
    “I know. I know.” She smiled, and then she geared up and drove the roundhouse in. The sound of the whack as her shin hit the pad echoed around the gym. It was a good shot. If I hadn’t been prepared the wind would have been knocked from me for sure.
    The gym was