Glory (Book 1) by Michael McManamon Read Free Book Online Page A

her little girl and placed her into the grave. She tried to pat down Becky's shirt to make her look more presentable, more comfortable. She also fixed the little girl's hair.
    Then she bent over and kissed her daughter's forehead. She stayed that way for a long time, her lips pressed against and young girl.
    "I love you," she whispered.
    Jane stood up. Her daughter looked so small in the hole that she had dug. So defenceless. So innocent.
    What had happened?
    Jane spent a few more minutes staring down at the little girl before she grabbed the shovel once more. Her heart was racing. Her breaths came erratically. She pushed the shovel into the pile of dirt and heard a soft swishing sound as it gathered up some of the Earth. Then she pulled it back and held it over the hole. Some of the dirt fell onto her daughter, sounding like rain.
    "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"
    Jane let the first shovelful drop onto her child. Most of it covered the little girl's face. Though she could still see Becky's eyes, staring up at the sky.
    She placed more dirt into the hole. And some more.
    Then she heard something behind her.
    Jane quickly turned to see what it was - wh o it was. Standing there was her neighbour's son, Harold. He was a teenager, maybe fourteen years old. He stood there looking at Jane as though he was trying to figure out what was happening.
    Jane didn't know what to make of him, either. Until now, she had thought that she might be the only person alive.
    "Harold?" Jane finally managed to say. "Is that you?"
    Harold didn't reply. At least, not in the way she had expected. Not the way that she ha d hope d . He screamed. Then he charged toward her, fists held out in front of him.
    As he approached, Jane's mind continued to race until it came upon a very simple solution. She raised the shovel and waited for the teenager to get closer.
    She couldn't panic. She knew that she wouldn't survive if she didn't concentrate.
    She watched as he ran toward her, his feet pounding against the lawn.
    When he got close enough, Jane closed her eyes and swung the shovel at him with all of her power. She didn't see it connect, but she heard the dull whack as it connected with his skull.
    She opened her eyes and saw that she had knocked him to the ground. He hadn't given up. He was growling and trying to get to his knees.
    Jane lifted the shovel and smashed it back down against his head. There was another dull thud. And another. She kept hitting him until he was no longer trying to get up. Until he stopped moving. Until he was dead.
    When she finally stopped, Jane looked at the young man. His face was unrecognizable. Nothing more than battered flesh and blood.
    And she had done that.
    She took a few deep breaths. More out of exhaustion than anything else.
    Then, without a word, she turned back to the grave and finished burying her daughter.

Chapter 2
    Claire woke up the next morning. The man hadn't touched her. He hadn't let her go, either. She was still stuck in the garage, attached to the desk.
    She wanted to pull at the handcuffs again, except she knew that it wasn't going to work. If anything, it would just make a lot of noise. Then the man would come back in. She didn't want to see him . Ever.
    She knew that she wasn't going to b e tha t lucky, though. The man wanted her to thank him . To fuck hi m was more like it. Claire felt sick at the thought of it.
    Maybe there was something she could use to fight him off.
    The idea flew into her head and gave her somewhat of a rush. She didn't feel as defenceless. She might be able to find something to help her.
    She looked along all of the shelves. There were tools everywhere. Any of them would have helped her. Unfortunately, they were all too far away. She couldn't reach them.
    She looked on the desk. There were a few things there. Nothing that would do much damage. Some paper. Some bolts.
    Then she saw a pen lying underneath the desk. It was within her grasp.
    That might work!
    She quickly