Black Water Tales: The Secret Keepers Read Online Free PDF Page B

her father seemed unmoved.
    Regina took a few steps toward the man only to reveal that the grotesque character was not a man at all but a life-size figure of some gory horror movie villain. Seeing the statue with new eyes, Regina scolded herself for being so silly since the monster did not even look human to her anymore. Regina and her father broke into laughter.
    “I’m sorry, Dad. This whole thing has just got me so wound up that I feel crazy.” Regina’s words were muffled through the hand that she had thrown up to cover her mortified face.
    “I understand. It’s just good to see you smiling at least,” Mr. Dean told his daughter.
    How could I have forgotten?
Regina wondered. Halloween was due in three days. With everything happening so rapidly and all of the thoughts racing through her mind, Regina forgot that a major holiday was just around the corner, a holiday that had been one of her favorites. Halloween, like most holidays were of great significance in the country, frankly, because it’s difficult to get excited about cows, chickens, corn and a two-screen movie theatreall year around. Holidays were important and people from towns like Black Water tended to do them big.
    As if a veil had been lifted, Regina quickly took to admiring the holiday spirit that infected the town. Her creepy stalker served as decoration that had been placed outside of 24/7 Dry Cleaners. Regina jumped back as a string of children sped past her yipping and laughing on their bikes, the leader of the bikers wearing a cartoon mask. Eerie-faced pumpkins loomed in several of the store windows, while the bread store had a poster in their window marketing their “killer” sale on all Halloween cakes and candies. Clark’s Antiques and Sculptures needed no decoration, for the melancholy stone angels and ornamented crucifixes that regularly dressed the windows served to be creepy enough all on their own. Maybe Black Water wasn’t going to be as awful as she had imagined. She smiled as her father placed his arm around her and she snuggled into his shoulder.
    “Are you guys coming?” Regina’s mother had returned to the door of the diner to look for her husband and daughter.
    “Yes, dear,” her father answered in a mocking tone.
    “My phone is ruined,” Regina told her father as she held up the dripping device.
    “Trick or treat,” Charlie Dean teased.
    Regina and her father made their way up the cement stairs still cuddled together.
    Full of oil, loaded with everything and a side of those sugar seasoned fries, Regina’s burger came just as she ordered it and she felt her jeans tightening just looking at the gluttonous meal. Exaggerated ecstasy costumed Regina’s face as she chewed one of the ketchup-dipped fries.
    “This is my one food treat while I am here,” she declared to her parents before she tore into her burger like a ravenous animal.
    “You trying to convince us or yourself?” her father joked. Regina tried to laugh, but her mouth was stuffed and she didn’t want to risk a mound of fresh flesh going down the wrong tube so she settled for a mocking facial expression.
    “You look thin. You don’t need to be on a diet.” Her mother instructed. “I can see your collarbone. You’re not supposed to be able to see that on a person,” her mother lectured with a raised eyebrow.
    “It’s not a diet, Mom; it’s a way of life,” Regina responded.
    “Fine, I’m just saying a burger every once in a while never hurt anyone.”
    “Nah, never hurt anyone to have a burger, but I understand where Regina’s coming from.” Her father refereed the situation with his usual charm. He patted the protrusion that fell slightly over his belt. “I need to get a new way of life so that I can get rid of this. Come Christmas time, I may be able to get some part-time work playing Santa Claus.” Charlie winked at his daughter.
    “So do you want to talk about it?” her mother cut the silence, skillfully regaining control of the