Trick or Treat by Richie Tankersley Cusick Read Free Book Online

froze, but only for a second. “Christ,” he muttered, “what’s that kitchen door doing closed?”
    “Conor, don’t —”
    “Get outside and stay there. I mean it!”
    Conor’s body was slamming against the kitchen door now, and as a wave of acrid smoke billowed out, Martha screamed and ran out into the yard. The chill was intense — biting through the thinness of her nightgown as she stood there shivering. Chimneys and rooftops reared their ugly heads against the night, and Martha stared back at them, terrified they would suddenly explode in clouds of smoke. The house is burning down, I just know it . What if the whole house suddenly collapsed right in front of her, burying Conor alive?
    “Conor!” she screamed. “I’m calling the fire department!”
    The door banged open and her heart nearly burst. Conor walked calmly over and tossed something at her feet.
    “Don’t bother. It’s out.”
    Martha gazed down at the lump on the ground, coughing as smoke came up in her face. For a crazy moment she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
    “A dish towel! Do you mean to tell me —?”
    “It was on the stove,” Conor said.
    “No.” Martha held up her hands. “Let me guess. On a burner that someone forgot to turn off.”
    “That’s pretty good.” Conor looked suitably impressed. He kicked at the charred mess and glanced up again into Martha’s furious expression.
    “Conor….” She was so limp with relief, so shaky with anger, that she could barely speak. “I really think I could kill you right about now —”
    Conor didn’t seem to be listening. He was poking the smoky fabric with a stick, and his jaw was set in concentration.
    “I can’t believe you were so careless.” Martha wouldn’t let up. “We could have died in our beds! The house could have burned down around us — we could —” She broke off, looking at him in desperation. He was still staring at the dish towel, making no effort to defend himself. “Something was in my closet tonight!” she burst out.
    There was a long moment of silence. Conor finally raised his eyes and looked at her. “I don’t suppose it could have been a dream?”
    “Could this have been?” Martha retorted. She took a deep shuddering breath and tried to keep from screaming at him. “Conor, you almost killed me — why should I expect you to be bothered about something hiding in my closet!”
    His sigh came out wearily. “Is that what you want to believe?”
    “What I want,” Martha clenched her teeth as she yanked open the door, “is to get a decent night’s sleep for a change!” She slammed it behind her and stomped upstairs, shutting herself in her room. But she couldn’t shut out the smell of burnt cloth … or the soft sound of Conor’s door closing hours later. And even though she forced herself to search the closet and finally barricaded it with a chair, shapeless fears haunted her dreams the rest of the night.

    After another silent ride to school, she dragged herself through her classes the next morning, the lectures and discussions like meaningless blobs in her brain. The only thing she was aware of was how everyone still seemed to be staring at her, and she’d just decided to go off-campus for lunch when a familiar voice stopped her at her locker.
    “Hey, Martha! Where’ve you been hiding?”
    Even before she saw him, Martha’s heart fluttered into her throat. A second later Blake Chambers caught her by the arm, his eyes sweeping over her approvingly as he smiled.
    “You on your way to lunch?”
    “Well … I …”
    “Let’s brave the cafeteria. Unless you have other plans.”
    “No, I’d really like that.” That’s tight, sound desperate . She flushed as he guided her into the noisy building, straight through the crowds to a small table in the corner.
    “Here we are. Just leave your things — nobody’ll bother them.”
    Martha smiled. “Did you reserve this?”
    “It’s always reserved for me,” Blake laughed, and