Beside the Brook by Paulette Rae Read Free Book Online Page B

But right now I’m ready to hit the sack. I’ve got a big day planned tomorrow.”

    Tyler turned his attention to Kirsten. “What about you, Kirsty? Wanna check out the Jacuzzi?”
    Kirsten had to admit she was dying to try the spa pool, but jumping in with Tyler was probably not the best idea in the world. “I haven’t even unpacked my swimsuit yet.” If Craig had been staying then she wouldn’t have hesitated.
    “Well, that’s never stopped anyone before.” Tyler winked at Craig. His words were her decision maker. Her forehead crinkled in disapproval. “No, I think I’ll just have an early night. I still have unpacking to do.”
    “Party poopers,” Tyler said flippantly. “Oh well, if you change your mind you know where I’ll be.” He flicked his towel over his shoulder and wandered off into the dark. Kirsten said goodnight to Craig then picked her way through the house. The mansion, while beautiful was so huge and quiet, not the little family box she was used to in Christchurch which rattled with activity. The lavishness of it just seemed depressing as darkness fell. Certainly money did not buy happiness, Kirsten thought as she stopped on the stairs for a book to read. As she passed Beth’s room she noticed the door was wide open, but its occupant was nowhere to be seen. She wondered briefly where Beth was. They had long since finished coffee in the lounge when Kirsten passed, so she assumed the matriarch had retired for the evening. Maybe she had gone for a walk. It was such a nice evening, and the stars were so much brighter here, away from the smog, showing the way where streetlights normally would. Kirsten guessed it would be much safer walking here at night than in the city as well.
    When she got to the third floor her bedroom was stifling hot. She flicked on the light and opened the patio door to allow the cooler night air to circulate into the room. The curtains wafted in and out on the breeze, bringing instant comfort. Kirsten unrolled the electric power cord from around her portable radio and plugged it in, rolling the tuning dial to find a radio station. The reception was fuzzy, but she finally found a semi suitable FM frequency.
    She set about unpacking the remainder of her things and it wasn’t long before the room started to feel more like home. After a short while she heard a strange tapping noise above the sound of the music. It was just loud enough to be annoying. Kirsten frowned as she turned down the radio, straining to hear where the sound was coming from. She realised a soft buzzing accompanied the random sequence of the tapping, like something hard hitting canvas. As she stood up from her cross legged position on the floor a large beetle found the gap in the curtains and flew into the room. It was the ugliest thing Kirsten had ever seen, about four centimetres long with curled antennae stretched another two centimetres in front of its head. It had a thick brown body and crustaceous patterned wings. She screamed as it flew into her, its spiked legs clawing her hair as it passed. Not unlike a moth, it had been drawn in by the light, and it flew now, blinded and dazed, around the room. As it hit the wall there was a syrupy clunk, not a soft thud as a moth would make. If it had not given her such a fright Kirsten may have been impressed by such a creature, but now she swatted at it with a shoe and squealed as it dive bombed the carpet, then took to flight once more. Vaguely she heard footsteps on the stairs, the door opened and Jamie burst into the room, his face the picture of concern. When he saw Kirsten flailing in desperation at the invader, he laughed. Kirsten wasn’t sure what to be more shocked about, the hideous beetle or the alien sound of Jamie’s amusement.
    Jamie stepped further into the room, and closing the door behind him he switched off the light. For a moment panic gripped Kirsty, for she could no longer see where the

    beetle was. But as her eyes adjusted to the