Quake by Richard Laymon Read Free Book Online Page A

child?'
        'Yeah. She goes to Rancho Heights High. Have you heard anything - any news?'
        'None. It must've been a hell of a quake, though.'
        'They always said we'd get it.'
        'Yeah.' He began to climb a slope of wreckage. Until now, he had avoided anything so high. He could've detoured around this one, but knew there would be a good view from its top. If can just get there in one piece. He made his way upward slowly, crouching, open hands down low so that he might catch himself if he should slip. 'How about your house?' Sheila called.
        'It got…' His left foot suddenly triggered a small avalanche. He scrambled higher and found solid footing. Hunched there, he panted for breath. He was shaking, drenched with sweat. His pajamas felt sodden. His moccasins felt gooey inside, as if they'd been lathered with lard.
        'Stanley?'
        'Yeah?'
        'Are you all right?'
        'Fine.'
        'Are you sure? Did you fall?'
        'Some stuff…, gave out under me. I'm okay.'
        'Be careful. don't want you hurting yourself.'
        'Thanks.' Slowly, he straightened up. With a damp pajama sleeve, he wiped his face.
        'What about your family?' Sheila asked. 'Are you married?'
        'My wife died last year.' He resumed climbing.
        As he gained the summit, Sheila said, 'I'm very sorry about your wife.'
        'I appreciate that. Thank you.'
        'You sound a lot closer.'
        'Yeah, I…' He had been gazing at the debris under his face while he climbed. The moment he lifted his eyes, he saw the blazing house. And the handful of people gathered to watch it burn. They were the only people he saw. The burning house had apparently drawn every available spectator, leaving none to notice Stanley.
        'What is it?' Sheila asked.
        'A house fire. Over on the other side of Swanson. At the comer of Livonia.'
        'Is the fire department there?'
        'No. Not yet.'
        'Police?'
        'Afraid not. Just a few neighbors'
        'My God. What if it spreads?'
        'Its pretty far away.'
        'Oh God.'
        'Don't worry.'
        'I'm trapped.' Though the voice came to him along with a confusion of overlapping noises, he heard Sheila's fear. 'I don't want to burn up.'
        'I'll get you out,' Stanley said. 'I'll save you. promise.'
        'Hurry? Please?'
        'I'm coming.' Moving as fast as he could without reckless chances, he descended to the bottom of the without trouble. From there, he could still see the thick black smoke curling into the sky. But the burning house and the spectators were out of sight, blocked from his view by remnants of Sheila's walls.
        I can't see them, they can't see me. He liked that. If they can't see me, they won't be coming over to snoop. 'Sheila?'
        'You sound very close.'
        He looked toward the sound of her voice. It seemed to come from straight ahead - no more than a few strides away. But he could see only more tumbled, broken ruins of the house.
        'I can't see you.'
        'There's a bunch of stuff on me.'
        He took a step. Another step. Halting, he studied the debris. 'Where are you?' he asked.
        'You're almost on top of me.'
        On top of you. Yes. Oh, yes! 'Can you see me?' he asked.
        'Too much in the way. But you sound like you're somewhere above my feet.'
        How could that be? The rubble in front of him looked fairly level and close to the floor. Unless Sheila'd been mashed but she claimed to be unharmed. And she sounded fine. Scared, but not in pain.
        'I don't get it,' he said. 'Where are you?'
        'I think I'm in the crawlspace.'
        'What?'
        'The crawlspace. Under the house. felt the tub drop. All this junk came crashing down, and the tub dropped out from under me. We must've landed in the crawlspace.'
        'You're in your bathtub?' Stanley asked.
        'Yeah. The luckiest break