Dark Friends by Mark Butler Read Free Book Online

counselor was approaching Lily and Dana from their blind side, and he would be upon them at any moment, blundering upon their conversation. Amelia could see him, but Lily and Dana were oblivious as they chatted peacefully.
                  With less than a minute before the counselor arrived, Lily looked up and saw Amelia's signing, she nodded to show her understanding, then resumed her conversation. Amelia watched with horror as the counselor reached the girls, and they stopped talking as if on cue the moment he arrived. He watched them for a minute and continued his tour of the workers. Amelia's heart rate slowed down and she cursed Lily under her breath. Her relationship with Lily had become a huge disappointment after such a promising start. The girl did more than live on the edge, she created new edges for other girls to fall off of. She constantly pushed the limits of the counselor's patience, causing herself and others occasional beatings. And Lily was a liar . When Amelia and she were alone, she told the most unbelievable, ridiculous stories about palaces that she had lived in and places she had been. She often would contradict her own stories from previous weeks, though Amelia was too polite to make a fool of her.
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                  The following day, Ellis announced that the orphanage would be getting inspected. He expected everyone to go about their normal business, and if there were any mishaps, well, then knew what to expect from him later on.
                  The inspectors entered through the front door and spread out quickly, checking every nook and cranny of the facility. Amelia watched them, though she couldn't be sure how many there were. They all had the same official uniform and clipboard, but they moved fluidly, blending with the environment and each other. They made secret handshakes with Ellis and the staff, and Amelia knew they were all corrupt. Ellis would crack jokes about how he abused the kids, then he would slip them some money and they would all laugh at their great fortunes in life. Amelia was shocked. Was the whole world evil? She knew that even for orphans, their treatment was abominable. The kids were beaten, overworked, underfed and psychologically abused on a regular basis. They had no rights, no possessions and no one to help them. Where was the justice in the world? Not here, Amelia thought, not with these crooked inspectors making a mockery of their own profession. Amelia thought Ellis was the most evil man in the world, yet everywhere she turned he was in charge. Was there no one above him? Maybe being evil was the real path to happiness and prosperity; Ellis certainly seemed pleased with his lot in life.
                  The closer that Amelia watched the inspectors, the less she could be sure of what they were. Their faces gradually turned into animal faces; angry bulls, goats and birds returned Amelia's staring with slanted eyes and drooling mouths. The monsters licked their lips as they surrounded her, their sulfuric stench overwhelming Amelia's senses. She felt a razor sharp claw caress her neck and Amelia spun in time to see the The Beast looming over her. He was ten feet tall and as wide as two doors, and his eyes were solid red orbits, burning through Amelia's skin. He picked her up around the waist with one hand and opened his maw while the other demons laughed, then Amelia was in his mouth, being ripped apart by gnashing teeth...
                  “Get off me!” Amelia screamed as she woke up, slapping Lily hard in the face. Lily fell back in pain and Amelia leaped out of her bed, ready to fight.
                  “What's your problem, you freak!” Lily screamed, a faint bruise already rising on her left cheek.
                  “Why were...you...” Amelia stammered, realizing that she had been having a