Casket for Sale, Only Used Once Read Online Free PDF Page B

Maybe we could help you move it."
    The man (Goblin?) shook his head. "The tree's too big."
    "We have a couple of people in the camper who could help." Technically, Helen wasn't far enough in her pregnancy to be exempt from manual labor, but regardless, I wasn't going to let her engage in any. "It's just a tree, right? We should be able to get it off the road."
    "Nope."
    "C'mon, four people should be able to move a tree." Never having moved a tree in my life, I had no idea how much manpower was required, but none of the trees close to the road seemed anywhere near large enough to provide much difficulty.
    "What did I just tell you? It's too big of a project. Go back the way you came."
    "There's nowhere to turn around."
    "That's not my problem. You bringing an oversized vehicle down this narrow road doesn't constitute an emergency on my part."
    Clearly, this guy was not going to move his vehicle. "All right, well, thanks for not letting us crash into the tree."
    "Not a problem."
    Goblin got back in his truck while I returned to the camper. "What'd he say?" asked Roger as I shut the door.
    "He says there's a fallen tree blocking the road, and we have to turn back."
    "So why was he just sitting in his truck like that?"
    "Because he's an extremely odd individual. I think his name is Goblin, by the way."
    "Goblin?"
    "That's what his badge said."
    Roger stuck out his lip in a mock pout. "Everybody else gets all the cool names."
    I turned around and spoke to Helen. "I'm gonna have to drive backwards until we get to the store, so I'll need you to watch through the window and let me know if I'm getting too close to the side of the road."
    "I'll watch, too!" said Kyle, excited.
    "What did I tell you about talking?" asked Helen. "Not one word!" She got up and walked to the back of the camper to look out the rear window. Samantha opened one of the side windows and stuck out her head.
    I put the camper in reverse and slowly applied the gas. This really sucked. Stupid store owner and his stupid warning. This was my punishment for being responsible.
    "You're okay on my side," Samantha announced as we backed up.
    "Yeah, you're fine," said Helen. "Just keep going straight and ... oh, crap, someone's coming."
    In the sideview mirror I saw a truck drive up behind us. A filthy dark-green truck identical to Goblin's. It moved toward us until it was no longer visible in the mirror.
    "The jerk stopped two inches from our rear!" Helen informed everybody.
    Then the truck in front of us moved , driving forward until it almost touched the camper's bumper.
    We were boxed in.

Chapter Five
    "EVERYONE STAY CALM." I turned off the camper's engine. "They've got identical trucks, so they're probably just part of the same ... I don't know, fallen tree warning squad or something. Helen, what's the guy in the back doing?"
    "Nothing. He's just sitting there."
    "Does he look homicidal?"
    "Not really."
    "Good."
    I honked at the truck in front of us, trying to get Goblin to back up. He didn't move.
    "Okay, let's just wait and see what they want," I said.
    We sat there, trapped between the two trucks, waiting for something to happen. The drivers stayed in their vehicles, silently watching us.
    "Do you want me to get out?" Roger finally asked.
    I shook my head. "Helen, make sure the kids aren't near the windows."
    "I'm scared," said Theresa.
    "You don't have to be scared, honey," I assured her. "It's just that these people are acting kind of goofy, that's all. Everything will be fine, I promise."
    Samantha picked up her purse and reached inside. "I think we should call the police."
    "Good idea," said Roger. What a brownnoser.
    Samantha took out her cell phone and punched a couple of buttons. "Damn it! The battery's dead. Roger, I thought you said it was charged!"
    "I plugged it in last night!" Roger insisted.
    "Did you plug it in right?"
    "Yes, I plugged it in right. I'm pretty sure I did. I don't know. I've never plugged one in before. I don't like cell