The Exiles by Katherine Barger

Author:Katherine Barger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Anaiah Press

Chapter 15

“Let’s stay in the car until Mel gets here.” I squint through my window, trying not to shudder. “Seems safer.”

“I told you, it looks worse than it is,” Jek says. “We’ll hang out in one that actually has a door. And windows.” He steps out of the Solo and pulls his book bag from the back, then leans down and peers inside at me. “Come on, ‘fraidy cat.”

I sigh but force myself to get out of the car and follow Jek between the two closest mobile homes to one behind them. Its windows are boarded over, and its roof sags in the front right corner. A perfect haven for rats and who knows what else.

“See? Door. And a pretty solid one, too.” Jek climbs three rickety, wooden stairs that lead up to a surprisingly sturdy door, kneels, and presses his exile key against something carved in the bottom corner. I don’t have to see it to know what it is. An etching of a lamb, a sign that this is a safehouse. It operates as a lock of sorts, and only an exile key can be used to open it.

“There are plenty of other ways creatures could get inside besides a door.” I point at the sagging roof. “Like right there.”

But Jek doesn’t respond. Instead, he pushes the door open and steps inside. “Let me double check that the windows are all secure.”

I hesitate on the stoop, not quite willing to follow him inside yet. It’s pitch black in there, and it smells funny, like wet laundry left too long in a washing machine. I can hear him moving around though, footsteps that weigh heavy against rotting floorboards, and a few seconds later, he returns to my side and flips on his flashlight. “There’s a cracked window in the back, looks like the boards got too rotted and fell off. Remind me to tell Mel when we see her.”

I shield my eyes in the sudden light, but not before I see movement behind Jek. An unexpected shift in the shadows beyond a doorway at the opposite end of the room. I shriek and jump backward, my breath caught in my chest. Something—no, someone—steps from the hall.

“Geez, Nyssa, it’s probably just a mouse or something…”

From the corner of my eye, I see Jek turn to see why I’m frozen to the floor.

A man stands framed in the door to the hallway, illuminated by the light Jek shines in his direction. He grins, revealing broken teeth and a gap where his front left one should be. A long-handled object is aimed in our direction. I don’t know what it is, but it gleams dangerously. A weapon of some sort.

“Well, well, well.” The man takes three steps toward us, and as he moves, so, too, does Jek, sidling closer to me until our arms press together.

“Can we help you?” Jek asks.

The man chuckles, his gaze fixed on my face. His bald head shines in the light, but he’s not old. If I had to guess, he’s middle-aged.

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