“We were too afraid to come out ‘til I heard you call my name. I was afraid the police would take me away and give me to the C-Company,” sobbed Kelly. When she turned her head I saw the look of total devastation and guilt in my little sister’s eyes and my heart broke for her pain. “An-and it was all my fault ‘cause I took my cell phone when I left and I-I called Mama last night and told her that you brought me here. I j-just didn’t want her to worry. I think she thought you were here, too, cause I heard her tell Eric. H-he must of called the Company to come and take you away, Sissy. I’m sooo sorry,” she cried.
“Where’s the phone now?” I barely managed to get the words past the lump in my throat. If I had only held my temper and not shocked Eric he would not have known about me and this would never have happened.
Kelly reached into her jeans pocket and brought out the folded cell phone. It was hard to believe that such a small, common accessory had just been the instrument that brought so much destruction and death.
I took my sister firmly by her shoulders and gently shook her. “This was not your fault. You had no way of knowing that our own mother would turn her back on us like this and allow Eric to send the agents after me. And you remember, it was me they were looking for, not you.” Taking the phone from her shaking hand, I dropped it on the stone path and ground my heel into it until there was nothing but crushed plastic and broken electronic chips left.
“Hey Halie,” interrupted Jennie, “I really hate to hurry you along and all but I really think we should get out of here as fast as we can.”
“C-can I get my pack first? I don’t have very much but it’s all I have-please?” begged Kelly with big, watery eyes.
I thought about it a minute and then nodded. “Yeah, give me a minute and I’ll go with you.” I quickly moved to the front of the lean-to and jerked the wobbly wire gate open to release the clucking hens to forage for themselves.
“Okay, let’s do it.” Taking one of my sister’s hands, I let her pull me toward the backdoor.
Jennie was following us at a slower pace. “I really don’t like any of us going back in there, but if you’re determined then we’d really better hurry,” she said in a hushed voice.
When we reached the doorway I cast a quick look back at my friend who was still nervously watching the open gardens and yard behind us. She was right-we should get the devil out of here before someone found us. I pulled back at Kelly’s insistent grip, intending to drag her away but the look of devastation in her eyes was too much.
“M-my room is this way,” Kelly whispered before darting through the kitchen and into a small room under the back staircase.
Reluctant to expose the younger children to the traumatic sight of the murder scene, Jen and I stayed close to the back door, keeping Merry and Jon tucked close to our sides and looking out into the backyard. Noticing a row of jackets hanging neatly on pegs across one wall near the door, I reached for the two smallest.
“Here, you might need these later on,” I whispered. I handed one off to Jennie for little Jon and turned to Merry who merely stared at me with wide eyes as I tied the arms of the jacket around her tiny waist.
“I’ve got it,” Kelly announced softly as she ran back into the room dragging her pack along behind her.
“Someone’s coming,” gasped Merry. Her tiny fingers felt like nails when she dug them into my leg, her frightened eyes were locked on something in the backyard.
We didn’t dare wait long enough to see who was out there. Jennie and I each grabbed one of the little ones and were across the big kitchen and behind the long center counter in less than a breath and no one, not even the dog made a sound as we listened and watched for some clue as to who or what was moving across the backyard toward the door we had left open behind us.
Dried leaves snapped and crackled under heavy steps and I was reminded of Mama Rosa’s many complaints about the condition of the half-rotten steps to the back porch when I heard the creak and crack of the old boards. Knowing that the intruder had only a few steps more to reach the door, Jen and I started backing up toward the swinging doors that would give us access to the big living/dining area beyond.
“Shshshs,” I whispered, warning the growling dog creeping along at my side as well as the sniffling child in my arms. There was a soft creak of hinges needing oil as we slid through the doors and I felt more than saw the dark shadow sliding into the frame of the open backdoor.
Setting little Merry on her feet, I took her arm and hurried her across the expanse of blood-stained carpet. We’d reached the foyer beyond when a soft hiccup echoed through the room. I felt the hair at the back of my neck prickling as I dropped into the shadows beside Jennie where she was crouched, her hand clamped over little Jon’s mouth.
“Who’s out there?” Jen gasped. “Did you get a look?”
“A-agents!” I pulled the dog close and patted her soft head more for my comfort than hers and turned to check on my sister. “Hey, are you okay—Kelly!” I could have sworn she was at my heels when we started across the room.
“Where is she?” I was nearly hysterical when I thrust the child clinging fearfully to me into Jen’s arms to give me more maneuverability.
“There!” hissed Jennie pointing at the large sofa half-way across the big room and the girl crouched beside it.
“Kelly!” I hissed as loudly as I dared. “What’s wrong with her?” I demanded when she failed to respond. Kelly’s attention seemed to be fixed on something on the opposite side of the couch and out of our line of sight.
“Damn! I’m going after her.” Staying close to the wall and as low as I could, I’d nearly reached Kelly when the source of her terror appeared above the sofa.
Startled, I could only stare at the apparitions bobbing across the carpet. I’d heard rumors about these wraiths, as people were calling them, but this was the first pair of the humanoid phantoms I’d ever encountered. Floating several inches above the floor, the phantoms slid around into the open middle of the room.
“H-Halie, I-I’m scared.” My sister’s gasp snapped me back and broke the icy-fear freezing my feet to the floor so I could move again.
“Just try to move real slow and back up to me,” I whispered, afraid to startle them into doing something. Keeping my eyes on the wraiths, I started sliding toward Kelly again.
“Remember, they’re only a version of phantom and phantoms are harmless to humans,” I said softly, trying to reassure her, and I tried really hard not to think about the mangled monkey left on our virtual doorstep not so long ago.
The bulbous, ghostly heads of the wraiths suddenly snapped around and their glowing white eyes focused on me.
“Hey, Halie, what’s going on?” hissed Jen. “They’re looking at you!
“I’ve no idea,” I said as softly as I could. I could only return their stare as the wraiths raised their arms and stretched their six-fingered hands out, reaching for us.
Hissing like a pair of cornered snakes, the transparent mass of their bodies began to quiver and flow and the long locks of foggy hair rose from their heads, flaring as if alive as they drifted closer.
Trapped beside the couch, Kelly was nearest and easier to reach. Paralyzed by her fear, she crouched shivering until those boneless white fingers were mere inches from her face. Kelly’s scream of terror would have woken the dead if that were possible. It most definitely gave away our presence to whoever was prowling around in the kitchen.
Knowing that we had only seconds to make our escape, I lunged across the open area and grabbed my sister’s arm. “Run, Kelly!” I shoved her toward the front door Jennie was holding open.
Yelping in fear, Kelly scrambled in the direction of the foyer. She was halfway there when her foot slipped on a slick, bloody spot in the carpet and she fell to one knee.
As if this was the chance it had been waiting for, one of the wraiths swung its long gelatinous body sideways, reaching for the fallen human. The large, bulbous head popped up in front of Kelly’s fa
ce and the cavernous mouth gaped open and closed as if it were trying to speak.
Shrieking in surprise, Kelly swung the pack she was still gripping in one fist at the head of the wraith.
The impact made a loud, gushing sound as if a large rubber bag filled with fluid had been struck. The wraith was thrown several feet across the room by the force of the blow. It rolled several more feet before popping back to an up-right position where it stayed, hovering in place as if dazed for several minutes before floating off to rejoin its companion.
“Damn, there is no way whoever is lurking in the kitchen didn’t hear that,” I gasped. Realizing that Kelly was frozen in shock, I started toward her but the second wraith darted between us, swaying and bobbing in an ineffectual attempt to keep us apart. Carefully timing the erratic movements, I ducked past the wraith and grabbed my sister by an arm and shook her.
“Kelly! Go!“ I ordered as I shoved her into Jen’s waiting arms.
With Kelly on the way out the door, I continued to back up, my eyes glued on the kitchen doorway, waiting for the inevitable.
“That’s far enough! Stay where you are!” boomed a deep, resonating voice. “You’re all going to be coming with me now.”
“I don’t think so.” I took a deep breath, gathering the energy I needed. I was about to strike at the large, black-clad man closing in on me when my concentration was broken by the scratch of claws on the hardwood floor behind me.
“Dusty, no!” I hissed at the dog. The agents weren’t known for their kindness to dogs, or anything else, and I didn’t want to lose my new friend. I snatched at the dog’s collar as she leapt past me but she was too quick.
The agent’s attention had been on me and the dog’s attack took him by surprise.
Dusty’s flying body struck him full in the chest even as her jaws closed on his arm. Her teeth sank deep into the flesh of his bicep before he could shake her off.
“Son-of-a-bitch!” He grabbed his arm and stared at the bloody bites visible through the torn fabric.
Dusty had been sent tumbling across the room but she didn’t even yip. She was already on her feet, growling as she crept toward the agent waiting for another chance to strike.
In spite of his injuries, the agent seemed more annoyed by the dog’s interference than concerned. Swearing under his breath, he pulled a large handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around his bloody arm. Keeping a cautious eye on the pair of wraiths still floating about the middle of the room, he resumed his pursuit. If these phantoms were something new or unfamiliar to the agent, it did not show in the glaring eyes he had locked on me.
I chanced a look over my shoulder to check on my sister, hoping that she and Jen had been able to get out of the house. “Damn!” I cussed softly. They were still waiting at the door for me. Dusty darted in and bit the agent’s leg, giving me the chance to make a run for it. I was nearly to the door when one of the wraiths suddenly soared toward the ceiling and swooped back, coming only inches from my face on its return trip.
Without thinking about it, I threw my hand out to protect myself- and my hand sank into the phantom’s face. Cold shivers ran up my spine and I gagged, my stomach heaved from the awful sensation of the disgusting, gelatinous mass, and triggered the release of a short pulse of electrical energy into the foul thing sucking at my hand.
The wraith exploded, scattering gobs of white goop across the room.
“Oh damn! Now I’ve done it.” I shook my arm, trying to dislodge some of the slime clinging to it. Though it was disgusting beyond description, the destruction of the wraith meant nothing to me. My concern was that I had now given the agent all the proof he needed to pursue me. I risked a quick look back at him but he had stopped, evidently as surprised as I was.
My feet were slipping in the slime coating the floor when I tried to run for the door but I didn’t let it stop me. I had no intention of remaining trapped in this room with an agent and a vengeful wraith.
Seeing that we were about to make it out the door, the agent kicked at the dog blocking his way and charged after me. I could feel his hand closing on the fabric of my sleeve when the second wraith attacked him.
Shrieking like a siren, the phantom plastered its semi-solid form against the man in black, driving him to the floor in spite of his large, muscular body.
“Run! Halie, run!” shouted Jen and Kelly as they pushed through the door ahead of me.
Looking back, I shouted, “Dusty! Come!” I could only hope that the dog had had some kind of basic obedience training in her past life. To my relief, she bounded after me as I ran through the front doorway behind my friends. I was almost to the bottom of the porch steps when Jennie suddenly side-stepped into the cover of the overgrown shrubbery lining the walk, dragging the three youngsters with her.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered as I ducked in beside Jen. Before anyone could answer we were silenced by the distinctive gasp! hiss! of a hover-craft hatch-door opening.
Following the direction of Jen’s gaze, I peered between the branches of the evergreen hedge at the small lawn and street beyond.
“What’s goin’ on? I wanna’ see, too-” whispered little Jon as he tried to edge forward between the girls.
Jennie and I simultaneously grabbed for the little boy, silencing him even as a figure enveloped in a thick cloud of cigarette smoke emerged from the depths of one of the small hover-craft, called a flitter, the type favored by the police and military. Fortunately, his head was turned away from us, and his attention was on the cigarette butt he had just dropped into the gully at the edge of the sidewalk and on grinding it with the heel of his shiny black boot.
There was a sharp squeak of hinges and the slamming of the screen door behind us and the agent in the street was turning—
Jen grabbed my arm and the hand of the closest child and said in an urgent but barely audible voice, “Everyone stay close and don’t move!”
It was a good thing Jen had managed to keep her head because all I wanted to do right now was run away as fast as my legs would carry me. I took a deep breath and wrestled with the fear trying to overwhelm my mind until I had control again. Running would only expose our presence to the agents, and with the smaller children in tow, we would never be able to outrun them.
Taking the precaution of placing one hand over Dusty’s muzzle, I touched the fingers of the other to my lips to warn the younger children to silence. Right now the only thing that might save us was Jen’s very special talent.
Jennie’s eyes were closed, and her face tense with concentration, and she was gone, as were we all. The children gasped in surprise and even I felt a cold shiver of anticipation run up my spine. I knew that we were all still there, even though I could no longer distinguish them, or my own feet for that matter, from the greenery surrounding us. Jennie’s talent was that of the chameleon. It took only her will and concentration for her to bend the light around us, effectively causing us to fade and blend in with our surroundings. She was able to affect herself, and anyone or thing within a reasonable proximity, if she wished.
My breath froze in my throat when the old boards of the porch shivered under the heavy steps of booted feet, warning us of the agent’s approach even before he spoke.
“Rainor! What the devil are you doing out there?” the black-clad agent growled. He stepped into the sunlight and glared about him, giving us a good look at his pale, thick-jowled face, and short-cropped, blond hair. “I got tangled up in a mess of those damned phantoms and the little bastards got past me!” he growled in disgust. “That god-damned dog bit me! Did you see which way they ran?”
To me, it felt like the boom of the agent’s voice, echoing from the walls and roof of the house, was making the small twigs of the greenery quiver. Or is it just us shivering in terror? whispered a small voice in my head.
The second agent didn’t seem overly impressed or concerned with his superior’s distress or the orders he was barking at him. He took a slow drag off his cigarette and cough
ed a response I could not understand. I couldn’t take my eyes off the agent, his movements seemed so precise and deliberate. He stepped clear of the cloud of smoke that still clung to him and started walking toward the porch.
I held my breath as the grey-clad figure approached, stopping only a few paces from the place we were hiding. Cocking his head as if he’d sensed something, he raised his dark glasses. He was so close that I could see the grey agent’s equally grey eyes shift from one side of the walk to the other. He tilted his head as if he were listening for some sound. I knew that even the slightest sound would give us away.
When I’d first sighted the agent getting from the hover-craft, I’d thought his hazy, grey appearance was just a side-effect of Jennie’s camouflage, but with him standing only a few feet away, it was now apparent that he was truly grey. When he moved his head, the long hair he wore tied in a pony-tail rippled in shades of silver and grey, his jacket was nearly-black leather, and even the pants and shirt visible under it were a dull silver-grey. I was totally surprised when I realized that the face I was staring into was that of a younger man in his early twenties.
I was jerked back to myself when I felt the soft growl quivering through the dog’s body. I tightened my hold on her in warning, but it was too late. The grey agent’s head snapped around and he was staring into the thick shrubbery. He was close enough now that I could see the sunlight glinting from the dark pupils of his grey eyes and smell the odor of tobacco that still clung to his clothes. Afraid to stir even a leaf, I so very slowly stooped and wrapped both of my arms around the dog as I pressed my face into her soft fur.
Dusty’s heart beat fiercely and her anxious panting throbbed against my ear but she did not growl or even whimper for the eternity that the agent paused, listening for the sound he had most surely heard, to recur. And when I thought I would surely faint from holding my breath, the grey agent shook his head indecisively and turned away. Striding purposefully away from the house, he crossed the lawn to prowl along the side of the hedge as if seeking signs of our passage.
Cry For Tomorrow Page 7