Soul Inheritance Read Online Free PDF Page A

toothless grin emitted a horrible stench causing Mitch to recoil. “What? Aren’t you glad to seee yoouurr old friend?”
    “ You’re no friend. I got out, a long time ago.”
    It only laughed, drew its coils tighter.
    “ Family is family. You never get out or didn’t you learn that from your dear wife? You sold yourselves long ago.”
    The harder Mitch struggled to free himself, the tighter its embrace became, the glistening dark green coils glimmering with each movement, until everything went black.
     
    ‡
     
    Katherine waited in the car with the radio on low, watching the dark storm clouds grow thicker and lower. They hung over the buildings and the rain came swiftly in a torrential down pour as she fiddled with her keys, changed the stations, straightened her CD case. Finally she sat, drumming her thumb on the steering wheel.
    “ Come on Dad. What’re ya doing? Damn it, you’ve got to face me sooner or later.”
    After what seemed like a long time her patience expired. She reached in the back floor, withdrew an umbrella, rushed through the down pour and into the house.
    “ Whew. What a rain!” She stood waiting for a reply. Nothing. “Dad?” She looked around the corner, but the small, sparsely furnished living room was empty except for the dark wooden end tables and cozy couch and chair. Glancing at all the pictures of the two of them lined up on the wall she called again. “Dad?”
    Katherine made her way cautiously up the stairs. “Dad?”
    As she entered the bedroom the smell of rotten leaves and lake water hit her square in the face. Her father lay stretched out on the floor, a horrified expression frozen on his face, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, gasping for breath. The blood in her veins slowed to a crawl, pulsing in her ears as she felt the chill in the room. It quickly dissipated as events caught back up to speed.
    “ Dad!” She rushed to the phone and dialed 911.
     
    ‡
     
    “ It’s okay,” she cooed to him. “It’s going to be okay, they’re on the way... Please, just hold on.” She grasped his hand tightly, tried to be strong.  His eyes stared upward, never blinking. Finally, unable to keep the anguish off her face, she looked away. The glint of the brass key lying on the floor caught her eye. Reaching out, choking back tears she picked it up.
    It was small, but looked like a skeleton key with scroll work at the top. She turned it over in her hand, thought hard about where it might go.  Looking around the room her eyes came to rest on the drawers. Then she saw it, only one drawer with a bronze lock on it, right in the middle. Wiping her tears on the sleeve of her jacket she slid the key in her pocket.
    The ambulance was quick to respond and whisk Mitch away. Katherine followed close behind, then paced in the waiting room. Finally a slight, short man in a white coat appeared in the doorway. His blond hair was disheveled, the tired expression on his face spoke of the hours he’d already spent there.
    “ Miss McKalister?” he quarried.
    “ Yes, how is he?”
    The doctor paused, cleared his throat, his round face drawing up into an uncertain expression.
    “ Well, we’re not sure what’s causing your father’s distress, but he’s slipped into unconsciousness. He’s not in any need of support, other than the basic monitoring equipment. We’re moving him to a room. We’ll run more tests in the morning. His heart’s erratic, but strong. His breathing’s leveled off, but there’re no responses from  him. While he’s unconscious; he’s not comatose. We’ve run a series of tests, done a preliminary CAT scan, blood work and so on. The tests are being processed now. If that doesn’t produce anything we’ll run some others tomorrow.” He looked into her face and couldn’t hide his puzzlement.
    “ We really just don’t know what’s wrong. But I promise, we’ll keep looking. So, please. Go home, get some rest. Come back in the morning. We may know more then.”
    “