Scratch by Brian Keene Read Free Book Online

like a human’s, and its eyes had a cloudy, bluish appearance. At first I thought that maybe it was blind, but then I realized that its eyes were full of lymph fluid, probably from the process of shedding its old skin. Its head was large and round, easily the size of a cow’s head. And its body ... Its body was massive . I wondered how it had managed to squeeze its entire mass into the tiny room.  
    Most alarming was its mouth, and what was sticking out from between its wide open jaws. We glimpsed pink and white musculature, and six rows of sharp, re-curved teeth. Most of the teeth were at least six inches long. A pair of skinny legs stuck out of its mouth. The knees were scabbed. One foot was bare. The other had a pink, frilly sock and a black shoe.  
    It was Josie, Thena’s daughter.  
    Her legs did not move.  
    Now we knew what that thumping sound had been—her death throes.  
    The creature’s throat was swollen and puffed out. Further down its body were two more large bulges.  
    This time, it was Jeff who screamed. I was too busy crying.  
    The jaws made a cracking noise as the snake worked to swallow its meal. Now, only Josie’s lifeless feet were visible. All I could think of at that moment was Dylan. I raised the pistol and fired. The gun jerked in my hand, and my arm tingled. The explosion was deafening, and the flash left little pinprick circles of light floating before my eyes. I don’t know if I hit Scratch or not, although given its size, it would have been kind of hard to miss. One thing is for certain though. I definitely pissed it off.  
    Josie disappeared down the creature’s gullet. For a moment, its septic mouth opened even wider. The stench was revolting. I could only imagine the amount of infectious microorganisms that probably called that gaping orifice home. Then, staring at us with angry, baleful eyes, Old Scratch sucked in a lungful of air, making its body appear even thicker. The lump that was Josie slid further down its length.  
    A second explosion startled me, and I jumped. Next to me, I heard the click-clack of Jeff working the lever on his rifle. Then it roared again as he fired another shot. The snake hissed in response. It flattened its head into a triangular shape, and then flattened its body as well. As I took aim, it coiled up and prepared to strike.  
    Jeff and I fired at the same time. The gunshots reverberated in the small space. The serpent writhed, squirming in pain. Its tail rose up from behind the couch, revealing a double row of scales on the underside. Then it slammed the tip of its tail against the wall, cracking the plaster. The snake spat, launching a glob of foul-smelling saliva at us. It splattered against the wall and dribbled down like rancid yogurt.  
    Jeff scrambled to reload, fumbling for the bullets in his jacket pocket. The rifle shook in his trembling hands. Thin lines of blood trickled from the creature’s hide and dripped onto the wet carpet. I felt a surge of adrenalin, knowing that we’d injured it. With only three shots left, I figured I should make them count, and aimed for its eyes. Before I could pull the trigger, the snake’s head darted forward. Scratch moved like lightning. One moment, it was behind the recliner. The next, it struck at us. I managed to dodge the strike, more out of instinct than skill, but one of its teeth ripped through my jacket, slashing the fabric. I panicked, thinking I’d been bitten, and stumbled backward. The creature struck three more times in rapid succession. The first blow caught Jeff’s arm, and the rifle slipped from his hands. The second strike tagged his waist. The third nailed his leg. Shrieking, Jeff beat at the creature with his fists, and then Scratch withdrew.  
    Still clutching the pistol, I grabbed Jeff under his arms and pulled him backward into the foyer. In the living room, Old Scratch struck again, lashing out at the place where we’d been standing seconds before. It slammed against the