Roads Less Traveled by C. Dulaney Read Free Book Online Page A

otherwise she was unharmed. He kneeled next to her and glanced at Bill before locking his eyes on her.
    “It’s okay now. I’m here to help you. Jake is here too,” he motioned towards Jake. “What happened here Mrs. McKinley?”
    She didn’t answer him, just continued to stare with a blank expression on her face and tears falling from her eyes. Ben placed his other hand over hers, holding it and Mr. McKinley’s. He could feel Bill’s fingers were cold, very cold, and estimated he had been dead for some time. He leaned back and caught Jake’s eye. He frowned and jerked his head, motioning Jake to move his ass and comfort his grandmother. Instead Jake went straight for the pill bottle. He peered at it closely and read the label over and over, trying to make sense of what his eyes were telling him. He set in down, then turned and walked out of the room.
    “Go back downstairs and turn on all the lights. Then go outside and bring Mike and Kyra in. The house is safe,” he said without a hint of emotion in his voice. Zack simply nodded, picked up his gun, and left. Jake leaned against the banister, his fingers gripping the old wood so tightly his knuckles turned white. He stood that way for a long time; head lowered with his eyes squeezed shut. He didn’t hear Ben when he finally stepped out of the room and walked over beside him.
    “What do you want to do about this?” Ben whispered. Jake just shook his head, unable to speak. Ben hesitated, and then continued. “I think she’s in shock. I can’t get her to answer me, or leave the bed.” He laid a hand on his friend’s back, trying to comfort him and knowing it would only piss Jake off. He was surprised when a sob escaped and Jake slid to the floor. Ben kneeled down behind him, his hand pressed against Jake’s back, and let him cry.
     
    * * *
     
    “Maybe I should try talking to her,” Kyra said. Mike and Zack had helped her check all the windows and brace the two doors as best they could. For the time being the downstairs was secure. At least until daylight came and they could get out to the storage shed to check for anything they could use to board the windows up. They sat in the living room, the two guys remaining still as Kyra fidgeted. Ben and Jake were still upstairs trying to get through to Mrs. McKinley. Ben had come down once to fill them in on the situation, and Kyra had been a basket case ever since. She didn’t let it show, except for the furious way her fingers kept twisting a lock of her hair. But she thought she could help, even though she was a stranger in this house.
    Mike stood as they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. “How is she?” he asked. Jake looked pale and beaten as he walked past Mike without answering and sat in the chair across from Kyra. Ben simply shrugged and sighed.
    “I don’t know. She just sits there, not saying a word,” he said. He ran his hand through his hair and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Mike turned around and faced the others with his hands on his hips.
    “Well we have to do something. Do we even know how long she’s been sitting up there? She has to be hungry. And Bill, we need to bury him. Can’t just leave a body lying around,” he said, his voice becoming louder as he went on.
    “Shut your mouth,” Jake growled as he dug his fingers into the arms of the chair. Zack tensed and moved to the edge of his seat, his hand grabbing Kyra and pulling her back to the couch when she started to stand. He glanced at her quickly and shook his head, hoping she got the hint. Ben returned with a bottle of water and froze in place behind them.
    “What Jake? I’m just saying what everyone else is already thinking. I get it, this is your house and those are your grandparents. But damn man, the world is going to hell and I’m scared! We need to be getting our shit together instead of sitting here on our-” He didn’t have a chance to finish his lecture. Jake bolted out of the chair and was on top