Blood Water by Dean Vincent Carter Read Free Book Online Page B

flashes in his mind – images of murder and
mayhem involving people he didn't recognize. Were
these memories? Things the creature had done while in
someone else's body? He remembered the horrible pain
he'd felt when he'd tried to regain control of his body
earlier. The cold, searing sensation in his head was like
an icy dagger. He knew he had to try again at some
point, but the idea made him feel nauseous. Was he ill?
Would it allow him to be sick? Maybe not.
    There was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder.
The weather seemed quite appropriate for what had
happened to him. Monstrous and terrifying. There was
so much rain, so much water around. The road was just
a river now, flowing back into the town. Had the thing
inside him come with the flood? Maybe this was the
end of the world. Maybe this was what happened when
you went to hell. He coughed, though he hadn't meant
to. Perhaps the thing had made him cough for some
reason. Maybe it was still breaking in its new suit.
    A noise came over the public address system. It sounded
like someone had their hand over the microphone, but
then it cleared and the headmaster's voice took its place.
    'To all pupils and members of staff. I have been informed
by the police that not only is the main bridge over the river
Teme out of service, but the roads leading in and out of town
are flooded in several places. There have also been a number
of accidents because of the weather, and it is very dangerous
for anyone now travelling in a vehicle . . . or on foot for that
matter. If you already have someone coming to pick you up,
then please wait inside until they arrive. If, however, you
normally walk home, then you will have to wait here until
we have confirmation that it is safe for you to leave. The
school buses left the depot but we don't know whether they
will come here as normal. It's possible they may have to turn
back, in which case some of you may have to stay the night
here – or with friends who live nearby. Please don't panic,
this is just a precaution. With the exception of those who are
being picked up now, would all pupils, members of staff and
visitors please go to the main hall.'
    'What should we do?' Sean asked.
    'I think we should wait here to see if Mr Phoenix
turns up,' Morrow said.
    'But he could go anywhere, couldn't he?' James said.
    'Well, yes, but . . . what else can we do? Waiting here
is our only real option. And if he does come back we
need to determine if he has the specimen inside him
– although I'm not quite sure how we do that.'
    'Yeah, but what if he doesn't turn up? I don't want to
be stuck here all night. We should drive home while we
still can . . . if we still can.' James still had his car keys in
his hand, and looked like he was ready to leave.
    'What if he does though?' Sean said. 'What if he does
and that thing is inside him? There are hundreds of kids
here. What if he goes mad and starts attacking them?'
    'But if he isn't infected, then we've wasted our time
and that thing could be anywhere,' James argued.
    'God, there are too many "ifs",' Sean said. 'We're
going round in circles.'
    'Yes, that's right,' Morrow agreed. 'Let's just see if he
does come here and deal with the situation then.' He
sounded worried. Sean wondered then what he intended to
do if he did decide Mr Phoenix was infected. How would
he get the thing out when he knew so little about it? He
also wondered how dangerous Mr Phoenix might be: the
creature had killed several people at the study centre.
    'You three will need to go to the main hall if you're
not leaving now,' Mrs Evans said from behind the glass
window of the reception desk. 'Before you do, though,
could you sign the book?' She looked at Morrow. 'Sorry,
it's procedure, especially at a time like this.'
    Once Morrow had signed in he turned back to them.
'We should go to the hall then. That's where Phoenix
will go when he gets here, I assume.'
    They walked down the