Becca Read Online Free PDF Page B

begging now. “Please.”
    “You’re not sick?” he asked.
    “No. None of us.”
    “Have you been around anyone who was sick?”
    “No. Huh-uh. Please, my Mom and Dad went to get Grandma, and then we’re supposed to meet them in Colorado, and... I’m just so tired. Please, let us in.”
     
    There was a couple of minutes of them shuffling around on the other side of the door. I stood there with my forehead against it, crying and waiting. And then the door opened. I stepped back and looked up and found myself staring at the end of a massive shotgun.
     
    “You’re not sick?” he asked. An old man in overalls, probably seventy or eighty.
    “No. Not at all.”
    “There are five of you?” the woman asked. Similarly old, but she was in a long flowery dress that looked five sizes too big.
    “Alrighty, get ‘em inside then.” he said, waving the shotgun around enough to make me nervous.
     
    I hurried out to the car and took the gun away from David. These people are scared, they’d probably shoot him If he waved that thing around them. Or he’d shoot that old man.
     
    We grabbed a couple of bags from the trunk, locked the car, and hurried inside. The old man bolted three dead bolt locks, then slid a heavy dresser in front of the door. I wonder why he thinks that would stop them. I mean there’s a glass window two feet to the left.
     
    “Sorry to bother you.” I said.
    “You’re all welcome here.” the old woman said.
    “You can sleep in here.” he said, waving toward the living room. “I want you out first thing in the morning.”
    “Ed, don’t be so rude.”
    “We can’t take care of a bunch of kids! We’re lucky to have enough for ourselves. The whole world is going to hell.”  
    “We’ll be out as soon as we get some sleep. I promise. We’re supposed to meet my parents in a few days, anyway.”
    “Do you children want something to eat?” she asked us.
    “We’ve got food, ma’am.” I said.
    “Don’t any of the others talk?” the man, Ed, asked.
     
    I turned and looked at them. They’re all huddled together, and clearly terrified of this old couple. Or maybe just terrified of everything in general. Me too. But there’s no point in being rude to these people.
     
    “Bridget, come here.” I said. I held my hand out toward her. She shook her head no. I glared at her for a few seconds and she reluctantly slid from the others, to my side. “This is my sister, Bridget.” I said. I nudged her with my elbow.
    “Hi.” she squeaked.
    “Nice to meet you, dear.” the woman said.
    “This is my best friend, Natasha.” I said. I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer.
    “Thank you for letting us stay.” she managed. She’s so scared.
    “And those two are some friends of my sister, I never met them until today. Amber and David.”
     
    They both gave a tiny wave, but didn’t say anything. The old couple nodded. The guy looks like he’d be happy to shoot us and shove our bodies out the door. I don’t trust him.
     
    “And what’s your name, dear?” the lady asked.
    “I’m... just totally exhausted.” I said. “My name is Rebecca Lang.”
    “Well you’re safe now, Rebecca.” she told me. “I can get you kids some blankets to lay on, and we might have a couple of pillows. I’ll need some help carrying them.”
    “Amber, David, go with her.”
    “Why don’t you...” David began. His sister whacked his arm. “I mean... yeah, sure.”
     
    Ed made us move the furniture around so we would have room to sit. But he couldn’t move it, he said, his back was bad. And then when we slid the sofa he complained that we’d scratch the floor. Like his sliding a dresser in front of the door didn’t do that already?
     
    They brought back a stack of blankets, but only two pillows. We started spreading blankets out on the floor. The old couple said goodnight and went upstairs and locked themselves in their bedroom.
     
    “Maybe some of us could use folded up blankets for