Nigh - Book 1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

Gruff said as Al and
Molly helped him out. “Just hit me out of nowhere.”
    “Well, the mist isn’t helping anything. Let’s get
you to the clinic for a checkup and head back to the shop. We’ll
have to make do and help the cars that make it in. Can’t risk
moving the truck now — who knows what damage was done.”
    “Ah, old reliable here would still get us home.”
Gruff said, still uneasy on his feet but trying to hide it. Al
grabbed his arm to help support him and he didn’t protest. That
worried her.
    They reached Percival and she was helping Gruff into
the passenger seat when the first scream sounded. It echoed down
the street, as though born from the fog itself.
    “What the...” Molly started saying before a second
scream shattered the night, from the left. And another, from the
right. A car alarm sounded. And another. A shop alarm went off.
    Alva looked around frantically, not able to figure
out what was happening, the fog blocking all sight but also
distorting sounds and spreading them around like a coat of warm
wax.
    “Al, get in the car,” Gruff said calmly. She nodded
and moved around to the driver’s seat. Molly didn’t need any
prodding, already having scooted in the back seat.
    Al slammed the door shut and turned the motor
on.
    “What’s happening?” Al asked as she backed away from
the truck. She hit something and slammed on the brakes. She went to
open the door to check what she’d hit when the back of the car was
pushed up. Someone started banging on the trunk. Al couldn’t see
anything through her mirror, but the car kept jumping up, landing
heavily on its wheels.
    “Go, Al, Go!” Molly screamed from the back. Al
stomped on the gas and skidded the tires, narrowly avoiding the
back end of the pick-up truck as she raced down Main Street.
    “Slow down, Al. Visibility ain’t good,” Gruff gently
reproached from the passenger seat.
    “What the hell was that?” Molly screamed from the
back. Gruff reached around and put a big hand on her shoulder. She
calmed down immediately, but Al could see her big eyes in the
rearview mirror. It would have been funny if she hadn’t been
terrified.
    “Let’s get you to the hospital,” Al said as she
slowed down a bit.
    “No,” Gruff argued. “Back to the shop. Gotta check
on the guys and find out what’s going on.”
    “Are you kidding? You took a bad hit, Gruff. We’re
getting you to the hospital.” Al glared at him. “Say no again and
I’ll add to your injuries.”
    Gruff looked at her darkly. “The shop is on the way
to the hospital,” Molly piped up from the back. “How about we swing
by there first and then head to the hospital? Let’s at least make
sure everyone knows we’re not answering any more calls.”
    Al and Gruff both nodded. At least it was still
early morning and every shop was still closed. Distant car alarms
still pounded the mists.
    She was just about to turn off Main Street when
glass rained down on them. Al hit the brakes. Shop alarms went off
all around them. Through the fog, Al could see a couple of shops,
their windows shattered. She activated her windshield wipers to
clear away the glass and pressed on the gas, praying her tires
wouldn’t be pierced by the carpet of glass crunching under
them.
    “Maybe go a bit faster now,” Gruff said softly
beside her.
    She nodded and pressed down on the gas. If her tires
burst, they’d still get her to the shop and she could swap them out
there.
    If they made it to the shop.

Chapter 3
     
    A siren screeched not far away, muted by the
fog.
    Alva drove as fast as she dared. Her motor was loud,
so pedestrians would hear her. Not that anyone was out. She thought
she heard a scream. She glanced sideways at Gruff, who was pale in
the seat beside her.
    The fog shifted to her left, a large shadow blocking
what little light was breaking through. Even over Percival’s
engine, she heard a loud thump and felt the ground shake. She
slowed down, looking to the left at the large