The First Book of Demons (The Book of Demons Saga) Read Online Free PDF Page A

know how, or where, but recognition hit her when her face met his.  She rose to her feet; this could not be a coincidence. This man had been watching her, and Alex wanted to know why. The door to her bedroom swung open.  Alex whirled around to greet the intruder.
    “Oh good, you’re up,” Sam said, barging into the room, clearly not caring if she was in fact up or not.
    Alex turned back to the window, ignoring her friend. The man had vanished.
    “Would you stop with that window,” Sam said, as much concerned as annoyed. “It’s not healthy, what you are doing.”
    “I’m not doing anything,” Alex said, plopping back down, craning her neck to look up and down the street.  ”Have you noticed an old man around the neighborhood?  White hair, white beard?”
    Sam sighed, shaking his head .  He knew that it would take time for Alex to heal, but she was exhibiting some rather disturbing behavior.  Something needed to be done. Alex needed to socialize, and she needed to be around her friends and other people that cared about her. Not wasting away, staring out of a window all day. 
    “Alex,” he said, stepping into the room. “Let’s go camping.”
    “I don’t want to go camping,” she said, finally moving her eyes away from the window to look at her friend.
    Sam had anticipa ted this, but he had resolved not to give up.  He would get her out of the house if it was the last thing he did. 
    “You don’t have to want to, but you’re going to,” he said, his balled fists placed firmly on his narrow hips.  Alex had seen that stance before.  When he stood like that, he meant business.  There was no use in fighting; he wouldn’t give up until she relented.
    “Fine, when are we leaving?” she sighed, once again turning to look out the window.
    “ Half an hour. I already loaded the car. Will and Kat are gonna come too,” he said, flashing her a satisfied smile.
    This must be some sort of intervention , Alex thought. She couldn’t blame him.  She could imagine trying to do the same for him. Alex wanted to feel better; she wanted to get on with her life.  But it felt like a ton of bricks was constantly resting on her chest.  It was so tiring.  She was alternating between burning pain and raw numbness.
    Alex knew the last thing her Aunt Tamy would want was her to waste away like this.  She knew she had to wake from this lethargy and get her life back together.  She had to try.  She turned to look at Sam, and forced a smile.
    “ Ok,” she said, “I’ll get my things ready.”
    His smile broadened and he left to finish getting ready , closing the door behind him.
    Alex stood from the window and walked over to the small closet in the co rner of the room, pulling a ratted pink backpack down from the top shelf. She packed a couple changes of clothes, something to sleep in, a book she had been reading on and off, and a few things she would need to bathe in the small lake at the campsite.  Alex and Sam had been camping at the same spot since as long as she could remember.  She cherished those times, remembering the peace that would wash over her as she sat before a roaring campfire, marshmallows roasting on an untwisted wire hanger.  It had been a few years since they had been camping, and the more Alex thought about it, the more excited she got.  This camping trip was just what she needed to start pulling herself back together.  She looked around her room, thinking of anything else she might need.  A sparkle under her bed caught her eye, and she walked over to it.  Reaching under the bed, she pulled out the small silver box that was her only inheritance.  Alexandra hadn’t told anybody about it, not even Sam.
    “Alex!” Sam hollered from downstairs.  “Let’s get going.”
    “I’m coming,” she called back, shoving the silver box into the bag and heading downstairs.
    They arrived at the campsite just before sunset.  The light of the dying sun played off the small lake like a million