Read Online Burden Of Blood by Wenona Hulsey - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wenona Hulsey
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tonight, more of our blood has been spilt.” Again the darkness began to fill the lady’s face as the wind and rain became heavy and fast. “You are the only one left now, the last Keenan; you must be strong .” She reached a hand toward Nicole, worry and anger evident on her face.
A loud ringing interrupted them as Nicole’s vision turned gray. She struggled to hang on, there were so many questions to ask, but the ringing kept her from speaking. Over and over it echoed in her head sending shock waves throughout her body. She covered her ears with her hands as she tried to focus her eyes back on her grandmother. It was no use she felt the darkness pulling her as she struggled to breathe.
With a gasp, she sat bolt upright, feeling scared and alone. After a few seconds, she realized she had been lying in Luke’s arms and was still in her dad’s living room. Luke was staring at her with a confused expression on his face but the ringing continued even louder than before. It took her a few seconds more to realize she was hearing the telephone over and over again. She jumped up from the couch and sprinted into the kitchen to answer it.
“Hello.” She struggled to shake the grogginess from her voice. She glanced at the clock on the microwave noticing it was just after midnight. Why would anyone in their right mind be calling at this time of night?
“Hey Nicole, this is Wallace. Wake your dad up for me ‘cause I’ve got some rubbing in to do.” Excitement was thick in his voice. Wallace was her dad’s longtime friend and fellow fishing enthusiast. She had always thought of him as her uncle because he was around so often when she was growing up.
“Um…I thought Dad was with you tonight.” A knot formed in her stomach as her mind began to race. “He left here around six saying he was going fishing and would be back around two. Are you saying he’s not with you?” panic started to fill her voice.
“James said he was going to go tonight but he never showed up. I just figured he decided to stay at home with you.” He paused for a second then added, “Are you sure he didn’t decide to go bowling with Paul or something like that? He might’ve slipped back in while you were sleeping.”
Nicole dropped the phone on the counter and ran toward her father’s bedroom. Thoughts were spinning franticly inside her head. He would’ve woken me up if he came in, I know he would have. Maybe he saw Luke and me together on the couch and decided not to wake us. Yes, that’s it; he snuck past us and went on to bed I’m sure of it. She let a bit of the panic go when she came to that conclusion, hoping it was true as she got closer to her dad’s room.
Luke had been standing silently in the kitchen doorway listening to her side of the phone conversation. He stepped aside to let her pass, then followed her down the hall. Nicole opened the door to her dad’s room without bothering to knock. She turned on the light only to find the bed empty and not a sign that James had come home or changed out of his fishing clothes to go out again. Luke watched Nicole as a range of emotions played out over her face. Her knuckles were turning white from her death grip on the doorknob. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared into the empty room. He reached for her as she swayed on her feet, thinking she may collapse at any second, but she pushed him away.
She would not be weak, even with tears blurring her vision and her heart breaking into pieces, the words of the old woman echoed in her head. You are the only one left now, the last Keenan, you must be strong .
*****
The following day was chaotic for Nicole. The police department had tried to convince her to wait until the next day to start searching for James. They had given her the same line of bull shit she had given others time and time again about waiting a full twenty
A loud ringing interrupted them as Nicole’s vision turned gray. She struggled to hang on, there were so many questions to ask, but the ringing kept her from speaking. Over and over it echoed in her head sending shock waves throughout her body. She covered her ears with her hands as she tried to focus her eyes back on her grandmother. It was no use she felt the darkness pulling her as she struggled to breathe.
With a gasp, she sat bolt upright, feeling scared and alone. After a few seconds, she realized she had been lying in Luke’s arms and was still in her dad’s living room. Luke was staring at her with a confused expression on his face but the ringing continued even louder than before. It took her a few seconds more to realize she was hearing the telephone over and over again. She jumped up from the couch and sprinted into the kitchen to answer it.
“Hello.” She struggled to shake the grogginess from her voice. She glanced at the clock on the microwave noticing it was just after midnight. Why would anyone in their right mind be calling at this time of night?
“Hey Nicole, this is Wallace. Wake your dad up for me ‘cause I’ve got some rubbing in to do.” Excitement was thick in his voice. Wallace was her dad’s longtime friend and fellow fishing enthusiast. She had always thought of him as her uncle because he was around so often when she was growing up.
“Um…I thought Dad was with you tonight.” A knot formed in her stomach as her mind began to race. “He left here around six saying he was going fishing and would be back around two. Are you saying he’s not with you?” panic started to fill her voice.
“James said he was going to go tonight but he never showed up. I just figured he decided to stay at home with you.” He paused for a second then added, “Are you sure he didn’t decide to go bowling with Paul or something like that? He might’ve slipped back in while you were sleeping.”
Nicole dropped the phone on the counter and ran toward her father’s bedroom. Thoughts were spinning franticly inside her head. He would’ve woken me up if he came in, I know he would have. Maybe he saw Luke and me together on the couch and decided not to wake us. Yes, that’s it; he snuck past us and went on to bed I’m sure of it. She let a bit of the panic go when she came to that conclusion, hoping it was true as she got closer to her dad’s room.
Luke had been standing silently in the kitchen doorway listening to her side of the phone conversation. He stepped aside to let her pass, then followed her down the hall. Nicole opened the door to her dad’s room without bothering to knock. She turned on the light only to find the bed empty and not a sign that James had come home or changed out of his fishing clothes to go out again. Luke watched Nicole as a range of emotions played out over her face. Her knuckles were turning white from her death grip on the doorknob. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared into the empty room. He reached for her as she swayed on her feet, thinking she may collapse at any second, but she pushed him away.
She would not be weak, even with tears blurring her vision and her heart breaking into pieces, the words of the old woman echoed in her head. You are the only one left now, the last Keenan, you must be strong .
*****
The following day was chaotic for Nicole. The police department had tried to convince her to wait until the next day to start searching for James. They had given her the same line of bull shit she had given others time and time again about waiting a full twenty
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