The Paradise War Read Online Free PDF

put us just south of Inverness. I turned from the window and peered at the atlas under my thumb. We were on the A82 approaching a village called Lochend. The narrow body of the famous monster-bearing lake itself lay a hundred yards off to the right, invisible in the darkness. “We should see some lights soon,” I said. “Three or four miles.”
    I was still bent over the Bartholomew when Simon screamed. “Bloody hell!”
    He hit the brakes and swerved. I was thrown against the door. My head thumped the window.
    The car dry-skidded to a stop on the road. “Did you see it?” Simon yelled. “Did you see it?”
    “Ow!” I rubbed my head. “See what? I didn’t see anything.”
    Simon’s eyes glinted wildly in the dim light. He jammed the gearshift into reverse, and the car began rolling backward. “It was one of those things!”
    “Things? What things?”
    “You know,” he said, twisting around to see out the rear window, “one of those mythical creatures.” His voice was shaky, and his hands were trembling.
    “A mythical creature—well, that certainly narrows it down.” I craned my neck to look out the back as well, but saw nothing. “What sort of mythical creature, exactly?”
    “Oh, for crying out loud, Lewis!” he shouted, his voice rising hysterically. “Did you see it, or didn’t you?”
    “All right, calm down. I believe you.” Obviously, he had been driving far too long. “Whatever it was, it’s gone now.”
    I started to turn away and saw, fleetingly highlighted in the red-and-white glow of the taillights, the ragged torso of a man. Rather, I saw the upper thigh and lower stomach and part of an arm as it swung away and out of sight. Judging from the proportions, the body must have been gigantic. I only saw it for the briefest instant, but my strongest impression, the thing that stuck fast in my mind, was that of tree leaves .
    “There!” bellowed Simon triumphantly, slamming on the brakes. “There it is again!” He tore at the door handle and burst from the car. He ran up the road a few yards.
    “Simon! Get back here!” I yelled, and waited. The sound of his footsteps died away. “Simon?”
    Hanging over the seat back, I peered out the rear window. I could not make out a thing beyond the few feet of tarmac illuminated by the taillights. The engine purred quietly, and through the open car door I heard the sough of wind in the pines like the hissing of giant snakes.
    I kept my eyes on the circle of light and presently glimpsed the rapid movement of an approaching figure. A moment later, Simon’s face floated into view. He slid into the car, slammed the door, and locked it. He put his hands on the steering wheel but made no other move.
    “Well? Did you see anything?”
    “You saw it, too, Lewis. I know you did.” He turned to face me. His eyes were bright, his lips drawn back over his teeth. I had never seen him so excited.
    “Look, it happened so fast. I don’t know what I saw. Let’s just get out of here, okay?”
    “Describe it.” His voice cracked with the effort it took to hold it level.
    “Like I said, I don’t think I could—”
    “Describe it!” He smashed the steering wheel with his fists.
    “It was a man, I think. It looked like a man. I only saw a leg and an arm, but I think it was a man.”
    “What color was it?”
    “How should I know what color it was?” I demanded shrilly. “I don’t know. It’s dark. I didn’t see it all that—”
    “Tell me what color it was!” Simon’s tone was cold and cutting.
    “Green, I think. The guy was wearing something green—rags or something.”
    Simon nodded slowly and exhaled. “Yeah, green. That’s right. You saw it too.”
    “What are we talking about, exactly?” I asked. My stomach twisted itself into a tight knot.
    “A huge man,” he answered quietly. “Eight feet tall at least.”
    “Right. And wearing a ragged green coat.”
    “No.” Simon shook his head firmly. “Not a coat. Not rags.”
    “What,