Christopher Golden - Prowlers 01 by Prowlers

Author:Prowlers
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

Most of Boston Common was abandoned after dark Basic logic dictated that the winding paths, out of sight of the street, weren’t safe after the sun went down. But at the fringes of the Common a number of people were still about, particularly by the Park Street Station, which jutted out of the Common where Park Street met Tremont as if it had simply erupted there one night. No pretzel or flower vendors at this hour, but several homeless people were meandering about, and one ragged-looking man was standing in front of the T station entrance, coin-filled cup in hand.

Jack brushed past him without slowing down, knocking his cup to the concrete. The man screamed obscenities at him and threw a punch meant to hit Molly, but he was too slow. The coins jangled as they rolled around on the ground, but by then Molly and Jack were inside the station.

“Wait, Jack!” Molly shouted.

He pulled her by the hand, but Molly stood her ground and forced him to turn.

“Not now, Molly!” he snapped.

“Yes, now! What the hell’s going on? What did you mean about Artie and Kate. I don’t—”

Outside, beyond the doors, the homeless guy who knelt on the ground picking up coins started shouting at someone else. Jack stared through the glass doors to the station and locked eyes with one of the two men who had rushed out of the movie. He had perfect hair and sideburns, a ratty leather jacket, and eyes like the burning-ember tips of cigarettes. Jack barely noticed his partner, a broad-shouldered bald man with a face chiseled in stone.

Those ember eyes terrified him.

“Oh, God,” he whispered.

“Jack?” Molly asked, more afraid than angry now.

That was good. He wanted her afraid. Even as she said his name, she glanced back at the doors to see what he was staring at, what had spooked him. She saw them.

“Them?” she asked. “Are they—”

When the man with ember eyes reached out to open the door to the T station, Jack grabbed Molly’s hand again, screamed at her, and hauled her toward the turnstiles. They had no tokens. Without a moment’s pause Jack grabbed Molly around the waist and practically tossed her over the turnstile, then leaped over after her.

He ran, and she ran with him.

“Jack?” she asked, her voice pleading as they fled down the escalator.

Up above, a pair of MBTA workers shouted after them, warning that they were going to call the cops. Jack prayed that it was not just an idle threat. He did not look back to see how close the Prowlers were. He did not want to know.

“Go, go, go!” he urged Molly on.

I’m going!” she snapped at him.

“Run faster if you want to live,” he warned.

She said nothing after that. She vaulted the last five steps to the bottom of the escalator, and he followed suit. Then they were sprinting past the people who seemed to be sleepwalking through the labyrinthine station.

Jack glanced over his shoulder. The two men walked quickly after them, but did not run.

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