Read Online The King's Highway (Days of Dread Trilogy Book 1) by Caryl Mcadoo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Caryl Mcadoo
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strides, barking the deepest, meanest bark Jackson had ever heard coming out of a dog. A guy hurried toward Jackson’s position, passing the dog and holding his bloody side. Jackson stuck his head out from the cover to see what was going on.
Boggs continued his charge.
Another shot rang out. The grass behind the dog flew up.
The bleeding man—obviously running for his life—flew past as though unaware of Jackson’s presence. After the guy passed, Jackson leaned out a little farther. Another man, maybe fifty yards up, held out a pistol taking dead aim at the Pyr. Boggs bounded straight at him.
Without hesitation, Jackson jumped out into the clear. “Hey! Over here!”
“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” McKenzie grabbed at him.
The guy swung his gun toward Jackson.
He glanced toward the kids. “Stay put.”
The man fired. The grass fifteen yards ahead and to his left jumped up just as Boggs leapt onto the shooter. He fell backwards squealing like that pot-belly piglet his sister talked Dad into at a petting zoo. Vicious growls and fight sounds filled the afternoon. The dog seemed to ravage the man.
Jackson stepped back into cover. “Boggs got him.”
Cooper ran to him and hugged his waist. “I thought you got shot!”
“I’m okay, Bubba.”
“Thank God! Thank God! You scared me half to death!” McKenzie grabbed his arm. “What in the world were you thinking?”
“I didn’t want Boggs to get shot. Now you guys wait here.”
Both her hands shook wildly like she couldn’t stop frantically waving them. “But, but what about the shooting? And screaming? And that man who ran by holding his side? Was that blood?” Her eyes opened so wide, he could see the whites all the way around. He’d never seen anyone open their eyes like that before.
“Yeah, it was blood alright.”
“Did the shooter fire at you?”
“Yeah, but I knew he’d miss. Too far. He wouldn’t have missed Boggs though, and he was about to plug him if I hadn’t distracted him. Just wait here. I need to check on things.”
She grabbed his arm and glared. “You can’t do that! You can’t take chances like that! What if that guy had shot you?”
He pried her hand off his arm. “We can talk about it later. I want to see about Boggs now. Okay?”
Cooper took his hand. “I’m coming with you.”
Jackson smiled at his brother and kneeled in front of him. “I want you to stay with McKenzie. She needs you more right now. I’ll be back real quick.”
The little guy looked scared but let go of Jackson and took his sister’s hand.
Jackson looked at Al. “Stay.”
“Yes, sir.”
He leaned out into the open and looked both ways. Nothing. No dog. No dead guy. Nothing but the wide green highway looking perfectly peaceful. Keeping just inside the wood’s cover, he made his way toward where Boggs had attacked the man. He found the spot and picked up the man’s revolver. A blood trail led to the other side of the King’s Highway.
Jackson checked the pistol. Only one bullet remained in the cylinder. He stuffed it into his backpack then whistled softly and waited. He checked both ways then put two fingers to his mouth and blew one short loud blast. On the far side, the weeds and tall grasses bent. Boggs burst through and ran straight to him. He sat on his haunches, his muzzle stained with blood.
“You okay, boy?” He knelt and checked him out, loving on him in the process.
The dog gave him that smug, self-satisfied look.
It tickled Jackson, and he couldn’t help but laugh. He wrapped his arms around the big lug’s neck. “Maybe you are an alien after all. Whoever you are, whatever, I’m sure glad you decided to come with us.”
Jackson gathered the others and stayed just off the highway’s edge. Two hundred yards or so east, in amongst the ancient pecan grove that the pylons cut through, green, seven-leaf, head-high plants grew thick, and heavy with pods. Nestled in the trees, the stalks appeared entirely
Boggs continued his charge.
Another shot rang out. The grass behind the dog flew up.
The bleeding man—obviously running for his life—flew past as though unaware of Jackson’s presence. After the guy passed, Jackson leaned out a little farther. Another man, maybe fifty yards up, held out a pistol taking dead aim at the Pyr. Boggs bounded straight at him.
Without hesitation, Jackson jumped out into the clear. “Hey! Over here!”
“What are you doing? Are you crazy?” McKenzie grabbed at him.
The guy swung his gun toward Jackson.
He glanced toward the kids. “Stay put.”
The man fired. The grass fifteen yards ahead and to his left jumped up just as Boggs leapt onto the shooter. He fell backwards squealing like that pot-belly piglet his sister talked Dad into at a petting zoo. Vicious growls and fight sounds filled the afternoon. The dog seemed to ravage the man.
Jackson stepped back into cover. “Boggs got him.”
Cooper ran to him and hugged his waist. “I thought you got shot!”
“I’m okay, Bubba.”
“Thank God! Thank God! You scared me half to death!” McKenzie grabbed his arm. “What in the world were you thinking?”
“I didn’t want Boggs to get shot. Now you guys wait here.”
Both her hands shook wildly like she couldn’t stop frantically waving them. “But, but what about the shooting? And screaming? And that man who ran by holding his side? Was that blood?” Her eyes opened so wide, he could see the whites all the way around. He’d never seen anyone open their eyes like that before.
“Yeah, it was blood alright.”
“Did the shooter fire at you?”
“Yeah, but I knew he’d miss. Too far. He wouldn’t have missed Boggs though, and he was about to plug him if I hadn’t distracted him. Just wait here. I need to check on things.”
She grabbed his arm and glared. “You can’t do that! You can’t take chances like that! What if that guy had shot you?”
He pried her hand off his arm. “We can talk about it later. I want to see about Boggs now. Okay?”
Cooper took his hand. “I’m coming with you.”
Jackson smiled at his brother and kneeled in front of him. “I want you to stay with McKenzie. She needs you more right now. I’ll be back real quick.”
The little guy looked scared but let go of Jackson and took his sister’s hand.
Jackson looked at Al. “Stay.”
“Yes, sir.”
He leaned out into the open and looked both ways. Nothing. No dog. No dead guy. Nothing but the wide green highway looking perfectly peaceful. Keeping just inside the wood’s cover, he made his way toward where Boggs had attacked the man. He found the spot and picked up the man’s revolver. A blood trail led to the other side of the King’s Highway.
Jackson checked the pistol. Only one bullet remained in the cylinder. He stuffed it into his backpack then whistled softly and waited. He checked both ways then put two fingers to his mouth and blew one short loud blast. On the far side, the weeds and tall grasses bent. Boggs burst through and ran straight to him. He sat on his haunches, his muzzle stained with blood.
“You okay, boy?” He knelt and checked him out, loving on him in the process.
The dog gave him that smug, self-satisfied look.
It tickled Jackson, and he couldn’t help but laugh. He wrapped his arms around the big lug’s neck. “Maybe you are an alien after all. Whoever you are, whatever, I’m sure glad you decided to come with us.”
Jackson gathered the others and stayed just off the highway’s edge. Two hundred yards or so east, in amongst the ancient pecan grove that the pylons cut through, green, seven-leaf, head-high plants grew thick, and heavy with pods. Nestled in the trees, the stalks appeared entirely
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