Experiment in Terror 06 Into the Hollow Read Online Free PDF Page A

my suitcase and some boxes I quietly snuck out of the garage.
    “Holy crap,” she said from the doorway and I grabbed her skinny arm before she could say any more, pulling her inside, and closed the door behind her.
    I shushed her, then said, “I don’t want mom and dad to know yet. Not until Dex gets here.”
    Ada gave me a smile that was half-sad, half-proud. “You made your choice?”
    I nodded. “It’s not the best choice but it’s really the only one I have.”
    She kept that smile pasted on her face and sat down on the bed with a sigh. “So you’re really going?”
    “Unless you can give me a reason not to…” I said and took a seat beside her.
    She scooched closer to me, beanpole legs sticking out from plaid boxers. “I’m going to miss you.”
    I felt a pinch of emptiness in my chest at that. I put my arm around her and lay my head on her shoulder. I tried really hard not to cry but I’d be lying if I said a few tears hadn’t leaked out.
    “I’m going to miss you too,” I told her. Then I pulled away and put on my brave face. “But you’re going to do great without me.”
    “I know but…oh my God, are you crying?” she admonished but I could see her eyes were glistening too.
    “No.” I sniffed and hit her lightly on the arm. “And neither are you.”
    I looked around the room. It looked strange with half the stuff packed away. It felt right though. Even the right things can be scary.
    “What did Dex say?” she asked.
    “Actually he asked if I’d move in with him.”
    Ada beamed. “That’s my boy.”
    I laughed and gave her a funny look. “Your boy? I have to be honest; I’m not used to Little Fifteen being on Team Dex. I’m not even sure if I like it.”
    “Get used to it,” she said. “He saved my sister. I owe him a lot. Hey, did you know Little Fifteen is actually a Depeche Mode song?”
    “I’m surprised you know who Depeche Mode are,” I said wryly.
    “I know, I always thought it was a type of dessert. Anyway, I think he’s coming around. Just give him time.”
    I bristled. “I don’t have to give him anything. Not time, not friendship, not anything. This is just a temporary arrangement. Once I find a job, I’m out of there.”
    “And what, you’ll never speak to him again? Yeah right.”
    I shrugged and looked down at my ratty nail polish job. “Things are too messed up right now. I know he saved my life. I know he nearly gave up his own for mine. I know that. But…it doesn’t make the feelings go away. The hurt. What he did. I just can’t trust him. I don’t know if I even want to bother trusting him. What’s the point? Why do I need him in my life anyway?”
    She stared at me with her big eyes like I was some odd creature at the zoo, something she’d never seen before and wasn’t sure what I was.
    “What?” I snapped.
    “You need him in your life to get out of your current one, Perry,” she said softly. “Let’s just start with that, m’kay?”
    She gave me a quick pat on the shoulder and got up. “I better get ready for school. Don’t you dare leave before I’m back or I’ll be super pissed.”
    I told her I wouldn’t dream of it, but then again, I had no idea what was in store. Dex was coming by at 2pm, that’s the only thing I could count on.
    She left the room and I set about getting ready myself and putting most of the boxes and suitcase in the closet and under the bed, just in case my parents decided to pop in. Now came the hardest part: waiting until the afternoon, pretending like my life wasn’t about to undergo a humungous change that could potentially damage the already fragile relationship I had with my parents.
    I thought about avoiding them for most of the day. And I tried, I really did, but around lunchtime my stomach was rumbling and I knew I’d have to eat or fall flat on my face. My panic attacks always worsened when I had low blood sugar.
    My mom was in the kitchen puttering around as usual, putting things away that had