Death of the Body (Crossing Death) Read Online Free PDF

immediately adjust, but I could see thin strips of light shining through the floorboards above as I looked at the approximate position of the cellar door. I watched intensely and tried to keep my focus when light flooded down to the dirt floor as the cellar door was opened. I saw one heavy boot on the top step, and then a large object flashed down the stairs, through the light, and disappeared into the shadows before I could make out anything more than a black blur.
    Everything was pitch black and silent when the cellar door closed. I held my breath. Hailey and Ralph did the same. They must have felt as I did—that the darkness around us had come alive. The atmosphere had an electric feel to it, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up so straight that it felt like someone was pulling it, like the darkness had hidden hands threatening to capture me.
    I heard myself let out a breath and I drew in the next one with caution. I could hear Ralph and Hailey move from their hiding spots, inching toward me. As they grew closer I could hear Ralph’s uneven breaths, ragged in the charged air.
    “Ralph,” I whispered, “be quiet.”
    But it wasn’t the voice of a person that answered. Instead, a deep-throated growl rumbled in response. My eyes darted toward the sound as a bolt of fear raced down my spine. The eyes that met mine were glowing in the dim light, yellow and angry.
    I heard a jaw lined with sharp teeth snap and I suddenly knew exactly what a “mutt” was. This dog was unlike any I had encountered. Normal dogs were friendly. I had seen this kind of reaction, but only when threatened by an outsider. Even then, a simple bit of communication would usually reassure and calm the creature. But this animal didn’t seem interested in discussing who I was or what it wanted, even when I tried to communicate using expressions the dogs I had known would have understood. Instead, it practically screamed of protection, of anger, of hate.
    The low rumble turned into a snarl and the animal’s intentions became clear.
    My feet started inching me away from the dog before my mind knew what they were doing. Logically I wasn’t sure whether it was a good idea to move at all, but self-preservation asserted itself.
    The animal’s eyes were wild and focused on my fear-stricken face. The snarls coming from between its fangs grew louder, interrupted occasionally by an intimidating bark. The dog was forcing me toward the entrance of the cellar. Faint strips of light from between the upstairs floorboards illuminated the raised hair on the dog’s back. The sinews in his giant paws tensed and I could tell he was poised to attack.
    When the cellar door swung wide open, I was bathed in light. A strong voice commanded, “Calm!”
    The dog sat. His bright eyes grew round and gentle. A floppy tongue fell out of one side of his mouth. The relief I felt was fleeting, however, as I now had a large man staring inquisitively in my direction.
    “Sorry about the scare, kid,” the man said. “He’s trained to be protective. He didn’t rough you up any, did he?”
    The man made his way down the stairs and stood in front of me. He was easily twice my height and three times my width. He was a warrior, with big heavy boots and pieces of armor that hadn’t yet been fully removed. His black hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, his large questioning eyes had a hardness to them that could only have come from seeing too many horrors that a man shouldn’t have to see.
    “You all right, kid?”
    I searched the man over, looking for any weapons. His hands were both clearly visible, and while he didn’t have any weapon that I could see, between his muscular arms and giant hands, I knew he wouldn’t need any if he wanted to kill me.
    “Kid?”
    I realized I hadn’t answered his question, but I was too scared to speak. I fought against my tensed neck muscles to shake my head but I wasn’t sure if I made enough motion for the man to