SHUDDERVILLE FIVE by Mia Zabrisky Read Free Book Online

and he remembered his wife’s wish just then… and he looked at her in horror.
    She was staring down at the baby on the floor. She looked up at her husband with utter despair on her face and asked, “What is that?”
    He couldn’t respond. How did you find the words?
    She gaped at him. And then she screamed, and the second one came out.
    Tobias went over to the bed and scooped up the little girl, the other twin, thinking it would be the same, only it wasn’t. This one was tiny and weak. No pointed ears, no tail. Bloody all over, so he lifted the hem of the sheet and used it to wipe away the blood from her face so that she could breath. She curled like a cat in his arms, nuzzling against him for warmth. So different from her brother. Like night and day.
    Oh Toby. Two babies, of course! A little devil and a little angel!
    The revelation hit him full force. Very carefully he turned the baby over and saw that she had wings growing out of her back, small useless appendages with a few wet scraggly feathers. The child cried out weakly, and this triggered something in her brother. The creature on the floor started barking in a hoarse angry voice that sent chills through Tobias and his wife. So horrifying it was. And it watched them with menace in its eyes, and now it was trying to crawl across the floor. It was unbelievably frightening.
    “Oh God… oh no.” Estelle, pale and wan, pointed at the baby from the bed. “What is it, Toby? What’s wrong?”
    He knew what he had to do. He held the little girl baby, the newborn angel, smoothing the soft spot on the back of her head with his finger. He glanced across the hallway at the baby’s room—stackable donut rings, a plastic push-toy that went pop-pop-pop . He carried her into the other room and could feel the heat coming from her tiny body. He was astounded at the way she moved and fought her discomfort. It was a lot of resistance from such a tiny little person. He stood among the brand new toys and diapers, the crib and bassinet, breathing softly from some hopeful place. Maybe things would turn out okay? Maybe they could get through this?
    He moved slowly toward the crib, while the baby fussed and clutched at him, and Tobias held onto her moist little hand for as long as he could. Very gently, he released it onto the bedding.
    Then he turned and went back into the room, hope draining slowly from his soul. There it was on the floor. His body began to tremble. He drew his breath in hitches. His legs barely held him upright. He studied the creature for a moment. It seemed to be in terrible pain. Writhing and screaming. Tobias knelt on the floor next to it and tried to console it, but it snapped at him again. He glanced at Estelle, and they locked eyes, and they both knew what had to be done. They were out of options.
    Estelle whispered, “It’s what I asked for, Toby. Just what I asked for.”
    “Shh. Lie down.”
    “A little devil, I said.”
    “I know. I’ll deal with this. Then I’m taking you to the hospital.”
    “Oh no, Toby,” she cried, horror-stricken. “What did we do?”
    “Lie down. Close your eyes. I’ll be right back.”
    As he rounded the side of the bed, she grabbed his wrist and squeezed. “Where are you going?”
    He held his wife still by the shoulders. “I’m doing what I have to do.”
    “No.” Her eyes widened with outrage. “All our hard work.” She blinked furiously at him.
    “Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” He hurried out of the room, tripped down the stairs, shot out of the house and stumbled into the back yard. He let the rain pour down on his head—he didn’t even feel it. He’d been chopping wood for the coming winter, and he yanked the axe out of the rotten log and went back inside. He took the stairs one steady step at a time, adjusting the axe in his hands, searching for a better grip, and then he walked into the room and just stood there watching it struggle. Watching it crawl across the floor. Watching