Read Online Werewolf Suspense (Book 4): Outage 4 (The Reckoning) by T.W. Piperbrook - Free Book Online
Authors: T.W. Piperbrook
Tags: Werewolves
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little girl as much fright as he could.
His thoughts roamed to Olivia. Saying goodbye to her and the grandchildren had been one of the hardest things Abraham had ever had to do. He considered himself a strong man, but he'd been unable to suppress his tears the day they left for London.
Abraham's eyes welled at the thought of never seeing them again, at the thought of losing Sally. Wiping his face, he took hold of his wife's hand and squeezed.
He was still thinking of his family when he heard a faint rattle at the door. He jolted upright, digging his fingers against Sally's. He exchanged a glance with his wife again, but this time he didn't want to think about what that glance meant.
Chapter Fourteen
"What was that?" Silas asked, creeping around from the back of Tom.
Tom heard it, too. As the elevator car mounted the third floor, commotion reached their ears from outside the elevator. Screams segued into shrieks; bangs and crashes filled the air. The pit in Tom's stomach grew. He'd hoped the third floor would provide a refuge from the madness.
By the sounds of it, things were even worse up there.
He had the fleeting thought that he should stop the elevator, mash the red emergency button and wait the whole thing out. But he couldn't leave Abraham, Sally, and Katherine. He pictured the nurses—Kelsey, Tabatha, and Sigrid—corralling scared patients and keeping them safe. No one had enforced the nurses' responsibility. And yet, they'd put themselves in danger to help others.
Their bravery was inspiring.
Silas clung to Tom's hospital gown as the elevator car swayed ominously. Tom stared at the door, axe in hand. He envisioned the path he'd need to take to get to Abraham and Sally's room.
Take a left, run down the hall. Turn into the adjacent wing.
Were they still there? He hoped so.
One thing was for certain. He couldn't take Silas with him. It'd be too dangerous.
"Silas, I'm going to need you to do something for me," he started. He bent down and looked in the boy's eyes, trying to inspire bravery. "As soon as I get off the elevator, I need you to shut the doors and press the second floor button. Right before the elevator stops, hit this emergency button. That will stop the elevator car. Don't do anything else, no matter what happens. Do you understand me?"
"But I—"
"I need you to listen to me. There's no time to argue, Silas. You need to do what I say."
"My sister…Katherine…" he managed through a sniffle.
"I'll get her and bring her back. I'll bring back Abraham and Sally. We're going to get through this together, Silas."
Silas nodded, wiping nervous tears from his eyes. Tom patted the boy's shoulders, giving him a last, reassuring squeeze.
Having finished his instructions, Tom turned to face the elevator doors. He raised his axe, preparing for whatever might be on the other side—whatever he'd need to defend himself against. He imagined a slew of beasts, listening to the elevator rise from the opposite side. The elevator slowed to a stop. The doors opened.
What he didn't expect was a barrage of people.
"Watch out!" Tom screamed at Silas.
Tom and Silas were suddenly mobbed by ten screaming, frantic individuals, some covered in blood, most dressed in hospital gowns. Panic had gripped the survivors. They screamed and twisted, their bodies and voices tumbling over one another as they tried to get inside the elevator. Elbows dug into Tom's side. He lifted Silas in the air, protecting him from the pushing people. He heard bits and pieces of conversation around him.
"Here it comes!"
"Around the corner!"
"Hurry, hit the button!"
Tom stared out into the hallway but saw no sign of Abraham and Sally. No sign of Katherine. Where were they? He leaned outside the elevator car. Instinct screamed at him to get back in, to follow the people and strive for safety.
But what if Abraham, Sally, and Katherine were still up here?
Before he could reach a decision, someone kicked him.
"Get out!
His thoughts roamed to Olivia. Saying goodbye to her and the grandchildren had been one of the hardest things Abraham had ever had to do. He considered himself a strong man, but he'd been unable to suppress his tears the day they left for London.
Abraham's eyes welled at the thought of never seeing them again, at the thought of losing Sally. Wiping his face, he took hold of his wife's hand and squeezed.
He was still thinking of his family when he heard a faint rattle at the door. He jolted upright, digging his fingers against Sally's. He exchanged a glance with his wife again, but this time he didn't want to think about what that glance meant.
Chapter Fourteen
"What was that?" Silas asked, creeping around from the back of Tom.
Tom heard it, too. As the elevator car mounted the third floor, commotion reached their ears from outside the elevator. Screams segued into shrieks; bangs and crashes filled the air. The pit in Tom's stomach grew. He'd hoped the third floor would provide a refuge from the madness.
By the sounds of it, things were even worse up there.
He had the fleeting thought that he should stop the elevator, mash the red emergency button and wait the whole thing out. But he couldn't leave Abraham, Sally, and Katherine. He pictured the nurses—Kelsey, Tabatha, and Sigrid—corralling scared patients and keeping them safe. No one had enforced the nurses' responsibility. And yet, they'd put themselves in danger to help others.
Their bravery was inspiring.
Silas clung to Tom's hospital gown as the elevator car swayed ominously. Tom stared at the door, axe in hand. He envisioned the path he'd need to take to get to Abraham and Sally's room.
Take a left, run down the hall. Turn into the adjacent wing.
Were they still there? He hoped so.
One thing was for certain. He couldn't take Silas with him. It'd be too dangerous.
"Silas, I'm going to need you to do something for me," he started. He bent down and looked in the boy's eyes, trying to inspire bravery. "As soon as I get off the elevator, I need you to shut the doors and press the second floor button. Right before the elevator stops, hit this emergency button. That will stop the elevator car. Don't do anything else, no matter what happens. Do you understand me?"
"But I—"
"I need you to listen to me. There's no time to argue, Silas. You need to do what I say."
"My sister…Katherine…" he managed through a sniffle.
"I'll get her and bring her back. I'll bring back Abraham and Sally. We're going to get through this together, Silas."
Silas nodded, wiping nervous tears from his eyes. Tom patted the boy's shoulders, giving him a last, reassuring squeeze.
Having finished his instructions, Tom turned to face the elevator doors. He raised his axe, preparing for whatever might be on the other side—whatever he'd need to defend himself against. He imagined a slew of beasts, listening to the elevator rise from the opposite side. The elevator slowed to a stop. The doors opened.
What he didn't expect was a barrage of people.
"Watch out!" Tom screamed at Silas.
Tom and Silas were suddenly mobbed by ten screaming, frantic individuals, some covered in blood, most dressed in hospital gowns. Panic had gripped the survivors. They screamed and twisted, their bodies and voices tumbling over one another as they tried to get inside the elevator. Elbows dug into Tom's side. He lifted Silas in the air, protecting him from the pushing people. He heard bits and pieces of conversation around him.
"Here it comes!"
"Around the corner!"
"Hurry, hit the button!"
Tom stared out into the hallway but saw no sign of Abraham and Sally. No sign of Katherine. Where were they? He leaned outside the elevator car. Instinct screamed at him to get back in, to follow the people and strive for safety.
But what if Abraham, Sally, and Katherine were still up here?
Before he could reach a decision, someone kicked him.
"Get out!
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