Demon Gate: Beyond the 9th Circle: The Rapture Was Just The Beginning. Read Online Free PDF Page A

her,
murmuring useless phrases. However, there was
a problem that was going to force this scene to an
end. Spencer still had no idea what was
happening, nor did he know what to do next and
he was tired and had to find a place to sleep soon.
He didn’t care to have a teenager tagging along;
there was a good chance she would get them both
killed. But he cared enough to not leave her in a
motel with her dismembered father.
“Come on, we shouldn’t stay here, there’s
another motel across the street.”
The girl looked like she was about to protest
leaving until Spencer walked out the door.
    Spencer peered out the window of the
motel room at his car across the street. “Are you
going to be okay?
    The girl nodded. She had calmed down
enough to talk.
“So, what’s your name?”
“Gretchen Jones,” the cute girl replied.
She seemed stable now, but Spencer thought she
was just putting on a good show—her whole
body was tense one second and shaking the next.
“Spencer Garza.” Spencer had to know
how long the strange winged creatures had been
gone. “How long were you barricaded in that
room before I showed up?”
Gretchen folded her arms in front of her
and shivered. “I don’t know, an hour.”
“What happened?” Spencer asked,
narrowing his eyes at her.
“My dad was stationed at Fort Bragg. We
were at home when the call came in. The army
had been positioned to launch a counterattack
here, the hotel was the forward command center.
He took me because he thought I would be safer
at the hotel than at home. We were surrounded
and overrun. He told me to go lock myself in a
room and, no matter what I heard, not to come
out,” Gretchen explained, tears streaming down
her face. “What are we going to do?” Gretchen
asked.
“We?” He looked at her hard. “I was
going to Miami. From there I was going to take a
ship to Mexico.”
Gretchen started to rub her hands on her
upper arms. She whimpered, her eyes pleaded
with Spencer to not leave her alone. “Everybody
I ever knew was here, and now they’re all dead.”
She sobbed, “There’s nothing for me here now.”
“No, I ... I just don’t know what is going
on and I can’t protect you, you need to look for
more soldiers. Tell them what happened. I’m
going to fend for myself.”
Gretchen wiped the tears from her eyes.
“You think a Glock 22 will save you?”
Spencer’s mouth dropped open. He
glanced down to notice the handle of his gun was
exposed, so he covered it with his shirt.
“You know something about guns?”
“Not guns that small. My father taught
me to field strip an M-16 when I was eight.”
Gretchen snidely remarked, her eyes still red
from crying.
Gretchen’s obvious knowledge softened
Spencer, and he relented. “Fine, we leave at first
light. Unless those things come back. Before we
go we’ll have to find some supplies.”
Spencer and Gretchen settled in for a
rough night. The sun quickly vanished behind the
horizon. Gretchen fell asleep while Spencer
opted to take the first watch. He knew sleep
wouldn’t come easy.
When the sun’s early rays broke through
the shutters, Spencer woke. He was seated in a
chair by the window. He looked at the girl
sleeping in the bed. He knew they had to get a
move on, find a place to get food and water. He
hated the idea of waking her; she seemed so
peaceful, so beautiful with that red hair catching
the light of the sun. He reluctantly climbed out of
the chair and took a seat on the bed next to her.
He brushed the hair from her face and spoke
softly. “Gretchen, it’s time to get moving.”
Gretchen stirred and opened her eyes, as
she did she smiled up at Spencer. Her smile faded
when reality sank in. Gretchen sat up and placed
her dainty feet on the floor before standing.
Spencer opened the door and Gretchen
followed him out into the quiet morning. He
climbed into the driver’s seat and looked at his
gas gauge; it had not become a cause for concern,
but it was stupid not to fill his gas tank here,
while he