Cry For Tomorrow Read Online Free PDF Page B

and yellow leapt to block the reaper’s path. A single sweep of the great, serrated blade left the man’s torn body twitching on the ground.
    The woman stopped in mid-stride, a look of total devastation washing over her face, unable to move on, failing to take advantage of the distraction his sacrifice was meant to gain her. Helpless, the terrified children could only cling to her skirts, trembling as the reaper stepped over the man’s bleeding body and strode purposefully toward them. His intent was plain in the harsh lines of his face.
    “No! You must not do this terrible thing!” sobbed the woman as she bravely raised her head and faced the monster bearing down on her.
    He was there, looming over her, faster than the eye could track or the mind could believe. The ghoul paused and his bloodless lips drew back in a mirthless grin of pure evil as if he was savoring these moments of his victim’s terror. Something that might have been laughter, cold and harsh, made all that heard it cringe as the reaper slowly drew his sword arm back to strike.
    “ Oh Gods! No! ” I couldn’t let him do this. Twisting away from the hand gripping my arm, I lurched to my feet and took a step toward the reaper. “ Stop!”
    “ Oh, damn! Now you did it!” hissed Jake as he too, came to his feet, ready to make a run for it before the reaper or his minions could react.
    Startled by our sudden appearance, the reaper paused. It took only a moment for him to decide that we were of no consequence and turn back to his task, but in that moment two of the male freaks swooped in, grabbed the children and woman, and were making a hasty retreat in the opposite direction.
    The reaper’s roar of fury brought three of the bikers rushing to his side.
    “ Kill them! ” he growled, and pointed with one gloved hand.
    Without question, the trio of bikers leaped to obey, striding on silent feet toward the alley.
    “Run for it!” Jake was already dancing away from me to give the bikers a more difficult target.
    I didn’t need to be warned twice. Shrugging my backpack to my shoulders, I tightened my grip on the thick piece of wood I was holding. I could feel the dog tight against my side and heard her soft snarl as we began backing away into the shadows of the alley.
    The first biker to reach the alley set eyes on Jake and moved after him, slapping the billy-club he was carrying against the side of his leg. “What are you doing out here, boy,” he growled. “You getting your jollies watchin’ the freakies, now are you?”
    Jake dodged nimbly out of reach and darted onto the debris-mined sidewalk. The big, over-weight biker immediately gave chase. I saw the second biker pause a moment, as if deciding which of us would cause the most trouble before following the first biker, but he only made it as far as the corner of the first building before a large, red and black blur of a man smashed into him. The two men hit the ground and disappeared into the deep shadows and piles of debris.
    The dog’s growl of warning brought my attention back to the third biker, who was slowly stalking towards me. I felt the icy fingers of fear crawl across my skin as I tried to decide what to do. There was no way I could outrun him, even in the alley with all its obstacles. My hands twitched and my nails dug into the soft wood of the stick I still gripped. I fought for control of the pain that was throbbing against my skull as I gathered the energy I would need to stop this man.
    “Hey there, little girl, guess what I’ve got for you,” the biker leered as he tried to corner me against the pile of old furniture. “Maybe you and me, we’ll have us a nice little party before we eat your damn little doggie for dinner!” he growled as he dodged out of reach of Dusty’s snapping teeth.
    That small moment of distraction was all I needed. I swung my stick as hard as I could and was rewarded with the resounding crack of wood against bone as it connected with his shins