The Fourth Trumpet by Theresa Jenner Garrido Read Free Book Online

said, hearing just a hint of fear creeping into her voice.
    The young man nodded and turned to look at his neighbor. “Carrie, did something happen while we were gone? Please tell us.”
    Carrie swallowed with difficulty. Then she spoke in a broken voice that was barely audible. “I-I was standing by the-by the window. Watching through the drapes. Waiting for you. I knew I wouldn’t be able to see you, but I…” Her voice trailed off and she looked beyond Keith, toward the big, picture window that faced the driveway. Her eyes grew larger as she recalled what had frightened her so much. “I saw-I saw something. Something big. With eyes.”
    “With eyes ? Come on, honey, what did you see? An animal? Did you see an animal?”
    “Keith, it was horrible . It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen. It was huge. It was bigger than your truck, Keith.” Her voice rose an octave. “Keith! It was part cat, part human, part, oh. I don’t know what. It was hideous. Its eyes were a yellow-green and they glowed. They glowed , Keith. Even in the darkness, I could see them. And it- it was staring right at me. It saw me. It knew I was in here. Oh, God. Where’s Rob? I need Rob. I want my husband.”
    Keith held the young woman against him, running his hand down the back of her head, smoothing her tousled hair, trying desperately to calm her. “But, honey, how could you have seen anything in this darkness. Why, Andrea and I had trouble seeing just two feet in front of us out there. Are you sure you saw something? You weren’t just imagining it because you were so worried about us—about Rob? You’ve been pretty upset and—”
    She pushed him away. “No! No, I was not imagining it. I know you think I’m nothing but a hysterical pregnant woman, but I know what I saw. It was horrible. It was a monster. It was sitting out there in the front yard. Just watching the house. It knew I was in here. It was looking right at me, and I was hidden behind the drape. Oh, God. Please, help us. Rob, oh, Rob. Rob. Rob.” With that, she burst into wracking sobs. No amount of comforting would calm her.
    Keith sat back on his heels and watched helplessly. It was obvious he didn’t know what to do and was more than concerned. Andrea grabbed the young woman’s hands. She tried to pull her up, groaning at the dead weight of the disturbed woman. Carrie fought off her attempts, hitting Andrea hard on the ear.
    Andrea, temper already on edge, slapped Carrie across the face, then recoiled in horror. “Oh, I’m sorry. Carrie, I’m sorry.”
    Carrie stopped screaming and looked up in bewilderment. Keith put his arm around her quaking shoulders, murmured a few indiscernible words, then turned to Andrea, who still stood in horror at what she’d done. He shook his head and grinned. “Don’t worry, Andrea. The movies weren’t lying when the hero did that to the leading lady. I guess this is when Carrie is supposed to say something like, ‘thanks, I needed that.’ Don’t worry. I think you just may’ve helped her more than you realize. In her condition, all this trauma can’t be good.”
    “All the same, I am very, very sorry. I’m not usually so, so…”
    “So violent?” Keith chuckled. “As I said, don’t worry about it. It stopped her hysterics, didn’t it? Why don’t you go fix us something mouth-watering to eat? We’ll celebrate. We’ll have a party.”
    Andrea wrinkled her nose then shrugged. “Sure. Why not? I can do that. I’m not sure it will qualify as a party, but I’ll see what I can scrounge up.” She turned to leave the room, paused, then pivoted on her heel to face him again. “Keith?”
    “Hmm?”
    “Thanks. Thanks for being here. I don’t know what I would be like now if I had to handle all this alone. I’m really, really glad you stumbled onto this house.”
    Keith smiled. “Ditto.”
    Andrea returned his smile then left him to deal with the traumatized girl whose belly carried a baby that could make an