The Dawn of the Lost: Prequel to The Lost and the Wicked Read Online Free PDF Page B

you!”
    Gia yells something else, but I’m not really sure what it is. The creature has taken the bait and has locked its red eyes on me. My heartbeat pumps in my ears, drowning out all other noise.
    Still in a daze, I run down the street and zigzag between two cars obstructing the street. My hope that the creature is slowed down by this comes to a screeching halt when, from the corner of my eye, I see the creature pounce through the air. With a loud thump, it lands directly in front of me, obstructing my path.
    Thinking quickly, I throw myself to the floor. I crawl inside the shattered window of an overturned truck. A piece of glass digs itself into my knees. A spasm of pain travels down my leg and toward my hip. Nonetheless, I continue to crawl. From my position, I can see the high school. If I can only crawl out of the passenger side window, then perhaps I may be able to run into the school.
    No such luck. As I prepare to peek my head out, the creature brings its saw down. Metal grinds against metal. My ears ring. My chest tightens. Moments later, the saw cuts clear through the bottom of the vehicle. I lay face up, looking up at the creature.
    Its sharp fangs glisten with crimson blood dripping from it.
    “Reeeeeeek!” Its saw comes down on me. I roll across the floor. With its second arm, it reaches toward me. But the clumsy attack only sends me, along with half of the truck, skidding down the street.
    The creature quickly takes off after me.
    Hoping against hope, I stagger to my feet and dash toward the high school.
    The metallic clanks grow louder by the second. A sudden sharp explosion of pain pounds my lower back. I’m sent crashing to the ground. I try to stand back up, but something heavy pushes me back down.
    I crane my neck around. The creature stands triumphantly above me, its left foot firmly holding me in place. I scream in pain as it slowly digs its talon into the back of my shoulder.
    The creature brings its head down, directly above mine. The stench of oil and blood assaults my senses. The talon digs even deeper, and I scream out yet again.
    This is it. This is how it all ends. As my blurry vision scans my surroundings, a bittersweet sensation comes over me. I will die here, but at least my sister is alive. She’s a smart girl. I’m sure she will find a way to stay alive.
    A bright light flashes before my eyes. I close them, fully expecting the end. But instead, what I get is the sound of screeching tires, a loud banging noise, and a feeling of suddenly losing two-hundred pounds.
    My groggy eyes open. I turn my head to find that the creature is no longer holding me down. Instead it lies crumpled against a brick fence that is half knocked over. The air around it is buzzing as sparks of light shoot from its eyes and mouth. Is it malfunctioning?
    “Get up!”
    What? Who?
    A pair of soft hands comes under my shoulders, pushing me up a few inches. “Didn’t I tell you to lay off those Twinkies? Now get up! I can’t carry you alone!”
    I want to yell at her. I want to scold her for not leaving while she had the chance. What was she thinking running into the creature head on? It might have destroyed the car, with her in it, too. But I’m much too happy to say a word.
    She heaves loudly as she helps me into the backseat of the car.
    Quickly, she jumps into the driver seat and grabs the gear stick. She’s so short that she has to almost stand in order to reach the accelerator pedal. At her side, in the passenger seat, sits Lana. She’s rolled up in a tight ball, crying and mumbling uncontrollably.
    “When did you learn how to drive?”
    The car skids loudly as it takes off down the street. “Just now!”
    My heart leaps to my chest as she clumsily weaves between a pair of mini-vans that obstruct the street. From one of them, I catch a glimpse of corpses slumped against the windows. Some are large, adult sized, others are small.
    “Reeeeeeek!”
    “Oh, no!” cries Gia, a second before I could say