Read Online The Children and the Blood by Skye Malone, Megan Joel Peterson - Free Book Online
Authors: Skye Malone, Megan Joel Peterson
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the ground. Taking the steps two at a time, she raced to the second floor and landed with a thud at the foot of the stairs.
“Dad!” she screamed.
Not waiting for him, she dashed into Lily’s room, skidding on the paper and crushing crafts beneath her feet. The little girl blinked blearily and let out a confused cry as Ashley ripped the blanket away and then yanked the child to her feet.
Ashley glanced back as Patrick’s door flew open.
He took in the dark hall and his panicked daughter in a glance. “What’s going on?”
“Fire. The barn.”
Spinning back toward Lily, she grabbed the girl’s jeans from the floor and pushed them into her sister’s hands. “Come on.”
Dragging the girl behind her, she headed for the door. “Jonathan and the others are out there,” she called over her shoulder. “The stupid hay probably wasn’t dry enough. But they’re trying to put it out.”
She rushed down the stairs. Pausing in the foyer, she shoved her feet into her shoes and quickly motioned for Lily to do the same. Patrick pushed past them both, heading for the back door. Glancing to her sister, Ashley tried to smile.
“It’s going to be fine, Lil.”
The girl nodded nervously as she pulled on her jeans and shoes.
Clutching Lily’s hand, Ashley hurried after her father. Yanking open the door, he started down the concrete stairs, his daughters on his heels.
At a popping noise, Patrick stopped. Ashley jerked to a halt behind him, confused. His brow furrowed as he glanced back at her, and she couldn’t understand the look in his eyes.
He tumbled down the steps to the ground.
“Daddy?” Lily cried.
Ashley stared.
Blood spread like water from the holes in his chest, dyeing his pale t-shirt red. Choking wetly, his face crumpled in bewilderment and pain as he dragged his gaze over to hers.
“Run,” he gasped.
Ashley stumbled down the stairs, crashing to her knees by his side. Bubbles of blood hovered around his lips, with more frothing up every time he breathed.
This couldn’t be happening.
This wasn’t real.
“Jonathan!” she screamed.
She tore her gaze from her father and scanned the fields desperately. He had to be there. He would help them.
The farmhands walked away from the flames. The person on the steps dropped the bell and headed their way.
And from behind the hillocks around the farm, masked men with rifles rose to join them.
Lily whimpered, fingers digging into Ashley’s arm.
“Ashley,” Patrick whispered. “Run.”
She looked down as his head lolled sideways to face the approaching men. Determination flickered through his eyes.
White light surrounded her and rushing air roared in her ears. Distantly, she heard Lily screaming. And then something soft crushed into her.
Gasping, she sat up. She was in the vegetable garden, Lily clutching her hand. Frantically, she scrambled to her feet, searching for her father.
Masked men surrounded him.
With a cry, she tried to run to him. Lily hauled on her arm, holding her back with terror in her eyes.
Through the circle, another man approached. Amid the ski masks and rifles, his business suit and uncovered face stood in sharp contrast. Firelight played off his dark hair, turning his eyes into shadowed pits and chiseling his face in strange relief. Several inches taller than anyone around him, he towered like a giant over her father on the ground.
In spite of everything, Patrick tried to stand. Fury surged past the pain on his face, and his hand rose as if to strike the man.
The giant scoffed, and his fingers twitched as though flicking away a fly. Patrick gasped. His back arched sharply. And then he crashed to the ground and didn’t move again.
Ashley couldn’t breathe.
This wasn’t happening.
A smile curled the giant’s mouth as he looked toward the girls in the vegetable garden.
“Get them,” he ordered.
Like unleashed hunting dogs, the men charged.
The sight shattered her paralysis. Ripping her gaze from her father,
“Dad!” she screamed.
Not waiting for him, she dashed into Lily’s room, skidding on the paper and crushing crafts beneath her feet. The little girl blinked blearily and let out a confused cry as Ashley ripped the blanket away and then yanked the child to her feet.
Ashley glanced back as Patrick’s door flew open.
He took in the dark hall and his panicked daughter in a glance. “What’s going on?”
“Fire. The barn.”
Spinning back toward Lily, she grabbed the girl’s jeans from the floor and pushed them into her sister’s hands. “Come on.”
Dragging the girl behind her, she headed for the door. “Jonathan and the others are out there,” she called over her shoulder. “The stupid hay probably wasn’t dry enough. But they’re trying to put it out.”
She rushed down the stairs. Pausing in the foyer, she shoved her feet into her shoes and quickly motioned for Lily to do the same. Patrick pushed past them both, heading for the back door. Glancing to her sister, Ashley tried to smile.
“It’s going to be fine, Lil.”
The girl nodded nervously as she pulled on her jeans and shoes.
Clutching Lily’s hand, Ashley hurried after her father. Yanking open the door, he started down the concrete stairs, his daughters on his heels.
At a popping noise, Patrick stopped. Ashley jerked to a halt behind him, confused. His brow furrowed as he glanced back at her, and she couldn’t understand the look in his eyes.
He tumbled down the steps to the ground.
“Daddy?” Lily cried.
Ashley stared.
Blood spread like water from the holes in his chest, dyeing his pale t-shirt red. Choking wetly, his face crumpled in bewilderment and pain as he dragged his gaze over to hers.
“Run,” he gasped.
Ashley stumbled down the stairs, crashing to her knees by his side. Bubbles of blood hovered around his lips, with more frothing up every time he breathed.
This couldn’t be happening.
This wasn’t real.
“Jonathan!” she screamed.
She tore her gaze from her father and scanned the fields desperately. He had to be there. He would help them.
The farmhands walked away from the flames. The person on the steps dropped the bell and headed their way.
And from behind the hillocks around the farm, masked men with rifles rose to join them.
Lily whimpered, fingers digging into Ashley’s arm.
“Ashley,” Patrick whispered. “Run.”
She looked down as his head lolled sideways to face the approaching men. Determination flickered through his eyes.
White light surrounded her and rushing air roared in her ears. Distantly, she heard Lily screaming. And then something soft crushed into her.
Gasping, she sat up. She was in the vegetable garden, Lily clutching her hand. Frantically, she scrambled to her feet, searching for her father.
Masked men surrounded him.
With a cry, she tried to run to him. Lily hauled on her arm, holding her back with terror in her eyes.
Through the circle, another man approached. Amid the ski masks and rifles, his business suit and uncovered face stood in sharp contrast. Firelight played off his dark hair, turning his eyes into shadowed pits and chiseling his face in strange relief. Several inches taller than anyone around him, he towered like a giant over her father on the ground.
In spite of everything, Patrick tried to stand. Fury surged past the pain on his face, and his hand rose as if to strike the man.
The giant scoffed, and his fingers twitched as though flicking away a fly. Patrick gasped. His back arched sharply. And then he crashed to the ground and didn’t move again.
Ashley couldn’t breathe.
This wasn’t happening.
A smile curled the giant’s mouth as he looked toward the girls in the vegetable garden.
“Get them,” he ordered.
Like unleashed hunting dogs, the men charged.
The sight shattered her paralysis. Ripping her gaze from her father,
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