Read Online Animal Behavior by Gabrielle Holly - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gabrielle Holly
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the stone tunnel
beyond.
Once inside, it was tall enough for the two to stand upright.
Alex realized that the passageway was built into the hillside and his fear was
replaced by a prickling sense of curiosity and anticipation.
At the end of the tunnel was a wall of iron bars. John
produced a box of matches and lit the two oil lanterns flanking the cell. He pulled
a key ring from his pocket, opened the cell door and nodded for Alex to step
inside.
It was a Spartan space with a bare mattress on a simple metal
cot along one wall. The ceiling was twenty feet high and pierced with a barred
skylight. Alex could see the silver-gray dusk above him. The tumblers rattled
in the lock as John turned the key behind him. Alex wheeled around and watched
the old man drag a large upholstered rocking chair from the shadows and sit
down with a groan.
Alex almost laughed at how out of place the overstuffed,
chintz-covered chair looked. On the floor next to the chair was a woven basket
full of books. John fished his reading glasses from the breast pocket of his
flannel shirt, set them on his nose and selected a paperback. He lit his pipe
and began to rock.
Alex wrapped his hands around the iron bars. “Now what?”
John glanced up from his book. “Now we wait.”
“What’s going to happen to me?”
“You’re safe here, son. I can’t explain what’s about to
happen. You wouldn’t believe me even if I could. But know this, nothing you can
say or do will shock me. I’ve been doing this for longer than you’ve been on
this earth, my boy. I don’t take any of it personally. Don’t you worry. It’ll
be over soon.”
John’s voice was calm and even, but it did nothing to soothe
Alex’s nerves. He sat back on the cot and tried to concentrate on his
breathing.
This is crazy. Who is this old guy? Am I being punked?
They’re just trying to scare me.
Alex looked up at the hole in the ceiling and saw the first
stars pop into the jet-black sky. This is ridiculous. I need to get out of— Alex’s skin prickled. He felt itchy all over as if he were having an allergic
reaction. And he was angry. No, he was enraged. These people are strangers!
They don’t know me!
“I have to get out of here!” he said and was shocked by the
tone of his own voice. It had grown unnaturally deep and gravelly.
He stood and walked back to the cell door. John wore a
passive expression on his face and rocked slowly back and forth, his nose
buried in his book. “John! Can you hear me? Let me out of here! I have to get
out of here! Open this door now!”
John continued to rock and read, his nonchalance fueling
Alex’s fury. “Listen, you twisted old fuck, I want you to open this door right
now! Who the fuck do you think you are? This is against the law! This is
abduction. That’s a felony, you son of a bitch! When I get out of here I’m
going to have you arrested. You’re going to wind up in the state pen and your
wrinkled old ass is going to get a daily pounding from—”
A jolt of pain shot through Alex’s spine and he fell to his
knees. He felt as if he’d been whacked with a steel rod. He threw back his head
to scream and his gaze fell on the night sky. The far rim of the skylight was
ablaze with the leading edge of the moon. The scream that issued from his lips
morphed into a snarl and then a long, frantic howl.
Canis lupis , his scientific mind noted. What the
fuck? It was the last logical thought he would have.
Alex jumped to his feet and felt the sweat pour from him. He
was burning up. He ripped off his shoes and clothes and started pacing the
cell.
John glanced up from his book. “Don’t fight it, son. You’ll
only make it worse for yourself”
Alex threw himself against the bars “I will kill you! I will
rip out your fucking throat and eat your heart, old man.”
John just smiled. “Not tonight you won’t.”
“I will tear out your—”
A sensation like being punched in the gut caused Alex to
release the bars and stumble
beyond.
Once inside, it was tall enough for the two to stand upright.
Alex realized that the passageway was built into the hillside and his fear was
replaced by a prickling sense of curiosity and anticipation.
At the end of the tunnel was a wall of iron bars. John
produced a box of matches and lit the two oil lanterns flanking the cell. He pulled
a key ring from his pocket, opened the cell door and nodded for Alex to step
inside.
It was a Spartan space with a bare mattress on a simple metal
cot along one wall. The ceiling was twenty feet high and pierced with a barred
skylight. Alex could see the silver-gray dusk above him. The tumblers rattled
in the lock as John turned the key behind him. Alex wheeled around and watched
the old man drag a large upholstered rocking chair from the shadows and sit
down with a groan.
Alex almost laughed at how out of place the overstuffed,
chintz-covered chair looked. On the floor next to the chair was a woven basket
full of books. John fished his reading glasses from the breast pocket of his
flannel shirt, set them on his nose and selected a paperback. He lit his pipe
and began to rock.
Alex wrapped his hands around the iron bars. “Now what?”
John glanced up from his book. “Now we wait.”
“What’s going to happen to me?”
“You’re safe here, son. I can’t explain what’s about to
happen. You wouldn’t believe me even if I could. But know this, nothing you can
say or do will shock me. I’ve been doing this for longer than you’ve been on
this earth, my boy. I don’t take any of it personally. Don’t you worry. It’ll
be over soon.”
John’s voice was calm and even, but it did nothing to soothe
Alex’s nerves. He sat back on the cot and tried to concentrate on his
breathing.
This is crazy. Who is this old guy? Am I being punked?
They’re just trying to scare me.
Alex looked up at the hole in the ceiling and saw the first
stars pop into the jet-black sky. This is ridiculous. I need to get out of— Alex’s skin prickled. He felt itchy all over as if he were having an allergic
reaction. And he was angry. No, he was enraged. These people are strangers!
They don’t know me!
“I have to get out of here!” he said and was shocked by the
tone of his own voice. It had grown unnaturally deep and gravelly.
He stood and walked back to the cell door. John wore a
passive expression on his face and rocked slowly back and forth, his nose
buried in his book. “John! Can you hear me? Let me out of here! I have to get
out of here! Open this door now!”
John continued to rock and read, his nonchalance fueling
Alex’s fury. “Listen, you twisted old fuck, I want you to open this door right
now! Who the fuck do you think you are? This is against the law! This is
abduction. That’s a felony, you son of a bitch! When I get out of here I’m
going to have you arrested. You’re going to wind up in the state pen and your
wrinkled old ass is going to get a daily pounding from—”
A jolt of pain shot through Alex’s spine and he fell to his
knees. He felt as if he’d been whacked with a steel rod. He threw back his head
to scream and his gaze fell on the night sky. The far rim of the skylight was
ablaze with the leading edge of the moon. The scream that issued from his lips
morphed into a snarl and then a long, frantic howl.
Canis lupis , his scientific mind noted. What the
fuck? It was the last logical thought he would have.
Alex jumped to his feet and felt the sweat pour from him. He
was burning up. He ripped off his shoes and clothes and started pacing the
cell.
John glanced up from his book. “Don’t fight it, son. You’ll
only make it worse for yourself”
Alex threw himself against the bars “I will kill you! I will
rip out your fucking throat and eat your heart, old man.”
John just smiled. “Not tonight you won’t.”
“I will tear out your—”
A sensation like being punched in the gut caused Alex to
release the bars and stumble
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