the room as he sat down. He waited silently for a moment, wondering if any of the things he'd met in the hallway earlier had heard the noise. After a few minutes, when he was sure no one had heard him, he grabbed his Hello Kitty bag, pulled out a candy bar, and opened the file on the top of the pile. "Someone must have made it. I just have to look," he muttered to himself, feeling his eyes begin to burn.
Chapter 7
Jodie crept along the tree line next to a house, looking for signs of life. The town was enveloped in an inky blackness and her eyes strained as she looked for movement. The night was dark, melding everything into soft shapes and undefined shadows. So, this is what near total darkness looks like, she thought, staring up at the dim, star-filled sky. For the first time in her life, she could see the Milky Way clearly. How could something so beautiful be home to such enormous evil?
She wished for a full moon, yet was thankful there was none. If no one were watching with night vision gear, she might be able to sneak in and out unnoticed.
Straining to see movement in or near the house, Jodie moved from a crouched position and laid down, setting the Jerry cans to the side. She watched from the trees for about fifteen minutes, not moving. A twig crunched behind her and she held her breath. A footstep, then another. Jodie blinked away the beads of sweat dripping into her eyes and slowly pulled out her gun. The noise came closer, sounding quicker. She flipped the revolver's safety off and rolled on her side to face whatever was headed her way.
Slowly, she brought the gun up and pointed in the direction of the noise, her hands shaking. The thing snorted loudly just as she held the gun in front of her and she jumped, almost pulling the trigger. Finally understanding what she was seeing, Jodie finally exhaled. "A deer," she whispered. "It was only a deer."
Jodie could finally make out the silhouette of the doe as it made its way through the edge of the forest and trotted across the open lawn in front of her. "Time for me to move, too," she whispered to herself. If anyone was out there and had heard the deer, maybe the sound of her footsteps wouldn't betray her position. Jodie picked up the Jerry cans and crept along the tree line, careful to stay hidden for as long as she could. She stopped after ten steps and listened, hearing the deer trot away at a quicker pace.
Jodie sprinted across the lawn toward what looked like a detached garage. She reached the garage and crouched to the ground, then waited until the sound of her beating heart calmed enough to hear the silence again.
Darkness deepened next to the building as Jodie made her way around the side of the garage, feeling along the wall, coming to a door. She tried the handle. Locked. She thought about kicking the door in, but knew that the noise was bound to attract attention if anyone were near, so she moved around to the front of the building. Not wanting to wander around in the dark for too long, she thought she'd take a chance and use her flashlight briefly. Cupping her hand around the light, she held it up to the garage door window and flicked it on, seeing a Jeep inside. “I hope you've got some gas in you," she said.
Jodie tugged on the overhead door handle and pulled it up about a foot. She set the cans on the ground, lay down and inched her body inside. After pulling the cans in behind her, she closed the door and lay still on the floor, listening for anyone following. The garage was small, leaving her little room to maneuver near the front bumper of the Jeep, so, after she felt comfortable that she was alone, Jodie pulled herself along the floor until she had space to stand up.
Turning the flashlight on for a brief moment once more, she could see the gas tank cover at the back of the vehicle. Something else caught her eye, too. Garden hose.
Jodie took down the hose and grabbed a garden
Chapter 7
Jodie crept along the tree line next to a house, looking for signs of life. The town was enveloped in an inky blackness and her eyes strained as she looked for movement. The night was dark, melding everything into soft shapes and undefined shadows. So, this is what near total darkness looks like, she thought, staring up at the dim, star-filled sky. For the first time in her life, she could see the Milky Way clearly. How could something so beautiful be home to such enormous evil?
She wished for a full moon, yet was thankful there was none. If no one were watching with night vision gear, she might be able to sneak in and out unnoticed.
Straining to see movement in or near the house, Jodie moved from a crouched position and laid down, setting the Jerry cans to the side. She watched from the trees for about fifteen minutes, not moving. A twig crunched behind her and she held her breath. A footstep, then another. Jodie blinked away the beads of sweat dripping into her eyes and slowly pulled out her gun. The noise came closer, sounding quicker. She flipped the revolver's safety off and rolled on her side to face whatever was headed her way.
Slowly, she brought the gun up and pointed in the direction of the noise, her hands shaking. The thing snorted loudly just as she held the gun in front of her and she jumped, almost pulling the trigger. Finally understanding what she was seeing, Jodie finally exhaled. "A deer," she whispered. "It was only a deer."
Jodie could finally make out the silhouette of the doe as it made its way through the edge of the forest and trotted across the open lawn in front of her. "Time for me to move, too," she whispered to herself. If anyone was out there and had heard the deer, maybe the sound of her footsteps wouldn't betray her position. Jodie picked up the Jerry cans and crept along the tree line, careful to stay hidden for as long as she could. She stopped after ten steps and listened, hearing the deer trot away at a quicker pace.
Jodie sprinted across the lawn toward what looked like a detached garage. She reached the garage and crouched to the ground, then waited until the sound of her beating heart calmed enough to hear the silence again.
Darkness deepened next to the building as Jodie made her way around the side of the garage, feeling along the wall, coming to a door. She tried the handle. Locked. She thought about kicking the door in, but knew that the noise was bound to attract attention if anyone were near, so she moved around to the front of the building. Not wanting to wander around in the dark for too long, she thought she'd take a chance and use her flashlight briefly. Cupping her hand around the light, she held it up to the garage door window and flicked it on, seeing a Jeep inside. “I hope you've got some gas in you," she said.
Jodie tugged on the overhead door handle and pulled it up about a foot. She set the cans on the ground, lay down and inched her body inside. After pulling the cans in behind her, she closed the door and lay still on the floor, listening for anyone following. The garage was small, leaving her little room to maneuver near the front bumper of the Jeep, so, after she felt comfortable that she was alone, Jodie pulled herself along the floor until she had space to stand up.
Turning the flashlight on for a brief moment once more, she could see the gas tank cover at the back of the vehicle. Something else caught her eye, too. Garden hose.
Jodie took down the hose and grabbed a garden
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