The Complete Four-Book Box Set by Brian Spangler

Author:Brian Spangler [Spangler, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Junco Publications
Published: 2018-10-20T06:00:00+00:00

7

Sammi crinkled her nose at the musty, dank odor of the old theater. She planned to surprise Declan, and had left their Commune early. With a rolled bed of her favorite blankets tucked under her arm, and a splash of her mother’s scented waters, she wanted the afternoon to be perfect. Giddy and anxious, Sammi couldn’t help herself, and hopped up onto her toes, eager to set things up.

The stage where they’d shared a passionate moment earlier was where she’d put her blankets and candle. But when she caught a glimpse of the passing fog above the theater’s balcony, she thought that the seclusion and the closeness to the sky could be magical. The End of Gray Skies was promised, and it was going to happen soon. She imagined the two of them, up on the balcony, sunlight washing over their naked bodies. Sammi quickly changed her mind, and began stepping over the old seat posts in the floor. Within moments she’d made her way to the back of the theater, to the old staircase.

Looking up into the dark, narrow pass, Sammi hesitated at the bottom of the steps. She couldn’t see all of the stairs ahead of her, and she wasn’t certain that they were intact, or even if they were all there.

You can do this, she told herself, and eased her foot onto the first step. Shifting her weight, she wobbled and almost fell backward. She grabbed the railing that hung from rusty cleats, and jumped when a handful of spider legs scurried over her fingers. She let out an edgy laugh, and moved on to the next step.

The staircase proved strong, but still, she continued with caution as the wood creaked under her feet. By the time she’d reached the darkest part of the stairwell, she’d begun to question the wisdom of her ascent. Should she have waited for Declan? Dust and remains of rotting carpet stirred up from beneath her, tickling her nose. She coughed and sneezed, and then was silent, regretting how loud she’d been.

A sound stirred from the balcony, stopping her. Something was already up there, and it was moving around. For a moment, she thought it might be Declan. Sharing in her idea, maybe he’d left their Commune before her. Maybe Declan had brought food, and was trying to get everything just right. But it didn’t matter to her; she’d love anything that he did.

Another sound came from the balcony, softer this time. As she ascended, she knew that it wasn’t Declan. It was the mewling cry of a young cat. The cry came again, adding urgency to her climb. Sammi took to the next step, but this time, the wood dropped beneath her. She yelped once, jumping over the final step until she was safely on the landing.

What she saw was perfect: the balcony was sheltered and private, and sat just beneath the opening in the roof. It looked down into the theater like a parental mountain watching over a valley. The

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