Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
I thought that it must be. After all, I’d seen no one else anywhere near and it was clear no one lived in Morris now. The rooms I had toured so far were neat, if somewhat cluttered, but there was a fine patina of dust on most of the surfaces. I would have to do some cleaning when I got back, I thought.
Down near the bottom of the hill I found the apple tree, just where my childhood memories suggested it would be. It was bigger than any apple tree I’d ever seen, with black bark, a thick trunk, and gnarled branches that reached for the sky with skeletal fingers. Yet somehow most of its leaves were still intact and peeking out from beneath them were the biggest apples I had ever seen.
I reached up and picked one. The tree seemed to shiver as I did and a sudden wind rattled its branches making a high, haunting note, but I didn’t think anything of it. I was too busy studying the apple in my hand.
It was so big I almost couldn’t get my fingers around it. And just like in my memories, it had a smooth, golden skin that was dotted all over with scarlet freckles. When I brought it to my nose to sniff it, the scent that came from it was absolutely heavenly. I could tell right away that this apple would be equally good for eating raw or for baking, which is kind of unusual.
My mouth was watering for the sweet-tart flavor and I was just about to take a bite when I heard a sound like a rumbling roar. Then Sebastian, who had been nosing at a pile of leaves under the next tree over, rushed over to me and began to hiss.
I looked down at my cat in alarm. All the hair on his body was standing out, making him look twice as big as usual, and his whiskers were trembling as he let out another full-throated yowl. His pointed ears were flattened to his skull and his eyes had narrowed to angry slits.
“Sebastian? What is it?” I asked anxiously. And then I heard the roaring again—only this time it formed words.
“Who the fuck are you?” a deep, rumbling voice demanded. “And what the hell do you think you’re doing here?”
CHAPTER SIX
Looking through the branches of the apple tree, I saw someone—no, something was coming. It was huge and green and it had glowing golden eyes and tusks poking out of its mouth. I’m not kidding—freaking tusks!
“Get the fuck off this property!” the growling thing demanded. “You don’t belong here!”
It didn’t have to tell me twice. Maybe in a romance novel, the plucky heroine would have tried to stay and reason with the monster but I was not that plucky—or that stupid. With Sebastian hissing at my heels, I turned and ran as fast as I could.
I could feel the monster chasing me—he was so huge and heavy his footsteps pounded the ground, shaking it under my feet. I gasped and fell, but I was running uphill, so instead of falling all the way down, I ended up on my hands and knees instead of flat on my face.
I continued up the sloping backyard that way, climb-crawling as fast as I could. My breath was tearing in my throat and my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was trying to beat its way out of my ribcage and run away on its own.
I hadn’t been to the gym in ages—I only like to go at night anyway, when it’s less crowded—but I didn’t let that stop me. It’s amazing how much cardio you can get in when a huge green monster with tusks and glowing golden eyes is chasing you!
“Get back here!” he was snarling. “Thief! Trespasser!”
I finally reached the top of the hill and ran for the kitchen door. To my relief, I saw that the door was already standing open, though I was sure I had closed it securely behind me. It almost looked like it was beckoning me inside.
“Hurry—hurry!” whispered the little voice in my ear and I was inclined to listen to it.
I swore I could feel the monster’s breath on the back of my neck but just in time, Sebastian and I rushed through the open door.
The minute we were safely inside, the kitchen door slapped shut and I heard the sound of a lock turning. The monster pounded a huge green hand against the doorframe, making it tremble, but the house held firm and when he tried the knob, the door wouldn’t budge.
“Get out of there!” he insisted in that deep, angry roar I could hear even through the glass. “You’re fucking trespassing!”
I backed away from the door, shaking my head, my heart pounding.
Then, to my relief, the monster turned and rushed down the hill again. He was incredibly fast for such a big guy. (Was he a guy? He seemed to be. Anyway, he disappeared through the trees almost before I could blink.)