Read Online Trepidation by Chrissy Peebles - Free Book Online Page A

you. You can leave at  first light.”
    “We wouldn’t want to put you out,” Kate said.
    “Nonsense.”
    “I just want to get back,” I said. “I don’t like being in zombie territory.”
    “Heh. Zombie territory is everywhere,” the old woman said, obviously clueless about our city and its strange barrier.
    Lucas shot me a look that told me to shut up, and I recalled that Max had warned us not to tell too many people about our safe haven, so I decided not to mention it.
    “I have very good eyes,” Val said. “Even in the dark, I can see anything or anyone who tries to sneak up on us.”
    “It’s pouring rain out there, and I can’t let you young’n’s leave with a clear conscience. You won’t be safe out there, good eyes or not. It’s only for one night, and I’ve got plenty of room. I gotta admit that I’ve got an ulterior motive though.”
    “What’s that?” Kate asked suspiciously.
    “Well, my boys are away, and I need some firewood chopped.”
    “Well, since Nick, here’s, gone and gotten his shoulder all banged up, I could easily do that for you in the morning,” Lucas offered, “right before we leave.”
    Val nudged me. “What do you think? Nick needs his shoulder snapped back into place, and we’re all cold and hungry. We could stay here and get a good night’s sleep. And she’s right. It’d be pretty dangerous and miserable to trek through the rain in the dark.”
    “I’m Rita,” the lady in the yellow slicker said, introducing herself.
    I reached out my hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
    She looked at me and smiled. “You have the bluest eyes, sonny. I could eat you right up.”
    I laughed and even blushed a little, then nodded at Val. “I say we stay, but we need to leave the second the sun comes up.”
    “Absolutely.”
    We all talked it over and voted. Nick and Kate still wanted to leave, but they were outnumbered; Lucas thought it’d be much safer to leave in the daylight, even if we did have Val’s eyes, and Val was so hungry and tired that staying seemed like a good idea to her too.
    “We’ll stay,” Val finally said.
    Rain dripped off Rita’s raincoat. “Okay then. Follow me.”
    We followed the woman up a concrete sidewalk to a huge building, a bed-and-breakfast. The windows were boarded up, and the lady had created a nice hideout for herself. As long as a herd didn’t show up, she and her family would likely be okay.
    We walked inside a huge entryway. Above us, the chandelier shook a bit as rain and fierce wind beat against the roof. Lighting flashed through the huge, rectangular window, creating odd shadows on the wall through the lacy curtains.
    Rita offered us blankets and towels, and I was so thankful to be out of the cold rain. I wiped my face off, then wrapped up in a blanket as our kind hostess ushered us into the living room, to a roaring fire.
    “C’mere, Nick,” Val said. “Now, I’m gonna have to pull your arm away from the socket till the ball is beyond the edge of the socket cup. I’ll pull while your arm is in a proper position, slowly and steadily. Jerking will only cause the muscles to contract and could break a bone, and that’s the last thing we need right now. Just be patient and grit your teeth, and the ball will pop right back into the socket.”
    “Just do it,” Lucas said. “He’s a big boy. He can take it.”
    Val pulled Nick’s shirt down off his shoulder and examined the swelling and his bruised skin. “Wow. You nailed it pretty good. There’s no easy way to do this, and I gotta warn you that it might hurt a little.”
    His lips pressed into grim lines. “I can handle it.”
    She blinked. “Okay. Get ready.”
    Nick took a deep breath and tried to be brave, but he yelled as she popped his shoulder back into place. He began panting as the pain nearly overwhelmed him, and his eyes began to water, though he never would have admitted that he was actually crying.
    “I’m sorry,” Val said. “But that was the