Read Online Friday Night in Beast House by Richard Laymon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richard Laymon
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refrigerator.
Mark backed up until he came to a screen door. He nudged it, but it stayed shut. Turning sideways, he felt along its frame. Ti was secured by a hook and eye. He flicked the hook up. Then he pushed at the screen door and it swung open, squawking on its hinges.
Holding the door open, he stared out at the moonlit back lawn, the gift shop, the restrooms, the patio with the chairs upside-down on the table tops, and the snack stand. All brightly lit by the full moon. Some places dirty white, others darker. A dozen different shades of gray, it seemed. And some places that were black.
I made it, he thought.
He stepped outside and stood at the top of the porch stairs.
Safe!
Done with the candle, he opened his pack. As he put it inside, he felt the hardness of his Pepsi can. And the softness of his second sandwich. So he trotted down the stairs and walked over to the patio. He hoisted a chair off the top of a table, turned it right-side up, and set it down.
Standing next to the table, he put his hand inside his pack, intending to take out the sandwich. He felt cellophane, realized his fingers were on the eye-glasses, and pulled them out. He set them on the table, then reached into his pack again and removed the sandwich. Then the Pepsi. He put them on the table and sat down.
With his back toward Beast House.
He didn’t like that, so he stood up and moved his chair. When he sat down this time, he was facing the house’s back porch.
That’s better, he thought.
Not that it really matters. I never would’ve made it out if there’d been a beast in there.
What about the padlock?
Who knows?
Somebody had obviously removed it. Earlier, the bearded guy had been standing at the gate, complaining about not being allowed to go through the tunnel to explore the Kutch house. The padlock must’ve been on it then.
Maybe not.
Anyway, I’m outa there.
He picked up his Pepsi, opened the plastic bag and pulled out the can. It felt moist, slightly cool. He snapped open the tab and took a drink.
Wonderful!
He set it down, peeled the cellophane away from one side of his sandwich, and took a bite.
The sandwich tasted delicious. He ate it slowly, taking a sip of Pepsi after every bite or two.
No hurry, he told himself. No hurry at all.
I’m already screwed.
If he hadn’t left the note for his parents, he could walk in the door half an hour from now and be fine. Make up a story about getting delayed somewhere. Apologize like crazy. No major problem.
But he had left the note and they’d almost certainly found it by now.
I’ll be back in the morning.
I’m so screwed, he thought.
We’ve always trusted you, Mark.
Where exactly did you go that was so important you felt it necessary to put your mother and I through this sort of hell?
We’re so disappointed in you.
Sometimes I think you don’t have the sense God gave little green apples.
Did it ever occur to you that your father and I would be worried sick?
Maybe you should try thinking about someone other than yourself for a change.
He sighed.
It would be at least that bad, maybe worse. What if Mom cries ? What if Dad cries?
All this grief, he thought, and for nothing… didn’t even make it til midnight for my date for Alison.
Says who?
Chapter Fifteen
He kept his eyes on Beast house, especially on the screen door of the porch.
When he was done with his meal, he put his Pepsi can into the plastic bag. They went into his belly pack. So did his sandwich wrapper and the eye-glasses.
He turned the chair upside-down and placed it on top of the table. Then he walked over to the men’s restroom. The door was locked. No surprise there. But the area in front of the door was cloaked in deep shadows. He would be well hidden there. He sat down and leaned against the wall.
And waited, keeping his eyes on Beast house.
Also watching the rear grounds.
Ready to leap up and run in case of trouble.
The concrete wasn’t very comfortable. He often
Mark backed up until he came to a screen door. He nudged it, but it stayed shut. Turning sideways, he felt along its frame. Ti was secured by a hook and eye. He flicked the hook up. Then he pushed at the screen door and it swung open, squawking on its hinges.
Holding the door open, he stared out at the moonlit back lawn, the gift shop, the restrooms, the patio with the chairs upside-down on the table tops, and the snack stand. All brightly lit by the full moon. Some places dirty white, others darker. A dozen different shades of gray, it seemed. And some places that were black.
I made it, he thought.
He stepped outside and stood at the top of the porch stairs.
Safe!
Done with the candle, he opened his pack. As he put it inside, he felt the hardness of his Pepsi can. And the softness of his second sandwich. So he trotted down the stairs and walked over to the patio. He hoisted a chair off the top of a table, turned it right-side up, and set it down.
Standing next to the table, he put his hand inside his pack, intending to take out the sandwich. He felt cellophane, realized his fingers were on the eye-glasses, and pulled them out. He set them on the table, then reached into his pack again and removed the sandwich. Then the Pepsi. He put them on the table and sat down.
With his back toward Beast House.
He didn’t like that, so he stood up and moved his chair. When he sat down this time, he was facing the house’s back porch.
That’s better, he thought.
Not that it really matters. I never would’ve made it out if there’d been a beast in there.
What about the padlock?
Who knows?
Somebody had obviously removed it. Earlier, the bearded guy had been standing at the gate, complaining about not being allowed to go through the tunnel to explore the Kutch house. The padlock must’ve been on it then.
Maybe not.
Anyway, I’m outa there.
He picked up his Pepsi, opened the plastic bag and pulled out the can. It felt moist, slightly cool. He snapped open the tab and took a drink.
Wonderful!
He set it down, peeled the cellophane away from one side of his sandwich, and took a bite.
The sandwich tasted delicious. He ate it slowly, taking a sip of Pepsi after every bite or two.
No hurry, he told himself. No hurry at all.
I’m already screwed.
If he hadn’t left the note for his parents, he could walk in the door half an hour from now and be fine. Make up a story about getting delayed somewhere. Apologize like crazy. No major problem.
But he had left the note and they’d almost certainly found it by now.
I’ll be back in the morning.
I’m so screwed, he thought.
We’ve always trusted you, Mark.
Where exactly did you go that was so important you felt it necessary to put your mother and I through this sort of hell?
We’re so disappointed in you.
Sometimes I think you don’t have the sense God gave little green apples.
Did it ever occur to you that your father and I would be worried sick?
Maybe you should try thinking about someone other than yourself for a change.
He sighed.
It would be at least that bad, maybe worse. What if Mom cries ? What if Dad cries?
All this grief, he thought, and for nothing… didn’t even make it til midnight for my date for Alison.
Says who?
Chapter Fifteen
He kept his eyes on Beast house, especially on the screen door of the porch.
When he was done with his meal, he put his Pepsi can into the plastic bag. They went into his belly pack. So did his sandwich wrapper and the eye-glasses.
He turned the chair upside-down and placed it on top of the table. Then he walked over to the men’s restroom. The door was locked. No surprise there. But the area in front of the door was cloaked in deep shadows. He would be well hidden there. He sat down and leaned against the wall.
And waited, keeping his eyes on Beast house.
Also watching the rear grounds.
Ready to leap up and run in case of trouble.
The concrete wasn’t very comfortable. He often
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