Among Monsters: A Red Hill Novella by Jamie McGuire Read Free Book Online Page A

I’ve just got that Lincoln Town Car in the driveway, but we can make it work.”
    Dad shook his head. “My Tahoe is parked near the armory. Once we get our things, we’ll head that way.”
    Jerry glanced at Tavia and a still-sleeping Tobin. “I hope it has three rows.”
    “It does,” Dad said, smiling. He bent down next to Halle and gently prodded her awake.
    She sat up, and Dad handed over her glasses. Looking around, she was confused at first, but then recognition lit her eyes, and they glossed over.
    “Halle, we’re okay,” Dad said. “We’re going home.”
    “Is Mom there?” she asked.
    “We’ll soon see,” Tavia said with a wink.
    Halle scrambled to her feet and joined me at the door. She lifted her glasses to wipe each of her eyes with the back of her hand.
    I focused on the road to the east. It was hard to see against the bright sun, but I could tell the road was peppered with just four or five ambling people.
    “Dad,” I said.
    He leaned toward the screen door.
    Tavia lifted her son off the floor and into her arms before joining us at the door. “Seems like they move pretty slow. That guy from last night didn’t catch up to us, even when he was chasin’.”
    Dad pressed on the metal lever before opening the door. “Give me Tobin. My house isn’t quite two blocks away, and I don’t see anything between here and there. Even if those things notice us, we can make it.”
    “We don’t want them to notice us. Then, they’ll follow us to the house,” I said.
    “True,” Dad said, pausing to think. He looked to Halle. “No matter what, you can’t scream. You can’t make noise. We don’t want to draw their attention. Do you understand?”
    “I’ll try,” Halle said.
    “Good girl.” Dad kissed her forehead.
    “Wait,” I said before he walked out onto the porch. “What if something happens? What if we get separated?”
    “We won’t,” he said.
    “But what if we do?”
    “Try to go the long way around. Try to keep anything from following you, but go to the house.”
    “Which one is yours?” Tavia asked.
    “On the southwest corner of Fifth and McKinley. White house with a red porch. There’s a detached garage in the back.”
    Tavia kissed her fingers and then touched Tobin’s hand.
    “Let’s get moving,” Dad said. “Jerry?” he called back. “Good luck.”
    Jerry and Cathy Lynn waved to us, and then we walked in a tight group down the sidewalk, heading west.
    “Keep your eyes open for someone walking between these houses,” Dad said.
    Tobin was looking around. It was more because he was wondering what we were doing than trying to help. One of his fat hands had a fistful of Dad’s shirt, and the other was in his mouth. “Mama,” he said around his fingers.
    “Hi, baby,” Tavia whispered. “Be real quiet until we get there. Good boy.”
    The whole town was quiet, too quiet. No vehicles were driving down the street. No dogs were barking. No planes were overhead. The only sounds were the soles of our shoes padding along the sidewalk. It was very unsettling.
    We crossed the intersection and then walked around to the back gate. It was open, and immediately, my heart began to pound against my rib cage.
    “She’s here!” I said before covering my mouth too late.
    Dad handed Tobin off to his mother, and then grabbed my sweatshirt. “Hold your horses.” After pulling his keys from his pocket, he looked inside the large Plexiglas window that made up the top half of his back door. He sighed. “Someone broke the window.”
    “It was Mom!” I whispered, excited.
    He turned around, his face pale. “Jenna, I know you’re eager to see your Mom, but I’m going to look first. What if she’s…” He trailed off, looking to Halle. “Just wait here until I get back.”
    Even though he hadn’t finished, just him insinuating that Mom could have been bitten, turning into one of those things, made me feel sick to my stomach.
    Dad turned the key and then the knob before