Read Online Nightmare Mountain by Peg Kehret - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Peg Kehret
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was. He took another length of rope out of the truck and turned to Molly and Glendon.
“Stand back to back,” he said.
“You can’t leave us up here,” Glendon said. “We’ll freeze.”
Molly glared at Glendon. She wished he would quit arguing. Couldn’t he see that this man was dangerous? It was better to be tied up than to be shot, and Molly hada hunch those were their only two alternatives.
The man swung Glendon around, shoving his back up against Molly’s. Then he bound them tightly together, tying the rope around their ankles and again around their shoulders. Molly winced as he tightened the knot at her shoulder but she didn’t cry out. It was better to be left here, she thought, than to be taken hostage. At least here on the mountain, they had a chance of survival. Uncle Phil would send out search parties; someone would find them. And they’d keep each other warm tied together this way.
She was sorry now that she’d hidden the keys. She wanted the man to drive off; she wanted him out of there, even if she and Glendon were left behind, tied up.
When he finished roping them together, the man removed the ramp, jumped in the truck and slammed the door. Then he bellowed a curse and the frightened llamas yanked at the ropes.
“Where are the keys?” he yelled.
Molly hoped she looked innocent. “What keys?”
“You know damn well what keys. The truck keys. I left them in the ignition and now they’re gone.”
“Maybe you put them in your pocket,” Molly said, “and they fell out when you were following me down the hill.”
He glared at her. “I
know
I left them in the ignition. I did it on purpose, in case I needed to get away quickly. Where are they?”
“I don’t have them,” Molly said. That much was the truth.
“Neither do I,” said Glendon.
The man leaped out of the truck, ran to her, and quickly felt her pockets. She was very glad that she didn’t have his keys in one of them. Next he felt Glendon’s pockets.
“OK,” the man mumbled. “OK. Maybe I did take them out myself. They must be on the ground somewhere. You kids can help me look for them.”
He loosened the knots and jerked at the rope. Glendon stepped away from her, rubbing his arms. The man immediately started down the path. As soon as he was out of sight, behind arrowhead boulder, Molly grabbed Glendon.
“I know where the keys are,” she whispered. “I’ll get them and you can drive us out of here.”
“We’ll never get past him,” Glendon said. “The path is too narrow.”
“It’s our only chance. Have you thought what might happen to us if he leaves us tied up here?”
Glendon looked at her for a moment. “All right,” he said. “I’ll try it.”
He ran toward the truck while Molly went to the scrubby-looking bush. She bent down, lifted up the rock, and removed the keys.
As she did, the man leaped out from behind the boulder. “I’ll take those,” he said and he jerked the keys out of Molly’s hand. “You brat! I knew I left them in the ignition.” He shoved her toward the truck. “Get in,” he said. “Both of you.”
Glendon opened the door and got in. Molly followed, sliding across the seat to sit between Glendon and the man.
The man got in, too, and started the engine. As he shifted into reverse, Molly saw Glendon’s hand move forward toward the door handle on the passenger’s side. Before she could react, Glendon pulled on the handle. The door flew open and Glendon jumped out.
The man’s foot stomped on the brake and Molly’s head jerked backward. Her hands gripped the seat as she stared at Glendon.
He ran across the pasture, toward the grove of trees.
The man opened his door and yelled, “Get back here!” but Glendon kept running. He ducked under the fence at the far side of the pasture and headed up the mountain, into the deep snow.
The man turned off the truck and leaped out.
Now, Molly thought. Now’s my chance to get away, while his attention is focused on
“Stand back to back,” he said.
“You can’t leave us up here,” Glendon said. “We’ll freeze.”
Molly glared at Glendon. She wished he would quit arguing. Couldn’t he see that this man was dangerous? It was better to be tied up than to be shot, and Molly hada hunch those were their only two alternatives.
The man swung Glendon around, shoving his back up against Molly’s. Then he bound them tightly together, tying the rope around their ankles and again around their shoulders. Molly winced as he tightened the knot at her shoulder but she didn’t cry out. It was better to be left here, she thought, than to be taken hostage. At least here on the mountain, they had a chance of survival. Uncle Phil would send out search parties; someone would find them. And they’d keep each other warm tied together this way.
She was sorry now that she’d hidden the keys. She wanted the man to drive off; she wanted him out of there, even if she and Glendon were left behind, tied up.
When he finished roping them together, the man removed the ramp, jumped in the truck and slammed the door. Then he bellowed a curse and the frightened llamas yanked at the ropes.
“Where are the keys?” he yelled.
Molly hoped she looked innocent. “What keys?”
“You know damn well what keys. The truck keys. I left them in the ignition and now they’re gone.”
“Maybe you put them in your pocket,” Molly said, “and they fell out when you were following me down the hill.”
He glared at her. “I
know
I left them in the ignition. I did it on purpose, in case I needed to get away quickly. Where are they?”
“I don’t have them,” Molly said. That much was the truth.
“Neither do I,” said Glendon.
The man leaped out of the truck, ran to her, and quickly felt her pockets. She was very glad that she didn’t have his keys in one of them. Next he felt Glendon’s pockets.
“OK,” the man mumbled. “OK. Maybe I did take them out myself. They must be on the ground somewhere. You kids can help me look for them.”
He loosened the knots and jerked at the rope. Glendon stepped away from her, rubbing his arms. The man immediately started down the path. As soon as he was out of sight, behind arrowhead boulder, Molly grabbed Glendon.
“I know where the keys are,” she whispered. “I’ll get them and you can drive us out of here.”
“We’ll never get past him,” Glendon said. “The path is too narrow.”
“It’s our only chance. Have you thought what might happen to us if he leaves us tied up here?”
Glendon looked at her for a moment. “All right,” he said. “I’ll try it.”
He ran toward the truck while Molly went to the scrubby-looking bush. She bent down, lifted up the rock, and removed the keys.
As she did, the man leaped out from behind the boulder. “I’ll take those,” he said and he jerked the keys out of Molly’s hand. “You brat! I knew I left them in the ignition.” He shoved her toward the truck. “Get in,” he said. “Both of you.”
Glendon opened the door and got in. Molly followed, sliding across the seat to sit between Glendon and the man.
The man got in, too, and started the engine. As he shifted into reverse, Molly saw Glendon’s hand move forward toward the door handle on the passenger’s side. Before she could react, Glendon pulled on the handle. The door flew open and Glendon jumped out.
The man’s foot stomped on the brake and Molly’s head jerked backward. Her hands gripped the seat as she stared at Glendon.
He ran across the pasture, toward the grove of trees.
The man opened his door and yelled, “Get back here!” but Glendon kept running. He ducked under the fence at the far side of the pasture and headed up the mountain, into the deep snow.
The man turned off the truck and leaped out.
Now, Molly thought. Now’s my chance to get away, while his attention is focused on
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